Basket et Maths (Basketball and Mathematics) 2009


What does a boy do when you fall in love with your straight best friend? This 7 minute short film from France is rather sweet and touching. A definite must see.

Below is a review from the Gay Celluloid on this little gem -

What’s a gay boy to do when he’s fallen in love with Cédric, his officially straight best friend? For that in a nutshell is the touching scenario on offer here, only one that gets complicated when the object of Jérôme’s affection seemingly cannot decide which team to bat for, kissing him gay style during their time spent revising maths together, only to rebuke him in school when lessons switch to basketball. Contemplating coming out to his parents and unsure of whether sexually confused Cédric feels the same way about him, life sure isn‘t as easy as doing basketball or mathematics for our boy. Or should that be, being straight or gay. 


Complete with a liberal minded older brother of the type that all gay teens should have, this well-executed short as based on an idea from Sébastien Perroy takes pride in being true to your sexual self, being like its companion works En Colo and Fusion Man, part of the batch of five Government commissioned works against homophobia. 


Directed by Rodolphe Marconi and with natural performances from Jean-Denis Marcoccio / Jérôme and Aurélien Baty / Cédric as two young men desperately trying to come to terms with their sexuality, let alone affairs of the heart, this for many would have marked the perfect gay short, had it not been for the noticeable absence of a closing kiss. Then again, the meaning of the final scene is all but obvious in this delightful INPES work, one that in this instance is complete with a coming out speech that ... well that would be saying, but like the short itself, it has to be seen to be enjoyed. Need more be said?


To watch Basket et Maths, click here.