Cheers Sexy People!
I am honored and delighted to share a short film that came to my attention by the writer/director himself, Michael Conroy. I just finished watching it for the first time, and I gotta say, I was in tears by the end of it. Why? Because this is partly my life, including the BEAUTY of getting to the other side of jealousy, feelings of insecurity, and dealing with the stress of bucking the trend of hetero-normative compulsory monogamy. That journey typically requires navigating many ups and down for most of us, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Without further ado, here is the video itself (linked below) as well as comments and some interesting back story from from Michael….
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
An Intro to Triangle from Writer/Director, Michael Conroy
Hello, my name is Michael Conroy. Recently, I completed a short film about a polyamorous relationship entitled “Triangle.” If you’re in a TL;DR mood, the film is online, free for anyone to watch, with the Vimeo link for it pasted below. You can also follow the project on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date on our progress in the festival circuit and plans for a feature or series adaptation. If you like, feel free to keep in touch with us via email at triangletheshortfilm@gmail.com.
Triangle streaming link:
https://vimeo.com/308147436
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TriangletheShortFilm/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/triangle_theshortfilm/
I’ve been wondering for awhile now why I chose this particular project. The subject matter was an unusual choice for me. Growing up in the Philly-tristate area, my first cinema loves were Ray Harryhausen creature features and Godzilla movies. In my teenage years I, like a lot of snarky film geeks, devoured the oeuvres of Tarantino, Scorsese, Nolan, and the like – anything with quippy dialogue and brutal violence mixed with auteur panache. Come college I expanded my tastes to popular names like Bergman, Herzog, Haneke, Wilder, The Coens, Polanski (apologies), etc.
During this time, as my film tastes developed, I grew to loathe certain subject matters and styles in the medium. I couldn’t stand the mumblecore movement – 90 minute jerk-off sessions about white hipsters – which was in full swing back then. I found most arthouse projects about relationship problems to be dull and pretentious, and their characters to be solipsistic and unlikeable. Rather than torpid slice of life features, I had a taste for the fantastic, the intriguing, life-or-death stakes. Give me a good noirish murder mystery or supernatural suspense yarn over the story of an estranged father and son. You can see this predilection for the weird and wild in most of my work. My best student film was about a college kid killing his stud roommate because of his constant fornicating. My first major project in LA was about a guy trying to kill himself and failing over and over again. The next was about a woman discovering a horrible secret through experiencing time nonlinearly. Suffice it to say, understated dramedies about open relationships aren’t in my usual wheelhouse.
So why did I make a film exactly like that? I don’t find the topic of open relationships to be all that bizarre anymore – I know too many polyamorous people now. Trust me, for the most part we’re just as boring as you. Our social outings tend to be less of the debauched fuckfest you’re probably imagining (at least you are now that I mentioned it, you’re welcome) and more likely a bar hangout or board game night – seriously, so many board game nights.
But strangely, I think the mundanity of the average polyamorous life is exactly what attracted me to this project – the daily routines of planning movie night, playing Dungeons & Dragons, surprising a partner with sweet nothing gifts. There’s something subversive about showing polyamorous people who aren’t the popular media stereotypes of svelte, supermodel lookers or vegan, burning man types with dreadlocks and dyed hair. Most of all, I wanted to depict the muted but palpable struggle with jealousy that can creep in through the day-to-day episodes of this lifestyle.
It’s bar none the most common question asked polyam types: Do you deal with jealousy? The answer: Yes, though many are loathe to admit it. Some believe jealousy is a socially constructed mentality and not a basic human emotion, that choosing polyamory requires one to “evolve” beyond this primitive sentiment. I can’t say I agree. Whether we choose to have one or ten partners, we are all human beings, all subject to the same core impulses and desires, some of which are less than pleasant. The better question is does jealousy automatically tank a relationship?
To answer that, I’m reminded of a line from Captain Kirk on Star Trek. While debating humanity’s violent nature with an alien leader, the captain proposes “We can admit that we’re killers, but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes. Knowing that we’re not going to kill – today!” I think it’s a good practical sentiment. As with our violent nature, I believe we can confront and deal with jealousy rather than submit to it or try to ignore it. It’s a battle but for a lot of us one worth fighting. Did I manage to impart some of that wisdom through Triangle? I like to think so, but then you’ll have to be the judge.
Thank you all. Enjoy the show.
— Michael
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Are you struggling with feelings of jealousy and insecurity? Here’s what I want you to do. Click the Free Breakthrough Session link below and book a FREE call with me. On that call, we’ll get you crystal clear on what’s not working well in your relationships, where you’d ideally like to be, and how to best get you from point A to point B together. We’ll even touch on what might be getting in the way for you right now, blocking you from your own success, love, and fulfillment.
See you on the flip side, lovely community! Keep being brave, compassionately vulnerable, and uniquely and authentically you!
Wishing you peace, love and happiness
(and thrilling, fun sex too!)
Kitty
_______________________________________________________________
Need more specific help aligning your relationships with who you are?
** Discover Your Core Values & Create More Meaning in Your Love Life **
Are you feeling a little lost, challenged, or uninspired in your relationships and would love some guidance on your journey?
Our Free Breakthrough Session Call is a great place to start your path of discovery, so you can have more loving and intimate relationships that inspire you! And our “Discover Your Path to Fulfillment in Open Relationships” coaching packages are a deeper-dive into the topic of self-discovery with alternative relationships, with a one-on-one guide to achieve maximum results in your life. Whether you’re already non-monogamous, involved with someone who is, or “poly-curious” and wondering if non-monogamy might be right for you, I work with people struggling with every aspect of multiple intimate relationships.
