Ari is a second-generation Greek Australian man. He’s also gay. Head On chronicles the conflicts between the conservative background that he finds himself a slave to and his authentic nature and sexual orientation.

Head On ruffled many feathers when it was released because of its graphic depiction of gay sex, drug taking and how such a film depicted such tricky subject matter regarding race and culture.

I read a review on Letterboxd which stated that ‘Ari has sex with every man he makes eye contact with’. This is very true and very funny. This was also one of the first Australian films to unapologetically show this warts and all.

There may be scenes and lines that come across as slightly amateurish and half-baked but they are few and far between thankfully.

A big shout out to Alex Demimitriades for taking on the role of Ari. He spearheads a great cast who contributed to a film that is now seen as a landmark piece of gay cinema. Ana Kokkinos directs in such a fresh and kinetic way that makes Head On such a heady rush of a film. I kept thinking of Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets and the other movies that depict insane nights out/descents into Hell when I watched Head On again recently.

A film that goes to places that safer movies daren’t.

4 out of 5 stars