You Can Live Forever

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You Can Live Forever

2023

1h 36m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

80%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

In the early '90s, gay teen Jaime is sent to live with her devout Jehovah’s Witness relatives after the death of her father. Jaime makes an unexpected connection with Marike, daughter of a prominent Witness Elder. The two are instantly drawn to each other, and begin a secret, unspoken romance. But when their attraction becomes too obvious to hide, the community moves to separate the two, forcing them each to make a terrible choice between faith and love.

Critics Consensus

Narratively subtle and beautifully acted, You Can Live Forever finds soulful drama at the intersection of sexual orientation and religious faith.

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

07/04/2023

4/5

This compassionate story of puppy love – co-written and codirected by the former Witness Sarah Watts – shows more understanding towards the community.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

06/12/2023

3/5

It’s got something of Jeanette Winterson’s tenderness, if not exactly the wit, and the movie is interesting and even faintly subversive in its implied analogies concerning conversion and enclosed behaviour systems.

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Christy Lemire

FilmWeek (LAist)

05/17/2023

Sweet, gentle, and understated.

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Joe Lipsett

Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast

Mar 10

3.5/5

Featuring stand-out performances by Anwen O'Driscoll and June Laporte, the 90s-set film is beautifully quiet and contemplative.

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Codie Allen

Geek Vibes Nation

Jul 29

9/10

You Can Live Forever is a beautifully crafted cinematic exploration of the universal human themes of identity, desire, and the search for belonging.

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Walter Chaw

Film Freak Central

01/05/2024

There's hope here: hope in the idea that abandoning friendships is still bad and that families, blood or relational, are still the glue holding society together...

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Jess S.

@JessWatchesCinema 3d

A feel good, but also heartbreaking story of a never bending love between two young women. A beautiful piece for anyone in the lgbt community

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Alain E

@AlainE May 25

Love in the time of cholera, that is during a spiritual cult endemic. Two adolescent girls meet and fall in love. One belongs to the sect, which decides that she needs to get married and start having kids. The story is simple but the narrative is done delicately. Other than kissing nothing happens on the screen to corrupt young minds and give them ideas. Very good acting. In the very last scene the possibility of a better outcome remains open. Otherwise quite sad movie. This is not a predominantly LGBTQ etc etc movie, just a very good love story. Do we categorize separately movies that feature different types of interracial couples? On Prime.

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Courtney S.

@GetOverIt23 Apr 24

Very relatable and realistic. Love is love. Religion should never interfere or keep 2 people from loving each other. But sadly we live in a world where religion was created by men in order to set the patriarchy and oppress women.

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Wendy B

@WoodlandElf Nov 11

This movie is just okay. It was really depressing. Add religion and that’s what you get. Not recommended. If you want an uplifting lesbian movie watch “imagine me and you.”

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Sara V

@RT83889842 Jul 3

Every scene is there for a purpose and there's no dialog that doesn't need to be there. Just a supremely well acted, well crafted movie. The building of sexuality between the teens is intense and natural. I've watched probably 50 or more lesbian movies and this one of my top 5.

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Laney B.

@oddisum Jun 20

great Hated markies bangs Amazing film

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Sarah Watts

Director

Mark Slutsky

Director

Anwen O'Driscoll

Jaime

June Laporte

Marike

Jennifer Laporte

Actor

Liane Balaban

Actor

You Can Live Forever: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In the early '90s, gay teen Jaime is sent to live with her devout Jehovah’s Witness relatives after the death of her father. Jaime makes an unexpected connection with Marike, daughter of a prominent Witness Elder. The two are instantly drawn to each other, and begin a secret, unspoken romance. But when their attraction becomes too obvious to hide, the community moves to separate the two, forcing them each to make a terrible choice between faith and love.

Director: Sarah Watts, Mark Slutsky
Producer: Robert Vroom
Screenwriter: Mark Slutsky, Sarah Watts
Distributor: Good Deed Entertainment
Production Co: Prospector Films
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): May 5, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 5, 2023
Runtime: 1h 36m