With more than 60 international awards, short film by director Hsu Chien will be released in a feature film
By Eduardo de Assumpção*
Accumulating awards is the short “Bergamota”, by Hsu Chien, director of “Quem Vai Ficar com Mário? (2021)”. Starring Márcio Rosário, who also directs the production, and was in works such as “Beyond the Red Line (1998)”, by Terrence Malick, the film is a warning about the common dangers in the LGBT+ community.
Shot in black and white, the work begins pulsing with excitement, soon taking on thriller and neo-noir tinges. The story begins with a secretive and closeted gay man, Léo (Gabriel Canella), heading on a blind date with Jorge (Rosado).
Bergamota (Trailer) Brazil, 2023 from Marcio Rosario on Vimeo.
But the plot has a twist, and then another and the award-winning photography, by Silvia Gangemi, provides the appropriate tension for each of these moments, almost like a character. From beautiful scenes of intimacy to abrupt violence, everything is masterfully handled by the experienced director and his team of actors.
“Bergamot” also brings queer horror, still so little explored, onto the national scene. There are clear references to Alfred Hitchcock (like the chocolate blood, from Psycho (1960)), to the mythical Italian giallo and also to the classic films from the iconic producer Hammer. The soundtrack also includes representation, with the presence of trans voices, Rafaella Villella and Camila Guiaz.
Another point is Jorge’s age group, a man in his 50s, who in times of ageism on apps and social networks is extremely desirable and well represented. Rosário has already worked on “Mercenários (2010)”, starring and directed by Sylvester Stallone, and was in “Deserto (2016)”, by Guilherme Weber.
Intense and captivating, this short film, which has already been shown at more than 60 festivals and won more than 30 awards, will trap you in a web of eroticism, danger, fetish, desire and madness and, above all, propose a reflection for those who you are opening your door.
Produced by Três Tons Visuais, “Bergamota”, which alludes to how tangerines are treated in the south of the country, while making its social criticism, will have a feature film version next year. Inspired by real events, Hsu Chien’s script promises even more twists and turns in its extended form.
*Eduardo de Assumpção is a journalist and responsible for the blog cinematografiaqueer.blogspot.com
Instagram: @cinematografiaqueer
Twitter: @eduardoirib
By Ezatamentchy
Source: Maxima
I am an experienced author and journalist with a passion for lifestyle journalism. I currently work for Buna Times, one of the leading news websites in the world. I specialize in writing stories about health, wellness, fashion, beauty, interior design, and more. My articles have been featured on major publications such as The Guardian and The Huffington Post.