The Economics of Love
The Economics of Love is a 2017 film produced in Lauchenoiria which won the 2017 IDU Film Festival. The Economics of Love focuses on the unlikely love story between a member of parliament and a revolutionary during the Lauchenoirian Communist Revolution of 1952. Following the recent referendum which resulted in a transition back to capitalism, interest in the beginning of the communist era has increased dramatically. While the tale of this secret romance is widely known, historians have recently cast doubt upon its credibility.
Plot[edit | edit source]
The opening credits feature a rally by the leader of the Communist Party, Mateo Villanueva (Gomez), four months before the overthrow of the Lauchenoirian government. After Villanueva's speech ends, the camera follows a young man, Rowan Duncan (Jamieson), holding a communist flag as he walks across the street and enters the Communist Party headquarters. He is informed that he needs to accompany Villanueva to a meeting at parliament.
They travel to the parliament and attend a meeting where the Lauchenoirian government offers concessions to the communists in a closed door meeting, but Villanueva refuses and storms out. In the corridor outside the meeting, Duncan drops a pile of paperwork which is picked up by an MP from the majority Liberal Party, Josephine Gardiner (Peters). They introduce themselves and then, as a government minister approaches suddenly part ways. Gardiner later draws a note from her pocket inviting her to meet in secret.
They meet a few days later and begin by discussing the political issues in a cafe just outside the city limits of Buttercity. Their relationship quickly progresses and they kiss as they leave. Over the next few months they continue to meet in secret every week. During a parliamentary recess, the two sneak away together and spend time on a small island halfway between the mainland and the island of Aeluria.
Meanwhile, the Communists are gaining support, and the Lauchenoirian government is clamping down on free speech in an effort to try and decrease the attention they are getting. Gardiner speaks in parliament against the new draconian measures and is expelled from her party. Meanwhile Duncan is involved in communist meetings where greater and greater numbers of people are calling for violent action to be taken against the government.
The communists hold a rally outside parliament, where Villanueva calls for their supporters to rise up and storm the parliament building. Duncan panics and tries to get inside the building to find Gardiner but he cannot get through the crowd. Bullets are fired by both sides and eventually the doors of the parliament are broken and the communists storm the building. Duncan searches through room by room, and eventually finds Gardiner, who has been shot and is dying on the floor. He holds her but she tells him to leave, angry at the violent overthrow of the government she believes Duncan was involved in.
Cast[edit | edit source]
- Lucas Jamieson as Rowan Duncan
- June Peters as Josephine Gardiner
- Esteban Gomez as Mateo Villanueva
- Lawrence Reid as Prime Minister Thomas Horsburgh
- Lucia Anderson as Sophie Ross, a communist who is the main voice calling for violent revolution
Production[edit | edit source]
Filming took place in late 2016 before the release in April 2017. Most was filmed in a studio, however there were some on-location filming outside of the parliament and on Butterfly Island where many of the romantic scenes were shot. Production began after the referendum on the economic system due to take place in August 2017 was announced, however as they could not know the result, the film is careful to maintain some kind of balance in the communism vs capitalism debate. Nevertheless, many pro-communist activists criticised the film for appearing too pro-capitalism in the referendum year.
Historians have praised the film for being relatively accurate in its depiction of the rallies and timescale of the revolution, though have cast doubt upon the relationship. It is known that Gardiner and Duncan were in contact, however many historians interpret this as a purely political relationship and dispute claims it was also romantic in nature. It is known she was thrown out the Liberal Party for being too sympathetic to communists, however the romance is seen by many historians as pure speculation.
Awards[edit | edit source]
The film won Best New IDU Film at the 2017 IDU Film Festival, granting Lauchenoiria the right to host the next festival.