Arena: The Most Beautiful Boy In The World?

[WildlifeWalk]

Has anyone seen this? I just watched it. Its about Bjorn Andresen, who played Tadzio in Death In Venice.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=movf4weZq30 Trailer is here.

It was very disturbing. The audition scene was bad enough but then hearing how the director took a 15 year old to gay clubs and was told he could do what he liked with him now that filming was over is insane.

Its little wonder that so many child stars are screwed up as Bjorn clearly is, admittedly not only by the film but it and all that resulted from it certainly played a huge part in it. Its tragic how he was let down by so many people including his Grandmother who was far more interested in his fame than his welfare.

I don't really have anything profound to say but I wondered if anyone else has watched it?

I love that film, and the music. I'm not sure that I want to watch this sad story. He was so beautiful.

The scene where he's asked to undress to his underwear is so disturbing. He's clearly deeply uncomfortable, and not one out of the many adults in the room intervenes to stop this shy 15 year old being used like this.

Or when Visconti tells the press corps at Cannes that Bjorn was now past his prime, much to the hilarity of all present, adding that poor Bjorn, sitting right there, didn't understand French well enough to get the 'joke'.

I guess some things have progressed since the early 1970s?