Holding the Man (2015)

Holding the Man: Directed by Neil Armfield. With Ryan Corr, Sarah Snook, Francesco Ferdinandi, Craig Stott. The warm, funny and achingly sad story of the 15-year-long love affair between Timothy Conigrave and the boy he fell in love with at high school, John Caleo.

“I really really liked this movie! It was a relentless and at times confronting experience, but proof positive that storytelling when it is steeped in such truth and such life experience, in the hands of brilliant storytellers results in exemplary cinema. Neil Armfield has long been a leading light in Australian theatre, and I had nearly forgotten his feature u0026#39;Candyu0026#39; with Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish, but was reminded of it, as I sat spellbound by the performances in u0026#39;Holding The Manu0026#39; and its expert direction and attention to detail. Being in the audience for this movie, I felt safe in the hands of a master director. Ryan Corr, best known for the small screen like u0026#39;Packed to the Raftersu0026#39; is a revelation; throwing himself head first into this leading role and intrepidly going where I suspect few actors might go. Craig Stott was a discovery for me, and although I struggled with some of the early scenes and wardrobe choices, his performance was realised as a truly moving and career making turn. Lots of great actors in supporting roles and cameos including the hilarious Kerry Walker in a blink and youu0026#39;ll miss it part. Thereu0026#39;s lots of humour, lots of pathos and lots of sexual activity which is thoughtfully and bravely brought to the screen. This is a must see experience, a story that needed to be told and has honoured the actor/writer Timothy Conigrave in so doing. Aussie filmmaking at its very finest.”