Rotting in the Sun is a dark comedy-drama, co-written and directed by Sebastian Silva (The Maid, Magic Magic, Crystal Fairy and the Magical Cactus), featuring himself and hot gay comedian/influencer Jordan Firstman, both of whom play themselves. It’s in part a queer version of a Larry David Curb Your Enthusiasm episode and in other ways reminiscent of a John Waters film. Rotting in the Sun is unique, sexy, laugh-out-funny, dark and depressing at the same time.
We meet Silva, a handsome film director, and artist, in a career lull, sitting in a park in Mexico City, where he lives. He’s in a low mood, researching suicide and googling himself at the same time as snorting ketamine. A naked hobo does a shit in a nearby flowerbed which Silva’s dog, Chima, wolfs down with gusto. So far, so bad. He heads back to his apartment where he discovers his long-suffering cleaner Vero (Catalina Saavedra) has stacked a group of his wet paintings on top of each other, ruining them. His best friend/landlord Mateo (Mateo Riestra), (in real-life also Silva’s best friend), is noisily renovating the building, adding to Silva’s stress. Silva can’t cope, does more ketamine, and Mateo suggests he heads off to the beach to get laid and calm down, encouraging him to kill himself at the same time.
Once at the beach, (filmed in Mexican gay utopia Zipolite), Silva is surrounded by hot naked men, some having sex, others hanging out at the ramshackle beach bar, or swimming and sunbathing. His sightlines are full of cock but he’s uncomfortable and not in the mood for fun. He settles down alone to read his book, ‘The Trouble With Being Born.’ Later he has a swim and whilst in the water saves a fellow swimmer from drowning before getting into trouble himself and needing rescuing. It turns out that the person he saved from drowning is Jordan Firstman. Firstman recognizes Silva and is a fan of his work as well as fancying him. Silva hasn’t heard of Firstman though. He initiates sex but Silva is traumatized from the drowning episode, although he does agree to meet Firstman that night at a beach party. In the meantime, Firstman has sex with a few other guys. Fans of Firstman are rewarded here with full-frontal scenes of Firstman, even with a hard-on.
They meet that night. Firstman is a ball of naughty, chaotic energy, full of life and fun, and contrasts sharply with the slightly dour, suicidal Silva. The two, however, have a certain physical chemistry. Firstman suggests they work together on a film he is developing, inspired by Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Silva agrees to meet up once back in Mexico City.
Back home, Silva is not keen on progressing with Firstman’s film. He has a meeting with HBO about all his film concepts and everything is rejected except for the Firstman film which HBO are keen to develop. He, therefore, has no choice but to move forward with Firstman and invites him to visit to start work.
Firstman arrives a few days later and, to his surprise, finds Silva has completely vanished from his apartment, leaving his phone behind and his journal which details his thoughts on suicide. Firstman stays in Silva’s apartment, hooking up with various men whilst waiting for Silva to return. When Silva doesn’t appear, Firstman’s suspicions fall on cleaner Vero who is acting suspiciously. Mateo is also behaving in an odd manner. What follows is an entertaining circus to uncover the truth behind Silva’s disappearance.
Silva and Firstman’s film is an unlikely collaboration that works really well. A fast-paced, farcical, yet believable, indie film that feels fly-on-the-wall, shot on a phone. Saavedra, a previous collaborator with Silva, is excellent as the hapless cleaner Vero, permanently on the edge of a nervous breakdown, and both Silva and Firstman are very generous at portraying themselves in a very unflattering light. Rare, sensual, and highly entertaining.
PS We reviewed it at Provincetown International Film Festival, it will be screening next at Frameline in SF, and
Outfest in LA and then will open theatrically in the U.S. on
September 8 and stream on MUBI globally on September 15.
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
P.S. The last time that Sebastian Silva screened a film in Provincetown International Film Fest was back in 2015 and he had a very quick interview with Queerguru: you can check it out HERE
