Boys on Film: An unusual look at repressed sexuality
Our pals at LGBT film distributor Peccadillo Pictures are releasing the next instalment in their popular Boys on Film gay short film compendiums next week.
Boys on Film 13: Trick & Treat is another collection of funny, sexy, serious and sometimes shocking gay shorts from around the world. We brought you an exclusive look at Boygame last month, and now here’s a chat with the director of another of the films, Followers. Tim Marshall was the man at the helm of this unusual short about an elderly Welsh woman who sees a vision of Jesus on the swimming trunks of a young gay African man in her swim class (!).
Followers is a pretty niche story – what inspired you to make a film about an elderly Christian lady who sees a vision of Jesus on the swimming trunks of a young man?
I grew up in a Catholic household and was never able to find a way to connect with the religion the way my family could. I have been forever curious about those who possess faith, how it helps them, and also how it can hold them back. People ‘seeing Jesus’ face’ in objects is such an interesting phenomenon to me, and it always seems, no matter how absurd the vision, that it provides people comfort; the feeling that God is speaking just to them, saying He is there for them. With Followers I wanted to put that apparition in the most unlikely place, and also use it as a way to look at repressed sexuality.
What would you say are the main themes you wanted to explore in this story?
For me, the main themes are those of faith and loneliness, and the how the two intertwine.
How did you go about casting your actors? They’re both perfect!
For Lynn, it was very important that I had a Welsh actor, as I wanted the film to feel as authentic as possible in its Cardiff setting. We were very lucky to get Valmai Jones on board. Mark Oliver who played Rutendo was the first person I auditioned for the role. A very rare occurrence to have happen! I remember when he left the room, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
I spent a fair amount of time rehearsing with them prior to filming, as well as discussing their characters and what the themes of the film meant to them. It’s always important that my actors feel extremely comfortable with me and have a great understanding of what I am trying to say, prior to when we shoot.
The film played at both Sundance and SXSW this year – two massive US film festivals. How was that experience, and what’s next for you?
It was an incredible experience! A whirlwind few months, really. The festivals have given myself and my producer Christina Radburn a great headstart for our next project, which is a feature film version of Followers! Stay tuned…
Boys on Film 13 is released on DVD and On-Demand from July 13th from Peccadillo Pictures. You can order from Amazon, Peccadillo Pictures, iTunes and all good retailers.
Followers – Trailer (Official Selection Sundance 2015) from Tim Marshall on Vimeo.
