Black Sheep @ Inside Out 2010

It is a beautiful day out there, Toronto!  If there is one thing you need to do today, it is to get outside.  And while you're out there, why don't you head on over to the lovely Isabel Bader Theatre to get yourself into the RUSH line for Inside Out's centrepiece gala presentation of Jvier Fuentes-Leon's CONTRACORRIENTE (UNDERTOW).  The film is completely sold out but fortunately I was able to catch this tender film at home thanks to a screener the festival organizers provided.  I sat down to watch it yesterday and had to share what a special film it is with you in hopes that you can score yourself tickets to the screening tonight at 9:30 PM.

Fresh from its win for the dramatic world cinema audience award at the 2010 Sundance film festival, UNDERTOW makes its Canadian premiere as part of the Inside Out LGBT film festival.  Strikingly shot, this is the story of Miguel and Santiago (Christian Mercado and Manolo Cardona), two lovers in a tiny Peruvian village.  Homosexuality is not discussed here unless through biting gossip and it is most certainly no practiced.  Miguel knows Santiago from his childhood and he is now married and expecting his first child shortly.  That doesn't stop Miguel from falling completely in love with Santiago.  While he most certainly falls, he is not capable of admitting it to himself or standing up for what he values.  Through tragedy though, life forces Miguel to take a long hard look at who he really is and what he is truly afraid of.

UNDERTOW is unexpected and sensual - although I must complain about the people who threw this screener together ... did you really need to have your watermark come up during both beach sex scenes?!  C'mon!  Give a boy a break here!  Anyway, it is well worth waiting in line to see and a great film for Inside Out to showcase as its centerpiece.

For more information on Inside Out 2010, just click here.