a short film by Margien Rogaar 2007 | 10 mins | Netherlands ›› Breath - Zucht a sweet tale of a teenage boys’ first crush As sweet as honey on a warm summer day, this laid-back tale from the Netherlands refreshingly casts aside the mindset of am I gay?, to focus instead on the story of a teenage boys’ first crush. For twelve-year-old Erik finds himself increasingly attracted to the physical frame of Arend; the father of his best friend Sofie. Trouble is, Sofie has the hots for him, being only too willing to extend an invitation to Erik to join father and daughter on a bicycle ride to a nearby lake. Only once in the water, can Erik turn the situation around to express the true nature of his heart? Taking it slow, here both director Margien Rogaar and screenwriter Tjyying Liu play with the audience, having Erik voyeuristically cast his eyes in Arend’s direction as he strips out of his clothes and into his beach shorts, only to covertly lay the foundation stone for the act that signals how Erik plans to show his adolescent adoration. For this tender tale is all about the pangs of first love, one that sees Roeland Fernhout's role as the father of the piece reduced to the sideline, allowing the youthful cast to shine in the spotlight. Need more be said? Gay Visibility - teenage crush style.  Nudity - bare-arsed cheek.  Overall - file under ... 3 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: Yannick de Waal / Erik, Moo Miero / Sofie and Roeland Fernhout as Arend. Copyright 2010 David Hall - www.gaycelluloid.com. archive reference #269 ›› previous page | back to top | print me ‹‹