We are not certain of how much of Matt Fifer is in his debut feature film Cicada which he wrote, co-directed and starred in , but it has such a solid ring of authenticity that it must be based on his life story.
Fifer plays twenty-something- year-old Ben who has just broken up with his fiance/girlfriend and decides to throw himself at any man in his sights, and sometimes the odd woman too. He seems to have more sex in the first eight minutes of this film, then some people have in a whole lifetime!
Ben has issues. A few of which are almost obvious to him but which he hasn’t fully dealt with yet. Then before he can move forward with them he meets Sam (Sheldon D. Brown) a one-night-stand and which slowly leads to something that has the possibilities of being much more deeper and meaningful.
Both men are new to the concept of being in a relationship and need to work on some unresolved parts of their own lives. Sam is the only black (and gay) man at his workplace which has fuelled his paranoia about P.D.A. His widowed father is a church pastor which Sam believes is a good enough reason to remain closeted.
He has also never previously discussed that he bares the scars of being shot in a hate crime that could easily have been fatal.
Ben is slowly coming to terms that his bisexuality may have been a cover for his homosexuality. However his issues date back to being abused as a child. It’s something that manifests in his hypochondria which stretches the patience of his Doctor. It is also part of the reason he starts therapy although the patronising airy-fairy counsellor he sees tests all our patiences.
Both men, although somewhat troubled, are so easy to relate too and we find ourselves not only invested in the outcome, but also in the journey they must take. Hopefully together. If this is indeed based on Fifer’s own story then kudos to him for being brave enough to expose himself in such an open manner.
All of us know that coming to terms with our sexuality is a tough right of passage, and it’s always so heartening when people make it through all the trauma intact. Well mostly intact.
Funniest line belongs to Ben;s sister when she discovers he’s abandoned his girlfriend and she says “so you are back on the dick then? “
Congrats to Fifer for an impressive and engaging debut : we can’t wait to see what he does next;
P.S. CICADA is screening at OUTshine and OUTFEST Virtual Film Festivals
Labels: 2020, drama, Matt Fifer
