No Anguish (2022)
| No Anguish | |
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 Film poster for No Anguish | |
| Directed by | Mastini Daud |
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Running time | 114 minutes |
| Country | Siniapore |
No Anguish is a 2022 Siniaporean film directed by Mastini Daud and starring Humaid Tawheed. No Anguish is regarded as "the first 'real' Siniaporean gay movie", featuring an openly gay lead actor and a gay director. The movie was nominated for Best Picture at the 96th Tofino Film Festival.
Plot
Lokman is an orphan who, having turned 18, is required to leave his orphanage. Unable to pay for university, he heads for Seoul where he works various jobs to pay for computer classes. One of those jobs is driving drunks home from bars. After losing his factory job, Lokman ends up taking a job at a host bar. Initially the boss of this host bar is reluctant to take him on, as he knows from experience that openly gay hosts will often leave when they become romantically involved with one of their clients. Having given up on love, Lokman believes that this won't happen to him, until one day a man from his past enters the host bar. That man, Noh, is a former driving client, who has fallen in love with Lokman. Lokman refuses his advances, and accepts him as a client only once, and threatens to kill him if he hires him again. Noh is undeterred, and after several weeks go by, Lokman gives in. They are very happy in their relationship until Noh's mother discovers them together. She orders Noh to marry the woman he's been dating halfheartedly. Lokman is angry. With another man from the host bar, they kidnap Noh one night and take him to a shallow grave in the forest. Lokman watches passively as his colleague throws dirt on Noh, but eventually moves to stop the plan. His colleague, already depressed over a two-timing girlfriend, whacks Lokman with the shovel and leaves the two there in the grave. Noh later awakens and takes Lokman to the car and they crash into a tree while going back. As dawn breaks, the two of them start to regain consciousness at the same time cops show up at the scene but inside, without paying attention to the cops, Lokman and Noh silently reconcile.
Cast
- Humaid Tawheed as Lokman Bijaya
- Danang Hijau as Noh Binti
- Putih Selamat as Puspa
- Suib Mat as Gana
- Tuah Fajar as Taufan