DEAR GOSEI is a compelling drama
with a romantic undertone
It is a story of unrestricted love
and compassion
John is a young boy with a promising future ahead. He is a good student and a talented swimmer. He belongs to a wealthy family in the suburbs of Los Angeles of mixed Asian and European ancestry that provides him with a comfortable path in life. His world turns upside down when, at age 14, he is sexually abused by his uncle. He is traumatized by what happened, and his mother, the only one who knows about the abuse, will keep it a secret to protect the family and their interests. This will throw him into a world of depression and confusion that will prevent him from growing up as a ‘normal’ young man. His performance at school declines; he quits competitive swimming and feels abandoned by his family.
Thanks to his positive attitude and resilience, he overcomes his issues temporarily after a couple of years. He goes to college, gets a girlfriend, and tries to act like an ordinary young man. However, he has only solved the surface of his problems. He still has nightmares, he fears sex and knows that many questions remain unanswered.
After a few more years at the university, his already shattered world finally collapses, and he struggles to understand what is going on with his life. His crisis becomes so evident that he returns home searching for answers and family love, only to discover that this is the wrong decision. His mother is determined to ignore the situation and preserve the secret. His uncle considers John his favorite nephew, and pretends like nothing ever happened. His devout and conservative father and brother, are now unbearably toxic, making him feel like an outsider all the time. So John has no choice but to fight back.
He will leave all his dreams aside to embark on a journey of self-discovery, facing the challenges at home, exploring his sexual orientation and deciding what is best for him. First, he needs to gain some self-respect and realize there is nothing wrong with him. Second, he will finally confront his family and get the answers he has been looking for the past 12 years. John, who confronts his mother for keeping the secret for so long and his uncle for his crime, fights to clear up past events and asks for accountability from those who abused him, physically and mentally. While exploring and accepting his new sexuality, he meets Arnaud, who offers him unconditional love and acceptance.