K A O S
at
B F I F L A R E
L o n d o n L G B T F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6

Tonight's screening of director Ben A Williams' The Pass was also the world premiere, and leading men Russell Tovey and Arinze Kene were both out on the red carpet at Leicester Square's Odeon, looking as gorgeous in the flesh as they do on screen. Sadly, they were also fully clothed. Let's get this out of the way: Arinze Kene has a spectacular physique, with probably the most impressive chest this side of Atlanta. Nevertheless, Kene's attractions won't be enough to entice some black gay viewers, who will swerve the movie, perceiving it to be an interracial romance. That's a shame - and their loss - because The Pass is an intense, claustrophobic picture, with a rewarding payoff.

Both actors are inspirational: Tovey - whose background is working class Essex - is a welcome contrast to the entitled Eton toffs who have largely taken over the UK arts scene - the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston. Kene, an accomplished playwright whose work focuses on creating new narratives for black people, is inspired by the writing of Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes!
But back to The Pass. It just doesn't put a foot wrong, and ends on a poignant masterstroke that left me trying to compose myself before the lights came up. It's agony, but beautiful agony.
Every year, KAOS reports from the annual BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival. This year, I'll be reviewing twelve films (including a few programmes of shorts). Next time: Sex, Love and Other Stories.
1 comments:
Russell Tovey is a pass, IMO, indeed. :D
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