by Douglas Messerli
Vincent Fitz-Jim (screenwriter and director) TommyTeen18 / 2017
[16.24 minutes]
One of the issues that I have not yet brought
up that makes it even more difficult for young LGBTQ individuals coming of age
in the 21st century is the fact that on cellphones and computers they can
observe gay sexual encounters in great detail and even join a dating app that
allows them to enter the sexual world of their choosing, yet they are frozen
out by the laws of the countries in which they live.
In
Vincent Fitz-Jim’s fascinating short film TommyTeen18, a young boy Tommy
(David Berkman) has clearly realized, despite the fact that seems to still be
“dating” a female classmate Eefie (Linde van Dorp), that he is gay. The film,
indeed, begins with an image of him kissing himself in the mirror, a strong
metaphor of the Narcissus “condition” which even this young 15- year-old
perceives signifies his love of a male other.
He
is already masturbating to gay sex videos on his laptop, and he has obviously
visited several of the dating sites on his cellphone. And like most young
people, he cannot imagine fulfilling his sexual desires with his classmates—the
process of determining their sexuality, of their accepting it, and their being
equally attracted to him being far too much for a neophyte to face, along with
the fact that, just as I did, it is hard imagine that one might find
like-minded friends among one’s own seemingly heterosexual classmates—he begins
to find himself attracted to elder males, at one point even cruising an older
man at the bowling alley where he is gone on date with Eefie.
Already, he is beginning to pull away from Eefie in small ways, growing
short with her constant outward signs of affection, showing impatience with her
flirtatious behavior. It is apparent that the two get on well together, but she
is seeking something he has begun to realize he cannot offer.
The frustrations of knowing all about gay sex, already having a knowledge and language for the acts of gay sex and the possibility of observing them in action become even more apparent for someone of 15 who lives in a country where sex is permitted between and adult only at age 18. It is as if one’s entire world of desires were to be floating just on the horizon three years—an eternity for someone of that age.
Like
most of the young boys in these films, Tommy attempts to take things in his own
hands, hooking up with his cellphone moniker of “TommyTeen18” with an older
man, Sergey (Oleg Kovalev).
Dressed in dark glasses with a hoodie covering his head, Tommy and
Sergey seem, at first, to hit it off, Tommy providing oral sex before breaking
off into a passionate kiss. But it is just at that moment when hoodie as slid
down and glasses have been removed that Sergey realizes that his lovely sexual
moment is being provided someone much younger than he expected. It is doubtful
in most such situations that the elder would, as Sergey does, immediately
demand to know the boy’s age, and realizing that he is in the company of a 15-
or even possibly a 14-year-old, open the car door to send him on his way. But
Sergey is obviously a law-abiding citizen as were most of the other men in
these stories.
Frustrated, but not to be deterred, Tommy
finally does break up with Eefie without explaining the situation and goes in
search of Sergey by stalking out his own house.
Shocked to find the boy at his doorstep, Sergey sends him away once
again; but when Tommy threatens to cause a scene, he pulls him in and attempts
to find the source of the boy’s compulsion. Reading what Tommy has written on
the site, that he hopes to suck off his friend before the elder, in turn,
brutally fucks him, Sergey attempts to help the boy realize what his words
truly mean by asking him does he really want an older man to destroy his ass,
to tear open his virgin muscles? Tommy and boys like him talk about things they
have never experienced and do not seemingly comprehend the implications,
dangers, and even pain of the actions they have witnessed between experienced
men of the screen.
Evidently having come to terms with the reality of the situation, Tommy,
in the film’s last scene, is observed trying to regain Eefie’s friendship.
Perhaps a little more exploration of heterosexuality before the transformation
into the gay work, this film seems to suggest, is not such a bad thing. Or
perhaps he will be able to open up to Eefie about his sexuality and she serve
him as so many women are forced to do as his confidant, what used to be
described a “fag-hag” or a gay-friendly female friend.
But frankly I think the film, if it is arguing for either, is a little
ingenious. For we all know that “out there” in the gay dating apps world a
great many men exist just waiting to meet a Tommy, and that such a meeting may
end up hurting or even destroying him or, hopefully, helping to introduce him
slowly into the world of gay sex. We also know that once one has “come out,”
which appears to be what Tommy has done all on his own with the help of his
cellphone and computer, there is no honest way of turning back, and that the
years of frustration he now faces may be the worst punishment of all.
How
do we deal with laws faced by young boys who have simply grown more mature and
aware through the knowledge the computer than did young men of other
pre-computerized generations? The age of maturation might well have once been
18, but perhaps is no longer viable today.
Los Angeles, May 29, 2022
Reprinted from World Cinema Review (May
2022).
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment