God’s Own Country (Gay Romance With Verité Intimacy Set In The Yorkshire Countryside)

[Himmel]

The film is set in the bleak but beautiful Yorkshire countryside, where young Johnny (O’Connor) carries the burden of managing his family’s livelihood int he wake of his father’s stroke. To help with lambing season, the family hires a Romanian migrant worker named Gheorghe (Secareanu). While Johnny is well-versed in soliciting random sex at livestock auctions, he isn’t prepared for the intensity of real human connection. But when the two head up the mountain to birth the lambs, things get very muddy.

Review:
The movie played Sundance earlier this year to rave reviews, with its country setting and restrained storytelling earning inevitable comparisons to “Brokeback Mountain.” But “God’s Own Country” has the benefit of two fresh young faces in the leads (Josh O’Connor and Alec Secareanu) to fully inhabit the roles with no prior associations, as well as the freedom to buck Hollywood tropes. Including that pesky one where gay films have to end in tragedy.

Beautifully rendered and engaging from beginning to end, “God’s Own Country” is the kind of gay film more people should be making. The almost documentary-style farm scenes elevate it way beyond more conventional gay dramas, and it doesn’t make the mistake of confusing tragedy with quality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vxA-r4KeWI

http://www.indiewire.com/2017/06/god...ee-1201843873/

[kylec123]

This looks great. Definitely watching.

[Buscemi]

Orion picked this up last month for US distribution and will distribute through Samuel Goldwyn later this year (possibly in November or December for awards consideration).

[Impossible]

Hawaii called, they'd like their film back...

[esteban²]

Was on my radar already, didn't know it was a gay story. Cinematography looks really good.

[MikeScott]

I don't think it looks all that great though reviews are really strong. I'll probably check it out. Reminds me too much of Brokeback Mountain (which is one of my favorite films). I'm much more excited for Call Me By Your Name.

[esteban²]

Originally Posted by MikeScott

I'm much more excited for Call Me By Your Name.

Didn't notice that before, Mike.

[MikeScott]

Originally Posted by esteban²

Didn't notice that before, Mike.

Yeah I've been keeping my excitement for it under wraps but no more .

[Himmel]

Francis Lee Scoops Edinburgh Award for ‘God’s Own Country.

Francis Lee won the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival for “God’s Own Country,” with Bulgaria’s “Glory” landing the best International Feature Film accolade.

“God’s Own Country,” which was Lee’s directorial debut, opened Edinburgh with its U.K. premiere, having previously created a buzz at Sundance. The film follows a young farmer who develops an intense relationship with a Romanian migrant worker.

“After premiering at Sundance and Berlin it has been wonderful to see how the film has created a real resonance with people, and that is why the Michael Powell Award feels so brilliant,” Lee said.

The Michael Powell jury said: “Assured direction with raw and endearing performances result in a film that has an authenticity that is both tender and brutal, a juxtaposition of landscape and emotion, which explores the question of what it means to be a man.”

http://variety.com/2017/film/festiva...ry-1202484044/

[kylec123]

I saw this tonight and it was really good.

One of the best films I've seen this year, easily.

[kylec123]

Nominated for 10 British Independent Film Awards.

[kylec123]

Kinda dumbfounded why this doesn't seem to be getting much awards attention past festivals/BIFA.

[Mr.F]

Originally Posted by kylec123

Kinda dumbfounded why this doesn't seem to be getting much awards attention past festivals/BIFA.

It's was released in the US by a small distributor (Samuel Goldwyn/ Orion), has only grossed $200,000 and has only played in 12 theaters. It's not even like a Netflix/Mudbound situation where they only do a limted qualifying release but have a lot of money to bring it to the atention of voters. Maybe if they had released it simulataneously on VOD to let people outside of NY and LA and other major cities see it there would have been more buzz around it to convince the distributor to give it an awards campaign

[kylec123]

Originally Posted by Mr.F

It's was released in the US by a small distributor (Samuel Goldwyn/ Orion), has only grossed $200,000 and has only played in 12 theaters. It's not even like a Netflix/Mudbound situation where they only do a limted qualifying release but have a lot of money to bring it to the atention of voters. Maybe if they had released it simulataneously on VOD to let people outside of NY and LA and other major cities see it there would have been more buzz around it to convince the distributor to give it an awards campaign

Yeah, I wasn't really sure how much it was theatrically released, but that definitely makes sense now. I never remembered seeing it released anywhere. I only was able to see it during an LGBTQ film fest that we had here.

[Britnasty]

I wish it was getting more widespread release.

It played in Chicago (the closest city to me it played in) for one night for one showing as a Special attraction. So damn ridiculous.

[Shingster]

This was pretty good, one of the better romantic dramas of the year. Had a few people walk out after the 2nd reasonably steamy gay sex scene though in the screening I went to!

[sandman slim]

Originally Posted by kylec123

Yeah, I wasn't really sure how much it was theatrically released, but that definitely makes sense now. I never remembered seeing it released anywhere. I only was able to see it during an LGBTQ film fest that we had here.

Guessing that's Nashville? I'm near Memphis, and we never seem to get movies like this, even during the Outflix or Indie Memphis festivals. Just like Beach Rats, guess I'll get to see it when it hits Blu-ray...

[kylec123]

Originally Posted by sandman slim

Guessing that's Nashville? I'm near Memphis, and we never seem to get movies like this, even during the Outflix or Indie Memphis festivals. Just like Beach Rats, guess I'll get to see it when it hits Blu-ray...

Nope! Memphis.

It played as part of Outflix fest. It was the only film I caught during it.


Also, this is now available on streaming services I think.

[Britnasty]

5/5.

This finally got released on DVD and I couldn’t wait for my U.K. imported Blu to get here.

This is truly a stunning cinematic triumph. I’ve seen the comparisons thrown around to Brokeback and CMBYN, but this really stands on its own.

It’s a gay love story but at its core, it’s a story about learning to love and learning how to be loved.

Your main protagonist is Johnny Saxby, the son of a farm owner and maincaretaker of said farm but by night he’s a drunk, burying his anger for how his life has turned out at the bottom of a pint and by having random gay sex with people he tosses to the side and treats as subhuman. This is all until Johnny’s parents hire on an extra farmhand, played by Alec Secareanu, enters his life. Johnny’s visceral reaction to Gheorghe is to treat him like his hookups, as subhuman, throwing racist slurs at him until Gheorghe stands up for himself and the rest is history.

The story starts off very slow, it takes about 45 minutes for the film to truly get going but when it does it never lets up. Johnny’s journey is a hard one but a beautiful one to watch. Gheorghe teaches him how to be compassionate, how to love, and how to let love in and accept it. His transformation as a person is complete by the end of the film and the final scene between the two men is acting its best.

Seek this one out ASAP and let it in, it’s truly worth it.

[SplitScreen]

Just got done with this. A bit different an experience than Call Me By Your Name but one worth watching none the less.

Thought at first that I wasn't going to like it. It felt very stilted and awkward. I can understand why it was done that way but for a brief while it was difficult to relate to the characters for me. Like watching two cavemen trying to be gay lol. A lack of dialogue didn't help. Words replaced by grunts and looks. But the film picked up in the 2nd half and actually really turned itself around. There had been a point to all that early stuff but the characterisations improved for me in the 2nd half and I began to like these two.

The cinematography and setting were good and I particularly liked the nurturing of the runt lamb. What happens there I guess was quite symbolic and really quite touching.

The ending was excellent and the actors did a great job with it.

[Show spoiler]A happy ending for a change.

Definitely worth checking out if you can just stick with it. 4/5 from me in the end.