Memoirs Of a Geeza presents us with a hard street-wise boy who becomes a hard Queer man, trying out his sexuality and finding, to his surprise, that his family is ‘like a wall of arms protecting me “.
Hans Piesbergen is outstanding as the middle-aged drag artist Hansi, who surrounds himself with beautiful boys who urge him to leave Berlin while it’s still safe to do so. Hansi’s ex-boyfriend, now in the Gestapo, comes to warn him of his impending “ protective custody “ , but Hansi’s determination to be himself seems almost self-destructive when he confronts the Nazi raiders with an outrageous camp song about Frau Hitler . The end is inevitable, but there could so easily be a full-length drama here. Hard t0 watch but a must.
My Father Works At Night introduces us to Felix and Vincent, two gay men who meet in a changing room – yes I know, sounds ike the stuff of porn- but actually it’s a touching if ultimately slightly inexplicable tale of Queer love and the family violence it often causes.
L’ Homme Jetee is an elegiac piece about a young gay man who longs to go to sea with the trawler men he sees at the pier. When Giuseppe takes an interest in him, he introduces him to a macho ritualistic initiation which is violent and worrying. Will he catch the boat ? Will he catch Giuseppe?
Dungarees, which I’ve previously reviewed as part of the Iris Prize short films festival makes another appearance here and it’s an endearing tale of a boy’s journey to girlhood. It’s also quirky and funny.
Clothes and Blow features voiceover performer Daniel and his appetite for fully clothed oral sex with strangers he finds online – hence the film’s title. When his mother and sister arrive in London from abroad , there’s a triangular and comedic sequence about coming out, family disputes and eventual true love – well who knows ?
Finally Pretty Boy. Kevin is a sullen teenager skipping school and meeting a secret boyfriend Nico. When his mother finds it, she becomes violent, saying : You’re not one of them, what’ve I done wrong ? Not you two- not in my house “.But maybe out of the dreadful rejection there can be hope for the boys.
The films are on dvd, Blu-Ray or On Demand or go to peccapics.com