Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
"Pink Moon" is an American English-language movie from 2017 and probably the most known work by writer and director Sal Bardo. Cast members are not really known and eventually this 17-minute short film is all about the plot and the story. Still, this is where the film is at its weakest. It plays in a parallel world where heterosexual couples are forbidden and you can probably imagine pregnancy is also nothing one would want everybody to know about. So by now you obviously realize that Bardo made a film here that was supposed to put a light on the modern ways of discrimination in our actual world and that the action in this film is actually not too absurd, just the other way around. It is no such thing. First of all, homosexuals do not get as much discriminated against as people want everybody to believe. Maybe in the Islamic world yes, but then use this location as a setting. In America, it is widely expected and maybe in more rural regions where there is still prejudice, it is also not the case that gays are chased around with guns and in danger of being killed because of that. And what with the pregnancy story? Is that supposed to show us the difficulties of gays when it comes to adopting children? I am not sure. But it's definitely my fault. This is an extremely shoddy movie and not well thought through at all. The acting is slightly better than the story, but this obviously doesn't mean much. There are definitely severe examples of overacting in here and the performers are certainly shoving their talent (or lack thereof) at least as much into our faces as Bardo. But I guess he achieved what he wanted to as this little film scored over 5 million views in under 2 years since being released on Youtube. He made sure of that by including the mention "gay short film" in the title. It's all about the advertising here, zero about quality and in my opinion judging from this one talent is non-existent in his craft. The production values are also very low. Highly not recommended.
Rodrigo Amaro
I know for a fact that a great number of viewers will think this short film was something truly original. In cinematic ways, I agree with them. I haven't seen anything like it. But in terms artistic forms, I can't say the same because that story was told before many years ago. In 1955, Charles Beaumont wrote a short story named "The Crooked Man" which deals with similar themes of a society whose norm is homosexuality while heterosexuals are persecuted and considered individuals against the law. This groundbreaking tale was published by Playboy magazine, the only place that understood its concept and accepted it as a work, irony of ironies. But it stood the test of time as one outstanding and memorable dystopian work whose "what if..." kind of idea generated a debate faced by a minority that back then in the 1950's wasn't considered as anything good.Sal Bardo's short film "Pink Moon" follows that path followed by Beaumont, expands a little and creates something great. Here, heterosexuals are persecuted as well, being gay is the rule and abortions are forbidden by law. Our hero is Ben (Brandon Tyler Harris), a guy completely in love with a girl (Cole Johnston), though by the circumstances of life he already has a boyfriend (Adam Jepsen), someone who wants to go a little further in their sexual relationship. But we all know Ben is just following his nature, so the boyfriend gets nothing besides the basic stuff. But the bad things are coming to Ben and his girlfriend way. "Pink Moon" is more than just food for thought, it's a whole banquet of ideas and concepts that makes open your mind to a whole world of possibilities. It makes you think about past, present and future: what do we know, what do we think, what we can proof about the quest mankind faces at each certain time. Could life be possible if the ideas presented here were a rule and not an exception? The world would be a better place with that kind of politics? I personally think that all good things would come with such way, with some minor changes. It is possible. Of course, the film didn't get much into the dystopic/sci-fi/political events but if you force some thought into it, it can actually be possible. For those who think this is a platform designed to prove that straight people feel prejudice and feel the need of being targeted, this is not the case. What the film does is to present a thoughtful example that mirrors exactly what happens when someone is gay. A brief moment of the film that widens such perspective and outside of the main characters is a news report of two straight youth who killed themselves after openly coming out as straight individuals and were constantly bullied for that. For a moment, you feel almost as if laughing at the absurdity of such claim. Stop and think again, reflect to our current days and see how it all stops being funny when you reverse the situation faced by many gay men and women out there, still hiding themselves from others due to what other people will think.I tremendously enjoyed this film in all of its ways. The acting was superb by all the young actors and the script created unimaginable scenarios that left me thinking for a long time, trying to truly understand the world created there - but I wished more evident sequences of the gay world was a dominant one with couples on the street, news, films and other medias portraying homosexuality as a persistent way of life (though we have a tender scene involving the girl's mom talking about the girl being curious in knowing who was her real mother since she had two moms). Bardo's film was very good and Beaumont's story also goes same way - don't get confused by my mixture of references, this isn't an adaptation, but in this dystopia kind of material I think the only way I can get some true satisfaction is seeing that kind of work as a feature film or a miniseries, and one that a great number of people will watch. Reversing the "shape and way of people's world" isn't something audiences watch (e.g. "White Men's Burden", that forgotten gem with Travolta and Belafonte where blacks are rich and whites are confined to poor neighborhoods. Who watched that movie?) but it's always worth doing. Whatever the case, I'd still want to see a dystopian-like film with such idea. The debate concerning society, sexuality and life would be amazing and that kind of film could open some people's minds. I believe in that. "Pink Moon" got very close to that. 9/10
Kirpianuscus
the idea is the most seductive part. provocative. not unrealistic in the days of LGB pressure for more and more rights or under the reign of political correctness. the manner to use the hypothesis of forbidden straight relations is admirable. for the use of grace. for the wise art to suggest. for the smart exploration of details. far to be original, Pink Moon has the gift to remind in precise way old fears and the atmosphere of classic dark Utopia. and this is a real important virtue. because it propose a fascinating occasion to redefine the every day reality. because it is possible. and almost evident as one of many possibilities who grow up under the shadows. to propose the status of minority to the majority. using the clichés and pressure well known by the minority. this is all. only an if.
