e-male

Running Time: 23 mins.

Film Format: Digital Video

Color

Synopsis:

e-male was adapted for the screen from a brilliant one-woman stage show, "Surfing", written by Rob Young, which enjoyed great success at the Edinburgh Theater Festival in 1997. It tells the story of Vicki (played by Frances Grey), a young woman occupying the apartment of her real-estate agent boyfriend, Charles, who has abandoned her. Although six weeks have gone by since his disappearance, Vicki keeps his Rolex watch hanging around her neck, still hoping he might come home any minute.

Having intercepted a personal email message from an unknown woman on Charles' portable computer, Vicki begins corresponding with the woman, posing as Charles, in the hope of finding out where he went. The content of the messages is increasingly erotic and the two women develop an anonymous and sexually ambiguous relationship which becomes so intense that they begin to fall in love. But it transpires that both of them are hiding behind false identities, which are only revealed when it is too late.

This film examines several themes poignant to these times: communication and virtual intimacy, the borders between sex and emotional attachment, sexual orientation and its potential ambiguities.

e-male was commissioned by ARTE for French and German Television and produced in London by Sweet Child Films.

Project Background:

Having seen Rolf Gibbs’ award-winning short Whacked! at the Edinburgh film festival, executive producer Gwynneth Lloyd of Sweet Child Films in London sent him the script for e-male with an invitation to direct. Rolf was impressed by the script and by Ms. Lloyd's track-record, and so accepted the offer, spending four months in London (during which he also returned to the USA to attend the Sundance Film Festival with Whacked!, which was screening in competition).

e-male was commissioned by ZDF/ARTE for French and German Television as part of a Theme Evening with 8 films about "Saturday Night" made by 8 different filmmakers in 8 countries. With a limited production budget of only $10,000 for 23 minutes, it was necessary to shoot on digital video in order to make such an ambitious film for so little money.

e-male was shown on television in Germany and France in late August, 1998, receiving excellent ratings.

Credits:

Directed by

ROLF GIBBS

Written by

ROBERT YOUNG

Starring (as Vicki)

FRANCES GREY

Produced by

CATHERINE SIMMONDS

Executive Produced by

GWYNNETH LLOYD

Director of Photography

RALF K. DOBRICK

Editor

HARRY RAMBAUT

Music

JOHANNES VON WEIZSACKER

Production Design

JOE FOLEY

Production Company

SWEET CHILD FILMS, LONDON

Commissioned by

ARTE/ZDF TELEVISION (GERMANY/FRANCE)