Gerontophilia shows that controversial director Bruce LaBruce is romantic at heart

“My films, no matter how extreme or pornographic, have always had an intense strain of romanticism running through them. Whether it’s the relationship between a hairdresser and a skinhead, or a hustler and a john, the attachments are emotional and romantic, even when there is a very specific and sometimes extreme and taboo fetish involved. So I’ve always played somewhat ironically with rom-com conventions.” – Bruce LaBruce

In this wry “reverse Lolita” tale, an eighteen-year-old named Lake (Pier-Gabriel Lajoie) discovers he has an unusual attraction for the elderly. Fate lands him a job at an assisted-living facility where he develops an intimate relationship with Mr. Peabody (Walter Borden).

Upon discovering that the clients are being over-medicated to make them more manageable, Lake weans Mr. Peabody off his medication and helps him escape, resulting in a road trip that deepens their bond.

Always-provocative, Bruce LaBruce – the artist behind films like No Skin Off My Ass (1991), Hustler White (1996), Skin Flick (2000), The Raspberry Reich (2004) and L.A. Zombie (2010) – has built a prolific career out of pushing buttons and subverting expectations. Gerontophilia ranks among his best. This is a delicately perverse romantic comedy that is both darkly humorous and emotionally heartfelt.

Watch the trailer for Gerontophilia below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.