Scratches, stitches and a swollen eye – but you don’t talk about homophobia

When we hear adi say five words in Three Kilometers To The End Of The World Is it a lot. He is the main character of this Romanian art film that was awarded the Queer Palm last year in Cannes. He is in every shot. His confused curly ball. His hudded shoulders. And his face. That is the majority of the film a battlefield of bruises, scratches, bloody stitches and a swollen eye, making it even more difficult to read what is going on in this character. Looking at him just hurts.

A film with a queer theme, but Three Kilometers Is also a very recognizable film from the Romanian film golf that has been washed up by the international art film circuit since 2000. Director Emanuel Pârvu (1979) started his career as an actor with countryman Cristian Mungiu, who with a Golden Palm in Cannes for the minimalist abortion drama 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days (2007) Self -handed the Romanian Noul Val (‘New Golf’) put on the map.

The Mungiu method: linguistic, legal and procedural in combination with total shots that often do not show what exactly is going on-see also Three Kilometers. ADI falls victim to a hate crime after the two sons of the local Mafia boss ‘caught’ him with a holiday maker. That there was something slumber between the two, we were able to see ourselves in the opening scenes with our own eyes. They stroll through the evening dusk. ADI blesses his hand – a thorn, an insect? The holiday friend sucks the wound out. In the eyes of two old drunkers who see that from the cafe, they were licking each other. It escalates. If the local gangster, to whom ADI’s father still owes money, retels (gossip goes faster than WhatsApp in this small hamlet in the Danaudelta) then we hear: « This is how they come on vacation, then they will fuck on the corner. Before you know it it is full of it. » We also know that rhetoric.

Art films with a queer theme have been doing well in recent years at film festivals and in the film theaters. Last year around this time, the Macedonian turned in Venice with a Queer Lion Housekeeping for Beginners In Dutch cinemas. It came from Poland Call me by your name-y -like Elefant and coming-out film Norwegian Dream. The Georgian director Levan Akin was very successful with And then we danced and it is situated in the trans scene in Istanbul Crossing Istanbul – A film he couldn’t make in his own country. Because just like the Romania of Three Kilometers Are those countries where Queers are at risk, both from the government and homophobic citizens.

Everyone talks in Three Kilometers. But what do they really say now? That too is characteristic of the Romanian film. An agent asks a question. A witness says that this is not the good question. And before you know it, they have raised the dictionary to discuss the meaning of words. In this way the important things remain unnamed. The prejudices. The unspoken trias of corruption, religion and justice.

Those who don’t pay attention can just think that the film is about the money problems of Adi’s father. Such a man who has everything left for his son. But that secret also believes that this homosexual hassle is not so good for him now. These are words that echo in the ears of older Dutch people, when there was also more intolerance and repression here. And we now also see worldwide how fragile the situation in the field of human rights is. And that the erosion of this begins with queir rights, the canary in the coal mine.

Not only looking at Adi hurts, but also listening to the way he is silenced. And are silent.

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