{"id":1320078,"date":"2021-09-06T09:22:02","date_gmt":"2021-09-06T08:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publish.entertainment-focus.com\/?p=1320078"},"modified":"2021-09-06T09:22:04","modified_gmt":"2021-09-06T08:22:04","slug":"the-male-gaze-threes-company-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment-focus.com\/2021\/09\/06\/the-male-gaze-threes-company-review\/","title":{"rendered":"‘The Male Gaze: Three’s Company’ review’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NQV Media\u2019s \u2018The Male Gaze<\/a>\u2019 series continues with the release of \u2018The Male Gaze: Three\u2019s Company\u2019, a collection of six new shorts that further explore the realities of being a gay man in the modern age. Collecting together shorts from Canada, Germany, France, Netherlands and Belgium, fans of the series can enjoy another trot around the globe for more glimpses into the lives of a number of very different men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Golden Boys\u2019, from Canadian film-maker Jill Riley, opens the collection and tells the story of a group of friends who break into their old private school during a boozy night. Once inside, memories of the past come back to haunt them, particularly their behaviour towards a fellow student who died. The short explores masculinity and the walls men put between each other as well as the lies we tell ourselves when we don\u2019t want to face up to the truth. It packs a lot into its 8 minutes and it\u2019s a solid start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Second short \u2018In Beating Cells\u2019 is the standout of this release. From German film-maker Richard Kranzin, the short takes a snapshot of two young couples on a camping trip. During their trip, the friends get drunk and indulge in a foursome, which stirs up supressed feelings in Friedrich (Lukas Sperber) towards Rico (Philipp Kronenberg). Pretty soon their hedonistic behaviour creates a rift and what started out as fun becomes heartbreaking and emotional. \u2018In Beating Cells\u2019 is a realistic exploration of coming to terms with your sexuality and it\u2019s definitely the most emotional short here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

French film-maker Guillaume Mainguet explores family tension in \u2018The Middle of a Lake\u2019, where two brothers \u2013 one gay, one straight \u2013 clash following the cremation of their father, while Jordi Wijnalda\u2019s \u2018Gilles\u2019 depicts two homophobic men, and sworn enemies, who unite in their hatred of a gay man they meet in the streets. The latter is violent and nasty, but brings home the reality of the dangers gay men still face by simply being themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Manuel Marmier\u2019s \u2018Kiko\u2019s Saints\u2019 is the quirkiest short here and the most sexually explicit. A Japanese illustrator is on an assignment in France when she spots two men getting intimate on the beach. She becomes obsessed with drawing them and follows them around, gradually breaking down the barriers she tries to keep between them. It\u2019s a fun twist on a voyeur story and it\u2019s interesting to see a female character as the voyeur rather than the stereotypical male. This short goes places you won\u2019t expect and it\u2019s got a very surprising conclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ann Sirot and Rapha\u00ebl Balboni\u2019s \u2018With Thelma\u2019 brings the collection to a close and it\u2019s an eye-opening story of two men that are forced to look after the daughter of their friends. The story highlights the challenges of being a parent as the two men struggle to get to grips with the precocious little girl, and they go through a journey that surprises them both as they bond with her despite all of the challenges she lays out for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018The Male Gaze: Three\u2019s Company\u2019 is very entertaining and all of the shorts are fantastic. I love this series because it really exposes the reality for gay men across the world and while we all have so much in common, there\u2019s lots that\u2019s different about our experiences too. This strand is my favourite of NQV Media\u2019s and I\u2019m already looking forward to the next instalment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cast: <\/strong>Kristopher Turner, Robbie Graham-Kuntz, Philipp Kronenberg, Lukas Sperber Directors:<\/strong> Jill Riley, Richard Kranzin, Guillaume Mainguet, Jordi Wijnalda, Manuel Marmier, Ann Sirot and Rapha\u00ebl Balboni Certificate:<\/strong> 18 Duration:<\/strong> 98 mins Released by:<\/strong> NQV Media Release date:<\/strong> 27th<\/sup> August 2021 Buy \u2018The Male Gaze: Three\u2019s Company\u2019 now<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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