Published by McGill-Queen’s University Press, the book tells the story of a senior student mentoring a timid and clumsy freshman, only to become furious when the freshman starts to exhibit independence, particularly through interactions with women.
Drawing from Chris Dupuis’ personal experiences growing up gay, Winter Kept Us Warm offers intriguing insights into what it was like to make a queer film in Toronto at a time when filming (and permits) were not yet commonplace – and neither was homosexuality.
Dupuis notes the film’s awkward acting, subtle queer messaging, and overall presentation but reframes the film by eliciting understanding forthe era in which it was made. One particularly intriguing fact is that many of the cast members were unaware that they were part of a gay love story, reflecting the hostile climate for queer people at the time. AIDS was still devastating communities, and gay men were often seen as dirty and immoral. If a queer person was attacked, the perpetrator was unlikely to face punishment, as bashing a queer person was not yet a recognized crime.
An interesting question Dupuis raises near the end of the book which strikes at the heart of what makes Winter Kept Us Warm so engaging:
If Winter Kept Us Warm has been ignored within the field of Canadian cinema due to homophobia, why then has it also been largely forgotten within the field of queer film?
-Chris Dupuis
Dupuis points out that the film’s subtle representation of sexuality was true to the reality of gay experiences at the time, which had to be kept discreet. Unlike contemporary queer stories that often focus on coming out and the struggle for acceptance, Winter Kept Us Warm remains true to its era’s necessity for secrecy.
During the book’s launch at Innis Town Hall, filmmaker John Greyson interviewed David Secter, the producer and director, who joined via Zoom. Greyson compared the encampments outside Innis Town Hall to Secter’s struggle to make a queer film, a comment that provoked an indignant response from an older couple in the audience who abruptly left. This dramatic moment set the appropriate tone for the fascinating interview that followed.
Cinephiles now has the perfect companion in Dupuis Winter Kept Us Warm.
Dupuis paints a poetic picture of a film that has largely been forgotten but deserves a far more significant place in queer cinematic history. Winter Kept Us Warm is a pioneering work that has paved the way for more explicit and diverse representations of queer lives in film. I recommend watching the film, reading the book, and then watching the film again.
Review by Raymond Helkio for
The Reading Salon.
