a short film by Eldar Rapaport 2009 | 15 mins | US ›› Steam an accomplished short on a homosexual heaven or spiritual hell. Eldar Rapaport has already established himself as a writer and director to take note of and here he continues to delight with yet another accomplished short, set this time within the claustrophobic atmosphere of a steam room. Only a dread of confined spaces is not what’s on the minds of the two men here, well not at first that is, as these strangers in the night are soon to be seen getting intimately acquainted with each other in ways that go beyond the call of duty. But whose calling is it, when one of the men present is clearly one of those, whilst the other is without doubt one of them. Yet when they find themselves trapped inside this chamber of steam, can they put aside their differences long enough to find a way out of a homosexual heaven or a spiritual hell? Set to Erik Satie’s haunting Gnossienne #1 masterpiece, here Rapaport brilliantly cranks up the tension in his tale with a twist, given acts of sexual intimacy are not the focal point here. Rather this is a film in which emotions of desperation, let alone fear showcase a short with a powerful take on the world we live in. That this poignant piece went on to win Cardiff’s coveted International Gay and Lesbian Short Film Iris Prize, is no surprise, given this piece perfectly illustrates what first class storytelling is all about. Need more be said? Gay Visibility - Overt.  Nudity - In the best possible taste.  Overall - file under ... 4 stars.  available on DVD as part of the Peccadillo Pictures catalogue 'Boys on Film 4: Protect Me from What I Want' release 26.04.2010. starring: Julien Zeitouni / Guy #1, Scott Alan Hislop / Guy #2 and with the voice of Amy Clites as the Waitress. Copyright 2010 David Hall - www.gaycelluloid.com. archive reference #268 ›› previous page | back to top | print me ‹‹