“On the Fringe of Wild” is nothing but a masterful take on the pain and suffering caused by homophobia. Quite frankly it is a vicious movie and take that as a compliment.
The film was shot in North Bay, Ontario.
Peter (Harrison Brown) is a quiet and sensitive young man finishing off high school. He is struggling to determine if he is gay.
Jack (Cameron Stewart) is probably the same as Peter.
Miles (Michael Melo) is a nasty homophobic gay.
Peter and Jack’s father are homophobic. The kind that think manly activities will transform their children into “real men”. Their crude form of conversion therapy only prolongs their misery and that of Peter and Jack.
I won’t delve into the plot other than saying it should be a wake-up call for those that think their homophobia is harmless. It can strike deep with tragic consequences. The film refrains from being a sermon but instead offers a refreshing look into the agonies of “coming out” for gay men. The main characters do a good job of acting but the parents seem a bit stilted.
This is not a happy story but one that is told with insight and honesty. It illustrates that acceptance by oneself and their community of being gay is a process. Unfortunately in this case it took a tragedy to move the acceptance process. Director Emma Catalfamo sums up the film appropriately. “I was particularly interested in also exploring the societal and generational effect of gender role indoctrination in familial relationships, how this intersects and is often exacerbated by homophobia, as well as the severe mental health implications these destructive forces usually have on people.”
Breaking Glass Pictures will release the film on October 12th and will be available on Tunes/Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, DirecTv and through some satellite and cable providers and on DVD.
You can see the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzfCuMK4vDs