It’s perhaps odd that gay-themed films rarely deal directly with homophobic violence, perhaps finding it too painful a topic to turn into ‘entertainment’. However it’s certainly a worthwhile topic for cinema and that’s what Stand does, mixing that with a look at dealing with it in modern Russia, where homophobia is growing and the lives of ga men are getting ever worse.
Here’s the synopsis: ‘After taking a wrong turn in their car, a young gay Russian couple witnesses what they believe is a vicious gay bashing; their quandary over what to do about it propels them—and this suspenseful drama—into ever more dangerous territory. The slow-burning film is highly topical, given the intense worldwide outrage over Russia’s mistreatment of gays and the country’s 2013 federal law prohibiting homosexual “propaganda.”
‘Anton and Vlad make a handsome pair, sharing a loving and natural chemistry in the comfortable privacy of their Moscow apartment. For Anton, the burden of what they may have witnessed outweighs Vlad’s fear of probing too deeply into the incident. Convinced of the police’s indifference—recent events make this a terrifyingly plausible scenario—Anton talks his skeptical lover into launching their own amateur investigation into the hate crime. Their risky search for the truth has unexpected and grim consequences.’
The film is out in the UK and US on DVD in early August. Take a look at the trailer below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uwXs244Kig&feature=em-uploademail
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