It's hard to imagine a film like You Are Not Alone, in which same-sex relationships and collective action among underage youth are presented as forces for good, emerging from the comparatively repressive United States of 1978.
Danish filmmakers Ernst Johansen and Lasse Nielsen, alongside cowriter and psychologist Bent Peterson, center their coming-of-age story on two boys who are much like youth throughout the West in the late-1970s; high-spirited kids into swearing, drinking, rock music--dorm room pinups include David Bowie, Suzi Quatro, and ABBA--and R-rated movies.
Kim (newcomer Peter Bjerg), a slight 12-year-old with a blond Prince Valiant haircut, attends a conventional school and 15-year-old Bo (Anders Agensø), a tall boy with curly hair, goes to a continuation or alternative boarding school where Kim's stern, white-haired father, Forstander (Ove Sprogøe), serves as headmaster. Forstander discourages his youngest son from hanging out with Bo, who is presumably up to no good, except the naïve, if plucky Kim will not be deterred.
When Kim isn't at school or piano lessons, he hangs out with Bo and his teenage friends, most of whom are just learning about sex, whether through men's magazines or tentative encounters with local girls. Some are also having a hard time being away from home or dealing with injuries from playing too hard. When the headmaster overreacts to one kid's inappropriate decorating project, the student body goes on strike in the first of two actions in which boys join together to resist an oppressive force.
As Kim and Bo get to know each other, it's clear that the older boy is attracted to the younger. It's less clear if the feeling is mutual until Kim puts an arm around Bo one night while socializing with his schoolmates. Bo removes it in a sign of protectiveness among peers who call each other "fag" as a putdown, though he comes to find that their feelings aren't isolated.
If the nudity in the film is mostly of the innocent kind, like a shower sequence that ends with Kim covered in bubbles, the tender ages of the actors led the film to be restricted to Danish viewers aged 13 and older. The restriction would eventually be lifted.
One way or the other, the film's message about freedom of expression shines through. As Danish singer Sebastian's theme song would have it, "You are not alone, someone follows you, and the entire time, he is like you." Though the ending feels more like wish fulfillment than reality, it's still refreshing to see a film from the 1970s in which gay characters suffer no ill consequences.
You Are Not Alone was the third and best known entry in a youth trilogy with Leave Us Alone and Could We Maybe. In its portrait of teen rebellion, the film shares connective tissue with Jonathan Kaplan's 1979 drama Over the Edge in which Colorado kids take a stand against conformity, though the same-sex relationship makes it unique among teen films of the era.
What public library film collections would this narrative be suitable for?
You Are Not Alone would be a valuable addition to Danish film collections and LGBTQ+ film collections in both academic and public libraries. As a reflection of 1970s Denmark, it offers insight into the cultural and social landscape of the era, particularly regarding youth culture, evolving gender roles, and societal changes. The film’s exploration of identity, love, and personal freedom also makes it an important piece within the LGBTQ+ cinematic history, especially as it highlights themes of sexuality and relationships at a time when such topics were beginning to gain more visibility in European cinema. Its depiction of personal autonomy and societal norms places it within a broader conversation on the early representation of LGBTQ+ experiences in mainstream media, making it a significant title for both cultural studies and LGBTQ+ history collections.
What is the cost for this educational documentary?
Blu-ray: $27.95, DVD: $24.95, VOD