Benjamin-Shalom Rodriguez | Bettas / 2017

fighting fish

by Douglas Messerli

 

Benjamin-Shalom Rodriguez (screenwriter and director) Bettas / 2017 [9 minutes]

 

This dark and violent short film, Bettas, begins almost comically as two lovers, Francisco “Frank” (Jose Diaz-Oldenburg) and David (Nick Ley) meet up in the bathroom of the house they are renting while on vacation for a friend’s wedding.

     It’s hard to even believe the dark, handsome Latin-looking Frank and the fussy, boyish David might even attempt a relationship, particularly since the first subject involves the sensual Frank being taken to task by David for having demanded they have sex by the pool, apparently an encounter public enough that he is not ready for it. He insists upon Frank’s apology, which finally comes, if a bit begrudgingly, David finally joining Frank in the shower for a kissing encounter that might have quickly turned into sex were it not that in the background a radio booms out a techno song, “Come Closer,” sung by Octo Octa. Suddenly David wants to dance, getting out of the shower to show Frank the robotic moves.

      Frank, however, in the mood for love, finds the entire situation absurd and wants to part of it, David basically throwing a hissy-fit over the fact that he’s not been able to share the silly event, and that Frank has made him feel silly simply for requesting it.

      Even as Frank attempts to explain and, once more, apologize, David grows moment by moment more violent, eventually throwing a glass bottle into the show with Frank, who cuts himself seriously on the glass. Mirrors and other bathroom fixtures soon follow as both attempt to punish the other for their behavior, finally ending in what appears to be Frank, on the floor, perhaps so seriously cut he cannot get up.

      David hurries to the phone, but when he returns finds Frank standing in wait in a large shard of glass which uses, in turn, to cut David. It appears that, as the song repeats the lyrics “I want you, I want you,” the two may even kill one another, since bloods is already dripping down face and neck. Both declare they are sorry as they move into kiss one another’s bloody face.

 

       Surely, if they survive, the relationship cannot.

      Bettas are also known as Siamese fighting fish, the males being extremely territorial. If two males are placed into a fish tank together they will likely battle each other to the death.

      US director Benjamin-Shalom Rodriguez’s film is violent and bloody enough to make even the strongest of horror aficionados wince; and I not a horror fan. Although I am well aware that two males living in a gay relationship might certainly have such violent battles. I have only to recall the very early days of my own relationship with Howard, when we too were very different individuals, not ready to give up our separate personalities for the other. Although nothing quite this violent occurred between the bettas we were back then.

     Yet one has to wonder to what end did the director make this film: as a warning? a simple declaration that such things can happen? or just out of a desire to make an odd thriller.

 

Los Angeles, March 9, 2024

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (March 2024).