Saw "Adventures of Felix" last night -- the new film by Olivier Ducastel & Jacques Martineau of "Jeanne and the Perfect Guy" fame (who in the program notes declare "they'make their films and life together.") This isn't a musical though there are songs -- by Blossom Dearie of all people. It stars a marvelous young Arab/french actor named Sami Bouajila (whose previous credits include "The Siege") as a young, determined, sweet-spirited HIV+ guy who on being laid-off from his job decides to go in search of the father he has never known -- whose whereabouts he discovers are Marsellles. Kissing his teacher-boyfriend (Pierre-Loup Rajot) goodbye, Felix packs up enough anti-viral cocktail for the trip, and sets off on the road where he meets various people who he coms to see as constituting his "family." One of them is played by the great 1950's music hall star Patachou -- in a turn so powerful she must be channeling Simone Signoret.
There's a lot in here about AIDS, love, sex, friendship, children, family ties, kite-flying and racism.
But over and above all it's the best gay movie since "Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train."
