No Se Lo Digas a Nadie, 1998, directed by Francisco J. Lombardi; originally in Spanish
The movie of the week is called No Se Lo Digas a Nadie, which means “Don’t Tell Anyone.” It’s a movie by a Peruvian director based on a book written by a Peruvian talk show host, so it is very authentic. It tells the story of the early adulthood of a gay Peruvian man, Joaquin, who struggles to live up to everyone’s expectations and to come to terms with his own desires. His father constantly tries to teach his son to “man up” by taking him hunting; his girlfriend, to whom he confesses that he likes men, insists that she will be able to “fix him”; and other gay men that he meets don’t want the same things as he does. Joaquin is driven to drugs and alcohol in order to cope with his reality and feels that he needs to escape from the hell that is Lima.
No Se Lo Digas A Nadie is a challenging drama about homosexuality in Peru, where the culture of machismo is so prevalent that a character points out that “it’s better to be retarded than gay.” The story is well told and the script is excellent. Although the plot is not completely original, the fact that it is told from an authentically Peruvian perspective makes it a movie definitely worth watching, especially for someone who is looking to better understand Lima.
Note: be warned, there is sex, drugs, and full frontal male nudity!
Sorry, there are only Spanish trailers.
Adventures in Peruvia 