In 2009 I remembered being totally enamored with an
irrepressible young Italian gay couple that documented the struggle of
acceptance of gay rights in their Country and being totally horrified about the
vitriol and power of the Far Right Political Parties that seem to make the
American Evangelistic Conservatives seem like real sweethearts by
comparison. One of the most impressive things about their award-winning movie ‘Suddenly Last Winter’ was Luca and Gustav’s
unceasing optimism and their determination to succeed.
irrepressible young Italian gay couple that documented the struggle of
acceptance of gay rights in their Country and being totally horrified about the
vitriol and power of the Far Right Political Parties that seem to make the
American Evangelistic Conservatives seem like real sweethearts by
comparison. One of the most impressive things about their award-winning movie ‘Suddenly Last Winter’ was Luca and Gustav’s
unceasing optimism and their determination to succeed.
Now they are back with another extremely watchable
movie as they question whether they want to remain living in Italy today, or
follow the exodus of many of their creative and talented friends who have moved
to Berlin, London, Barcelona as they believe its only way to have the future
they want. Their concerns are not just
about the high cost of living and the lack of job security, and the sheer
indifference to human rights, but also of a reactionary political system that
empowered the morally corrupt Berlusconi to remain in charge for so long.
movie as they question whether they want to remain living in Italy today, or
follow the exodus of many of their creative and talented friends who have moved
to Berlin, London, Barcelona as they believe its only way to have the future
they want. Their concerns are not just
about the high cost of living and the lack of job security, and the sheer
indifference to human rights, but also of a reactionary political system that
empowered the morally corrupt Berlusconi to remain in charge for so long.
The couple cannot agree what is best for them. Gustav
believes the time has come for them to go abroad, whilst Luca is convinced that
there are many good reasons to stay and that Italy is full of passionate and
committed people who every day carry on a silent battle to change things
for the better. They compromise by agreeing to take a road trip around the whole country for six months to see if they can fall in love with it all over again.
believes the time has come for them to go abroad, whilst Luca is convinced that
there are many good reasons to stay and that Italy is full of passionate and
committed people who every day carry on a silent battle to change things
for the better. They compromise by agreeing to take a road trip around the whole country for six months to see if they can fall in love with it all over again.
They set off on their journey in a tiny old Fiat
500 in search of stories and people, and to try and rediscover what heart the
country still has. They find it much divided and
full of contradictions and the struggle they uncover as people simple try to
survive from day to day is widely different from the elegant glamorous trouble free country that we
foreigners perceive it to be. Its
shocking to discover that there are still areas in contemporary Italy where if
any honest elected politician dares to instigate any change they will have their car/house torched by the Mafioso
and have to contend constant threats to their lives. Its not totally all gloom and doom that they uncover and there are glimmer of hopes like in Bari where the new Governor is not just
a Communist and Catholic but is also openly Gay and is actually getting things
done.
500 in search of stories and people, and to try and rediscover what heart the
country still has. They find it much divided and
full of contradictions and the struggle they uncover as people simple try to
survive from day to day is widely different from the elegant glamorous trouble free country that we
foreigners perceive it to be. Its
shocking to discover that there are still areas in contemporary Italy where if
any honest elected politician dares to instigate any change they will have their car/house torched by the Mafioso
and have to contend constant threats to their lives. Its not totally all gloom and doom that they uncover and there are glimmer of hopes like in Bari where the new Governor is not just
a Communist and Catholic but is also openly Gay and is actually getting things
done.
After hearing peoples stories, seeing the mountains of
abandoned toxic waste, the unfinished unwanted monstrous structures which were
started with European Grants that suddenly disappeared, and whole swathes of coastline littered with
illegal buildings, the couple appreciate that have a great deal to consider before they can decide what to do when
their journey is finished. Gustavo is a
Northerner and is very pragmatic and has a very strong political sensibility, whist Luca
being Roman is sarcastic and fatalistic.
They do make a great pair.
abandoned toxic waste, the unfinished unwanted monstrous structures which were
started with European Grants that suddenly disappeared, and whole swathes of coastline littered with
illegal buildings, the couple appreciate that have a great deal to consider before they can decide what to do when
their journey is finished. Gustavo is a
Northerner and is very pragmatic and has a very strong political sensibility, whist Luca
being Roman is sarcastic and fatalistic.
They do make a great pair.
Do they choose Berlin or Rome to live in next? They try and keep us guessing, but it’s not
spoiling it by telling you its Rome, as it’s clear from their movie that
despite all Italy’s issues and problems etc they love it as much as they love each other.
spoiling it by telling you its Rome, as it’s clear from their movie that
despite all Italy’s issues and problems etc they love it as much as they love each other.
Great wee film doing the Festival Circuit mainly in
Italy right now, but it is available to download in Itunes.it (if you are clever enough not to need sub-titles) and they have a Facebook page where you
can find all future screenings. It’s so worth seeing, and it may make you even (re) appreciate the country that you call home too.
Italy right now, but it is available to download in Itunes.it (if you are clever enough not to need sub-titles) and they have a Facebook page where you
can find all future screenings. It’s so worth seeing, and it may make you even (re) appreciate the country that you call home too.
★★★★★★★★
Labels: documentary, gay, italian, travel
