Most of the short films we’ve featured have used fairly typical filmmaking techniques to tell their stories. However, 19-year-old Ryker Allen’s Citrus & Moan are a little different. While these short companions pieces do tell stories, they do it through poetry and visuals that look at fruit and the body, but in both cases only showing your specific parts, rather the whole.
While some will roll their eyes at its avant garde pretensions, Citrus & Moan are surprisingly interesting pieces of art – reflections on past relationships and moments that resonate.
Allen tells Out, “Citrus is a comparison I have between the way I consumed oranges to the way my first boyfriend consumed my love for him. Every time I see an orange I am reminded of the pat on the head he gave me after I let out those three words. Citrus itself triggers a mental reminder for relationships in general with me. I even have my bedroom scented with essential oils from an orange. The second piece in the video, Moan, is about a previous boyfriend of whom, I was of course, completely infatuated with. He had the same syllable sounds as the boyfriend that came right before him. Our first time having a sexual moment together, I accidentally moaned the wrong boy’s name. From that point on every time we were intimate, I tried my best to avoid making any noise.”
He’s also excited about where queer art is going, saying, “The environment is changing beyond just political progress. Despite the obvious speed bump from he-who-shall-not-be-named, there is a new wave of queer culture being led by young people. The ability to share a vision and idea is much more efficient than it was during the 70’s [and] 80’s. Young artists are taking a stand by communicating through their visual voices, and by doing so, it helps their peers that are silent find a path to put a foot forward.”
Take a look at Citrus & Moan below. If you know a short film we ought to be posting, tell us by getting in touch via our contact page. And check out more gay short films and web series here.
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