The first trailer for Boy Erased, the emotional drama telling the story of a US “gay conversion” therapy survivor, has been released.
Troye Sivan stars alongside fellow Aussie actors Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe in the film, which will be directed by Australian actor-director Joel Egerton.
It tells the story of Jared (played by Manchester by the Sea actor Lucas Hedges), the son of a pastor in a small American town.
When Jared is outed to his religious, conservative parents (played by Kidman and Crowe) at age 19, he’s forced to undergo harmful, church-supported “gay conversion” therapy program or face being disowned by his family.
The film is based on the 2016 memoir of the same name by American writer Garrard Conley, who recounted the harm he was subjected to as a teenager in one such program.
Numerous peak counselling and psychology bodies in the UK, US, Australia and other countries have strongly condemned the practices as unethical, unscientific and potentially dangerous.
Several jurisdictions around the world have recently moved to ban “gay conversion” therapies, and the practices have made headlines in Australia recently after reports the practice still exists underground here.
It’s the second Hollywood movie focusing on dangerous “conversion” therapy released this year. The Miseducation of Cameron Post, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, won big at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Boy Erased will be released in US cinemas in November, with an Australian release date yet to be confirmed.
Watch the trailer below:
