This is the second feature from Jayro Buscamante. His debut feature was selected as the official submission from Guatemala for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards. Not having seen his debut, the fact that his film was the official submission would be a supreme vote of confidence of this man's filmmaking abilities. Both his debut and this feature were accepted into the Berlinale, which is another vote of confidence. Watching this film is confirmation of that confidence. This is a very skillfully made and effectively crafted narrative that exposes homophobia in the church, as well as the greater homophobia in Guatemala.
Guatemala is a country in Central America. It's a predominantly Catholic country like a lot of the countries in that part of the world, and, like most of those countries, it's a very homophobic place. It's not as bad as in most Muslim or Middle Eastern countries, but the bigotry and discrimination that LGBTQ people face in Guatemala is severe and this film shows you how.
Juan Pablo Olyslager stars as Pablo, a 40-year-old man who is married to a woman and has two children who seem under the age of 10. At the beginning of the film, Pablo returns to his family's home where his parents and siblings meet to talk to him. His wife is also there. It's never explained how, but it's clear that all of them know that Pablo is gay or somehow they know that he has had sexual relations with a man. It starts out with how they are reacting to this news. Almost immediately, it becomes about Pablo trying to deal with the aftermath. He wants to continue seeing his boyfriend, as well as be a father to his children, but there are forces, strong forces to stop him from living an openly gay life.
With the exception of his brother-in-law, his family isn't mean to him or shun him. They don't push him away, but they do pressure him to continue going to church and repent about being gay. They don't want to lose him, but they do want him to change and not be gay. If it were just them and their pressure, Pablo could probably continue to be himself and be gay. Yet, quickly the dominoes start to fall that begin to ruin that prospect. Essentially, he loses everything and is backed into a corner where he wouldn't have practically anything, including his children.
Mauricio Armas Zebadúa co-stars as Francisco, the boyfriend to Pablo. He seemingly works as a masseur. He works at a facility where groups of people lay down and he gives them massages. It's not clear if the facility is a medical facility or just a commercial one, but he lives as an openly gay man. He doesn't seem to have a relationship with his family. He has no children, so he doesn't have the same problems or struggles as Pablo. He loves Pablo and tries to support him. He tries to help Pablo stay strong, even as he's losing everything, but the opposing pressure is too overwhelming.
Most of that pressure is coming from a religious standpoint and talk of God. There is a growing
list of independent films that are an intersection of religion and homosexuality. Two films not on that list, which are exclusively about young people going to conversion therapy, include
Boy Erased (2018) and
The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018). Those films are about teenagers going to conversion therapy, but, the protagonists are able to escape. Not all do escape, but those that do are able to do so because they live in the United States and have more LGBTQ rights than those in Guatemala. It also should be stressed that the protagonist in
Boy Erased for example is a young guy who isn't married and with children. It's a totally different situation for Pablo who is twice the age and has children who are threatened to be taken from him.
Of the films on that, aforementioned list, this film is by far the best. From how every scene is written and how the whole thing is directed and edited, there is a steady assured nature to this film where one feels like the filmmaker knows every angle and aspect, so he can tell it with a thoroughness that feels satisfying. By the end, it feels as if you totally understand where everyone is coming from and why each person, particularly Pablo, does what he does. We also feel for him and are drawn into Pablo's dilemma with such engagement and empathy. It's an incredible piece that is highly moving.
Not Rated but contains full-frontal male nudity and intense sexuality.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 47 mins.
Available on DVD and VOD.
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