Ander

The first-ever full-length feature film about LGBT issues made in the Basque language. The action takes place in a rural setting in the Basque Country in an atmosphere that could be described as unfavorable to coming out and to accepting one's personal feelings and desires. Ander lives with his mother and sister. As a result of an accident, he is no longer able to manage their farm. When the young man hired to take care of the cattle and work around the farm arrives, his life is changed beyond recognition. Ander lives in an idyllic but only seemingly friendly environment. In reality, the villagers find it difficult to communicate with each other and to reveal their true selves. This problem primarily affects men, who are unable to have frank discussions, fearing that their words might be misconstrued. The film moves at an unhurried pace, punctuated by bouts of drinking while dealing with reticence and the airing of mutual grievances. The need to belong to one's family and group remains in constant opposition to the desire for individual freedom. Divided into three parts, Ander is a Greek drama about absence, fear, and pain that one can free oneself from with just a single gesture. Critics have called the film the Basque Brokeback Mountain.