UPDATE: WINNER!
The Outfest 2009 Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement
GREEK PETE
Written & Directed by Andrew Haigh
The film I saw tonight was a narrative documentary, "Greek Pete". It's about a hustler named Pete who's professionally known as "Greek Pete" and later becomes "London boy Pete". We follow Pete (who is quite charming and attractive, both big pluses in his profession) recently arriving in London as he tries to negotiate working there. He talks about his goals in life, his family back in Greece and how he wants to be recognized as a very successful rent boy. We also meet some of Pete's fellow rent boys and they discuss the trials and tribulations of their lives. We see them create a Christmas dinner for themselves since they have no family to go to and after dinner they indulge in plenty of drugs and drinks.
The problem with "Greek Pete" is that it doesn't work as a documentary since there are parts that are obviously staged and it definitely doesn't work as a fictional film because there is no plot. This leaves for an unsatisfying experience which is too bad because there are many interesting moments throughout. I'm not sure why this could not have been just a documentary since he had a very charismatic subject and it would have made a much stronger film.
The problem with "Greek Pete" is that it doesn't work as a documentary since there are parts that are obviously staged and it definitely doesn't work as a fictional film because there is no plot. This leaves for an unsatisfying experience which is too bad because there are many interesting moments throughout. I'm not sure why this could not have been just a documentary since he had a very charismatic subject and it would have made a much stronger film.
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