Stranger by the Lake

Taking place entirely in the vicinity of a gay cruising ground that becomes a crime scene, Stranger by the Lake is a singularly insightful exploration of death and desire. Franck spends his summer days roaming the lakeside pickup spot looking for companionship. He falls madly in love with the mysterious Michel and enters into a passionate and dangerous relationship with him, even though Michel is suspected to have killed another man at the same location. The term “erotic thriller” is often erringly used to describe films, but Stranger by the Lake earns the description by capturing both the danger and the sensuality of cruising with a frankness rarely seen in movies. (97 mins., IDCP)