''My Gentleman Friends'' is a Canadian docudrama television film, directed by

Moze Mossanen Moze Mossanen is a Canadian independent writer, director and producer who has created a body of critically acclaimed film and TV work blending drama, music, performance and documentary. Most recently, he wrote and directed the documentary featu ...

and released in 1999.

Katrina Onstad Katrina Onstad is a Canadian journalist and novelist. She has been a columnist for ''The Globe and Mail'' and '' Chatelaine'' and a film critic for the ''National Post'' and '' CBC Arts Online.'' Her work has appeared in many publications includin ...

, "Grey gay men provide colour to an invisible era : My Gentleman Friends tells the stories of ageing former dancers". ''

National Post The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper and the flagship publication of the American-owned Postmedia Network. It is published Mondays through Saturdays, with Monday released as a digital e-edition only.

'', April 5, 1999. The film centres on Victor (

Aron Tager Aron Tager (June 30, 1934 – February 28, 2019) was an American actor, poet, artist and sculptor, he is best known for voicing Cranky Kong in the animated television series, ''Donkey Kong Country'' and for portraying Dr. Vink on the children's ...

), Gordon (David Gardner) and Luigi (François Klanfer), three older gay men who were all once dancers with a ballet company, and are being interviewed about their lives by documentary filmmaker Margaret (Christina Collins).John Allemang, "With friends like these, who needs Friends?". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...

'', April 7, 1999. The cast also includes David Dunbar,

Greg Spottiswood Greg Spottiswood is a Canadian actor and television producer.Vit Wagner, "Actor experienced at looking innocent". ''Toronto Star'', April 27, 1990. He is most noted for his leading performance in the 1989 television film '' Looking for Miracles'', ...

and Brigitte Gall as production staff assisting Margaret. Although the main trio of actors was not literally playing themselves, many of their characters' reminiscences in the film were true stories gathered by Mossanen from interviews with real older gay men who had worked in performing arts as actors, musicians, or dancers. The film premiered on

Bravo Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels * Bravo (band), a Russian rock band * Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984 * Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing compa ...

on April 7, 1999. Mossanen received a

Gemini Award The Gemini Awards were awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television between 1986–2011 to recognize the achievements of Canada's English-language television industry. The Gemini Awards are analogous to the Emmy Awards given in t ...

nomination for Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series at the

14th Gemini Awards The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television's 14th Gemini Awards were held on November 7, 1999, to honour achievements in Canadian television. The awards show, which was hosted by Rick Mercer, took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and ...

. The film was subsequently rebroadcast on Bravo in 2004 as part of a retrospective series of Mossanen's works, alongside ''The Rings of Saturn'', ''The Year of the Lion'' and his new ''From Time to Time''.Gordon Bowness
"Light in the loafers: A rare TV tribute"
''

Daily Xtra ''Xtra Magazine'' (formerly ''DailyXtra'' and ''Xtra!'') is an LGBTQ-focused digital publication and former print newspaper published by Pink Triangle Press in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The publication is a continuation of the company's former p ...

'', February 18, 2004.

References

External links

* 1999 films Canadian docudrama films Canadian LGBTQ-related television films English-language Canadian films 1999 LGBTQ-related films 1990s LGBTQ-related drama films 1999 in Canadian television 1999 television films Canadian drama television films 1990s English-language films 1990s Canadian films Canadian LGBTQ-related documentary films {{LGBT-tv-film-stub