Louis Thines | Août (August) / 2017

placid and passive

by Douglas Messerli

 

Louis Thines (screenwriter and director) Août (August) / 2017 [15 minutes]

 

I have now watched French director Louis Thines’ short film August three times, the first two viewings dating back to a couple of years ago. And I am still perplexed as to what the purpose of this film might be, or for that matter, what is even the subject of the film.

     A young man, Louis (Thines) and his long time best female friend Roxane (Roxane Hérault) travel to the south of France on vacation, renting or using a family summer house. The very evening they arrive, they throw a party for what appear to be most Roxane’s friends.

     The party itself, like so many movie parties, seems absolutely boring, and is assuredly not way cinematically engaging unless you enjoy watching lithe young bodies clumsily move about in purple light with an occasional flash of the required neon just to make it interesting.

       At the party, however, Louis catches the glance of an older youth, Jeremy (Jeremy Papallardo), a blond-headed cutie who catches not only his eye but apparently Louis’ attention, particularly when the next morning—some of the partyers have evidently stayed the night—Jeremy invites the manchild Louis over to his house, which is nearby.

       The boys strip to their swimwear and take to lounges near the pool, simply reading. At one point, it appears, Louis has returned home since we see him sunbathing at the pool with Roxane and later watching TV with her. But obviously he returns to Jeremy’s the next morning, as the routine begins all over.

       But this time, apparently, Jeremy is tired of the boyish flirtations and, as Louis enters the house, grabs him, quietly remarking “I know you want it,” as he begins to kiss the kid, while the thin Louis stands like an inert light pole without responding, presumably it being his first experience with another gay man and his inability to decide whether he wants to give in to his emotions or not. Perhaps he has no sexual desires, is simply asexual. But we have never been given the opportunity to know anything about Louis or about his would-be aggressor, since Jeremy quickly sends the cute cipher on his way.

      The last scene shows Louis laying out by a pool, presumably at the house he and Roxane are sharing. Is he regretting his lack of action? Does he even care that he has been rejected? Behind those dark sunglasses, does he even know that he has himself emanated a sense of desire that his

been thwarted with his own inability to act?

      The character is not presented fully enough to know anything about him, let alone to help us to care about whether or not he is even thinking. He has simply failed to respond, the reason apparently not even mattering enough for the character, actor, writer, and director himself to want to pursue an answer.

      In this case, the third time was not the charm.

 

Los Angeles, May 1, 2024

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (May 2024).