IRISH FILM DIRECTOR John Butler received a lovely message from a parent telling him how his film, Handsome Devil, helped their son come out as gay.
In the movie, Fionn O’Shea plays Ned, a sensitive outsider at a posh, rugby-playing boarding school who befriends his roommate – the star athlete Conor (Nicholas Galitzine).
Butler says Handsome Devil was inspired by his own experience of being gay at school, and told The Irish Times that he had “such trouble resolving” being gay and into sport.
Earlier this week, Butler got a message from a parent to say that the film had helped out a boy in a similar situation:
Handsome Devil allowed our rugby player 16-year-old to come out as gay after suffering from depression and contemplating suicide. This film has made a huge impact on our family.
Thank you for making this film with the message that you can be all boy, play sport, and be gay.
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Butler said he was “slightly overcome” by this response to his work, which debuted to warm reviews at the Toronto Film Festival last year.
Handsome Devil is still screening at some cinemas in the country after opening here in April – if you can, check it out.
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