The xx’s Oliver Sim tackles fear and shame in new queer horror film, Hideous

Pictures: Provided

The xx’s Oliver Sim is tackling shame around HIV via a new and quite monstrous role in the queer musical horror short film, Hideous, which premieres on MUBI next Thursday 8 September.

A trailer for the film, which features music from the singer and bassist’s upcoming solo album, Hideous Bastard, sees Sim as the main guest of a TV talk show that takes a turn into a surreal world full of love, shame, and blood.

A number of queer icons appear in this glam horror including Bronski Beat’s Jimmy Sommerville as The Guardian Angel, drag queen Bimini as The Queen of Doom, as well as Jamie xx, a long-time collaborator of Sim and producer of Hideous Bastard.

Asked about “a dark heart” Oliver explains it was created from a “fear of being judged, fear of others, fear of being different,” as said “dark heart” comes to life in the form of a green monster roaring on screen.

Oliver/the monster sings “radical honesty might set me free if it makes me hideous,” as he’s held by an angelic and glittering figure, played by Sommerville, a hero of Sim’s. 

An additional preview available on MUBI’s website shows more of the conversation between the interviewer and Oliver, who describes his inner monster.

“It takes so many faces. It can be merely a monstrous child crying out for help or it can be as big and powerful as a werewolf. Most of the time it’s just lost in the mist. No goals and sad eyes,” Oliver says solemnly. 

A collaboration between Sim and Yann Gonzalez (You & The Night) the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in this year’s Semaine de la Critique and pays homage to some of Sim’s favourite horror films.

Of the film, Oliver Sim says, “Hideous is the queer horror film of my dreams. Thank you to my friend, collaborator & director Mr. Yann Gonzalez for bringing the music to life visually with so much heart, humour, and beauty. I can’t wait to welcome you all to the world we’ve created.”

Oliver revealed in May that he had been living with HIV since he was 17 and that Hideous Bastard would, in part, address his experiences. 

In a statement at the time, The British indie-pop singer wrote of the song ‘Hideous’, “I haven’t written the record to dwell, but rather to free myself of some of the shame and fear that I’ve felt for a long time.”

He continues: “I’ve been living with HIV since I was 17 and it’s played with how I’ve felt towards myself, and how I’ve assumed others have felt towards me, from that age and into my adult life.”

Oliver has also stressed elsewhere that the album is not about HIV, but rather “It’s about shame, it’s about fear and it’s celebratory.”

The film, Hideous, builds and elaborates on themes of shame and fear.

Hideous will be getting its UK premiere at The ICA in London on 6 September (where there will also be a Q&A) and another special preview screening will take place at Berlin’s Babylon Kreuzberg on 7 September.

Tickets for the ICA event can be purchased here.

Watch Hideous on the global streaming platform MUBI from September 8 – get 30 days free to watch HIDEOUS and hundreds more hand-picked films. Hideous Bastard will be available on 9 September.

The Attitude September/October issue is out now.