BDSM and Fetish at Venice Film Festival
A sexual adventure of domination and submission turns into an intimate dialogue between two generations which, starting from lost loves and AIDS, leads to a subdued, passionate cry of life.
La dernière séance
Written and directed by Gianluca Matarrese, La dernière séance ( The last chapter ) was presented at the Critics' Week of the Venice International Film Festival 2021 and won the Queer Lion Award
La dernière séance was also presented at the Sicily Queer Fest and at the Roman review Cinema through major festivals.
Un fotogramma da La dernière séance
Un fotogramma da La dernière séance
BDSM and Fetiscism beyond clichés
La dernière séance surprises the viewer right from the start, opening up with BDSM scenes between a master (Bernard) and his slave (the director himself).
These are scenes shot in subjective by the master, who films his slave and his games: devoid of any voyeurism, they bring BDSM back to an intimate dimension, far from the perverse representation of current clichés.
When the slave asks the master what he likes best in BDSM, the answer will be (for newbies) enlightening: take care of the slave, choose tools, times, scenes, games that can satisfy him, give him what he needs.
The dimension of care plays a fundamental role in the architecture of the film: the protagonist takes care of objects, memories, lovers, cats; and of his slave
Bernard
After the initial BDSM scenes filmed by the Master, there is a sort of role reversal: it is the slave (the director) who picks up the camera and films Bernard, in what becomes an intimate tale of his life.
Moving to a new apartment (the last chapter to which the title refers) is an opportunity to get objects and memories of a lifetime out of the closet; so - while Bernard prepares the boxes for the move- the two comrades who died of AIDS emerge from the past together with difficult childhoods, BDSM objects and porcelain, slides of happy moments and sexual adventures (more than ten thousand, says Bernard).
Bernard's intimate story, almost always told in subjective with close-ups of his face, becomes during the film the story of a survivor, of a man who has managed to keep his vitality.
Because it is so particular, his history softly rises to exemplum of gay life in recent decades: from the refusal of parents to the construction of a couple relationship, from the tragedy of AIDS to the stigmatization of sexuality/ties.
Bernard, like many of us, has lived through all this, but has kept intact his desire to look to the future and live life also through (BDSM) sex.
Un fotogramma da La dernière séance
Un fotogramma da La dernière séance
The cats
An important role in the film (also in terms of narrative space) is played by the two (beautiful) she-cats of the protagonist: we see both of them, wandering around between boxes, whips and toys
.We first see them rubbing and being caressed by Bernard; then we experience the difficulties of the move, with a clumsy Bernard who tries to transport them in a large basket from which one of the two cats obviously escapes taking refuge under the seat of the van.
In the new apartment the cats will wander a bit, bewildered, until one of the two escapes through the small balcony.
Many scenes from the movie are dedicated to the search for the cat, with Bernard sticking flyers everywhere, interrogating neighbors, wandering the streets beating a teaspoon on a bowl (the call sign for the cat).
With the rediscovery of the beloved cat, the film practically closes: almost a symbol of hope for the new chapter in Bernard's life.
Trailer
Movie card
Original Title: LA DERNIÈRE SÉANCE
Year: 2021
Nations: Francia, Italia
Language: Francese
Lenght: 1h e 40min
Director: Gianluca Matarrese
Writers: Gianluca Matarrese, Nico Morabito
Production: Bocalupo Films / Altara Films
