Based on a memoir by Timothy Conigrave who fell in love with a star player in his school's football team and whose relationship post school days ultimately saw both contract HIV and based also on a play of the same name, the title 'Holding the Man' is a play on words being both a football term and a reference to the relationship.
The film version is a frank and harrowing depiction of the relationship. Conigrave and his partner John Caleo were about ten years younger than myself and their experience growing up gay at a time when homosexual activity was illegal in Australia and the sexual orientation mostly had to be concealed even from family and friends strikes a strong chord of memories of my own adolescence and early adulthood.
I would like to think that this impressive film would help those who even in these times think of homosexuality as a lifestyle choice rather than an innate characteristic reconsider their attitudes but I suspect that will not be the case.
★★★★
No comments:
Post a Comment