Broderskab

The love that dare not speak its name gets a new(ish) twist in this piercingly intense drama by young Danish director Nicolo Donato. A textbook example of the tragic passion genre, the film charts the growing homosexual attraction between two Danish neo-Nazis with an impressively taut control of structure and pacing. The galvanising, slow-burn performances of the two leads, Lindhardt and Dencik, makes up for a lack of subplots in the pared-back script.

It’s the subtle, unforced style of Brotherhood that makes it more than a dour high-concept rehash of a tried-and-tested formula

Though this is not a specifically gay film – still less a gay Nazi film – Brotherhood will still be conditioned commercially by its subject matter; it’s difficult to envisage this as a hetero date movie, and for all its dramatic potency, Brotherhood seems destined to play at the more resilient end of the arthouse spectrum. At home in Denmark, though, rumbling controversies over the country’s ultra-nationalist right will stir some media interest and may broaden the audience somewhat.

The film wastes no time in setting out its premises, as we see Nazi-skinhead Jimmy (Dencik) involved in a brutal gay-bashing expedition and army sergeant Lars (Lindhardt) ‘let go’ by his commanding officer because of allegations that he made a pass at one of his men. Resentment at his treatment and frustration at home combine to push Lars into attending a recruiting meeting organised by a far-right group led by Fatty (Bro), who sees potential in the young man despite his rebellious streak – following the rule that critics of authority often turn into the most loyal and dedicated troops.

Jimmy’s brother Patrick (Holst) should be next in line for full ‘A’ membership of the neo-Nazi confraternity, but his drug problems, coupled with Lars’ courage in an attack on a refugee centre and smart suggestions for propaganda leaflets and banners, cause him to leapfrog Patrick in the promotion list – earning the resentment of Jimmy, who never liked Lars from the start.

In a way it’s a dark twist on a classic rom-com set-up, and when the wily Fatty decides to patch up the differences between the two by sending Lars to live with Jimmy, whose job it will be to coach his enemy for full membership, the scene is set for that most classic transition: from hostility through grudging admiration to friendship and finally passion.

It’s the subtle, unforced style of Brotherhood that makes it more than a dour high-concept rehash of a tried-and-tested formula: there’s a real crackle in the air when the two are alone in the seaside cabin that Jimmy is fixing up for party boss Ebbe.

It’s also a tribute to the sensitivity of the script and the bravura of Donato’s direction that the Nazi theme never feels exploitative. Without going to the disturbing excesses of, say, The Night Porter, the film has interesting, understated points to make about political and amorous violence and tenderness. And it doesn’t turn away from the ugliness of its subjects’ racial and gay hatred – though camaraderie seems to matter more to these tattooed skinheads than the theories their leaders and minders espouse (copies of Mein Kampf are dutifully handed out but never opened).

Above all though, it’s by making its protagonists live a contradiction that the film exposes the stupidity of ideas that take no account of human warmth or contact.

Source Text:

http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/brotherhood-broderskab/5007244.article

LesGaiCineMad 2009

Organized by Fundación Triángulo, LesGaiCineMad is one of the world’s most important independent film festivals, clearly positioned on the map of international festivals and events related to the 7th Art. With 14 years of professional history, 9 venues, and 120 movies, LesGaiCineMad will for the first time bring together members of the international LGBT film industry in a space of exchange, education, and business that will take place at LesGaiCineMad Spanish Film Market (SFM), coordinated by Spanish director Mariel Macia.

This first edition of Spanish Film Market (SFM) is born with the objective of supporting and promoting the production of independent cinema. “The international industry has been with us,” says Mariel Maciá, head of Industry & Market at LesGaiCineMad, “in each edition for the last 14 years. We believe that acknowledging their presence, haviing independent LGBT cinema professionals mix and network to create new projects and business, and structuring their visit so that they share their experience and knowledge with Spanish directors is the next step that our festival should take.” A logical evolution if we consider that LesGaiCineMad yearly attracts over 20,000 viewers and directors from all over the world; a circumstance that in previous editions made it possible to count on the presence of respected figures such as Pedro Almodóvar, Bruce LaBruce, and Barbara Hammer among others. Following the San Sebastián, Valladolid and Sitges’ film festivals, LesGaiCineMad is one of the cinematographic events with the most media coverage.

Mariel Macia, who has recently joined the festival team to accomplish new objectives, is a movie and theater director, producer, and distributor who has won several awards and international recognition. Since her short film “Flores en el parque” opened at LesGaiCineMad’s 2006 edition obtaining the Best Short Film and Best Spanish Movie Awards, her work has been featured at film festivals around the world, making her one of LGBT cinema’s role models. Later, with the opening of “A domicilio (o incluso también el amor)” and obtaining her second Best Short Film Award at LesGaiCineMad the next year, Mariel has had the opportunity to travel the world through the presentation of her work at LGBT film festivals which has given her the contacts, hope, and ambition to translate her experience into the local market.

For this first edition, LesGaiCineMad Spanish Film Market (SFM) will get important filmmakers, distributors, and programmers together.

SFM will provide its participants a selection of Spanish movies produced from 2006 to today, in DVD format with English subtitles. The same movies will also be viewable at SFM Booths – located at the SFM Meeting Point. The films participating in the official selection of the Festival will also be available.

SFM will organize debates, seminars and meetings with renowned international professionals dedicated to the production and distribution of LGBT contents.
SFM will create a meeting point (SFM Meeting Point) where all participants will meet, organize reunions and see movies at SFM Booths.
All these activities will be presented at Frameline 2009, the San Francisco LGBT Film Festival, to give this project its initial boost.

Independent cinema is growing strongly. Throughout these years it has obtained a privileged place within the national and international scene and also a bigger sector within the actual cinematographic market. The movie industry is transforming and adapting to the new times finding the niches that have been exploited in the international market for a long time. As a response to these challenges, LesGaiCineMad has created this new platform to promote and professionalize the LGBT independent cinema in the framework of its 14th edition.

www.lesgaicinemad.com

Mississippi Damned

Tina Mabry’s “Mississippi Damned,” a portrait of a poor Mississippi family, won the jury award for best dramatic feature at Outfest, the 27th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, which concluded Sunday.

Nicole Opper’s “Off and Running” was named best documentary feature, and Stian Kristiansen’s “The Man Who Loved Yngve” earned the jury prize for international dramatic feature.

Jury awards also were presented to actress Laura Herring, for “Drool”; actor Derrick L. Middleton, for “Rivers Wash Over Me”; screenwriter E.E. Cassidy, “We Are the Mods”; “First and Loveliss,” directed by Shaun Kadlec and Deb Tullman, documentary short; and “The Bath,” directed by Lee Mi-rang, dramatic short.

Cassidy’s “Mods,” about a high school girl infatuated with mod culture, also earned two audience awards: for first U.S. dramatic feature film and soundtrack.