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Showing posts with the label Bulgaria

On The Sea (UK)

This one's a beautiful, tender, quiet romantic drama with a moody atmosphere, set in a tight knit Welsh fishing community. It's a touching story about a man waking up sexually in the middle of his life, and how he, his family, and everyone around him deal with it, which makes it emotional and sentimental without ever getting over the top. The slow burn plays out against a landscape that's as bleak as it is gorgeous, where quiet, closed off men are stuck inside rigid ideas of what masculinity should be. Some people might be reminded of "God's Own Country," but I think both films are lovely in their own way. Jack is a middle aged guy who co-owns a mussel farm with his rough around the edges brother Dyfan, and the tension between the two of them is simmering under the surface right from the start. Dyfan's three sons all help out with the work, while Jack's sulky teenage son Tom keeps skipping out. Jack's been with his wife since they were both 16, and...

Liuben (Bulgarian)

In a Bulgarian mountain village, where prejudice simmers, a summer romance begins between two boys from different worlds. I just read this line and of course it sounded interesting to spend time on this film. This is apparently first openly gay film from Bulgaria and I must say, what a beautiful film it was ! I had minimal expectations but thanks to the gorgeous landscapes and some great acting, the film kept my attention throughout. Victor, who now lives with his older partner Jose in Madrid, returns to his mountain village in Bulgaria after 11 years to attend his grandfather's funeral. He missed home so he decides to stay for the summer and rekindle his relationship with is old village and his father. Things take unexpected turn, when an unlikely friendship with a local gypsy named Liuben, an 18 year old drifter, things change. Liuben wants to do something with his life. He is outgoing and he literally forces himself for Victor's friendship. Victor finds him attractive for su...

Galazio Forema (Greek) [True Blue]

I think there are very few gay themed films that have come from Greece. After initial expectations, it just started sliding down and by the end of the film it was nothing but a disappointment. I think the intentions were fine but the execution not so great. The fifties. A widow is raising her three children but has a soft spot for her only son Giorgos. The first signs of the son’s ‘peculiarity’ appear early on. The father does not like the behavior of the son but dies soon. His passion for dancing leads him to Paris to work as a dancer in some cheap gay club and his passions to bisexual relationships which involve a so called marriage to some girl whom he pays some money. His relationship to the girl is not very clear because he sleeps with her and also with other men at the same time. Time moves on and we are in eighties. Giorgos has failed big time as an artist and is earning nothing. He moves back with his mother, doesn't do any work, expects his mother to take care of him and ...