I came across this little gem of a movie today: David. Posted on iFilm, it is the story of a mute high school student who meets an unemployed man, and the connection they make. Yes, it's a sexual connection. But because the boy is mute, questions of communication between any two people who share physical love, emotional love and desire are left with the viewer as the boy is left by the older man. For that matter, the ability to communicate across generations is also a question that is left unanswered, simply posed silently.
It's a surprise to see this film comes from Mexico. The director, Roberto Fiesco Trejo, has created a sensitive, thoughtful film filled with longing for connection. The young man skips school to head off to a movie theater — it's just not open yet. The fantasy he seeks for escape isn't available. The older man is headed to a possible job when the sign for the job is removed from the window just as he arrives. Both young man and older man have disappointments in their lives they seek escape from. And both find solace, if only for a brief time, in each other's arms.
This solace can be illusory. And it can become addictive for some, who seek out sexual encounters compulsively as escape from all kinds of frustrations in life, which is why 12-Step programs like Sexual Compulsives Anonymous exist. But I don't think that's where the director is going here. But, as I say, this film raises more questions than it gives answers to, which for me is one of the marks that determines a work of art. Watch it for yourself, and let me know what you think. It's about 9 minutes, so if you're headed there to watch it, make sure you have the time. It is a beautiful little film and well worth your time.
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