Greek Pete

This fictional, often graphic film draws on the actual life experiences of its cast, men who work within and around the world of London-based gay escorts, or "rentboys." A focal point emerges in charismatic Pete, an ambitious young man who wants to be known as the best in his chosen field -- to the point of seeking a nomination in the 'World Escort Awards' in Los Angeles.

Defying expectations, Greek Pete neither glamorizes these escorts nor paints them as tragic figures, but rather uses impeccable cinematography and naturalistic performances to artistically capture the details of their daily lives and routines. Pete lives in a time and place when money, image, and ambition matter -- and while operating in a subculture that many might consider shocking and/or immoral, he cultivates all three of those currencies as aggressively and professionally as any corporate CEO.

Director Andrew Haigh has delivered a moving art film infused with a subtle undercurrent of dreamlike sadness -- an art film that just happens to be set in the world of gay rentboys, and one that holds its own with the best independent features out of the UK this decade.

About Andrew Haigh by Screen International:

Andrew Haigh cut his teeth in the editing suite, on such mainstream hits as Gladiator and Notting Hill, but his own shorts display a much more indie sensibility. His debut, Oil, employs fast cutting and voiceover to create a poetic and poignant portrait of a man reminiscing over his departed lover. Cahuenga Blvd and Markings, both shot in California during a year Haigh studied at a Los Angeles film school, are atmospheric portraits of misfits and loners. "I'm not interested in easy answers or conclusions or an over-emphasis on plot," says Haigh. "It is the slow struggle, the muddle, to get places that interests me."