Sunday | Diumenge (2012)
Sunday | Diumenge (2012)
Synopsis:
On the first day of school after summer, Marc (Marc Vilajuana) walks into his classroom holding hands with his girlfriend. However, Marc develops a curiosity towards Max (Enric González), the new, gay kid who is bullied by their classmates.
Review:
A 13-minute short film from Catalonia (a region in northeastern Spain), Sunday | Diumenge (2012) is very simple, yet sweet. It’s clearly a fairly low budget student film (from Escena 0, an independent production company which at the time consisted of four boys aged fifteen and sixteen, including co-directors and writers of this film Jordi Estapé and Marc Vilajuana (who also plays Marc)) and is entirely in Catalan.
It’s the first day of school after summer, Marc greets his girlfriend and they head to class holding hands. As the class are taking their seats and the teacher starts the lesson, a new boy, Max, arrives slightly late. Marc is clearly intrigued by Max and keeps glancing over at him. Over the next few days it becomes clear that people think Max is gay, and Marc observes him being given a hard time by some of the boys in their class.
Walking home after school one day, Marc introduces himself to Max and asks him about whether the boys at school are bothering him. Max replies that he thinks they don’t accept him because he’s gay. With Marc now having confirmation that Max is gay he’s certainly curious, looking back at Max as they go their separate ways and trying to find him on Facebook when he gets home.
Back at school, for a group project the teacher puts Max, Marc and Àlex (one of Max’s bullies) into a group together. Àlex makes a fuss because he doesn’t want to be in a group with a gay in case he is ‘infected’. Max claps back and Àlex punches him. Max flees to the bathroom and Marc follows.
There is then a really cute scene where Marc comforts the injured Max, holding his head still and wiping away the blood from his nose. Marc then leans in and kisses Max, before stepping away, looking rather unsure. Max embraces Marc before they are interrupted by Àlex who enters the bathroom and swears at them before leaving. Unfazed, Marc suggests that he and Max meet up to do the group project and Max suggests Sunday. The two boys keep looking at each other, smiling, and then looking at the ground - they’re a bit shy and awkward after the kiss, but they are both clearly glad it happened.
On the way home Marc is confronted by his girlfriend, who asks if he likes Max - he doesn’t respond and can’t look her in the eye. She walks away knowing his answer without him needing to say.
Sunday comes around and Max arrives at Marc’s. However he is not there to do the project, but instead to say goodbye - he is moving away tomorrow as his dad has a new job. After Max leaves, Marc chases him down the street and the two hug. There is an appreciation between the two, it can be tough being a gay teen and although they only knew each other briefly - they value each other. Marc was there for Max when he was alone and being bullied at a new school, and Max helped Marc realise that he might be gay.
Despite this film not having the best script or acting, and despite it being very simple and low budget - it’s effective in making some good observations and the scene with the kiss is rather sweet. Often gay teenagers can be very alone, and it’s intimidating to fear coming out into a potentially hostile or prejudiced environment - I know from being a similar age to these boys when this film came out - and if you do come out, you may receive unwanted negative attention or social exclusion. Having someone else be there with you during all this must be invaluable, and Marc and Max have each other for this challenging period. The solidarity between the two is very gentle and ordinary - just by having each other’s friendship the fear is reduced, as they are not alone anymore.
FAVOURITE QUOTE:
“You are in a changing period. A period of new things, new experiences. And I expect that you are going to take it with civility and respect.” - Teacher
Tone: Uneasy
Score: 7/10
OTHER OBSERVATIONS:
This film also highlights the lack of support for gay teenagers and that bullying can happen even in front of teachers. When Àlex is being disciplined after punching Max, the teacher sympathises with him, and tells Àlex that he understands why he might feel uncomfortable around gay people. This is disappointing as earlier in the short film the same teacher had been talking about the importance of civility and respect - and yet he is being soft with Àlex after he just punched Max for being gay. Historically, not enough has been done to make schools a place where teenagers can feel comfortable and safe coming out - and teachers may need to do more to call out homophobic behaviour and have zero tolerance on bullying. I think this film made it very clear how this has been a failure in society.
I thought the ending was a bit disappointing - Max moving away felt rather sudden. This felt very much like a film saying that things need to get better for gay teenagers, and Max moving away and leaving them both alone sort of diminishes the hope for a brighter tomorrow for the two boys. However, the emotion in the hug at the end of the film did show how even though a friendship may be brief - it can still be valuable and important.
I also think the title is curious; Sunday | Diumenge. Sunday is the day the two boys are supposed to meet to do the group project, but ends up being the day that Max says goodbye. There must have been a lot of build up and excitement to Sunday for Marc, with it being a chance for the two to hang out properly outside school for the first time since their kiss, and yet nothing came of it.