|
|
|
|
| ›› Floating Melon - Fu Guo ‹‹ |
a short film by Roberto F. Canuto and Xu Xiaoxi.
2015 | 19 mins | China.
a biting testament to the repercussions of taking street drugs.
|
|
Dave says:
From the collaborative pairing of Spanish film director and screenwriter Roberto Fernandez Canuto and Chinese film director and screenwriter Xu Xiaoxi comes this intriguing mix of East meets West, when a young man's yearning for sexual intimacy turns instead into a living nightmare.
Not that it began that way when young Xiao Cheng (Vincent Xi Chen) hooked up with all-round cutie Kwan Ming (Xu Xu) for a night of passionate man-on-man action, aided by the odd drink 'n' drugs to get that all-time high. Trouble is, Kwan Ming's reaction to the drug was of the none moving kind, lying as dead as a John Doe on a mortuary slab. Realizing the consequences of his actions and ever fearful of being arrested by the police, he flees the scene of the crime, in the process turning to his best friend Fiona (Sirui Wen) for help, only for her to turn up with her girlfriend Lola (Celia Yinmeng Yu) in toe; namely a woman who clearly doesn't want to get involved with HIS problem. Roaming the grim back alleys in search of an answer, together with the need for some street food, Fiona decides that their only course of action is to move the body. Only when the body is in one of the lush apartments of Chengdu's glittering skyscrapers, just how easy is it to move a corpse without being seen by those who seek out the vibrant nightlife of a city that never sleeps?
Complete with scenes of male nudity and gay expression that for a short filmed in China are remarkably to the core, this work frankly has a lot going for it, including a neat twist-in-the-tale ending that whilst somewhat telegraphed in advance, still arrives with an unexpected turn. Yet this short is not just about the narrative, given Canuto and Xiaoxi are keen to show parts of the city all but off the tourist map, alongside the juxtaposition of Chinese society itself, with the youth living a multi-media styled life, as opposed to the elderly content with their daily Tai Chi classes and seemingly an altogether simpler lifestyle. Above all however, this makes for a biting testament to the repercussions of taking street drugs and of the dangers of playing Russian roulette with your life. Say no more.
|
| ›› available as part of THE MALE GAZE: NOCTURNAL INSTINCTS shorts compilation. |
|
| ›› posted: Sunday, 2nd May, 2021. |
|
 |
Gay Visibility - overt.
Nudity - bare-arsed cheek.
Overall - file under ... 3+ stars.
|
|
|
|
donations are the lifeblood of Gay Celluloid;
every drop helps keep it online - thank you :) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Copyright 2021 David Hall - www.gaycelluloid.com. |
| archive reference #2021041 |
| ›› previous page | back to top | print me ‹‹ |
|
 |
|
|
|
