Acts of kindness are few and far between in the punishing Myanmar textile factory where young San Kyi (Nandar Myat Aung) makes a meager living, hunched over a sewing machine. When new employee Theint (Nandar Myint Lwin) tells a white lie to cover for her after an unauthorized bathroom break, San Kyi’s face turns positively radiant with gratitude, while Teint merely winks in response. On this simple moment of solidarity between strangers, a close friendship is founded. But in Aung Phyoe‘s tremulous, allusive drama “Fruit Gathering,” the possibility of something more chafes against the women’s insecurities and social boundaries — while an unspoken current of queerness permeates proceedings long before a single, reckless kiss forces characters to address it.
With dispatches from Myanmar — where same-sex sexual activity remains illegal — still a rarity on the world cinema scene, the vivid, unusual particulars of its milieu distinguish “Fruit Gathering” from other, comparable screen stories of gay repression and self-realization. In many senses it’s a poignantly old-fashioned work: If the film seems cautious or tentative in some ways, it’s a pointed reminder of battles for queer visibility that are still ongoing in many parts of the world. Co-produced with France and the Czech Republic, Phyoe’s first feature (following a run of well-received shorts, including the 2019 Locarno competition entry “Cobalt Blue”) premiered at Karlovy Vary in the main competition, and should enjoy extensive festival travel, particularly in LGBTQ-specific showcases.
