CINEMA
Gay Love & Traditional Connections
Indigenous Guatemalan gay man sorts competing needs
BY GARY KRAMER
Out gay actor Enrique Salanic
makes an indelible
film debut as the title
character in director Li
Cheng’s excellent romantic drama,
“José.” As a gay teenager eking out a
life with his religious single mother
(Ana Cecilia Mota), José works at a
restaurant and spends what little
free time he has hooking up with
guys he meets via an app — when
his phone can get a signal. When
José has a tryst with Luis (Manolo
Herrera), he falls in love. However,
while Luis wants José to run away
with him, José is conflicted about
leaving his mother alone.
“José” is a sparse drama extremely
well told by director Cheng
(who co-wrote and produced the
film with George F. Roberson).
Much of the action consists of following
José at home or around
town, at work or having sex, often
in a rent-by-the-hour establishment.
Salanic gives a remarkable
performance, expressing José’s
tenderness with Luis — kissing
him in bed or being affectionate
during a motorcycle ride — as well
as his emotions and longing in reflective
scenes of him alone.
The actor recently chatted via
WhatsApp with Gay City News
about “José,” and being gay in
Guatemala. In a follow-up chat,
Salanic also addressed a controversy
that arose as he prepared to
visit the US for the film’s premiere
this coming weekend. US Embassy
officials in Guatemala told him
that because he does not own land
or have a residence of his own — he
lives with his parents — he could
not enter the US because there
was no assurance he would not
abandon his homeland. Salanic’s
thoughts about this Orwellian demand
that he prove a negative follow
at the end of the piece.
GARY M. KRAMER: “José” is
your film debut. What interested
you in this role, and how did you
identify with the character?
ENRIQUE SALANIC:One of the
things that got my attention was
Enrique Salanic in the title role of Li Cheng’s “José,” which opens January 31 at the Quad.
that this film needed to be made. I
thought, we can’t hide anymore —
sexual diversity and these things
exist in the world and it was important
to make a film about them.
I was hesitant when Li came to me
with the proposal. I wasn’t sure he
knew what he was doing because
he was not from Guatemala. But
his enthusiasm convinced me.
Coming from an indigenous background
gave me more courage to
do it, because the thought about
indigenous people is that they are
just part of their culture and that
they can’t be intellectual. This film
shows you can do whatever you
want and achieve your dreams. Indigenous
people aren’t seen much
on the big screen. When I read the
script, it was a very strong statement
Li wanted to make. We can’t
wait for Guatemala to be ready.
Now is the time for “José.”
KRAMER: The film does not
provide much about José’s backstory.
Can you talk about finding
his character?
SALANIC:I had to synthesize
José from people I talked to from
different ages and socioeconomic
backgrounds. I made them into
José. What people don’t realize is
that José’s mom came to the city
from a rural area to look for a better
life. José is the first generation
who grew up in the city. He is not
aware of his rural background. He
realizes he can’t go to university
PHOTO OUTSIDER PICTURES
because he doesn’t have the economic
resources. He may think
he’s experienced sexually, because
he’s only had spontaneous sex.
Luis shows José that he can find
true love. Luis is something different,
changing José’s heart and
mind and how he sees his life. That
changes his perspective not only in
how he works, but how he behaves
from that point on.
KRAMER: What observations
do you have about queer life in
Guatemala?
SALANIC:It is definitely not
accepted. It’s a conservative, homophobic
place. The Church and
the government are against this
idea. I got a lot of strength and
inspiration from the interviews I
did. The people I met knew how to
behave and move in a homophobic
and conservative society. They
knew what to say, do, and be.
It was impressive that all those
strategies allowed them to survive.
Some have become activists, and
they have come out to speak up for
others who cannot do the same.
KRAMER: You are openly gay.
Can you talk about that?
SALANIC: Li was concerned
about bringing the film to Guatemala,
and he asked if I wanted
to become a martyr. I appreciated
his concern, but I have loving parents
that have accepted me and I
feel very fortunate. I know many
friends who have come out and
most are kicked out of their houses
or face a tough economic situation.
There are many people who want
to come out but are afraid to because
of society. That’s why I feel it
is important to be openly gay. Life
has been kind to me, which is the
complete opposite for José.
KRAMER: The strength of your
performance is that it is very internal.
Can you talk about how you
approached playing José?
SALANIC: I was constantly
thinking of all the stories I heard
and putting my own story in it. It
was a very huge responsibility to
convey — especially the emotions.
Most of the time you don’t see José
happy or smiling, but you don’t see
him crying either. He goes through
life knowing not that he has to be
tough but that he has to endure
and accept whatever life throws at
him. He can’t complain in this society.
You don’t talk about that stuff
here. Some people might listen,
but some might kill you. People are
killed here for being LGBTQ.
KRAMER: How did you create
the intimacy between José and
Luis?
SALANIC: In real life, Manolo
Herrera, who plays Luis, is heterosexual.
Usually it is thought that if
you touch a gay person you will become
gay as well. I’m like, “That’s
nuts and not true!” For him to play
this character professionally, he is
breaking all these stereotypes. Li
was very subtle in letting us get
to know each other. We went for
walks, had meals, and we were so
comfortable that during the nude
scenes, we didn’t have concerns
about touching. It happened naturally.
When I read the script, I was
concerned about all of the nude
scenes, and thought they would be
the hardest. They had a nice flow.
The scenes of José showing loss
and pain were harder.
KRAMER: You are Mayan. Can
you talk about the references to
➤ ENRIQUE SALANIC, continued on p.23
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