Two new int’l films remind us why Pride is still important
Pride is a time to celebrate, of course, but it’s also a time to remember the struggle, and the fight that continues around the world for the right of LGBTQ people to live freely as they are.
This week, the Blade takes a look at two new international releases that remind us that, for many people, homophobia still threatens millions of queer people around the world.
First up, from Italian filmmaker Pasquale Marrazzo comes “The Neighbor” (titled “Hotel Milano” in Italy and available via Digital/DVD from June 6), a supremely crafted, starkly observational drama about a gay couple – Riki (Michelle Costabile) and Luca (Jacopo Costantini) – whose love story is blindsided by violence.
After a gay-bashing incident leaves Luca on life support in a hospital, his family refuses to let Riki come to see him – though Luca’s sister, Rachelle (Luisa Vernelli) is sympathetic enough to keep him informed about his partner’s status as he fights for his life in a medically induced coma.
