Berlinale 2024: Exclusive THE VISITOR Trailer Premiere Reimagines Pasolini's TEOREMA
In a daring nod to Pier Paolo Pasolini, Bruce LaBruce's latest film, The Visitor, reimagines the Italian master's Teorema for a contemporary audience, blending sci-fi elements with a queer aesthetic.
Directed by an admirer of Pasolini and Fassbinder, the film delves into themes of sexual and psychological dominance amidst a backdrop of political tumult, particularly reflecting on the dynamics of fascism and power.
Set against the socio-political context of post-Brexit Britain, The Visitor introduces a refugee as its central disruptor, a move that not only updates Pasolini’s original premise but also comments sharply on current issues of xenophobia and nationalism. Bruce LaBruce uses the Visitor's otherness to explore sexual potency and societal transformation, challenging traditional power dynamics within a bourgeois family.
The film's distinct style — characterized by strobe lighting and a techno soundtrack — aims to push the boundaries of Pasolini's themes into the realm of contemporary queer cinema, making a bold statement on the fusion of art and explicit sexuality. The narrative structure, reminiscent of porn with its focus on liberating sex scenes, serves as both a critique and expansion of Pasolini's critique of bourgeois society.
As The Visitor transitions from art project to feature film, it challenges traditional cinema and audience expectations, blurring the lines between art, pornography, and mainstream film. This approach reflects the director's belief in the diminishing relevance of these distinctions, advocating for a more open and integrated portrayal of sexuality. The film is poised to provoke discussion.
The official synopsis: “London, today. A refugee washes up naked in a suitcase on the bank of the Thames.
"The enigmatic, sexually fluid stranger introduces himself to a bourgeois, upper class family. He is invited to stay on as an employee.
"The Visitor soon seduces each member of the family in a series of explicit sexual encounters. He will turn their world upside down as they are able to redefine themselves in new, radical ways."
