At the gay film night organised by our partner Edition Salzgeber there is a gay film of the finest quality in numerous cities every month. In November, it's a full load of romance: "Private Romeo" is the new adaptation of Shakespeare's most famous play as a great gay tragedy
Great love happens in the quiet corners of life. The army is no different. And it looks like this in "Private Romeo": While the majority of their regiment deploys for a field exercise, eight cadets stay behind at a military academy. Between sport, homework and the usual lessons, boredom sets in until Shakespeare takes over.
Because when the eight boys start reading "Romeo and Juliet", the spirit of the greatest love story in world literature slowly but surely seeps into their everyday lives. Sam falls in love with Glenn. And because teenagers can never find the right words to describe what they are thinking, feeling or wanting, the two of them and everyone else involved in "Private Romeo" soon just let the bard speak for them. Why talk awkwardly about flowers and bees when you can tell your lover about the nightingale and the lark?
Alan Brown's film is a great, completely successful venture: reimagining "Romeo and Juliet" as a gay love story using the original texts is not bad at all. But incorporating YouTube videos, letting his young cast sing along to lip-synced indie songs when Shakespeare isn't romantic enough and handling the camera more freely than almost anyone else makes this little film more than just an experiment with a big impact: beyond the fascinating basic idea, the craftsmanship here is extraordinary, so that you can let yourself go completely.
Cinema has rarely been more romantic, but this year will probably not be any more exciting in terms of film. Go in!
Paul Schulz
"Private Romeo" (USA 2011) will be shown today and 21 November in the original version with German subtitles in many cinemas throughout Germany on Gay Film Night. Exact dates and further information: http://gay-filmnight.com
Trailer from "Private Romeo"
