Benediction: The Film On Queer British Poet Siegfried Sassoon Is A Must Watch
By Renee Lou Dallow“God was in his heaven, and there were sausages for breakfast.”Terence Davies’ new film, Benediction, is about the life, loves and the poetry of queer World War 1 British poet Siegfried Sassoon.In the film, he is asked by a military tribunal if he is pro-German, to which Siegfried played by Jack Lowden replies, “I’m pro-human.” Sassoon, a decorated war hero who became disillusioned with the endless conflict and casualties, was anti-war and spoke out against the powers of the day failing to state conditions for peace.The film then moves to another conflict – his life and struggles with his homosexuality. A long passionate affair with actor Ivor Novello (Jeremy Irvine) and a somewhat more sensitive and empathetic relationship with Stephen Tennant (Calm Lynch) follow before Sassoon marries Hester Gatty (Kate Phillips) and has a son, George (Richard Goulding).