User reviews

Plot

Set one evening in present-day Moscow, 16 year-old Pyotr is baited by an ultra-nationalist group known for their violent abductions and attacks bolstered by Russia's LGBT propaganda law, but Pyotr has a dangerous secret.

Cast

Unfamiliar with anyone or the creators

Verdict

A Canadian/German collaboration set in Russia it's quite a peculiar creature but certainly one I approved of. It sees our young gay gentleman meeting a random stranger for a good time only to find himself beaten, assaulted and tortured by bigots who believe ignorant outdated things about the LGBT community.

The encounter however doesn't go quite the way they planned and it's all done really quite well despite making you intentionally feel very uncomfortable early on. I don't mean the casual escapade I mean the bigotry and "Right" extremism. Violent, gory, deeply unpleasant and with some excellent visuals this is a great short with a deep meaning that only a fool wouldn't appreciate.

Rants

Why do people get so upset about things that simply don't matter? Things where there is no victim? Things that don't affect them in the slightest? Sexuality is a fantastic example of this, you don't need to understand it nor like it but why do you care? How does it impact your life? Is anyone being hurt because of it? So many issues in the world need your passion, need your attention and yet you choose to get upset about who Fred is attracted to? Don't like the LGBT community? Don't associate with them just like I don't like bigots and choose not to associate with them.

The Good

• Great concept
• Handled respectfully
• Solid social commentary

The Bad

• Could have used a bit more time
• Doesn't make for the easiest viewing.

This is in Russian and takes place in Russia (but I think it was shot in Canada). A young gay guy named Pyotr (Alex Ozerov) goes to a guys house for a hook-up. The guy almost immediately knocks Pyotr out. Turns out he's a homophobe and him and his friends are going to torture Pyotr for being gay. Or will they? There's a twist that comes at the end that I saw coming from a mile away but it still worked. It's well-directed and disturbing as it should be. The acting is good all around and it really pours on the blood and gore at the end. It being in Russian isn't really a problem because it's all subtitled and it's only 15 minutes long. A good if gruesome gay horror short.

I found that since it's a short movie & the director doesn't have a lot of time to do too many things that i'd risk to watch a full movie if he'd ever do one.

The story itself just presents how lawlessness (in 1 form) is encouraged in Russia but what really makes the movie is Sergei & the girl at the 'party' their acting is just superb.

Stereotypes about Russia. manifesto for sexual minorities rights. Central European myth. revenge. and cliches. a film who reflects good intentions and confuse way to use them. because something missing and, except the last scene, all is just an improvisation without not impressive result. you can define it as mediocre or decent. but the story and performances are not more than sketches who are only tools for a supericial horror with social manifesto potential.