José

Winner of the Queer Lion Award at Venice Film Festival, director Li Cheng's sophomore feature is a modest, highly touching and perceptive drama about financial struggle and sexual identity, highlighted by the conflicts imposed by a intolerable society in Latin-American countries. First-time actor Enrique Salanic gives a compelling, utterly convincing performance as the protagonist, a young man living with his mother in a small town in Guatemala. They both work hard in tough jobs, trying to make ends meet, avoiding corruption and crime as decent citizens. José maintains a secret love affair with another young fellow, who dreams of leaving the country for a better chance of surviving and to experience freedom for their choices. Conflicts surge among them, as José is strongly attached to his mother, a co-dependent relationship open for any sacrifices. Cheng examines crucial topics on behavior and acceptance with simplicity and honesty. He also conceives a striking look at poverty and hopelessness, while depicting the pleasures and risks of a Latin gay coming of age experience.

As a gay man from Guatemala, this film spoke to me on several levels. The way the main character of Jose has to sneak out of his job to hook up with men because he lives with his mom is 100% accurate. Every gay man in Guatemala city knows the kind of sleazy motels he visits downtown in the city with the guys he hooks up with.

Although the cultural elements of the film were very truthful and real, the plot itself didn't feel fully developed. The film is too short, and the relationship between José and Luis didn't feel real to me. It was a mixture of bad acting with the film rushing the relationship. The issue of him being gay and living with an overtly religious mother is not explored either. There is also a generic subplot about a straight couple that contributes nothing to the main plot. Overall, the film lacked conflict, it was very low stakes and the ending was uneventful.

I would recommend you watch it if you're gay and from Guatemala because it is refreshing to see us represented in this fashion, but much like Temblores by Jayro Bustamante, these Guatemalan LGBTQ+ movies are still treading very cautiously around these topics and don't pack the punch that a film about being gay in a homophobic third world country should.

I watched this at home on a TV set. I sometimes wonder what time it is during a film or how much longer we have to go. Not this one though. It really held my attention.

The story follows the protagonist through work, his love life, his relationship with his mum and other family members. Things happen, such as a theft of equipment from the mother and a phone from the lover, that are not followed up in this film of fleeting episodes. It doesn't matter - there is no "plot" as such, just events that unfold linearly but not necessarily consequentially.

It's a sad film overall. We take things for granted in the west about openness and acceptance, but these are not options in Jose's world.

The actors and settings are totally realistic. The moments of physical love, despite the occasionally sordid nature of the locations are happy and joyful. The grind and monotony of daily life kicks back in though.

The way the film ended was unexpected, but when I thought about it, I realised that this, or a similar ending, was unavoidable.

I really liked this film and would recommend it.

I recently saw "Jose" at "Censurados" film festival in Lima, Peru - they specialize in featuring international films that are facing difficulty reaching some audiences / some countries because of censorship: due to government, industry, and/or social barriers. So I think it's an especially important film be seen and debated, I say let the public decide for themselves. My main observation/interpretation of the film is this: at the beginning of the film, Jose is disconnected from his Mayan cultural heritage (what academics call "erasure", due to colonialism and neo-colonialism). As he faces multiple problems he goes searching and re-connects with Mayan knowledge and spiritual space at a place called "Quirgua", and then he sets out on life again with renewed determination and inspiration - though life won't be easy (that message would be dishonest)

Form beginning to end, this film never fails to capture the true nature of relationships. It almost too brutally showcases the heart-wrenching struggles of relationships, and how truly incomprehensible the extra strife that gay people go through is. Anchored by a top notch performance and brilliant use of the Guatemalan landscape (physically and socially), this film delivers layers that will stick with you.