Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

There are probably only a handful LGBTQ films that have come out of Guatemala. A tragedy of unfulfilled aspirations as a result of widespread homophobia and emotional blackmail, this film feels very real, like as if you are prying on someone's private life. You feel sad for José, but you can also connect with his dilemma. José lives with his mother at a poor area. Both him and his mother are working hard to make ends meet. In between his work, José makes time to live out his sexuality in secret through gay hook-up apps. He knows its not acceptable by society and he tries to keep it as alienated as possible. Things change when he meets Luis. There is connection at all levels. Straight acting, poor, hard working guys, leading a double life. Love starts forming because they understand each other and its only together that they can heal each other scars. They are happy when they are together, but when Luis proposes that José leave the city to come with him to start a life together...

Religion and sexuality has been explored in many films to date and we have already seen a few versions out there. This film is slightly different in the sense that rather than focusing on the coming out process itself, it is more focussed on the repercussions of it. Whether self-identity is defined by what people are, or what they are not or by people around you? Is the fear of loss more profound than the search for love? Whether the happiness to be himself is worth the pain that will come with it? All interesting questions and lets see how well do these situations get explored. Set in Guatemala city, Pablo is a man in 40's, a pastor and a consultant by profession (his entire family is big time into church) with a wife and kids is outed somehow that he is gay. He doesn't deny it and leaves home despite being coaxed by all his family members. He moves in with his boyfriend Francisco, a man from a very different social strata and a nurse by profession. Pablo loves his childr...