Old gay men kissing
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That I too struggled to view the older male body as appealing and not difficult to look at. Still, we purposefully leave behind our forebears to carry their trauma alone. They need to be seen.”
Twilight’s Kiss was first introduced as Suk Suk – Cantonese for “uncle”, both in the familial sense and as an honorific for older men – at the 24th Busan International Film Festival.
“Investors don’t see the marketability and commercial value of old bodies, especially in the context of gay films. With time, however, they found plenty—far more than they needed to fill a book.
Following the photography book’s publication in 2020, the images resonated with readers all over the world. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen any film, gay or straight, that focused on senior romance.
Like his character, Wai-Keung is a real-life advocate for the creation of LGBTQ+ nursing homes. In one, two men hold up a sign that says “Not married but willing to be.” In another, a shirtless man gives another man a piggyback ride. After a second chance meeting, the two men start opening up, commiserating about being stifled by their families and swapping stories about their granddaughters.
Relationships between older people are a topic rarely examined in the youth-oriented genre of LGBTQ+ films. Mostly, I think I learned that I am also implicated, or rather, "Complicit," in many of the things I sought to negate and "fix" by making these photographs. The identities of the photographers and subjects connected to most of the images are a mystery.
“The pictures adopt the same staging as for heterosexual couples: couples pose at the bow of a ship, on the branch of a tree, at the beach, in the forest and in bed, and they sometimes also simulate a wedding stance,” per a statement from the Musee d’Art et d’Histoire.
For many of these men, going to a nursing home means going back into the closet.”
The film has been a success on the festival circuit and bolstered the careers of its lead actors. As we have come to more fully acknowledge since the 2016 election, older white men in particular have long been part of an unfortunate lineage of unbalanced and unchecked power affecting women and marginalized minority groups.
Twilight’s Kiss instead imagines two men already in their formative years and getting another chance at love. Will medical practitioners be sensitive to their needs? Intimate moments of caring and kindness are thoughtfully directed as the two men go on dates, strolling through wet markets and seeking refuge in a gay sauna. “Their sadness and shame” are the story Yeung wants to tell.
While some of the images were taken in photo booths, many others were likely taken by a third party. After his kids grow up and move away, he starts cruising and eventually crosses paths with a soft-spoken romantic named Hoi (Ben Yuen). Read, below, and check out a selection of 15 portraits from Complicit, which you can purchase here.
What specifically drew you to the portrait subjects of older gay men?
Afterwards, they talk about their struggles growing up during Hong Kong’s rapid modernisation, and Hoi says, “who hasn’t had it tough in our generation?” as Pak drifts away on his lap, a new beginning in their twilight years.
Yeung affectionately details his characters’ warmth and beauty, showing respect and appreciation for their age.
So, there is a real concern about what happens to them. It was a long process of figuring out how best to represent these people with strength and dignity while navigating unwanted sexual advances and often being misunderstood by peers and colleagues.
What did you learn about yourself in this process?