Les Ailes Collées (French) [Tethered Wings]

This gay film has a lot that it unpacks. Tackling with the deep themes, such as budding love, the unsaid, the complexity of adolescence and the cruelty of bullying, the film is an interesting take. Set in two different timelines, the film is set in early 2000's with taking a flashback into the summer of 1983 when the two protagonists Paul and Joseph met. The sensitivity with which the sincere portrait of adolescence is drawn up in the first part and the reunion 20 years later of Paul and Joseph having made their adult life a vibrant, this touching story remains intact in their relationship despite the vagaries of life.

On his wedding day, Paul's very pregnant wife surprises him by inviting an old friend of his Joseph, whom he hasn't seen for almost 20 years. With the burning memories of their meeting that summer of 1983, Paul is overwhelmed by doubts about the choices of a lifetime and the emotions of this forbidden relationship. Back in 1983, we see Paul was a shy teenager with not many friends focused on his music. One day, in a secluded part of the beach meets Joseph, a charming youngster who moves around a lot but was going to be in that town for summer. The two very quickly become very close friends. Joseph's charm helps him make other friends too and one night at a party, the two of them kiss, which the other people see. Multiple series of bullying starts towards the tow with Paul having to bear most of the brunt. Joseph moves to Toronto with his father, while in school Paul has to go through brutal and violent physical assault, sexual assault leading him to try to take his own life. A year or two later, he hears that Joseph has returned. They meet, they kiss and decide to meet at the beach but the main bully shows up there. Paul loses his control and beats him up badly but later cannot find him. He has been living with the guilt that he likely killed that boy all those years back. Now when they have met 20 years later, they reminiscence in the memories of their teenage love. Even though Joseph now has a boyfriend, they still have some attraction. Paul, who always hated his father, finds out on his death a secret abut that fateful night which makes him question his choices. Him and Joseph eventually get physical after learning the truth and coming out of guilt. Joseph breaks up with his boyfriend and Paul tells the truth to his wife. Maybe after all these years, the two star crossed lovers will have a final chance to reunite.

As I mentioned before this film is tackling a lot of themes. The main story follow the impossible teenage love that meets again years later, but nothing is the same. One of them is going to marry a woman because he opted for repression after the homophobic abuses he suffered in the past, while the other having returned to the town with vigor and a boyfriend of 4 years, feels apparently full with his life, but yearning for his first love that he hasn't been able to keep going. If we focus just on the past, we see how rampant homophobia was back in the 80s. Two young innocent boys and how they fall for one another was established so well. They are both scared but also love one another and how they navigate through all this was brilliant. It show the tenderness of first 'forbidden' love. The two actors playing young versions of Paul and Joseph do an incredible job of showing their emotions, the fear of people finding out and eventually when they are bullied (Paul bears the heat much more than Joseph). Plus they were both sooo cute. We also see a glimpse of Paul's family with the cheating father, which gives us a hint of what becomes of Paul 20 years later and how it is hard for him to get out of his guilt. The incidents of that tragic night have been probably in both their minds and they have been dealing with it in their own ways. Paul, now a married man and also a father to a baby, wants to do the right thing for his family and forget Joseph but he cannot. Revealing the truth to his wife he needs to deal with his love and implications that it will have on all the near and dear ones. The film tackles a difficult subject but treats it with honesty and respect. Some aspects in present time felt a bit convenient but then the film had to conclude somehow. The ending felt a bit too goo to be true types, but hey!, every audience member would want for the true love to eventually meet! This made for TV film was overall a very decent watch and another name added to good French gay content. (7/10)