Protect me from what I want review from Gay Celluloid -
Fans of acting twin Elliott Tittensor could be forgiven for thinking that all their wet dreams have come true, when in this British short Elliott gets down to some manly hanky-panky with the object of his cinematic desire.
For here Tittensor plays Daz; a gay scally on the look out for some man-on-man action, only to find himself attracted to Saleem instead, namely a young Muslim hardly out to himself, let alone open to the thought of rampant gay sex. Exiting the scene faster than a discarded condom, it isn’t long before the two meet again. Only as a council bed-sit sees Daz instruct virginal Saleem in the art of man sex, could it be that Saleem has a lesson or two to teach Daz?
Written and directed by Dominic Leclerc, this touching short arrives like a cinematic shot of Channel 4's Shameless, given Elliott Tittensor here effortlessly reprises his working class credentials, along the way casting his boxers to the floor in true Chatsworth fashion. And yet it is Naveed Choudhry who emotionally reaches out to you, his nervous glances aptly conveying the mindset of a young man too afraid to even give his name, forever living in fear of the repercussions the true nature of his sexuality would have, if it became known to his family.
For this is more than just a boys first time story, as Leclerc narratively touches upon the issue of what it means to be gay and Muslim in today's society, along the way lacing his script with feelings of disgust and shame. Only as this well-executed work on loneliness and if anything, a longing for friendship and perhaps something more sets out to show, being gay and Muslim is not an oxymoron. Need more be said?
This 2009 short film is well shot and the characters well thought out. Both the actors did a good job especially Naveed Choudhry and the ending leaves me wanting more. It's a good way to spend 14 minutes.
To watch Protect me from what I want,
click here.
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