Here’s a story you don’t hear every day…
On My Way Out: The Secret Life of Nani and Popi is a documentary short by filmmakers Brandon and Skyler Gross. The film chronicles the relationship between their grandparents, Roman (Popi) and Ruth (Nani) Blank, both Holocaust survivors, who have been married for 65 years.
Related: Gay Seniors Transform Their Most Personal Stories Into Art
But this isn’t your typical feel-good, old-couple-that’s-been-married-since-forever kinda film. There’s a major twist. In the film, Roman, at age 95, reveals to his grandkids a secret he’s been keeping for nearly a century.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“For 90 years I was in pain – and still am,” he says to them in the film. “I never let you know or feel what is going on in my heart. Never. Until now.”
Related: 90-Year-Old Man Recalls His Long Journey With Coming Out And Finding Inner Peace
Roman goes on to tell his family that he’s gay and that he’s kept his sexuality a secret for his entire life out of survival. The only other person who ever knew… was Ruth.
The filmmakers learn that Ruth first discovered her husband was gay way back when they were in their 20s, but she kept his secret for almost seven decades. The couple went on to raise a family together and open a chain of beauty salons without anyone ever catching on.
On My Way Out: The Secret Life of Nani and Popi will premiere this weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival. Check out the trailer…
Secrets, lies, and a senior (citizen) prom… Fall in love with Nani and Popi when "On My Way Out" premieres at @TIFF_NET 9/8. pic.twitter.com/uK7sQebJ5j
— On My Way Out (@OnMyWayOutMovie) August 24, 2017
Sam6969
I love those wisom-teaching stories. I wish I can watch it soon on the Internet.
NateOcean
If the 95-year-old crowd are coming out, then this whole being gay thing has jumped the shark.
Next!
DarkZephyr
How in the hell does that even make any logical sense? 95 year olds can’t be gay?
Gaytaffuk
Dark Zephyr – what an idiotic comment! Of course a 95yr old can be gay, what the hell would prevent him from being so?
Please think before you comment, you’ve made yourself look like a complete moron!
BriBri
Time for a GRINDR profile!
Jaxton
He must have had a heterosexual impulse to bear children, surely. His homosexual impulses might predominate but they do not extinguish the hetero impulses that enabled him to have children.
Give credit to the heterosexual impulse in him.
Donston
“Give credit to the heterosexual impulses in him”.
Lordy. You do realize there are homo identifying men who have procreated but admitted that they had zero attraction to women at all, didn’t enjoy any type of sex with women and had to imagine being with a man to complete sexual activity? Behavior by itself doesn’t represent sexual attraction, enjoyment, interest or sexual/romantic impulses.
CaliKyle
The desire to have children is not a “heterosexual impulse.”
Jaxton
Self-righteous, arrogant queens would deny this man’s right to heterosexual impulses.
Stefano
Lol Seft-righteous, arrogant Straight morons would deny this man’s right to homosexuality impulses… You are so predictable Jaxton ! I mean Brian? Jason? You should consider a career in Stand-Up Comedy
Donston
The only reason I ever feel the need to reply to him is because I know many people read this site. And I don’t want them to be misinformed or to assume most faags are bat sh*t crazy and hetero worshipers.
The dude flat-out said he was gay. No one “labeled” him. So, he is “denying” it himself. And as I already mentioned, managing to have sex with a woman and creating a life with a woman has nothing to do with sexual attraction, enjoyment, romantic/sexual instincts or “impulses” (I’m guessing “impulses” is your new favorite word). I have some attraction to women yet no hetero impulses. Lifestyle, behavior, impulses, sexual enjoyment and sexual attraction are five distinctly different things.
You pretend to see sex as “complex” but only when it’s convenient for your self-hating, misogynistic platform.
adam_stevens
We can ALWAYS count on Jaxton to keep us up to date with what’s going on with self-righteous, arrogant queens!
Thanks, stud. MWAH!
surreal33
It is truly amazing (and touching) how women turn a blind eye regarding gay spouses. We could learn a lot from women about unconditional love.
Donston
There are a lot of reasons why women end up marrying and staying with homo and homo-dominant men that have nothing to do with “unconditional love”. Many women are subconsciously attracted to gay men (which isn’t atypical for women with gay fathers). Some women feel safer and more comfortable in relationships with gay and gay-leaning men. Many women who date many gay or gay-leaning men have attractions that lean greatly towards the same gender themselves. Some women have co-dependent and “fix you” instincts, and gay men are the perfect thing to attach those instincts to. Some women have megalomaniac instincts and are turned on by gay male sex and as a mentioned have genuine attraction towards gay and gay-leaning men. Many women are themselves carnal beings like just men: if the guy is hot and the sex is good they don’t care what their inherent attractions, passions and desires are (and many gay and gay-leaning men tend to date much older women or women who would be considered beneath them as far as physical attraction). Some women are so greatly manipulated and spend so many years in a situation (plus children) that they simply don’t feel they can move on when they find out.
So, it’s not always about “unconditional love” or even manipulation. There are a lot of reasons why people do what they do. And it’s a dynamic that often leaves both partners feeling safer, receiving certain sociological benefits and having a more settled ego.