Every year nearly 2 million young LGBTQ+ people in the USA seriously consider suicide, the likelihood of a suicide attempt increasing 8-fold if conversion therapy has been attempted on the youth. Over 700,000 people in the USA have been subject to conversion therapy. These shocking statistics were part of the inspiration, along with the often-negative religious narrative around queerness, for directors and husbands Colby Holt and Sam Probst’s new film Ganymede.
Ganymede is set in present-day small-town America in the deep south. Strapping high school wrestler Lee (Jordan Doww) lives in a stifling, wealthy, very religious household with his conservative, controlling, legacy-obsessed, Christian father Big Lee (Joe Chrest) and downtrodden, but equally conservative and controlling mother, Floy (Robyn Lively). The pressure is on Lee to perform well at wrestling as well as honouring his religious and academic studies. Closeted Lee, however, has other things on his mind, namely the romantic feelings he has developed for a fellow classmate, out-and-proud Kyle (Pablo Castelblanco). Lee’s guilt at indulging in his secret forbidden love manifests itself in horrific hallucinations every time he takes a step closer to living his truest life, much to the consternation of those witnessing his angst. How can he reconcile his guilt, his hateful religious extremist parents and embrace his true sexuality?
Ganymede – in this film meaning The Unrepentant Homosexual – successfully explores the dark side of living life in the closet, the joy of living as an out-and-proud queer, and the hypocrisy and contradictions that lie beneath the exterior of religious fanatics. The cruelty of religious parents forcing their weird views on their children without a second thought is also highlighted, as is the satisfaction of jumping that hurdle. Ganymede enjoys a strong cast, in particular Chrest as Big Lee, but also David Koechner as Pastor Royer, an extremist New Dawn Church pastor friend of the family who seeks to cure Lee of his queerness. Kyle’s character as an out-teenager is particularly well formed, with a great supporting cast of characters including his feisty, loving mother (Sofia Yepes), understanding tutor (Anna Schlegel) and well-meaning best girl friend (Marissa Reyes), all very age appropriate. Doww is excellent as the equally haunted, heartfelt and driven Lee, as is Lively as his broken, subservient mother who harbours a devastating secret. Great cinematography by Oscar Partridge combines well with a compelling soundtrack by Aaron Boudreaux. The plot isn’t the most original and could easily have led to lazy production values, but everyone has gone out of their way to create a special film. An intense, well-paced, unpredictable drama with a serious message.
Ganymede is screening on Cable and Digital VOD including Apple TV, Fandango at Home and Prime Video.
Queerguru’s Contributing Editor Ris Fatah is a successful fashion/luxury business consultant (when he can be bothered) who divides and wastes his time between London and Ibiza. He is a lover of all things queer, feminist, and human rights in general. @ris.fatah
