Reeling 2010: Going South (Plein Sud)

The French countryside flashes past the windows of Sam’s old Ford as he drives south to Spain. His passengers are strangers to him—reckless Leá and her protective brother Mathieu, who is falling for the disinterested Sam. Their tolerably balanced dynamic is upset after Leá meets Jérémie and invites him to join their travels. Guarded about his reasons for traveling to Spain, and even more guarded about his feelings towards Mathieu’s advances, Sam slowly severs the already tenuous ties he has to his new companions. As they journey to unknown destinations, they all experience different interpretations of love, sex and familial bonds. The road stretches out in front of Sam: open, endless, and promising nothing. He is haunted by the restlessness of his youth, stunted by a broken childhood. The closer he comes to his destination and the unanswered questions of his past, the more he is willing to let Mathieu in. From verdant French hills, through bleak urbanized highways, across an arid desert, Sam grapples with the realization that some questions may never be answered and some trauma may be insurmountable. Piercing, rebellious, and sophisticated, Going South is the story of a man who is driving south with both eyes on the rearview mirror the entire way. —Zachary Togami for Reeling Going South (Plein Sud) Sébastien Lifshitz (France, 2009, 87 min) In French, with English Subtitles Reeling: The Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival, the second oldest film festival of its kind in the US, is presenting 54 programs over 10 days from November 4-13, 2010. Advance sales are available until the day before the show. After that, tickets must be purchased at the theater box office on the day of the screening. Regular Screenings: $10 ($8 members), Matinee Screenings (before 5:00 pm): $8 ($6 members).

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