Love, Love, Love

This is the title of the 3 short films showed this afternoon at the Verzaubert film festival. While all three films deal with first love and first loss, they also show that life goes on and makes us stronger.

Lucky Blue, 2007, Hakon Liu, Sweden : two teenagers meet during summer at the camping. One is working there preparing the karaoke stage. The second is there on holiday and will probably leave sooner. They get drunk one night and they kiss. Both can't really deal with this new adventure in their life and expressing feelings is unknown. Though the blond city boy does not seem to care, the one working at the stage wants to go deeper in their relationship. The only way for him to be able to express himself will be to sing at the karaoke night the song "Words (don't come easy ...)". After that, his newly boyfriend decides to stay.

My opinion : My favorite of the three even if stories with young boys do not really move me. I like very much scandinavian films. They have a special design, special light, can't explain. It's beautifully made, image is nice, the green eyes of the boy are like water and the movie shows us that with simple things you can do a lot. Staying simple, approachable and not being afraid of our feelings is wonderfully expressed. They play natural and look innocent like we were at their age. I know some people who should take example on them or go back to their roots of love and stop playing a role or believe they're superstars.

I found on Youtube this short film in 3 parts, so enjoy.

By the sea, 2007, Matthew Gauci, UK : A young man is at the beach and looks the sea. This is not summer and the sky is grey. He wears a suit, stands up and walks into the sea. Then he's traveling and arrives in London to start his music career. He has to work for money and finds a job at a gay book store and meet people. He will have sex with his new born friend but this one will inform him too late that he's engaged. Nevertheless they will carry on to meet and sleep together but the young guitarist can't stand anymore the non-commitment of the other one and will go back to watch the waves ... he wears a suit and walks into the sea.

My opinion : It's a city film. A lot of people did the same, moving from landscape to the city, try to adapt themselves, being open and simply nice and a lot of them are abused by night birds. It is sad but nobody prepares you for such adventures of life and that hurts. Either you adapt and become "one of them" or leave back because you can't stand the pressure. It is filmed camera on shoulder and practically without artificial light so you really have the feeling you have conversations with the characters at the bar or walk with them on the streets. But from the three shorts it is the one i have the less feelings for. Probably because it is a well-known story and the city makes you impersonal. No cry-No pain. And I would definitely go back to the sea put my feet in the refreshing water.

Three summers (original title : Tre Somre), 2006, Carlos Oliveira, Danemark :

Last summer : like every summer this man comes with his wife in the summer house. You instantaneously notice the couple does not communicate. Like every summer they receive for lunch what we suppose to be friends who invective themselves continuously in front of their young teenager boy. When the parents leave the house the boy and the man go to walk the dog and start to talk. "Why are you so sad ? I'll tell you a secret and you tell me one" : The boy says he's gay and the man he hates his wife.

This summer : the man is yet alone in the house for the summer. The parents and the boy come always for lunch, same scenario, leave and in the end, the boy stays for the evening in the house and asks questions about sex. The man drunks too much and wakes up next morning with the boy next to him in bed.

Next summer : the man met a beautiful girl he's in love with. The parents do not come for lunch but is organized a dinner with friends. The uninvited boy comes and joins the dinner. The man fears that the boy will tell what happened but the boy will only make a toast for happiness. When the party is over they go for a walk and their secret is sealed with a kiss.

My opinion : I loved the light. I liked the roughness of the man because it shows all the straight attitude. Thinking everything is allowed and you can play with feelings is a male attitude and being threatened by a teenager is quite confusing. I found the actor playing the man very good (and very attractive as well) and the boy knows how to play fragile at the beginning and to make the rules in the end. Brilliant.

A festival-must. Short films show the essential and are not afraid of provoking or telling stories you will never find in a full length movie. Those shorts are very interesting and I am not sure those stories would be as good in full-length. I think as well it is good practise for the directors and they probably feel much more free to explore new directions because they have less pressure regarding profitability. That's why I think I like this format. Unfortunatly not showed enough.