Dream Boy

I just saw a wonderful movie at the Berlinale. Dream Boy. It is taken from a 1995 novel by Jim Grimsley. Nathan (Stephan Bender) just moved with his family from town to the middle of nowhere in Louisiana. From the start you know something is wrong in the family. I know it is normal to go to church and to call your dad "Sir" but it feels strange from my side. I guess when you're a teenager lost on your own in a family who says graces at the dining table you can't openly express yourself. Nathan is alone and lives in his head like most of youngs outside the city and "phantasises" about his neighbour, Roy, who is a bit older and drives the school bus everyday, so they meet. They start to help each other at school because one is good at english, the other one good at math. And they touch for the first time... . From the start you know it can't be a nice story, something will happen anytime. Both boys share an exclusive relationship because they have to hide. I understand that outside of town in closed families you have to respect rules. Nathan's dad is bad. It's only said in the end but you understand easily there was some king of child abuse and the mother tries to fight her husband the best she can. Nathan sometimes sleeps outside home and Roy comes to rescue him and finds him a place to sleep in the barn. Troubles come from Roy's friends who can't really stand this new born friendship and it will end very badly. While going out for the week-end camping the four boys land in a ghost house like Louisiana is full of those stories and we know boys give themselves courage telling those things. Nathan hears his father's voice and it comes soon to his mind that his father raped him. At this moment Nathan opens his eyes and one of Roy's friend rapes him and beats him up with a piece of wood. At this point unfortunatly I did not really understand if Nathan is dead or not. My version would say that Roy is so sad that when Nathan comes back to the house he leaves in the dream of seeing him again. Or maybe Nathan just wakes up from this tragic accident and Roy is now able to openly lives his love with him, you'll tell me when you'll see the movie. I was thrilled by it, really. I went without notice nor information and this is a good surprise. It's all about discovering feelings, the body, the no-way of being gay in a traditional family. You know in movies the gay can't be happy. Either he's miserable or queer. Especially when you are a teenager having feelings for another boy it is dangerous because you know you'll be lost for ever in front of the community. And it is beautifully made, slow as Louisiana can be, with just a touch of music that brings everything at the right moment. The actors are all good and of course special good thank you's to both young actors. At the end of the presentation everyone was there : the director, both main characters and the novelist. He says that it is not based on his own story but he took from his past the big lines for it as he said his father was not that comprehensive and did things to him not really recommandable and it is definitly difficult being gay in that country. Director James Bolton made a wonderful job and it was a bit funny from the boys to explain how they manage their character, especially Roy (Maximillian Roeg) who said that he had to discover everything because he's a city boy from London. I even asked autographs, how queer is that ? If you have the chance to see it, please do. It brought back memories I thought lost when coming out was out of the question and there was only one possibility to go farther : to hide what you are, live in danger continuously or leave. In the end they say that this film is for the first time showed and they never had the opportunity to see it in the full version before, which is now a good thing done. The public was moved and there was a standing ovation to congratulate them for the good job and the emotions they gave us. I saw tears in some eyes ...