Nights in the Gardens of Spain

...Woman's Point of View...and involving much of a woman's sensitivity.

And yet the movie we're given is from a story written by a man, Witi Ihimaera. A man well known for an acclaimed, later literary work (and film), "The Whale Rider" (world premiere at the 2002, Toronto International Film Festival). Still, this is an author who seems to possess much of the "sensitivity" referred to above. In truth, female touches abound, which should be no surprise, inasmuch as this film work was steered by Director Katie Wolfe, aided by the screenplay writing of Kate McDermott. So, in essence, this is almost as much the story of our Gay lead, Kawa's ....Wife....his Mother....his Daughter, as it is of the man, himself.

BUT, woman's point of view or not, the Pain....the Angst....revealed to us in Calvin Tuteao's characterization of Kawa is REAL. For at its heart this is a story of a man from whom much is, and has been, expected by his Maori societal group....and family. We see a Gay man who has, in fact, led a heterosexual married life, with children. Nevertheless, what we are shown, beneath the cover of all that, is a man experiencing a severe case of "Closetophobia" (fear of Coming Out).....and a near disabling Fear of Disapproval.

Yes, there is a male lover (on the side)....and visits to a bathhouse. BUT for those anticipating finding more than mere hints of Gay romance and Gay love scenes in this work, I must reluctantly say such hopes will be dashed. The emphasis seems to be, instead, upon heterosexual closeness....family closeness. And fear of loss of the latter.

Oh, there is a "final stand" taken against family...and society, and it is effectively conveyed to we viewers. But I will reveal nothing more about this film's closing storyline. I can say, however, that production values were unexpectedly high from this film goer's point of view. And gorgeous New Zealand scenery doesn't hurt at all (rating credit was given for all this).

I have yet to decide whether to keep this video in my Gay Film Library.

****

From Auckland, New Zealand, a mid-age married gay man with two children tries to come out of the closet in Aukland, who has also a Maori bloodline and supposed to carry on his traditional bearings as a male leader of the family after his father is retiring. The film is based on Witi Jhimaera's novel "NIGHT IN THE GARDENS OF SPAIN", whose previous book is the Oscar- nominated WHALE RIDER (2002, an 8/10).

The film has an over saturated hue, which at first enlightens and spikes the New Zealand exotic natural outlook with a certain degree of intimacy, effectively stimulates one's tourist appetite, but as time goes by, it is an effort which sadly overstays its welcome, and the steamy and purple gay sauna scenes are both tacky and predictable. There are no twist in the plot, which could be kindly viewed as a commonplace strategy to elucidate an everyday outing process, and the actors are standardly deployed, giving probably the most expected reactions one would expect, a guilty-ridden husband, a devastated wife, a high-school boy with a consenting adult issue and a cute teenage daughter. But the film consciously evades a more inquisitive invasion into the gay counterpart area, since the love interest of our protagonist doesn't play a pivotal role in the outing and leaves the story halfway through (for another man), instead the film has put all its stamina into a " true to yourself"doctrine. The melodrama is predestined, but all is under the fine control of the female director Kate Wolfe's slightly meek faculty and this time Witi Jhimaera's novel doesn't bring any ripple like WHALE RIDER, nor is the cast could reproduce a Keisha Castle-Hughes wonder in any rate.

Kawa (played by Calvin Tuteao) makes this Lifetime TV drama work. But this film is much better than a Lifetime TV drama (the topic would be a bit risqué for their Hallmark cards audience). It also has the New Zealand and Maori elements (albeit westernized and top of the social pyramid Maoris) doing touristy routines (dances with tongues out etc..)

Still you come away with a view of this cultural world that I knew next to nothing about. Be forewarned this movie presents it like PC garbage for the most part but still will call it Maori 101.

Kawa is a classic gay man trapped by cultural forces into acting out a heterosexual existence. For most gay men this would be next to impossible but it exists. In the film Kawa in his 40s? can take it no more and comes out--the movie is about this and the cultural specific hell it causes. I wonder how much of this "Maori" homophobia arrived with the Christian missionaries most of it I would wager. That and imported Victorian social norms of the time.

Anyway this movie is very realistic if full of PCisms and Calvin Tutueao is a very sympathetic handsome and believable character..He is a very easy character to like.

Decent watch.

RECOMMEND

This film as excellent as it is, ultimately disappoints. First of all, the location settings are exquisite - I have never seen such incredible photography. I thought the film was set in Austrailia, but then learned it is actually New Zealand. The story, based on a book, is almost passe in this day and age when everyone it seems is out. In fact I had a hard time swallowing the pain and suffering experienced by the characters when the truth became known. My buddy and I shook our heads and were grateful we never had to experience what the lead characters in this film have to go through. The cast is gorgeous - everyone of them - and the interiors are all first class - these people are at the pinnacle of the social structure - and that was nice. Yet, such apparent sophistication did not cross over to the idea one among them was different. And that annoyed me. Of course there is the problem of cultural conflict which occurs in every society and at every level and here it is no different.

I'm genuinely glad there are niche movies like Kawa for the people who need them, gay men from profoundly gay-hostile, tradition- and family-worshiping cultures. But all this movie does for me is make me extremely grateful that my own background is northern European, where the individual is more important than the family, the object of child-rearing is independence from the parents, not bondage to them forever, and men are not expected to stomp, thump their chests, and grunt in unison at birthday parties.

This movie is even more alien to me than a heterosexual romance. I found the melodrama unbearably tedious and the behavior of every person in the movie preposterous. I'm glad it's here for the men who can identify with it and be encouraged by it, but I'm not one of them.