To say that not all indie films need support to be known to a wider audience won’t be the complete truth, and the best example is Kim Farrant’s Strangerland starring Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes and Hugo Weaving which was left largely unknown to the North American viewers despite, in my opinion, being an absolutely astonishing film. What about Aprill Winney‘s The David Dance that touches quite an intelligent subject matter of children being adopted by a gay couple, self-doubt and an exceptionally beautiful relationship between a brother and sister? Now, does it deserve to have the same faith as Strangerland? Of course not, and here is why I think it should not…
David (Don Scime) is the host of a local gay radio show in Buffalo, New York. As he touches an intelligent and thoughtful subject during his show, he still has to decide the path he wants to enter to build his future. In the meantime, his elder sister, Kate (Antoinette LaVecchia) decides to adopt a child from Brazil and asks David to help her. While David is struggling to find his gold mine, he is yet to look into his relationship with Chris (Guy Adkins) and find a better way of explaining June, another radio host who claims that uncertainty is what makes David to hide behind his gay life.
The film, however, begins in quite a sad note where you find out that Kate, David’s sister has died recently. As he tries to cope with the great loss, the film takes the viewer back when Kate was still alive until the day when David finds out about the accident that cost her life. The charming relationship between David and Kate grows stronger with each scene, as both of them are too comfortable to discuss their mistakes, plans and biggest dreams. While Kate hopes after her third divorce to become a mother through adoption, David discovers a way to immortalize his sister to make her dream come true, even after her death.
David’s relationship with Chris was no incident. It was again Kate who brings them together during one of her weddings, even her brother loses the count of it. In the meantime, David has some issues at work where he has to confront June, who goes against the same sex marriage as well as gay couple, she believes cannot raise a child together. But one of the phone calls to the studio when a little girl shares a devastating story of how her father, who she loved dearly molested her was quickly interrupted by June. With that, the double standards that happens in real life was well captured in the film by bringing a major issue in a subtle way possible.
In conclusion, by seeing Don Scime’s performance, you should not be surprised the way he feels David, as he is the one who creates him. What is the reason behind making a writer to come up with such story sometimes is an interesting topic to talk about. However, what is important is the outcome, I should say, is truly exceptional and surprising, The David Dance well captures the human spirit in the best way possible that and the end of the day, the only thing matters is love and care we all should give each other no matter what religion, culture or sexual preference you have. And The David Dance proves that.