First time filmmaker Terracino, makes a strong debute in “Elliot Loves,” a heart-warming and hilarious tale of a 20-something gay man looking for love in all the wrong places – and not finding it until he discovers it first within himself. The film, which was developed in the Outfest Screenwriting Lab, is tightly-written, with engaging, witty dialog and numerous laugh-out loud moments to keep this 92 minute event moving. More important, the film comprehensively examines its subject.
Terracino explores Elliot’s childhood and his relationship with his Mother as a means of informing why Elliot struggles with love as a young man. Elliot’s mother had the same problem, with her relationships being both psychologically and physically abusive. A lesser filmmaker would have ignored Elliot’s childhood to focus exclusively on his experiences as an adult and may not have shown an organic transformation into enlightenment. Another quality that makes “Elliot Loves” a stand-out in LGBT cinema is how Terracino handles these weighty themes. He infuses his story with humor and peppers it with saucy cultural accents from NYC’s diverse Latino-American communities, making it a film about the community as much as it is about Elliot.
Terracino side-steps the melodrama and delivers a refreshing commentary on love, making “Elliot Loves” genuinely funny and thoroughly engaging.
“Elliot Loves” screened at Outfest 2012 in the U.S. Dramatic Features section. It was an Audience Award for Best Film at the 2012 Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
“Elliot Loves”
Starring: Elena Goode, Quentin Davis Araujo, Elaine Del Valle, Robin De Jesus, Fabio Costaprado, Monte Bezell, Judy Torres, Justin Montoya, Erin Fogel, Dalia Davi. Produced by: Terracino & Elizabeth Gardner; Co-Producers Juan Caceres & Marisa Viola.