TU ME MANQUES

Bolivia, 2019, 110 minutes, Colour.
Fernando Borbosa, Oscar Martinez, José Duran, Rossi De Palma.
Directed by Rodrigo Bellott.

The Spanish title is translated into English, I Miss You. However, as the screenplay comments on the Spanish title, it is far more telling, that, in your absence, something is lacking, something is missing in me.

The film was written and directed by distinguished Bolivian film-maker, Rodrigo Bellott. He has made several short films as well as features, most of them with an emphasis on sexuality, and homosexuality. And this is the case here.

The film opens aggressively, a harsh phone call between a bereft father lamenting the death of his son and his attack on the son’s lover. This leads to quite a number of flashbacks, a series of different flashbacks, leading to a kind of mosaic in the narrative. It also concerns the writing of a play, auditioning the cast, rehearsals and performance.

On the linear level, the film shows the lover, Sebastien, living in New York City. The father, Jorge, comes to New York from Bolivia to try to understand his son and what happened to him, especially leading to his suicide. Sebastien is unwilling. The father collapses, moves to a hotel. However, he approaches Sebastien, asking him to take him around the gay community, meeting a number of friends, going to a club with its music and dancing and sexual atmosphere. In the meantime, Sebastien has flashbacks to his first meeting with the son, Gabriel, taking him to a flamboyant party, their living together, their loving relationship. And there are flashbacks to the pressure from Bolivia, Gabriel’s domination by his father, the decision to return home, his stopping in Miami to talk to his sister, his killing himself.

Sebastien’s way of coping with his grief is to write his play. He decides that there should be 30 actors on stage representing Gabriel. There are auditions, quite a wide range of men with their ambitions as well as their sexual struggles, some powerful rehearsals, getting the men to experience some deep emotional relationships, the performance of the play, leading to an actor naked, all miming the fall-suicide, and then their lifting up the dead man, a kind of Pieta.

What makes the film different is that the father then becomes part of the performance, challenging the actors, interacting, sharing the grief.

In this way, the film becomes a powerful cinematic instrument that could be effective in opening up questions and attitudes, of families, and, especially, of fathers.

During the final credits there are some glimpses of the performance of the play in Bolivia, with the cast, and the father.

1. The work of the writer-director, in Bolivia, in the United States? Films, theatre, film and theatrical education?

2. Issues of sexuality, sexual orientation, homophobia, gay communities, issues of coming out, parental disapproval? In the context of Bolivian society in the 21st-century? The film’s director and his play, this film version, and the influence on changing Bolivian attitudes?

3. The play within the film, a play as a means of memorialising a person, of exploring their personality, their challenges and struggles, as a means of illustrating to parents, especially fathers, the reality of homosexual orientation?

4. The structure of the film, the initial phone call, the confrontation between Sebastien and Gabriel’s father, the consequences, his going to New York, seeking out Sebastien, involvement with the play and with the gay community? The insertion of the flashbacks of the relationship between Sebastien and Gabriel? Insertion of flashbacks concerning Gabriel, his father, the visit to his sister, his suicide? The insertion of the issues of the play, persuading the producer, auditioning the cast, rehearsals? And the interview by the journalist of Sebastien and Sebastien’s perspectives?

5. Sebastien,from Bolivia, in New York, the first encounter with Gabriel, buying the shirt, sartorial advice, inviting him to the party, the kiss, their being together, living together, their life together? The atmosphere and behaviour at the gay party? The tension for Gabriel about his father and expectations? Sebastien having to let him go, Gabriel’s visit to Miami and his sister? The promise erase the photos from social media? His not doing so?

6. Sebastien, the encounter with Gabriel’s father, the animosity of the phone call? The father and his coming to New York, coming to the apartment, Sebastien’s hostility, the father’s collapse, the gay friend and his kindness, treating the father, taking him to the hotel?

7. The father, theatrical background, Hispanic patriarchy, his wife being ill, Gabriel as his only son, not wanting to admit the truth, Gabriel leaving Bolivia, the plan for the return, the news of his suicide, the luggage coming home, then his body? The animosity of the phone call to Sebastien? His going to New York, the trip, physical health, collapse? His going back to Sebastien, wanting to understand his son, Sebastien taking him on the tour of the gay community, the flamboyant friend and his advice at the cafe, the presumption that the older man was gay, looking for contacts, the various visits, personalities, going to the gay club, the dancing, the sexual atmosphere? The conversations and discussions with the gay men? The impact on the father?

8. The visit to Rosaura, her encouraging Gabriel and Sebastian, adopting them, her taking the father to the artist, the visuals of the naked subjects, the discussion about Gabriel?

9. Sebastian writing the play, becoming more involved, the discussions with the producer and getting the money, to find 30 Gabriels, the range of auditions, the personalities, the stories, need for work, sexual issues, the young actor eventually being bashed but yet performing? The rehearsals, the demands, Sebastien and his associates, alert, wanting the couples to embrace, to relive an intense emotional performance, the even more intense effect on the actors?

10. The performance of the play, the 30 Gabriels, the costume, the performance, the audience response? The participation of the father, his involvement, with his son, the miming and the father’s confrontation, the son, stripping, naked, the miming of his falling from the airport tower, his death, the actors lifting him up, holding him, his father, a kind of Pieta?

11. Sebastien and the interview with the journalist, an opportunity to reflect on what it happened?

12. The play performed in Bolivia, its impact, its confronting homophobia and legislation?