Norwegian queer romance and the British answer to the Brokeback Mountain? These are just some of the attraction of the main feature film competition of this year's Mezipatra, which presents nine films from all over the world.
Thelma is a Norwegian mystery thriller which follows a girl whose first romantic crush is accompanied by terrifying supernatural events. It is Joachim Trier's fourth feature film and its top quality is also confirmed by the fact that it is Norway's representative for the Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film.
British drama God's Own Country is another eagerly awaited film. Depicting the fragile love of a farmer and a Romanian seasonal worker in the inhospitable Yorkshire countryside, the film is rightfully called one of this year's cinematic highlights and it enchanted also the jury at Sundance.
For our more daring visitors, we've prepared biopic Tom of Finland. It depicts the touching story of a queer artist who, despite being unable to enjoy artistic freedom for most of his life, made a strong impact on many a gay's fantasies with his work. The film will be screened as a part of the Mezipatra opening ceremony.
Director Chris Miera from Germany will be one of the festival's guests and will introduce his Paths (Ein Weg). The film focuses on a gay couple whose son is leaving for university. The silence in their lives is filled with disagreements and arguments, culminating in a relationship crisis. The probe into a relationship on the Baltic shore will enchant you with its melancholic atmosphere.
John Trengove's The Wound (Inxeba) offers a journey into South African mountains where boys from the countryside as well as the city undergo the traditional initiation rituals. Xolani has had the role of their guardian for years. But this is not the only reason why he keeps coming back to the mountains.
Canadian director Bruce LaBruce, who was a member of Mezipatra's jury last year, also has his iron in the fire. The subversive The Misandrists portrays a group of women in a remote monastery as they plan to overthrow patriarchy. The provocative LaBruce elevated lesbian pornography to a tool of revolution.
Teasing scenes of a slightly different nature can be found in Beach Rats. Young Frankie spends his time on only on the beach, but also tripping and chatting up older guys. American director Eliza Hittman's second feature film earned her a directing award at Sundance.
A surreal trip to a dreamy world will be offered by The Wild Boys (Les garçons sauvages) by French Bernard Mandico. A group of boys murders an upper-class lady and they are sent for re-education to a tropical island as a punishment. But the island is far from paradise...
Close-Knit (Karera ga honki de amu toki wa) about a little girl named Tomo is the last film in the competition. After the girl's mother disappears yet again, she starts spending time with her uncle, who's living with a trans woman named Rinka. Their relationship deepens and strengthens and Tomo and Rinka discover together what motherly love may look like.
