I Can’t Have Sex (No Puedo Tener Sexo) is the debut feature by Bel Gatti. I am not sure how to label this work or how the creator names it, either. The story told by the director is that she was indeed “unable to have sex”, and her therapist recommended that she should make a movie about the topic. Whether that story is true or fictive, it doesn’t get more topical than that. Big chunks of the film play as a parody on social media, like the Finnish Fucking With Nobody. Gatti informs us early that she hasn’t had intercourse in four years, but the film that she is making (the one we are watching) will change that.
Whether it will make any change for the viewer is not mentioned, and I guess the creator doesn’t care much about that. In many ways, the film comes out as an extended Insta story, and not even deceptively so. It might appear simplistic to reduce the film to an extended selfie, but it’s not far from the truth. Also, I am not sure that Gatti would take offence to such a description. The expected sex toys are on display. Maybe the most problematic aspect of the film is how unproblematic and predictable it is. Gatti introduces herself as a caretaker and babysitter. A grumpy old man might scoff at the idea of her being the adult in any room.
Bel Gatti- Fucking With Nobody
Concerning adults, the director’s mother plays a significant role in the film, and there are hints of something malicious behind the semi-idyllic surface. If I make the film sound like a self-indulgent pain, it should be pointed out that in several sequences, Gatti displays an awareness of the role(s) she is performing, and seems to have a certain sense of irony about what she is doing. However, that is not enough to create a sustainable feature with any true value for a spectator. The film is not half as annoying as it should be, which is to the director’s credit, but there is not enough going on to create a lasting impression either.
Reel to Reel
One rather feels like skipping to the following Instagram reel. In an interview, Gatti said she has many future ideas in her head. Nobody who watches I Can’t Have Sex doubts that but will simultaneously hope that she will take some time to create a coherent structure the next time around.
I Can’t Have Sex had its world premiere in the Rebels with a Cause section at the Black Nights Film Festival.