A Moment in the Reeds

Great to see intelligent scripts and good production and direction in GLBTQI Cinema. A Moment In The Reeds, while obviously a Gay Love Story I think could an should be seen by any audience of any sexual orientation.

It's a 2017 Prize Winner from Finland , partly in subtitles but mostly In English. The three actors are Janne Puustinen as Leevi the Art Student returning home from Paris to assist his moody disapproving father renovate the family and his childhood cottage in Finnish Midsummer.

Boodi Kabbani is Tareq a handsome Syrian refugee who's been employed by Leevi's Dad Jouko as a labourer, even though in his own country he's a qualified architect and it's eventually obvious to Jouko not only that Tareq is highly skilled but also that Levi and Tareq have more in common than carpentry.

There's much more to this film than the attraction of the young men , anyone worried about the male sex scenes note the ratings . Sex and Nudity :moderate Violence and Gore :None Profanity : None Alcohol and Drugs /Smoking :mild Frightening/Inttnce scenes : none

It's contemporary setting shows the difference and difficulty of refugees trying to start a new life in a very foreign and suspicious culture and the deep rift that many Gay men experience with a parent or parents that just won't accept their children for who the are. It's interesting to me that with a some good exceptions European GLBTQ1 films are of a much higher quality and able to reflect stories that while obviously are aimed at The Queer film audiences also can resonate with any open minded progressive audience

I truly don't understand the negative reviews i've read here. This was a spectacularly beautiful movie about a brief, but heartwarming encounter. Slow paced, that's true, but it wouldn't have worked any other way. The chemistry between these two boys elevated the whole to an even higher level. You rarely see this kind of genuine chemistry in gay interest films. So the movie had an open ending... Get over it. Nothing in life is ever wrapped up in a neat little bundle for you.

...captured like spiders' silk on film. Apart from the slow start, there is nothing negative about this production. I don't even see the four people in the film as acting; it's as if the camera is simply there. Not boring, no miscasting, beautifully shot and directed. So gentle, so tastefully done. So very different to the stuff Hollywood churns out these days. Stuff that is instantly forgettable. This one lingers like wisps of vapour from a long-ago summer.

I love everything about this movie. I rarely buy dvds these days, but this one is an exception.

I liked this movie, I liked its way in telling the story. Yes, its tempo is slow but the story streams perfectly. Dialogues and acting are very successful. There is no exaggeration or "unnecessary emphasis". Both players, Boodi Kabbani as 'Tareq' and Janne Puustinen as 'Leevi' did well-done job. I slightly disturbed in some scenes (not in scenes with sexual content) when the camera moved too much. For example,, the camera was moving (like shaking) during the scene where two guys were swimming in the pond. I don't know whether it was necessary. Camera moves are usually preferred for horror scenes or for increasing the tension.

I liked the movie but I have some general critics on movies which place "gay issues" at the focus. Why do generally gay movies have to be shut in an isolated places? Far from people, creating a lonely planet have started to be a cliche. 'A Moment in the Reeds' repeats this cliche too, like 'on God's Own Country'. (Likewise directors may create another getto instead they wanted to demolish the walls??) There is also often a hidden sadness in the background and it causes a slow motion streaming. The balance between "drama" and "comedy" are missed on purpose. (That's why I liked more the movie 'Theo and Hugo' due to its tempo.) Gay style-movies also like giving too much priority to dialogues. In the sound structure, the audience listens to dialogues more than the other sounds. These dialogues are also mostly between two main characters. Soundtracks, sounds of city, or other people's dialogues are usually less. This makes movie less believable and less real!! Despite of my general critics, 'A Moment in the Reeds' was directed quite successfully and deserves to be watched!

A Moment in the Reeds is a well written, well directed and well acted story, full of sparking tensions, alluring contrasts and painful realities. The story of an intense connection, forged in an uncomfortable, imperfect setting, is deeply affecting and compelling. As the characters navigate their blossoming relationship, they are forced to confront deep-rooted issues in their lives, the differences and similarities of their personal situations, and a reality that the bubble of bliss they occupy is as transient as it is passionate. This is no PG feature - the sex scenes sizzle; the leads have chemistry that could set asbestos on fire. This is a film not afraid to dive in and own its convictions. Well worth a watch.

(post review-reading rant) Too many IMDBers are projecting their politics, hangups and ideals onto this film. Watch the furking film, people, instead of reinterpreting it through an Instagram filter. Sometimes I think too many people live in their sanitised PC white-bread InstaGrindr bubble and don't actually realise that different people engage with life and the world around them in different ways, and derive meaning and pleasure quite validly whilst operating within this "different" frame. The queer community is becoming a pasteurised, limp-dicked anaemic clone of its superior antecedent. If you want an idealised fantasy tailored to your over-sanitised sensibilities, go hire a celibate, gender ambivalent, emotional support quasi-romantic de-triggered missionary-sex-bot (/post review reading rant). Have a nice day.