Cicada

By: Amos Lassen

"CICADA"

Overcoming Trauma

Amos Lassen

A young bisexual man becomes involved in an interracial relationship in the midst of the Sandusky trial and comes to terms with his own childhood trauma. In Matt Fifer and Kieran Mulcare's "Cicada" the first 20 minutes lead you to believe that this is just another film about slutty gay men but as it moves forward, we see that Ben (Matt Fifer), the writer, co-director, co-producer, and lead, opens to his childhood trauma and why he's so damaged. He begins a romance with a closeted Black man, Sam, (Sheldon D. Brown). With the Sandusky trial taking place at the same time, the film goes deep. The film appears to be totally authentic, so much so that we wonder if this is actually Fifer's own life on the screen.



Ben has just broken up with his fiancé/girlfriend and decides to become involved with any man he sees. In just the first eight minutes of the film, he has a lot of sex. But he also has a lot of issues, many of which he has not dealt with.

Before he even tries, he meets he can move forward with them he meets Sam for a one-night-stand that slowly leads to something that has the possibilities of being meaningful.

Neither man had ever been in a relationship so this is new to them. They also both need to work on some unresolved parts of their own lives. Sam is the only black (and gay) man at his workplace and he is paranoid about it. Because his widowed father is a church pastor, Sam believes he needs to stay in the closet. He has never spoken about being shot in a hate crime that could been fatal.

Ben is slowly coming to terms that his bisexuality, realizing that it may have been a cover for his homosexuality. His issues go back to having been abused as a child. He becomes a hypochondriac and his doctor is losing patience with him. He starts therapy although a patronizing gay feminine counselor.



I found myself relating to both men and worried about this would end as well as about their journey. We have all had to come to terms with our sexuality and it is good to see those who are able to overcome trauma.