Tornar-se um Homem na Idade Média

Languid film about (and made by) people who live their lives looking at their navels. Technically sterilized, acted by blank faces (with the exception of Nuno Nolasco as Carl) and devoid of vigor, I wondered, as the son of May 1968 that I am, if these four people (Mirene and André, and Vicente and Carl) who want to have a child and resort to unusal or bizarre methods (allowed by modernity and technology, at the cost of depriving a good portion of humanity of medical services), have ever reflected on their surroundings, if they have seen or heard of misery, dispossession, greed, theft, savage capitalism, etcetera, etcetera. Four middle-class Europeans with no other concern than manufacturing synthetic children, are not far from phony dramas with artificial intelligences as protagonists. Of interest, to be informed of what worries some creative minds in Europe, but little else.

In the futuristic world of "Becoming Male in the Middle Age" the advances of science and progress are interesting yet faulty or seen as problematic by some.

There'll be meat without animals being slaughtered yet some won't find it so interesting or just think it's not like the real thing. And like seahorses, men will have the experience of carrying the baby inside them, though not necessarily in the typical full manner since surrogate mothers are also part of the experience.

The latter part is the challenge faced by a male gay couple were one of the parts desperatly wants to have a baby of his own so he commits himself into several expensive trials in order to have his kid. On the other side we have a heterosexual couple friend of theirs who also want a kid for themselves but a fertility problem comes their way, along with some jealousy that the other couple, least likely to have a baby of their own, is finally close to their dream. Yet one part of both couples are not necessarily enthusiastic about becoming parents themselves, only being part of the action in order to satisfy the other, or just don't disappoint since they love each other.

With its mix of sci-fi and drama, the short challenges the notions of masculinity, what it truly means to be a man and their roles in society whether the ones expected of them, the ones they end up assuming wanting or not. Given its title comes the thought that man was only considered as such if bringing a child to the world and fathering as much as he could, specially if we consider royalty and their notions of leaving as many heirs as possible to assume a destined throne. Cut to ages later where much has changed, sexual variations and fluidity and even men who are very resolute in not becoming fathers themselves, that old notion is only something from the past that can't even be considered mandatory unless for those desperatly in keeping their own lineage and blood through different times, the preservation of species.

And don't think that there are easy or simple solutions when it comes to this quartet because they want what they want and for reasons, and it must be in the way they want. Until a resolution comes along there'll be lots of inner conflicts and some sadness in between. Guess the future isn't so bright despite the scientic progress. And speaking of those, I'd really like the film would be a little expanded about the meat issue. That was fascinating to see, to think about it but the only resolve that came later on is that the guinea pig trying it was a vegan. It's obvious that he'd get some reaction with it.

A relatively fine presentation of situations and possibilities, but its discussion could have use of a prolongued development. It raises a lot of important questions and it's a quite interesting film if you have someone to debate about it afterwards. 6/10.