My Boyfriend, the Fascist
(Italy, 98 min.)
Dir. Matthias Lintner
Programme: World Showcase
They say that opposites attract, but does that philosophy hold in this age of polarised politics? Director Matthias Lintner puts his own relationship under the microscope to consider if people with widely different political views can sustain a romantic connection. It’s not easy, but commitment never is.
The Italian Lintner leans to the left. He doesn’t mind wearing politics on his sleeve, and will happily march in protest. However, he’s reserved by any point of comparison to his boyfriend, Sadiel. A Cuban activist, Sadiel’s growing inclination to the right alarms Lintner. The director asks his boyfriend how a gay man can support parties with a history of disdain for LGBTQ+ rights. Sadiel, meanwhile, weighs his experience against collective needs. He shares that life in Cuba taught him that communism is evil. He distrusts the Left’s efforts to eradicate class politics. If his personal security as a gay man comes at risk in the service of a greater good, he accepts the trade. But he doesn’t accept Matthias’ own way of seeing things.
Lintner humorously observes the decline of their relationship through this personal and political tale. The relationship seems rosy when the film begins, too. It’s a beautiful day and the guys find a nice spot in mountains. They can nearly touch the clouds as churches pierce the sky and the sight of the Dolemites proves refreshing. Sadiel reclines while Lintner leans in and performs oral sex on him below the camera frame. From the outset, their relationship serves as an open book.
But as Lintner wades deeper into Sadiel’s complicated politics, the relationship becomes shaky. Sadiel loves talking about politics, but his tirades are less a matter of discussing current affairs with Matthias than simply talking at him. The guy doesn’t shut up. He doesn’t accept opposing viewpoints, either. Sadiel’s ongoing tirades tread mansplaining as he drones on about the virtues right-wing parties with populist appeal.
Lintner points out to Sadiel that a refusal to accept perspectives other than one’s own marks the definition of fascism. The couple probes the roots of Sadiel’s politics, too, with a visit to his family and tours of Cuba. Lintner considers his past idealization of Che Guevara and concedes some misunderstandings about political history. However, he takes a wider picture view to inform his present perspective. My Boyfriend, the Fascist considers Europe’s political landscape in an age of polarisation. Giorgia Meloni’s successful campaign for Prime Minister inspires Sadiel and incenses Matthias. They take up picket signs for opposing protests, with Sadiel largely using his activism to fight for the rights of Cubans from Europe. Meloni’s politics prove the biggest strain on their relationship.
However, Sadiel can also claim that he’s not the titular fascist. Perhaps Matthias is. Lintner’s filmmaking echoes much of Sadiel’s political nattering. There’s a contradiction of philosophy and practice as Lintner insists on filming every aspect of their personal lives, from heated debates to breakfasts with their third wheel from Grindr. Sadiel doesn’t mind the open exercise, so to speak, but Matthias doesn’t return the favour when his boyfriend discusses their relationship with his activist colleagues. His viewpoint serves as the only fair guide to their public displays of affection.
The personal indeed proves political here as Matthias and Sadiel’s relationship faces a reckoning. My Boyfriend, the Fascist proves frequently funny and consistently insightful by fixing political debates with lovers’ quarrels. It illustrates how political engagement demands participating in exchanges of viewpoints that may counter one’s own. Matthias and Sadiel share a tough love reminder that one doesn’t have to share a partner’s political views, but respecting them certainly aids compatibility.
