Two friends spend the last days of high school together, but this will inevitably come to an end. Raw Love is a beautiful and sincere story of mixed emotions and secrets that one dare not speak aloud.
Raw Love (2008)
Amor crudo (original title)
A film about teenagers. in a subtle manner. fragility, joy, self – introspection. delicate frame of desire. summer. gestures and words. hidden questions, impossible answers. it is a beautiful movie. and, in essence, necessary for viewer. for scenes and for deep honesty. for art to remember old crumbs of life. for the precise measure. for its end. far to be a gay movie, it is only instrument to discover emotions of an age. exercise to define friendship. and to define yourself. so, it is really good. a kind of window to past. image of steps to image about yourself. trip in dark corners of teenagers. and start line for real life.
From IMDB Arcadio Bolanos (Peru)
The journey, any journey, has always been an interesting starting point for stories. Literary critic Todorov points out that the journey, especially the journey of a young man, is a paramount paradigm in classic literature. “Amor Crudo” obeys Todorov’s principle. It entails the journey of a boy that has not yet occurred but that somehow stirs his life and the life of his best friend. In this short film directors Chappa and Deus prove that time lengths should never be a constraint but rather a challenge; a challenge they overcome by creating, in only a few minutes, a rich and appealing narrative universe that conveys deep and true emotions. Jeremias and Ivan are good friends, but there is an impasse between them produced by Ivan’s confusing feelings. Is he in love with his best friend? Is it just a crush? Or a mere masturbatory fantasy? Does he care for him only as a friend? And how can one define friendship after all? In the end, it doesn’t matter if the impasse is resolved or not, just as it doesn’t matter if one finds the answer to these questions. All that matters is for these questions to be asked. Different authors such as Plato or Seneca would probably agree on one thing. Friendship is the most pure human relationship as it does not seek benefits or rewards. In that sense, friendship could be the ideal love, and that is the feeling Chappa and Deus are able to transmit to the viewers in this story about journeys and very heartfelt goodbyes. Touching, intense and honest, “Amor Crudo” is a very thorough exploration of teenage awkwardness, innocence and true friendship.
