Fogi Is A Bastard

 This is not a typical gay film. This title does not belong in the bubble gum genre that dominates gay cinema today. Fogi Is A Bastard was released in 1998 and is Swiss so, maybe that has much to do with it being different. This isn't a film you'll see on Logo.

Beni (a high school student) falls in love with an older lead singer of a rock band, Fogi. Quickly they develop a relationship based on Beni's worship of Fogi. As Fogi's band fades he turns to heroin.

Fogi increasingly comes to abuse Beni and makes him his S&M slave. There are several scenes where Beni is treated as a dog and that leads to some interesting fantasy montages. Beni begins a career as a prostitute to support them. He also becomes a drug abuser.

Over time Beni questions the relationship and has some lucid moments where he considers leaving the bastard Fogi. His love for Fogi continues to dominate his judgment and he accepts the situation and never gathers the courage to break free. In his mind there is nothing without Fogi and nothing will end his worship of him.

This film takes you down a hole of self-destruction and you keep hoping you'll climb out. It isn't all that depressing as you might expect there are some light, tender and erotic moments. The acting is also top notch. Vincent Branchet who plays the role of Beni is fully aware of the depth of his character and shines. Frédéric Andrau's acting is also very believable as Fogi.

By the end you want Beni to survive and you'll either be ambivalent about or loathe Fogi. He's hell bent on suicide and you only hope Beni doesn't get dragged six feet under too. At the end of the film you'll discover whether Beni's worship of Fogi is also his end.

Despite the heavy material it never becomes oppressive. I give Fogi is a Bastard a solid B+.