Renowned Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Silva has shaken up Australian cinemas with his latest creation, “Rotting in the Sun,” a subversive and boundary-pushing queer indie film that boldly includes explicit, unsimulated gay sex scenes. While the film’s explicit content has generated significant attention, “Rotting in the Sun” also carries the distinction of being a mainstream success, having garnered acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival and receiving praise from critics.
In the film, Sebastián Silva takes on a remarkably unflattering role, portraying a character trapped in a self-destructive spiral of depression, isolation, and substance abuse. However, the story takes a dramatic turn when he escapes his apartment’s confines and embarks on a journey to a gay resort town in Mexico. Here, the film plunges into an uncensored montage of full-frontal male nudity and explicit gay encounters on a Mexican cruising beach, featuring the participation of gay comedian and Instagram influencer Jordan Firstman, who also portrays an unhinged version of himself.
The plot takes a twist when Jordan pitches a project to Sebastián, which the director detests but his HBO superiors adore. Sebastián reluctantly agrees to collaborate on the project and invites Jordan to his city residence to begin their creative endeavor. Yet, upon Jordan’s return to Mexico City, Sebastián is nowhere to be found, shifting the narrative’s focus to Jordan as he navigates a wild, quasi-detective journey to uncover the truth behind Sebastián’s disappearance. Suspicion looms over Sebastián’s housekeeper, Señora Vero, who might possess more knowledge than she is willing to reveal.
A Dark Comedy-Thriller Critiquing Queer Creative Culture and More
“Rotting in the Sun” is more than just a film with explicit scenes; it is a dark comedy-thriller where Sebastián Silva fearlessly critiques not only himself but also the complexities of class tensions, the film industry, the instant gratification culture of social media, and the world of Instagay influencers. Sebastián reflects on his work, stating, “You don’t know whether to laugh or feel terrified, but it’s a comedy.”
He elaborates, “There is a serious aspect to it, in terms of what it’s saying about queer creative people. I’m very brutal in the way I criticize my own people, but I’m also critiquing HBO and social media.”
Silva’s candid approach led to explicit sexual content in the film, as he asked Jordan Firstman to participate in scenes of explicit sex. “Because he’s so direct and openly sexual with everybody all the time, I asked him if he would be willing to have explicit sex in the movie. And he was like, ‘Okay.’ There must be more than 40 d___s in this movie… but the explicit sex is supposed to bring a layer of comedy more than shock or hostility.”
“Rotting in the Sun” is currently showing in select Australian cinemas, including Sydney’s Ritz Cinemas, from October 23rd to 25th. This unconventional film challenges norms and boldly explores the boundaries of queer cinema, leaving audiences both amused and contemplative.