Fans of romance, take heed: the trailer for the gay historical drama Firebird has arrived.
We first caught wind of Firebird’s story on the festival circuit last year. Based on a true story, the film recounts the love affair between Sergey (Tom Prior), a young private, and Roman (Oleg Zagorodnii), a crack fighter pilot. A red-hot affair develops between the two as they are forced to hide their relationship to protect themselves. But as their love grows, can they?
Related: Soldiers in love, Mayor Pete’s rise and Charles Busch’s big caper: Our Newfest 2021 preview
Peeter Rebane directs from a script he co-wrote with star Tom Prior. Firebird arrives in theatres April 29.
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Fahd
Remember, right now Russia is bombing civilians, that is, women, children and the elderly into oblivion in Ukraine. Yes, the Russians are barbarically blowing Ukrainian residential zones into rubble. For me, this film is wrong time, wrong place.
Personally, I won’t be able to watch a love story between Soviet soldiers, even cute ones, in the short term. I wouldn’t have curled up with popcorn to watch a love story between Nazi soldiers during the bloody battles of World War II, either, had I been alive.
Maybe they could find a distributor in Russia where a gay friendly story about Soviet soldiers – oh wait, that won’t work either.
Right now, this seems in poor taste, even though I understand that it was filmed before the current Russian barbarism in Ukraine and I understand it is set in the Soviet past. Maybe there is enough of a Western audience who just doesn’t care enough to find this distasteful, but for me it’s a hard no for the time being.
ShiningSex
First off it’s a movie.
Second, the film had it’s release date long ago and also not all Russians support the idiot Putin.
I think more is needed to support Ukraine absolutely. That being said, lets not carried away with saying this film is in poor taste. Money is not going to Russia at all and dismissing artists from there is not the way to end the war, it’s help Ukraine win the war.
ShiningSex
the director is Estonian btw.
Fahd
@Shiningsex
I don’t think the film itself is in poor taste, but advertising and distributing the film while the residential neighborhoods of Ukraine are being blown to bit by bombs from the air and from the distance is to me in poor taste. The whole Soviet aspect would be too triggering for me – enjoying the film under the circumstances would not be possible for me.
I wish the filmmaker the best, and in time I might watch it, but right now, hard no for me. You enjoy it.
Btw, is it scheduled to screen soon in Estonia or other former Soviet “republics”?
SELA Rising
Calm Down Fahd.
I saw this at Outfest last year. Its based on a true story that takes place in SOVIET OCCUPIED Estonia… more than 40 years ago. It was made by Estonians. It is an Estonian film. It takes place in Estonia which is now its own country that broke away from Russia.
By your logic we should not see any films from former soviet republics like Estonia, Latvia, Georgia, or … wait for it … Ukraine.
Take a breath and learn about the film before thinking its some moscow propaganda film.
Fahd
@SELA
Your comment is very unfair. Please reread my comments. Humanizing the Soviet military isn’t appropriate for a time when Russian soldiers are shooting down civilians waiting in bread lines.
As I’ve said, for the time being I find promoting this film in poor taste You’re free to disagree, but DON”T tell me to calm down.
Have you been watching the Russian’s barbaric bombings of residential neighborhoods on television? “Culture” doesn’t get a free pass right now. If you don’t agree, or if you’re part of the Russian troll attack, f*ck off, then.
SELA Rising
Fahd
The time and setting of this film, and current events, can be separated by discerning viewers. This isn’t about russian soldiers as they exist today. This is about ESTONIANS, (who were living under russian occupation).
Again, should we not see films about Ukrainian soldiers in love because they were once occupied by russia?
When is a good time to watch a film about former soviet bloc military men in love? I mean Putin has been in power, and a terrible person, for decades now, and will continue to be.
One can very well argue that as long as he is in power and using military force we shouldnt watch a movie like firebird (which is Estonian). But then we rob these film makers of their voice.
Is that really what you want to do?
I get what you think you are trying to do, but its misguided. Most of us are against putin, and don’t see a movie like firebird as russian military propaganda. Seriously.
Also, calm down.
Eternally yours, russian troll attack master
ShiningSex
Looks great!
ChuckGG
We have heard about this close to forever. When will it be available to watch somewhere, preferably on any streaming platform?
nm4047
Not that there is difference between Putin and the Soviet leadership (or Tsarist for that matter) the timeline is based in a period of history when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, time appropriate or not, it’s not a film that shows Putin or the Soviets in a favourable light.
Joshooeerr
Firebird is a seriously sub-standard gay guy meets closet-case romance. Anyone who has seen a handful of gay movies has seen it before, and most likely seen it done better. The leads are visually appealing, but not good enough actors to rise above the daytime soap-level writing. These days there are much, much better gay-themed movies out there.
IanHunter
Yes, I will watch.
Yves
I was lucky enough to see this film at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival last year, it is hard to ignore the horror of Ukraine now but reflecting on the film at the time, the historical institutionalized homophobia of the Russian military explains the current situation of LGBT communities in Russia today.
If you can, support charities like Rainbow Railway that are trying to get LGBT people out of Ukraine who will be under threat if Russia is successful in their attempts to control Ukraine.
twomen4u
Aren’t we supposed to help our neighbors? I would support the Rainbow RR to bring our brothers and sisters all the way to America, but there are certain areas I would not want them to live. That is a shame on us who do live here and do nothing to change our environment.
I know deep down I am not supposed to wish anything bad on another human but watching what is happening in Ukraine, it is hard to not do it.
Yves
I fully agree that there are regions/cities of democratic countries that are not gender diverse friendly, here in Australia it is hard for LGBT folk who grow up or live in rural areas. Perhaps, that is why the program sends most migrants mainly to Canada, a country that seems to be a more tolerant society.
scotty
yes, have nice day.
Woteva
Oooh honey, I just LOVE a man in uniform! Definitely go see this. The movie is about 100 years late but hey, it’s here!
Heywood Jablowme
The Soviet bloc was something they were IN, not something they were “under.”
The term Soviet bloc rarely referred to the USSR itself; it was mostly used to refer to the Soviet-controlled countries in Eastern Europe, plus (outer) Mongolia.
But it’s kind of cool to imagine two intrepid gay soldiers digging out from under a gigantic Soviet block (of granite?), or maybe digging out from under a tremendously heavy Iron Curtain.
strix1
April 29th? I saw this back at the beginning of February. I thought it was a pretty good movie, nothing I have not see before (theme-wise) but well made. Someone said it was in bad taste…really? WTH? It’s not a movie glorifying the Soviet military. It’s based on a true story from the late 1970’s.