WATCH: A high school wrestler has (literal) demons in the closet in Southern Gothic horror ‘Ganymede’
so beautiful that the gods brought him to Mount Olympus, where a particularly infatuated Zeus selected him as his “immortal cupbearer.”Sure, Zeus, yeah… you were only keeping the twinky prince around to pour you wine.
If you say so!Anyway, since those ancient times, Ganymede has lingered in the culture as a symbol of homosexuality, and particularly male-male desire, but he hasn’t always been depicted positively.Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.In the Southern Gothic horror Ganymede—from filmmakers and IRL partners Colby Holt & Sam Probst—the mythical character is reimagined as a fearsome demon, one that uses its dark powers to overcome others with homosexual urges.At least, that’s what high-schooler Lee Fletcher (Jordan Doww) keeps having drilled into his head by the ultra-conservative Pastor Royer (Anchorman and The Office‘s David Koechner, in a rare dark and dramatic role).Lee is a star athlete and all-around “golden child,” following in the footsteps of his overbearing father Big Lee (Stranger Things‘ Joe Chrest) who, alongside his dutiful wife Floy (Teen Witch‘s Robyn Lively), has raised his son in a strict Baptist home.So, when Lee starts to crush on his openly gay classmate Kyle (Scream Queens‘ Pablo Castelblanco), his parents quickly catch on, inviting Pastor Royer to their home for his version of “divine intervention,” which appears to include electro-shock therapy and praying the gay away.From shocking documentaries to a cult comedy classic, these movies explore the dark realities of gay conversion therapy.Only, in this case, “the gay” might just be a literal demon, one that’s eerie and red that lurks in the shadows—and literally hides in the closet—threatening to ensnare Lee’s soul and destroy his family in the process.Now, seeing how Ganymede is written and directed by gay filmmakers, we can’t imagine it’s quite so straight forward: No way would.
