CUATRO LUNAS/ FOUR MOONS
Mexico, 2014, 110 minutes, Colour.
Antonio Velazquez, Alejandro de La Madrid, Cesar Ramos, Gustavo Egelhof, Alonso Echariove, Alejandro Belmonte, Gabriel Santoro, Sebastian Rivera, Hugo Catalan.
Directed by Sergio Tovar Velarde.
This drama consists of four separate stories, only at one moment overlapping. There is a question whether the title refers to the action taking place over four months.
The theme of the four stories is homosexuality and gay relationships. There is a film about an elderly academic who is about to have a celebration at a university in honour of him and his poetry. He is married, has two adult children. However, he frequents the saunas and picks up men. He is attracted to man his aim is to go to his family in America, reluctant in relationships, demanding high payment – with the old man ultimately offering him money to go to the celebration, which has a good effect on each of them.
There is also a story about a middle-aged couple, together for 10 years, one whose eye is beginning to wander, the other absolutely devoted. Tensions arise when there is a discovery of the new relationship, intense pleading, an experimental period, the breaking down of the relationship, especially after a visit to a gay club, a fight and a hospitalisation.
Third story concerns to younger men who were friends growing up have lost contact with each other. One is gay and has difficulty in informing his mother who does not want to know. The other has not sorted out his orientation. They form a bond, the confused man brushing off his friend leading to emotional hardship on each side, but, ultimately restored.
The fourth story concerns two young boys. One is a good boy, helping his mother at home, working at school, attracted to one of his fellow students and going to confession thinking this is a sin. While the priest says it is a sin, the young boy should have nothing to worry about in this case. However, sexual curiosity, anatomical curiosity, leads to an episode where the young boy is attacked and denounced, his mother sympathetic, his father angry. This time the father has to moderate his expectations about his son and be reconciled with him.
The film is from Mexico, Hispanic sensibilities – but the treatment of the theme and the telling of the story is has universal interest and appeal.
1. The title? Four stories? Perhaps over four months?
2. A Mexican film, the Mexican city, homes and apartments, schools, streets, parties, sex clubs? The musical score?
3. The four stories, an old man, men in middle age, young men, boys? Their intercutting?
4. The story of Joaquin: his age, his wife and the relationship, at home, his daughters and their love for their father, the gifting sequences? Poet, academic? The news of the honour at the University of Santa Catarina? The only one? His cancer? His going to the sauna, his roving eye, his noticing Gilberto? The approaches, the money, the price going up, his stealing the family money, paying in advance, waiting two hours, eventually the encounter? The book of poems, offering Gilberto money to attend the ceremony? The aftermath, the book, signing, Gilberto not taking the money, Joaquin at home, quietly, keeping his sexual secret? Gilberto reading the book on the bus? Going to his wife and family, his prostituting himself for the money, his not liking men for sex?
5. The middle-aged men, the cinema, going out to make phone calls for the office? Tension in the relationship? The parties and gatherings, 10 years together? Andre and Hugo, their characters? Hugo and his wanting a more masculine Andre, Andre effeminate? Workplace, at home, Hugo’s confession, the relationship with Sebastien? The effect on Andre, devastated, emotional? His pleading with Hugo to spend two weeks with him and then make a decision? Andre and doing things special, the candlelit dinner? Hugo, the phone calls, meeting with Sebastien, explaining the situation to him? Hugo at work, the phone calls? His going to the sex club, meeting Sebastien, leaving, the fight, his wound, getting Andre to pick him up, the hospital, his wound? Going home, Andre gone?
6. The young men, meeting, their friendship from the past, growing up separated, sharing memories, Fito and his father’s death, living with his mother? Their friends? The party, Fito locked out, staying with Leo, the kiss, the sexual approach? Leo and his resistance, not wanting anyone to know, the sexual encounter with Fito? Possibilities? Fito and his trying to confide in his mother, her not wanting to hear? His dressing up for the party, Leo not coming, texting an apology? His mother supporting him? Meeting of the friends? Hearing about Leo and his coming out of the closet? The encounter between the two, the invitation to dinner, the reconciliation?
7. Mauricio, at home, his relationship with his parents, helping his mother with the cooking? The attraction to Oliver? Bringing him home, playing the computer game, old edition, his asking his father for the more expensive game, his father’s harsh reaction, working to save the money, buying it? Oliver’s family, the dinner, the two boys going to the room? Mauricio and his talk about circumcision and not, show and tell, wanting to touch, Oliver and his harsh reaction? At school? The mockery, the fight, the principal? Mauricio’s father and his disgust? His mother’s concern? Ringing the doctor? The medication and being healthy? His father getting the medicine, setting up the punching bag, wanting Mauricio to defend himself? Acceptance?
8. Catholic background, the significance of Mauricio going to the confessional, his hesitation, asking about homosexuality, the reaction of the priest, the question of whether it was a sin, the priest saying it was but that the boy might have nothing to worry about? The boy praying in the church? Yet his orientation and drive?
9. A Mexican film about homosexuality? Cross-section of stories and characters? Bringing the characters and their dilemmas to life? The gay audience? For the wider audience and some understanding and empathy?
