What to watch: Geronto
A short film exploring an intergenerational encounter.
A short film written by Christopher Sherwood and directed by Mark Pluck, Geronto has premiered at the recent Rhode Island Film Festival where it won the Grand Prize Alternative Spirit (LGBTQ) Short Award.
Next stop for Geronto is its European premiere at th Edinburgh International Film Festival in August.
“We always knew this story had the potential to be uncomfortable and controversial, so to be recognised with an award win at Rhode Island is incredibly affirming of the work we're doing to combat that stigma...” says producer Tom Taplin. “We worry about the power dynamics involved, but what's so special about this film is that the characters in it are completely ordinary. When you take away the celebrity and the glamour of it all, you can start to see how authentic and intimate these couples can be."
Shot in London and with a score by Sister Bliss, the film stars Jason Watkins and Noah Valentine and explores intimacy and desire in an intergenerational encounter.
Writer Christopher Sherwood has confirmed that he drew on personal experience as inspiration for this story.
“Navigating a sexuality for which I had no frame of reference whilst growing up was not entirely easy..." says Sherwood. "The story behind this film was just one of my experiences that exemplifies this. It’s an uncomfortably personal story to share, but my hope is that it brings comfort to other underrepresented people like me and enlightenment to those who may leap to wrong conclusions when they see such age-difference intimacy.”
“At its heart, Geronto is a story of self-discovery between two men from entirely different generations..." says Mark Pluck, director of the film. "Rather than sensationalise the atypical dynamic of their relationship, the film focuses on the universal, deeply human qualities that shape their bond - the desire for connection, intimacy, and belonging. This has been my guiding light throughout the development of the project: honouring the simple truth that gender, sexual orientation, and age all fall away when a genuine bond is formed between two people. My hope is that audiences leave the film with a more nuanced perspective on relationships and the many forms they can take.”
“I’m so grateful to be a part of this beautiful story..." adds Noah Valentine, who plays the role of the younger man in the encounter. "I felt compelled to breathe as much life into it as I could in order to represent a feeling we can all relate to - a feeling of longing. Longing to be seen, heard and held by another person. I truly believe the human experience is meant to be shared and we all have our own preference regarding who we’d like to share it with. This is a story about sharing. Sharing experience. Sharing love.”
Geronto screens 79th Edinburgh International Film Festival in Out of Competition shorts programme.
Gareth Johnson