#Best Foreign Language Film

[whoever-the-heck]

Wonderful film with wonderful performances from Hungarian actors Ildikó Bánsági and Péter Andorai

Bizalom (Confidence)

Dir. István Szabó, 1980

[calnommer]

was so disappointed that the argentina film won the best foreign picture over RRR but then i actually read what it's about and best original song will just have to do i gUESs

[lyricsolution-com]

Aamir Khan Is 'So Proud of Kiran' As ‘Laapataa Ladies’ Secures Oscar 2025 Entry | Movies News

Aamir Khan has consistently delivered impactful cinema, establishing himself as a master storyteller. His films not only captivate audiences, but also gain recognition on both national and international platforms. In the past, films like ‘Lagaan’ and ‘Taare Zameen Par,’ which were produced under Aamir Khan’s banner, have made their way to the Oscars. Now, Kiran Rao’s ‘Laapataa Ladies,’ produced…

[awardseasonblog]

(via Awards Season Story 1994/1995: MIGLIOR FILM STRANIERO)

Nel 1995 con la squalifica di Tre colori: Film Rosso si aprì una sfida tra Tawain e il Belgio, ma alla fine vinse a sorpresa la Russia con Sole Ingannatore.

[leotanaka]

[persistent-wallflower]

This year's Oscar noms are a bit lame ngl

[fnafs-ex-boyfriend]

Can we take a moment to appreciate how the men in RRR are emotional? They’re the strongest motherfuckers in the world but. We see them break into sobs. They confess their love to one another. They smile and they have moments of dorkiness. These are not the action heroes of the past where they are ONLY strong, just ANGER and MANLINESS and RRRAAGGGEEE. I just love that.

[whileiamdying]

Mirkarimi’s “The Night Guardian” to represent Iran at Oscars

September 20, 2023 - 19:16

TEHRAN – “The Night Guardian” by Reza Mirkarimi has been selected as Iran’s submission to the forthcoming 96th Academy Awards in the best foreign-language film category.

A committee of nine film experts was assigned by Iran’s Farabi Cinema Foundation to choose the county’s submission to the Oscars race.

On Tuesday, the committee selected "The Night Guardian" from a shortlist of three films, the others being "Conjugal Visit" directed by Omid Shams and "The Town" by Ali Hazrati. 

Initially, the committee had narrowed down 42 eligible Iranian films to 15, before ultimately deciding on the final three.

Mirkarimi's film, which debuted at the Fajr Film Festival last year, garnered nine award nominations and ultimately won the best director category. 

Co-written by Mirkarimi and Mohammad Davoud, "The Night Guardian" follows the story of an innocent village boy whose carefree life is disrupted by his trust in a construction engineer. 

After leaving his village due to drought, Rasoul is relieved to find employment as a night guardian at a construction site. However, he soon discovers that something sinister is happening at the seemingly deserted location. As he becomes ensnared in the peculiar circumstances surrounding him, Rasoul finds himself trapped and in danger.

Since 1994, Iran has been a regular participant in the Oscars film category, with two wins under its belt for "A Separation" and "The Salesman," both directed by Asghar Farhadi. Two of Mirkarimi's films have previously been selected to represent the country: "So Close, So Far" in 2005 and "Today" in 2014.

On December 21, a shortlist of 15 films will be disclosed. The final nominations will then be announced on January 23, 2024, leading up to the 96th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, California, on March 10, 2024.

Photo: A scene form Iranian movie “The Night Guardian” by Reza Mirkarimi

SAB/

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Toshiro Mifune (Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Grand Prix, Stray Dog)—i love and respect my boi tab hunter (rest in peace you beautiful, beautiful man ❤️), but after i watched like 12 of his movies in a row on tcm last year, i ALSO love and respect toshiro mifune, son of a literal actual hatamoto’s (a high-ranking samurai) daughter, also very possibly related to the best judokan EVER, AND, he’s the guy who SHOULD have been obi-wan kenobi. the fact that he’s ALSO hot as hell just adds to his appeal.

Sidney Poitier (Lilies of the Field, To Sir With Love)—an unbelievably beautiful man, a complete class act. Something about his eyes breaks my heart every time.

This is the final poll of the Hot & Vintage Men Tournament. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage man.

THIS POLL LASTS FOR 24 HOURS.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Toshiro Mifune propaganda:

"In addition, he spoke fluent mandarin and every time he was casted in foreign films, he said his lines in the language of the movie (although they ended up dubbing him. He wasn’t happy about it though).”

Submitted: this gifset

Also submitted: this video (yes, that one)

"Crucial Toshiro Mifune propaganda: THOSE LEGS"

"That is hella muscle. Go watch The Hidden Fortress, aka Star Wars A New Hope. His thighs deserve an award."

Sidney Poitier propaganda:

[odiesdayoff]

Fly Boy

Pair: Neil Lewis x Fem!Reader

Summary: Frustrated with Neil's rule about the employees being required to cosplay, you decide to mess with him.

Warnings: SMUT; 18+; Neil is a bit pathetic and mean at points; he can't find the clit but has a big dick lol

“Surely, you’ve seen something by Milos Foreman.” Neil held a stack of VHS that needed to be reset. It was mostly older stuff, you saw the worn copy of Persona in the middle. He and Jonathan had a heated argument (or discussion, as they referred to it) about why the customer would stop watching in the middle, but you understood. Only the men deeply involved in film could possibly enjoy something so bad. Too trained to think black and white meant that it was a good movie automatically. 

You shrugged, continuing to put the tapes on the shelf. “Never heard of him.” Paisa slid in right next to the edge of the shelf and The Red and The White. Only this place would have a section dedicated to foreign language war films. Like it would kill him to buy a copy of Shrek 2.

He nearly dropped the tapes on the counter and looked at you as if you just admitted to a horrible crime. “How have you never heard of him? One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? The Fireman’s Ball? ” Just because you heard of the movie didn’t mean you knew every production assistant’s name. You watched movies for fun. They just weren’t your taste.

“More like The Fireman’s Balls.” You stifled a laugh at your own joke, though Neil was far from impressed or amused at all.

He put a tape into the rewinder and shook his head. “We’re gonna fix that. This Saturday.”

“Can’t do this Saturday.” He continued his quite bewildered stare at you. Of course, he forgot. “It’s your little Star Wars marathon night.”

He nodded with realization. “Right.”

His slight frown made you feel guilty, as it always did. Somehow, the grown man always managed to use puppy eyes on you successfully. “We’ll watch them. Soon.” He continued to rewind the tapes with a smile.

Star Wars wasn’t exactly your cup of tea. Boring was the descriptive term that rested on the tip of your tongue whenever the topic was brought up in the store. Not that you would ever admit that out loud. All three of them gave you a college-level lecture when you suggested that the Chanel boots-wearing Luke might have been into men. God forbid you had fun.

The costumes for women were slim, at least they were on Amazon. Your options were Padme, Leia, Rey, or some random obscure character from a show or cartoon you’d never heard of. A part of you wanted to make felt ears and be Jar Jar Binks just to piss them off.

There was still a way to mess with them, Neil especially. Hopefully, the extra you paid for overnight shipping was worth it and actually pulled through. 

By Saturday, you walked into Gumshoe with a large coat covering your costume. You braided your hair to the best of your abilities, trying to get as accurate as possible. The fabric of the costume was uncomfortable, digging into your skin and surely leaving marks you’d feel for days after.

Nerds crowded the small store, much more than usual. It was events like this one that made you reconsider your employment and how much you were a fan of movies in general. A Darth Vader brushed by you with a red solo cup of beer. Not many women were there, other than a few of the regulars dressed as Padme and Ahsoka. 

Neil, in Han Solo’s iconic white shirt with the navy blue vest (the version from Return of the Jedi ), waved you over to join the couch with him, Jonathan, and Lucian. A New Hope was in the VHS player and ready to start, the original cut before George Lucas made revisions of course. He was so proud of winning the Etsy bid for the original set of VHS tapes. 

You dropped the coat as you walked over and draped it on the front counter, locking eyes with the group as the costume was finally revealed: The bikini Leia wears at the beginning of Return of the Jedi. A part of you was anxious about the amount of skin you were showing and the people who were staring daggers into you. All you cared about was Neil’s reaction.

None of them said a word as you sat down on the couch next to them. “So, when’s this movie going to start?” Three pairs of eyes just looked back at you, more specifically, how your breasts bounced when you sat down and the thin straps that held the cloth that covered your panties. All you wore to work were t-shirts and jeans, along with the occasional tank top that left much to the imagination. You leaned over to the table and took the can of beer that Neil had been drinking, bringing it to your lips.

Neil cleared his throat. “Um, right now, actually.” He called everyone to the couches and rug, made a quick introduction to the night and thanked everyone for coming, then started the movie. You couldn’t help but notice the way his hands were clasped in front of his crotch and the bulge he was trying to hide.

Another person, dressed as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the third film, sat next to you. Only fifteen minutes in, he did the classic “fake yawn” in order to wrap his arm around your shoulders. He wasn’t slick, but as much as you noticed the attempt at flirting, Neil did as well. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, turning his attention back to the movie and trying not to make his glances towards you too obvious.

The can of beer didn’t last you too long, only until they were in the trash compactor. There was no way that you would get through the rest of these movies sober and a half-can of beer wasn’t going to get you there.

You got up and walked to the storage closet, where you knew that a full case of beer was hidden. Finally alone, you pulled out a can and opened it, allowing the lukewarm liquid to coat your throat. The beer was still a bit disgusting, but it got the job done. “What the fuck are you wearing, Princess?”

Neil stood in the doorway, closing the door behind him. You shrugged, even though you knew that he knew you were getting to him on purpose. “I’m participating. You never let me live down the Lord of the Rings night when I wore my regular clothes.”

He sighed and shook his head. “I didn’t mean to whore yourself out and wear practically nothing.”

“It’s accurate, not whoring out. Are you mad that I’m wearing it or that people are looking at me in it? What is it, Fly-boy?” You crossed your arms, unknowingly pushing your breasts together and creating more cleavage than there already was.

He ran a hand through his hair. “Christ, Y/n.” His hands cupped your cheeks and he pulled you in, crashing his lips against yours. It was a side of him you’d never seen before, his eyes were dark and only focused on you. Your back hit the wall and Neil’s hands traveled lower, pulling the string that held the bra together and ripping fabric until it fell to the floor.

“Now, beg me to fuck you like the whore that you’ve been parading yourself as all night. I know that’s what you want.” His hot breath burned your neck as he trailed his lips from your mouth to your collarbone. His words cut deeply, like nothing you’d expect to come from his mouth. Who knew sweet Neil could turn into this?

You nodded. “Please, Neil. I need you to fuck me. I’ve wanted you for so long.” He moaned against your skin as you spoke and hastily unbuckled his belt, freeing his aching cock. You untied the bottom of your costume and dropped your panties with it.

His chest pressed against yours and you winced as the cold wall came in contact with your bare skin. He wasted no time in lining his tip with your entrance and pushing in, softly moaning into your neck. “You’re so warm. You’re not a whore, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. Fuck.”

So, he really was all talk. Once he felt the touch of a woman, he became a needy mess. “It’s okay, Neil. Just, ah!” It was now that you finally understood the saying about nerdy boys and the size of their cocks, feeling him hit spots you didn’t know existed. You only hoped that the ongoing battle within whatever galaxy or solar system was louder than both of your unholy gasps and moans.

You would never hear the end of it if Jonathan or Lucian heard. They gave you enough shit for Neil’s unbelievably obvious crush on you that you chose to avoid on behalf of keeping peace in the store. Clearly, you had failed miserably in that aspect. Look at Neil’s cute face.

Not to mention his cock. The same cock currently driving into you and knocking the wind from your lungs. Neil fucked into you like he was on a time limit, chasing his climax and nearly sinking his teeth into your bare shoulder. “Your tits are mesmerizing.” You held back a laugh at his comment, reaching down to your clit before he slapped your hand away. “No, let me do it.”

A part of you wanted to deny it, but you let him. He blindly reached down and rubbed your labia, thinking he was on the money. You squeezed your eyes shut and gently guided his fingers to your clit, jolting when he found the right spot. “Oh, Neil…so good.”

His pace slowed and became less controlled. “I’m so close, sweetheart.”

“You’ll pull out, right?” He bit his lip and nodded. By the way he held tightly onto your hips and breathed in your scent, you knew that he barely heard your request.

The suspicion turned into fact when he stilled, pushing himself further into you as he came. “I’m sorry, baby. I’ll pay for the pill. You’re just…so warm.”

You nodded along with him, not caring as you crossed the finish line as well. As you both came down from the high, the realization kicked in. He tucked himself in his boxers and buttoned his pants. You picked up your shirt, well, bra. The straps were broken. “Shit, Neil. I can’t wear this.”

He furrowed his brows, then rummaged through one of the boxes in the corner of the room. A large, baby blue t-shirt with the Gumshoe logo on it was in his hands. “Put this on. Say you got too cold.”

You caught the shirt and put it on, watching the fabric fall to your knees. “Great.”

“You still look sexy.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked you up and down.

You rolled your eyes. “What does Leia say to Han Solo? Nerf-Herder? You’re that."

[ipseitydelrey]

headcanons: dating spencer reid ♡

(i’m so totally normal about this man)

ship spencer reid x gn!reader

warnings mentions of schizophrenia & alzheimer’s

a/n thought this would be a good first post! interaction would be appreciated, but your readership would be enough! enjoy~

★ he regularly gives you books he has read, completed with small annotations.

★ to go with the previous headcanon, you would give him more modern books you enjoy as opposed to the classical/foreign ones he gifts.

★ expect for your first couple of dates to be more awkward (he has definitely asked derek for advice on more than one occasion).

★ he makes it a point to learn all that he can about whatever you like at the moment, even if he himself isn't into it/doesn't understand the appeal. it's mostly just so he can connect with you more and to share fun facts about your interests.

★ he's awful at cooking, but once or twice, he has definitely attempted to cook a homemade meal for you two as a romantic gesture. you both decided that what he made wasn't edible, but you appreciated the attempt and ordered takeout instead.

★ weekly bookstore visits! half of the time you would go to barnes & noble for your literary needs, but you two also enjoy supporting local bookstores (+ they tend to have rare books too).

★ when you two are cuddling, he loves it when you run your fingers through his hair and give him a head massage; it really helps with his migraines.

★ convention is in town? best believe that you two are wearing matching cosplays, especially if the characters you're dressing up as is canonically a couple.

★ spencer doesn't just ask derek; he also asks penelope and jj for advice too.

★ on the first couple of dates he generally avoided touching, but now? he can't get enough of you, how warm you are and how soft your hands are.

★ much like how he tends to go on a tangent, he loves it and listens intently whenever you infodump about a topic you're interested in.

★ antique stores! you both find the atmosphere lovely and you would get gifts for each other there.

★ his love language is praise, both giving and receiving. he wants to make sure you feel loved and wanted. even when it's something small, like getting him coffee for example, he'll go on and on about how wonderful you are, how good you are to him and how much he loves and adores you.

★ on the receiving end, he'll absolutely melt if you give him reassurance that you reciprocate his love. and if you hold him — cup his cheeks or wrap your arms around his waist — while whispering praises? as emily said, IQ of 187 slashed down to 60.

★ the first time he said "i love you" was sort of an accident. he had just come back from a case and he was so tired that he collapsed into your arms and you had to drag him to bed. you were making sure he was comfortable and in his delirious state he mumbled "love you" in the sleepiest voice imaginable.

★ movie nights! whenever it's his turn, he either picks some pretentious, foreign language, criterion collection, 3+ hour film...or he just puts on reruns of star trek or doctor who.

★ when you moved in with him, you both had to buy another bookshelf. both because of the books strewn around spencer's apartment that were unable to be shelved due to overcrowding, and to fit your books there too.

★ he's super worried about doing something wrong. this is probably his first actual serious relationship, so he's being extra cautious to not accidentally insult or hurt you. over time, he learns to relax around you but the worry is still there, just in small doses.

★ he doesn't really like PDA, but he makes up for the lack of it with tons of hugs, kisses, and close contact in private (specifically at home, but anywhere private will do).

★ whenever you two go out and you want to wear formal attire, he'll help you with putting it on! he'll zip up your dress, help tie your tie, fasten your necklace, maybe help with cuff links. he absolutely loves being able to assist you with anything, no matter how small.

★ he was definitely worried when he brought you to go meet his mom for the first time, so he made sure to pick a day where she would be in one of her good moods and also told you everything he knows about schizophrenia and alzheimer's. he was thankfully relieved when his mom liked you and vice versa.

★ a bit corny, but he loves reciting love poems to you. this can also extend to passages from books that discuss romantic love; he has an eidetic memory after all and he's going to put it to good use!

[mandarinmoons]

Summary: Both you and Spencer surprise each other, but one surprise is bigger than the other

Sitting around and waiting was never something you were good at, whether it be reading a magazine at the line in the supermarket or trying to learn a new language while you were sick, being still was just too boring. So when Spencer let you know that he’s going to be late at work, staying at home wasn’t an option.

You and Spencer had agreed to spend the evening together, having a nice dinner and watching a new foreign film that Spencer found. You knew that your boyfriend was going to be dead tired after work so you decided to head over to his place and give him a nice surprise.

Unlocking the door to Spencer’s apartment and walking in, an involuntary gasp left your mouth. Books scattered the floor, dishes were piled in the sink and what looked like a heap of dirty laundry was peeking out of the closet door. The apartment was a mess and you wondered when was the last time Spencer had a chance to clean his home. Knowing that Spencer had just gotten back from a two week case from California, the mess across the apartment was most probably a result from the past few days when Spencer got to be home for a change and knowing how much he likes to spend every waking moment of his with a book in his hands, every other task at hand got pushed to the side.

Closing the door and carefully walking across the books, trying not to trip in the process, you walked to Spencer’s bedroom and rifled through his clothes until you found it, a worn but very well loved Beatles shirt. It was your favorite shirt of his and you made it a habit to wear it every time you came over to spend the night. Wearing it made you feel like you were constantly in Spencer’s arms and Spencer didn’t mind you wearing it at all, especially since it smelled of you later on and, unbeknownst to you, he would take it with him on longer cases so he wouldn’t miss you too badly.

Changing into Spencer’s shirt and walking back into the living room, you carefully picked up the books and made stacks of them, leaving them be and deciding it would be best to ask Spencer later which book goes where. After picking up the laundry and washing the dishes you finally got to look through the fridge to see if there was anything edible in the house besides ramen noodles. Luckily there were some ingredients that didn’t look nearing their end and you decided a small pasta dish wouldn’t be too bad of a choice.

As you continued to boil the pasta and chop the ingredients you didn’t hear as Spencer unlocked the door and walked inside. His brows furrowed when he heard the sounds of chopping and boiling from inside and carefully peeked over the side and sighed in relief when he saw your figure from the corner of his eye.

Spencer took his time walking into the kitchen as he was mesmerized by seeing you stirring the pots and quickly hopping to the side to cut up some more onions. When reaching the doorway he stood by the door and smiled as he continued to watch you. A moment later he carefully walked over to you and wrapped his arms around you which caused you to jump.

“Jesus! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

Spencer chuckled and kissed the side of your head, “Sorry sweetheart.”

“Sorry my a-,” you turned around to face him, but before you managed to finish your sentence you noticed something, Spencer’s hair, it was different, it was cut, Spencer got a haircut. 

What were previously long brown strands that ended just above his chin were now short, slightly curly at the sides, and to your surprise, his nape was bare.

Spencer’s eyes went wide and looked at you up and down and grinned, “Is that my shirt?”

“Yeah, it’s comfortable, you know I like it,” you chuckled and raked your fingers through his hair, “You cut your hair.”

“Mhm, do you like it?”

You took a breath and continued to brush your fingers through his locks, you liked it, you really did like it actually. Spencer looked like a smug college boy who knew that he was all that, and you hated that you loved it. The undercut was especially appealing, but it was bugging you a bit.

“I do like it, Spence, a lot, but…”

“What’s wrong?”

You bit your lip as you glanced at him, “Well I liked it when your hair was a bit longer ‘cause it was something I could grab onto when we’re kissing you know.”

Spencer laughed and pressed his lips to your forehead, “Hmm I’m sorry hun, I’ll let it grow out for a bit if you’d like?”

“Maybe, we’ll see. In the meantime I guess I’ll have to use this,” you grabbed onto Spencer’s tie and pulled him close as you pressed your lips to his gently. Spencer chuckled and rested his hands on your sides as he pulled you in closer.

A moment later you pulled away quickly as you heard the water boil over and hurried over to push the pot to the side. Spencer chuckled and wrapped his arms around you again as you cleaned up, “See what happens when you cut your hair? I get distracted.”

Spencer laughed and kissed the side of your jaw, “Now you know how I feel when you wear my clothes.”

You chuckled, “I guess we’re even then.”

Taglist: @radioactiveinvisible @whoisspence @sreidisms @lanascinnamongirls @luvkatryna @iluvreid @notn4t

If you want to be a part of my taglist go here!

You can find my masterlist here!

My requests are open so feel free to send one in! (SFW only)

[lyricsolution-com]

Laapataa Ladies And Aamir Khan Productions' Legacy Of India's Oscar Submissions | Movies News

Mumbai: The Kiran Rao directorial ‘Laapataa Ladies’ has been selected as India’s official entry for the upcoming edition of the Academy Awards. It has become the third film from Aamir Khan’s production house, Aamir Khan Productions to have been submitted as India’s official entry by the Film Federation of India.  It all started with the Aamir Khan-starrer ‘Lagaan’ which was not just sent as…

[commajade]

finally watched watched my brothers and sisters in the north when it's been in my to-watch list for years and it was so touching and so beautiful.

the people interviewed were of course handpicked and have better conditions than other people because of the impact of U.S. sanctions and such, but it genuinely inspired me how hard-earned their good living conditions are. the farmers had to work really hard to re-establish agriculture after the war and now they get so much food a year they donate most of it to the state because they simply don't need it. the girl at the sewing factory loves her job and gets paid with 14 kilos of food a month on top of her wages. the water park worker is proud of his job because 20,000 of his people can come and enjoy themselves every day, and Kim Jong-un himself took part in designing it and came by at 2am during construction to make sure everything was going smoothly. his grandmother's father was a revolutionary who was executed and buried in a mass grave in seoul but in the dprk he has a memorial bust in a place of honor and his family gets a nice apartment in pyongyang for free.

imperialist propaganda always points to the kim family as a dictatorship and a cult of personality but from this docu it's so obvious that it's genuine gratitude for real work for the people, and simple korean respect. if my president came to my work and tried his best to make my working conditions better and to make my life better, i would call him a dear leader too. if my president invented machines and designed amusement parks and went to farms all over the country to improve conditions for the people, i would respect him.

the spirit of juche is in self-reliance, unity of the people, and creative adaptations to circumstances. the docu rly exemplified the ideology in things like the human and animal waste methane systems powering farmers' houses along with solar panels, how they figured out how to build tractors instead of accepting unstable foreign import relationships, and how the water park uses a geothermal heating system.

it rly made me cry at the end when the grandma and her grandson were talking about reunification. the people of the dprk live every day of their lives dreaming of reunification and working for reunification, and it's an intergenerational goal that they inherited from their parents and grandparents. the man said he was so happy to see someone from the south, and that even though reunification would have its own obstacles that we have the same blood the same language the same interests so no matter what if we have the same heart it would be okay.

and the grandma said "when reunification happens, come see me." and it's so upsetting that not even 10 years later, the state has been pushed into somewhat giving up on this hope. the dprk closed down the reunification department of the government last year and it broke my heart.

a really good pairing with the 2016 film is this 2013 interview with ambassador Thae Youngho to clarify political realities in the dprk and the ongoing U.S. hostility that has shaped the country's global image. the interviewer Carlos Martinez asks a lot of excellent questions and the interview goes into their military policy, nuclear weapons, U.S. violence and sanctions, and the dprk's historical solidarity with middle eastern countries like syria and palestine and central/south american countries like nicaragua, bolivia, and cuba.

[tgmsunmontue]

Season to Taste - 1/? WIP

Explicit Hangster - Celebrity Chef Bradley and Naval Aviator Jake Seresin who have a relationship spanning the globe before they realize how tightly bound they are to one another. Heading into this little world.

PROLOGUE

~2001…

                He hadn’t thought about where. Hadn’t cared. Away. As far away as he could. Getting on a plane seemed like a good idea, and he had the money and a passport and hadn’t really thought about it further than that. He’d arrived at LAX and walked up to the ticket counter and asked about the next flight and then asked if he wanted to be put on standby. He has no idea what that means but next thing he knew he was on a flight to Rome. He hadn’t had a visa, but he’d applied for one when he arrived.

                He’d hadn’t considered money until he paid for a month in a backpackers and then realized he still needed to feed himself. And he was on a tourist visa, eighteen years old and no skills to speak of. He’d found the restaurant, the price of the margherita pizza the most appealing thing on the menu. He’d returned daily because not only was it was the best damned pizza he’d ever had, the waitress, Silvia, seemed to appreciate his fumbling attempts in Italian and would ask him questions, forcing him to practice. It also made him feel a little less lonely.

                He hadn’t expected to feel so homesick, anger simmering away but for there to also be the deep-seated ache for home. Then there had been a knife, used to beckon him into the kitchen and a severe looking man called Leandro who put Bradley to work washing dishes. Then he’d been fed food more substantial than pizza and realized that maybe the looks he was getting from both Silvia and Leandro were of concern. He’d been thoroughly enveloped into the Gallo family. Taught how to make pasta by Leandro’s mother, then sauces, breads, desserts, dishes that made his mouth sing.

                He hadn’t thought that they would care about what had happened to him, but been quickly disabused of the notion when Ice had walked in not even two months in and he’d seen the relief on his face, the grip of his arms around him hard and bruising. The shame he’d felt when Leandro and Silvia realized his family didn’t know he was alive and well. They’d let their displeasure be known, making him do all the prep for the restaurant and then some. Ice had left after two weeks with the promise of regular postcards and monthly phone calls.

                He hadn’t realized that the languages he’d studied so diligently, hopeful that he’d one day get sent to foreign destinations where he’d be able to use them, would suddenly become useful. Helped tourists from all over with his rudimentary Italian, Spanish and French until it was no longer rudimentary. Silvia and Leandro switching between French and Italian whenever they think he’s getting too comfortable. He finds joy in creating new dishes, not afraid to try different things which make Silvia roll her eyes but surprise Leandro, who starts giving him more and more freedom, keeps pushing him to be better.

                He hadn’t ever thought he could have a different dream.

…            …            …

~2008

                Bradley doesn’t get nights off very often, but the peak tourist season is over. He’s more than earnt the pleasure of not having to cook or wait on tables or, for a very brief period there, act as translator for a film crew travelling with some British celebrity who was trying authentic cuisines throughout Europe. He wants to go dancing, cut loose a little and then head back to his little studio apartment and crash, knowing he doesn’t need to get up early in the morning. Dressed in his skinny black jeans and black t-shirt he isn’t dressed for anything fancy. Not looking for it tonight. He heads toward the club he likes the most, because it’s difficult to find and they generally don’t let in tourists, so he won’t feel bad pretending he doesn’t speak a word of English, can just be one of the crowd.

                Of course his plan is completely out the window as soon as he steps inside, it’s after eleven, but that’s still early hours yet, the club doesn’t open before ten so it’s only the very keen or people like himself who potentially want an earlier night. However there is a guy standing by the bar and he can tell they’re not fucking local simply by the way they’re standing and they way they’re dressed, far too stiff for a start and far too formally. And from Giacomo’s expression they’re trying to talk to him in English. Which he knows Giacomo understands but he’s also a bit of an asshole. He catches Bradley’s eye and by the curl of his lip he knows he’s likely an American tourist and Giacomo is going to make him Bradley’s problem. Great.

                “Leonardo,” Giacomo greets, and Bradley tips his head in greeting, grins at the name because it’s an inside joke now after years of it being used. Giacomo slides his eyes to the man he’s clearly begrudgingly served a beer to. Bradley rolls his eyes and shakes his head, he’s not going to take responsibility for drunken tourists of any nationality tonight. It’s his fucking night off and he wants to make the most of it. Then the guy turns to him and Bradley swiftly reconsiders his stance. The guy is cute, hair cut in a buzz, smile easy and wide and looking at Bradley like he’s maybe interested in… something.

                “Hi…”

                “Hi.”

                “You speak English?”

                “Yeah. I do. Enough.” He ignores the snort from Giacomo.

                “I’m Jake. Dance?”

                “Leonardo,” Bradley offers, because he’s not getting into the explanation of why everyone calls him Leonardo when his name is Bradley. Or the fact that’s he’s a fellow American because this guy’s Texan accent is thick and broad and unmistakable. “Sure.”

                He watches as Jake throws back his bottle of beer, wonders if Jake was a member of some frat where they had been beer chugging competitions. He’s been getting lessons on wine from one of Leandro’s cousins and has started enjoying it, although it’s still not his first choice. Then he’s following Jake onto the dance floor and the lights are almost non-existent over the space, some strobing flashing lights and making it difficult to focus on anything that isn’t directly in front of you. Even then…

                Jake’s fingers hook into the loops of jeans and for all his stiffness when he’d been standing at the bar Jake moves like he loves dancing, in time and responsive to Bradley’s own body movements. The beat is loud and pulsing, filling him with the energy to just let his body go and he lets his hands rest around Jake’s neck, brushing over the spiky-soft hair with his finger tips and they tingle a little. There isn’t much space between them, not meant to be with Jake’s hands effectively resting on his hips as they move. The DJ changes the song and Bradley’s head shoots up, catches Lara’s eye and she laughs at him, the sound not at all audible over the sound of the music. He gives her the finger but continues dancing, because there is no way that Jake is going to know what this song is called or why his friend has just decided to put it on.

                More people join the dance floor and the press of bodies and heat increases, the space between the decreases though, each of them with thigh between their own, grinding against each other easily. His cock has grown heavy under the ongoing pressure and movement and the fact that the guy in his arms is cute as hell and keeps staring at his lips like he wants Bradley to kiss him but is too polite to ask or take.

                So he kisses him, feels Jake smile against his lips and then he’s kissing back and they’re making out more than dancing, he can feel Jake’s fingers digging into his ass and he lets one of his own hands come to rest on Jake’s ass, palm a handful and sucks his bottom lip and nips it lightly. Savors the sudden shift of air against his face, a little gasp that Jake makes; wishes he could hear anything other that the pumping base of the club music. Wants to ask if Jake wants to come back to his little studio apartment and maybe spend some time doing a similar activity sans clothes… Jake is pulling away, eyes a little wide and alarmed.

                “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go. I’ve got a curfew. Shit. Sorry.”

                He presses his lips against Bradley’s again, his expression apologetic and Bradley wonders if Jake thinks he didn’t understand what he just said. It feels like a Cinderella moment, the guy disappearing into the night and him standing there staring after him.

CHAPTER ONE

[hycinthrt]

this is a place where life is impossible. out here, what’s strange is us

the baftas are today and society of the snow is nominated for best foreign-language film so here are some painting studies