Gay Movies Blog

Innocent (DVD)

17-year-old Eric Tang emigrates with his family from Hong Kong to Canada. While his family struggles financially and culturally, Eric must come to terms with his homosexuality. He pursues romantically his handsome hockey-playing cousin, a middle-aged lawyer, and his classmate James, only to be rebuffed. As the family restaurant, and the family itself begin to fail, Eric forms a connection to an illegal immigrant, with unforeseen consequences. Vulnerable young Eric is at a crossroads in his life, both geographically and emotionally. A reluctant immigrant plucked from the familiarity of his Hong Kong existence to the rootless suburbia of Toronto, he establishes his gay sexual identity while his family slowly disintegrates. Soon, he finds himself falling for a succession of men while learning and growing from every painful experience.

Innocent is a quintessential North American tale. With new immigrants comprising such a large part of the social fabric, director Chung forces us to face the reality of their existence, and to make us see the dark, gray world they face every day as they step out into their new lives.

The film is an incisive and nuanced take on the difficulties in reconciling the often conflicting aspects of oneself – in this case, being Asian in North America and gay in a heterosexual world. “A sensitive romantic drama about grappling with life and gay love! Captivating!” Gary Kramer, SAN FRANCISCO BAY TIMES. “Dreamlike. It traces the spacey circular topography of free-floating desire like an opulent tapestry helmed by Stanley Kwan.”
Ronnie Sheib, VARIETY. WINNER – NFB AWARD – BEST CANADIAN FILM
Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. Hong Kong Int’l Film Festival, Singapore Int’l Film Festival, Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, Reeling: Chicago Lesbian & Gay, International Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian Int’l Film Festival, Frameline San Francisco Int’l LGBT Film Festival, Inside Out Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival, NewFest New York LGBT Film Festival, Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Vancouver Queer Film & Video Festival, Closet Cinema Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

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