The life of the late Real World alumnus/HIV-rights activist Pedro Zamora is chronicled in the TV movie Pedro, which will run Wed., April 1, on MTV. Alex Loynaz ( pictured ) plays the title role.
Pedro, which debuts Wed., April 1, on MTV relates the meteoric rise to public prominence and early death of AIDS activist and reality-TV sensation Pedro Zamora. By the time Zamora appeared on MTV's Real World in 1994 he had already been battling AIDS for five years ( after contracting HIV at 17 ) . Once the program began airing, the openly gay Zamora—with his smoldering dark looks, quiet dignity and determination to educate others around him about his disease—became a touchstone for a young generation that had missed the first wave of the pandemic. Sadly, the day after the final episode of the show aired, Zamora passed away at the shockingly young age of 22.
The movie is an earnest effort with an intense leading performance from handsome newcomer Alex Loynaz in the leading role and a nice supporting turn by Justina Machado as Zamora's feisty but loving sister, Mily. The film is told in flashback interspersed with interviews as it sketches the details of Zamora's transition from Cuban immigrant child to unapologetic teenage AIDS activist ( although it isn't clear how the latter happened so quickly ) . Though the movie recreates familiar seminal moments in Zamora's life—his confrontations with the obnoxious Real World housemate Puck and his commitment ceremony with his boyfriend, Sean ( played by DaJuan Johnson ) , etc.—it's the relatively few intimate moments that resonate.
Pedro certainly has an admirable gay pedigree; it has a script by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black ( Milk ) and it was executive-produced by the professional/personal team of Richard Glatzer ( who plays Zamora's physician ) and Wash Westmoreland, the winning duo responsible for Quinceańera. And President Bill Clinton adds more gravitas to the production by introducing the movie. Without a doubt it's an inspiring story but it still has a bit of the rote "after-school special" feel to it and Black's script, though respectful, is a tad by-the-numbers. There are brief hints about an unexplored duality to Zamora's personality with his insistence on having the cameras film everything, without regard for his privacy, but the movie doesn't offer much insight into his character beyond the stock "courageous AIDS activist."
Although Pedro—sober-minded and literal to a fault—isn't exactly the greatest biopic you'll ever see, it's still laudatory that the movie got made. Fifteen years after Zamora's death, it's a much-needed reminder that the AIDS crisis is still very much alive.
Film Notes:
—Queer Cinema 101 is the title of a new five-week, Monday-night series that will screen either essential or overlooked titles in the LGBT-film canon personally selected and hosted by the participating gay film critics. The series is the first time that openly gay movie critics from Chicago's LGBT publications—Chicago Free Press, Gay Chicago and Windy City Times—as well as Time Out Chicago will jointly present a film series. On Monday, April 13, I'll be hosting the premiere offering, the tremendous 1995 documentary The Celluloid Closet. Narrated by Lily Tomlin and based on the late Vito Russo's classic book, the film is a clipped stuffed historical overview of gays and lesbians in the first 100 years of movies.
Time Out Chicago's Film section editor and critic Hank Sartin will next host Todd Haynes' 1998 Velvet Goldmine, a Citizen Kane-like fictional look at the bisexual world of glam rock on Monday, April 20. The Killing of Sister George, the 1968 lesbian camp classic, will be hosted by Gay Chicago film critic Charlie Shoquist on Monday, April 27, followed by 1986's Parting Glances being hosted by Chicago Free Press film critic Gregg Shapiro on Monday, May 4. Parting Glances, a loving examination of a gay couple at a turning point in New York City, was one of the first indies to deal frankly with AIDS and other issues relevant to the LGBT community.
The series concludes with Blake Edwards' 1982 gender-bending musical Victor/Victoria, which stars Julie Andrews and Robert Preston. Beloved by the gay community, the hilarious film—which will be hosted by Gay Chicago editor and film critic Jonathan Lewis—squeezes in plenty of arguments for gay rights amongst the lavish musical numbers and comedic sexual mix-ups. Each screening will be followed by a Q&A with audience members, and all five of the critics will participate in a round table discussion following both The Celluloid Closet and Victor/Victoria. The series is being partly sponsored by Sidetrack and www.HannahFree.com, and the trailer for the forthcoming lesbian-themed film Hannah Free starring Sharon Gless will be shown before each of the screenings. The films will be shown at 7 p.m. at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, in the Hoover-Leppen Theatre. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. A $5 suggested donation is requested. Visit www.centeronhalsted.org or call 773-472-6469.
—Patrik, Age 1.5, the story of a Swedish gay couple who accidentally adopts a 15-year-old teenager, gets its Chicago premiere in a one-night screening, Thursday, April 2, as the closing-night selection of the 12th Annual European Union Film Festival at the Gene Siskel Film Center. See www.siskelfilmcenter.com .
—When Meryl Streep returned to the stage in 2006 to star in gay playwright Tony Kushner's English adaptation of Brecht's Mother Courage, she allowed filmmaker John Walter to film her rehearsal process. Theatre of War, his documentary of the experience, is a complicated film that gives us a tantalizing peek at Streep's process; a biography of Brecht and the original 1949 production starring his wife; and lots of anti-war ruminations thrown in for good measure. The film, which is getting its Chicago premiere at Facets Multimedia, 1517 W. Fullerton, beginning this Friday, April 3, is filled with powerful moments but reaches its emotional peak when Streep performs a devastating lullaby to her dead son. Earlier in the film, Streep commented, "It all comes down to a mother standing over her dead child asking, 'Why?'"—and she's right. See www.facets.org .
—Judy Garland queens everywhere ( yours truly included ) are over the rainbow with news from The Weinstein Company that a splashy musical biopic of her life is finally coming to the big screen. Anne Hathaway, who is set to star, has a lovely singing voice though she's not exactly a belter in the Garland-Streisand-Dion mold. There's no word yet on a director or release date.
Check out my archived reviews at www.windycitytimes.com or www.knightatthemovies.com . Readers can leave feedback at the latter Web site.
