In a realm where love stories often adhere to familiar patterns, “Slow,” a Lithuanian film featured at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, stands out as a captivating exploration of an often-underrepresented facet of the LGBTQ+ community. Directed and written by Marija Kavtaradze, “Slow” weaves a poignant tale of love and intimacy.
The film introduces us to Elena (played by Greta Grineviciute), a dancer whose life takes an unexpected turn when she crosses paths with Dovydas (portrayed by Kestutis Cicenas), a sign language interpreter. Their initial encounter sparks a magnetic connection that gradually matures into a tender and profound relationship. However, Elena’s personal insecurities surface when Dovydas reveals that he identifies as asexual, setting the stage for an exploration of how they can build a unique form of intimacy together.
In an enlightening interview with Salon, Marija Kavtaradze shared the inspiration behind her creation. She admitted, “I wasn’t familiar with asexuality. I read an article about it, and I didn’t see a lot of asexual characters, but the topic stayed in my mind.” This spark of curiosity led her down a path of research and reflection, eventually culminating in the screenplay for “Slow.”
The film, at its core, is both a relationship story and a love story. What sets it apart is its decision to portray Dovydas as asexual, challenging common expectations of gender roles and sexuality within relationships. Kavtaradze elaborated on this aspect, saying, “Our expectations of gender in a relationship are often that if she had been asexual, for us, as an audience, it would be much easier to accept. In my country, growing up, the narrative was that men always want sex — and it is the only thing they want — and women don’t, and that’s how it is. Their characters helped me rethink things about gender that go without saying.”
Kavtaradze’s research for the film involved delving into asexuality and engaging in conversations with individuals who identify as asexual. She discovered that asexuality encompasses a broad spectrum, with each person’s story being unique. She emphasized, “Researching the film, I was reading about asexuality and talking to people who identify as asexual. There is such a big spectrum. Every story is different, and people have different experiences.”
One of the film’s primary goals is to raise awareness about asexuality and encourage open conversations on the topic. Kavtaradze hopes that “Slow” serves as a starting point for people to delve deeper into the subject and become more familiar with the experiences of asexual individuals. She expressed empathy for asexual people, noting that they often face skepticism and invalidation from others. She said, “If we read and see more, we might know more rather than open your mouth and say something stupid. I want to respect what Dovydas’ character says and believe it.”
“Slow” promises to be a thought-provoking and compassionate exploration of love, intimacy, and the diverse spectrum of human sexuality. You can catch this remarkable film on November 15th as part of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, where it will undoubtedly spark important discussions and foster greater understanding of asexuality within the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.