LGBTQ+ Film “Are You Hungry” by Teemu Niukkanen to be Featured at Sundance Film Festival
The Two Gay Geeks have received this press release about a short film to be featured at Sundance Film Festival later this month. The film had a world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival and was selected from over 10k short films submitted to Sundance.
The premise looks very interesting. We may have to request a screener to review.
Will you be attending Sundance or Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, UT?
Let us know what you think in the comments section below. As always, we welcome your feedback and input on all of our published content. Thank you for stopping by.
Are You Hungry
by Teemu Niukkanen
‘Are You Hungry’ is a psychological comedy that looks at the relationship of a single mother and her adopted teenage son through the lens of sexual awakening. The film explores the otherness we feel in our own families and how someone you’ve brought up can still remain a mystery. Tomi’s mum has drawn the conclusion that her son is gay, and like all mothers, she wants nothing but the best for him. However, she struggles to have a frank conversation with him so she shows her love through other means. The inability to talk spirals her thoughts out of control, and driven by the worry for her son’s safety during this vulnerable time of self-exploration, she decides to act faster than the sleazy predators online. She signs up as her son on a dating app to find him his first partner, someone of his age.
Director’s Statement
– Teemu, what if you’re gay, asked my mother and tried to look sympathetic.
I was 17, enjoying my evening snack and hadn’t realized my mother had been pondering over my inexperience with girls.
– I’m not, I replied.
– Well, Juho most definitely is, she ended the conversation.
My friend Juho who I spent a lot of time with wasn’t either. My mother had interpreted us through her reality which was very different to mine – or of Juho.
Mother and her adopted son, the main characters of my short film ’Are You Hungry?’ are groping their way in their lives. After spending years and years together they’ve become strangers. Suddenly the closest person to you is a sheer mystery. How can you solve a mystery if talking directly is the hardest thing you know? ’Are You Hungry?’ suggests that no one is ever really the final – nor best – version of themselves and there are many layers to both truth and persona. At the end of the day a parent can never really know who their child is. This is a scary thought – and a perfect setting for good comedy.
Mother’s love has amazing powers. That’s why it should be used wisely.
MOTHER Pirjo Lonka
TOMI Matvei German
MAN Tommi Korpela
TAXI DRIVER Sanna-Kaisa Palo
Directed by Teemu Niukkanen
Produced by Daniel Kuitunen
Associate Producer Antti Toivonen
Written by Antti Toivonen
Editor Joona Louhivuori
Sound Designer Pontus Borg
Director of Photography Aarne Tapola F.S.C
Set Designer Maria Hulkkonen
Wardrobe Designer Kata Launonen
Make Up Designer Kata Launonen
