There is a big statement occurring in film regarding the portrayal of human sexuality, and, no, it’s not Michael Fassbender’s naughty bits in Shame. Rather, it is a trend appearing recently in two independent queer films, in which there is a strong effort to capture a realistic depiction of gay love and sex. First was a small, quiet U.K. romance from 2011, Weekend by Andrew Haigh, and now the more recent Sundance selection Keep the Lights On, by Ira Sachs. Both films trace the developing relationships between two very different couples.
Each film is acclaimed for having a honest portrayal of young gay males, something that many movies lack if you’ve taken the time to plunder the “Gay and Lesbian” section of Netflix. The majority of gay themed movies (is that a real genre?) usually resort to finely manicured dolls of men embroiled in melodrama commonly surrounding the political upheavals or religious damnation of homosexuality — anyone who has spent a Saturday in bed watching Latter Days crying into your chinese food knows what I am talking about.
It is refreshing to see two films that truly examine the human experience of being with someone as well as the uniqueness of it being a gay relationship. What we are left with are films that are both universal and intensely personal, qualities that make up moving stories.
Weekend
The rundown: A beautifully simple, bittersweet film that played at both IFC and Chelsea Clearview last fall about a one night stand between the solitary Russell, and the outspoken Glen, who find a developing relationship over the course of a single weekend. The trailer has a 6 out of 10 success rate of getting a audible “Awww”. If you have this rainy day off, stream it in bed on Netflix. Warning: will cause melancholy.
Keep the Lights On
The rundown: Follows an nearly decade long relationship between Erik, a documentary filmmaker, and Paul, a closeted lawyer. From their first casual encounter onward the relationship is propelled by their own personal addictions and compulsions regarding sex and drugs. It was well received at Sundance this year, and the teaser looks gorgeous:
Keep The Lights On — Trailer from KTLO Movie on Vimeo.
(Image Via)
this article is great and i cried a lot when i watched weekend, but sadly i must speak out for the misspelling of the glory that is FASSBENDER
Love these portrayals of homosexual relationships. Weekend was one of the best movies of the year and, had it had bigger financial impact and easier-to-swallow themes, would have been nominated for many awards at the Oscars. Now, the next goal is to get everyone possible to see films such as these – they can do so much for the image of gay people in our country.
The international film section is where gay films really shine–check out any of the films out of Israel, for instance. (The Bubble, Yossi & Jagger)
I really fail to see anything “realistic” or groundbreaking about movies which lack any representations of queer people of color (as far as I can tell from the trailers and IMDB pages of both movies).
Y’all should check out “Pariah” if you want to see a great queer-themed movie.
SO TURE!
unfortunately, there are multiple grounds to break in queer cinema, and if “weekend” does not broach the queer of color experience, it does very interestingly deal with class (one of the protagonists having spent his adolescence in foster care) and space, refreshingly exchanging the familiar cosmopolitan city/life-threatening rural binary with a decidedly post-industrial urban/suburban sprawl as the backdrop of queer sexuality and romance. just because it isn’t exhaustive in its representational reach by no means disqualifies it as groundbreaking, and yes (if only for some populations of undeniable privilege) “realistic” a cultural production.