By Gary M. Kramer–
A collection of recent and classic international short films about gay, lesbian, trans, and straight characters all coming of age, Altered Innocence Volume 1—out May 25 on DVD, Blu-Ray, and available on demand—is described as a “cinematic mixtape.” The 7 shorts film are a mixed bag, with music videos dividing up the program, but there is certainly something for everyone.
The program opens with a new HD restoration of Cam Archer’s video “Our Time” by Imperial Teen, featuring a young man dancing and dressing in a mirror to the titular song. It’s a pleasant amuse bouche.
The first short, Gabber Lover, by Anna Cazenave Cambet, from 2016, is the sole lesbian entry. Teenager Mila (Mila Lendormy) kisses her crush Lorie (Laurie Reynal), only to be rebuffed. As Mila grapples with the consequences of her actions, Lorie tries to reach out and make peace. Gabber Lover builds its tension between the two girls right up to the satisfying conclusion.
Doors Cut Down, directed by Antonio Hems, is arguably the best short in the program. Originally made in 2000, and getting an HD restoration for this re-release, it recounts the experiences of Guillermo (Israel Rodríguez), a handsome gay teenager who cruises for sex in the local shopping mall. He tries to keep his behavior discrete, but he gets into trouble seducing his English tutor (Juan Carlso Rubio), or coordinating a tryst with a local mechanic, Asier (Pablo Puyol). Doors Cut Down is a classic queer short that celebrates Guillermo’s sexuality even as others try to shame him. It is gratifying that this film is back in circulation.
The program continues with a cheeky and hyperviolent music video by Yann Gonzalez and entitled “Les Vacances Continuent.” This short allows viewers to shift gears for the next two films that depict straight characters.
After School Knife Fight from 2017 is writer/director Carline Poggi and Jonathan VInel’s poignant drama about unspoken desire. The title refers to the name of the band comprised of Roca (Lucas Doméjen), Näel (Pablo Cobo), and Nico (Nicolas Mias), with Laetitia (Marylou Mayniel) singing vocals. Roca has long harbored a crush on Laetitia, but he is afraid to tell her. When Laetitia announces she will be leaving to go study elsewhere, Näel encourages Roca to tell her the truth. After School Knife Fight features a terrific performance scene that expresses the characters’ anxiety about the future. (Näel is worried about his career options.) This is a beautifully made and acted short about growing up.
Bunny, from Scotland, is Shaun Hughes’ 2018 short about Buckley (Connor Newall), a young man who wears rabbit ears as a means of coping with the death of his mother. When his idiosyncratic behavior is challenged by a group of new arrivals in his trailer park, things come to a head. This short is a raw drama about difference, mental illness, and trauma, and it is quietly powerful.
Altered Innocence Volume 1 shifts up its tone again with an experimental short, GUO4, directed by Peter Strickland. This eye-popping 4-minute film from 2019 depicts a physical fight between two naked men (Gyula Muskovics and Csaba Molnár) in a locker room. What is more, it is told entirely through stop-motion photography.
Terror, Sisters! is the program’s trans entry, an outrageous 2019 horror comedy by director/cowriter Alexis Langlois. When the Kalthoum (Nana Benamer) meets her friends for a drink, they are all fed up with being victims of transphobia. Wanting respect, they imagine various scenarios for revenge, from a campy, candy-colored baking class to activists burning their government ID cards in retaliation for refusing their rights and not being recognized by their preferred gender identity. There is also a nightclub scenario where Léo (Féliz Maritaud) is punished for abusing Kalthoum. Terror, Sisters!, however, soon folds in on itself, but it makes a valid point about fantasy and reality in a way that is empowering.
The last music video, “Niemand’ (Kompromat) by Bertrand Mandico, is a violent entry about a woman in a car accident. It is shot in a highly stylized manner and leads into the last two films, which feature younger boys.
Gambozinos (Wild Haggis), director João Nicolau’s 2013 film, is the weakest entry. It is a slow drama set at a summer camp, where a 10-year-old boy (Tomás Franco) is crushed on Tania (Isabel Portugal) and bullied by older campers. There is also a monster (Pedro Leitão) the boy befriends. This frustrating short could have been pulled from the lineup.
The last film, Jakt (Hunt), from 2018, is writer/director Gjertrud Bergaust’s grim but gripping short about Asgaut (Håvid Kringstand Hagen), a 14-year-old boy in a Norwegian village. When Asgaut is bullied by some older local boys, Kjell (Cato Skimten Storengen), a local farmer, rescues him. Seeing that the boy needs some friendship, Kjell invites Asgaut to help him care for his lambs. But despite the fatherly relationship that develops between Kjell and Asgaut, a complicated situation arises that has a lasting impact. Jakt is incredibly potent, but it does end this provocative anthology on a downbeat note.
© 2021 Gary M. Kramer
Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer
Published on May 6, 2021
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