Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 – film review: Judas Kiss

I did not expect to like Judas Kiss as much as I did, quite honestly. I knew that it was written by my Twitter friend Carlos Pedraza, that it had at least 2 of my favorite actors (Charlie David and Shawn Lockhart aka Brent Corrigan, in a former life). The premise, however, was kind of strange. And it was at points hard to follow the logic of the film. But despite the intricate elements and overall eye and brain candy, I think Judas Kiss succeeds at doing what Pedraza and JT Tepnapa (the director) wanted it to do.

I attended the Canadian premiere party at the Edgewater Casino and had a chance to talk to several members of the cast. My friend Patrick Levesque (Homorazzi) hosted the Q&A as Homorazzi was a presenting sponsor for the night. It was great to meet Carlos Pedraza in the flesh after so many years of being only Twitter friends.

You can still catch Judas Kiss once more, on Thursday August 18th at 9:30pm. A quick summary (focused on Canadian star Charlie David) is shown below. You should judge for yourself this cinematic analysis of past mistakes and lives turned upside down. I think the main question that Judas Kiss tries to answer is what if I hadn’t made the mistakes I made before and how could I solve them?.

Charlie David takes on the lead role of Zachary Wells, a failed filmmaker who returns to his alma mater to judge the annual student short film contest. During his first night on campus, an anonymous hook up with a student triggers an emotional, and rather metaphysical, journey into the past. Charlie David is aptly teamed up with 20-year-old Vancouverite Richard Harmon and gay porn star-turned-actor Brent Corrigan (aka Fox Ryder).

Directed by JT Tepnapa / USA / 2011 / EN / Total time: 107 min

Disclosure: I attended Judas Kiss with my Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 media pass. I am neither obligated nor expected to write a review, but wanted to do so anyway. At any time, I retain editorial control of what is published on my site.

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