REVIEWS BY IAN HORNER

YOUR NAME ENGRAVED HEREIN (Netflix)

Despite the clumsy translation of the title (The Name Engraved In Your Heart would be more accurate), it’s enlightening to see the experience of being gay in another culture.

It’s Taiwan, 1987, and 38 years of martial law has just been lifted. The formerly repressed nation has to re-learn how to speak openly without fear. It will be a while before gays emerge from the shadows, so any steps in that direction involves huge courage.

Teenager Bo-De is a fan of American movies and is nicknamed Birdy, after Alan Parker’s film about two Vietnam vets, “one normal and one crazy”, the crazy one obsessing with being a bird – an obvious symbol.

Bo-De and best mate Jia-han are inseparable at school. They can barely admit their love to themselves, let alone each other, but others see it and they’re victimised. (“Beat him or he’ll force us all to be gay!”)