a short film by Jean-Louis Gonnet 2001 | 15 mins | France ›› Comme Un Seul Homme a voyeuristic look into a French Rugby locker room Have you ever wondered what goes on in those French Rugby locker rooms moments before the start of a game? Well wonder no more, for this short goes behind-the-scenes to provide you with a candid look at the men of the Vichy Rugby Club, France. Only we're not talking of the gorgeous hunks of Dieux du Stade fame here and their annual homoerotic calendar / video shoot. Rather we're talking of the like of rough muscular sportsmen, whose thoughts are solely on a burning desire for victory. Sure it's all very physical, as players parade half-naked around the changing room. Yet mainstream nudity is not on show here. What is plain to see however are nervous expressions on faces, relieved somewhat by a spot of manly massage and the motivational speech from the team coach. In short, this is the genuine sporting product. Indeed it's almost as if the television cameras were turned on backstage a quarter of an hour before the game began, to vividly depict the bonding rituals required to mentally prepare to win the game, before one and all and all for one set foot on the playing field. And whilst it's voyeuristic, it's a far cry from homoerotic, given what’s on show is not male nudity in all of its physical perfection glory, but rather the raw reality of pre-match nerves. screened as part of the 17th London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2003 starring: the men of the Vichy Rugby Club, France Copyright 2003 David Hall - www.gaycelluloid.com. archive reference #053 ›› previous page | back to top | print me ‹‹