Caught Looking

Years before Grindr, a gay man turns to virtual reality to satisfy his sexual fantasies in this strangely prophetic short film.

Caught Looking sees a lonely gay man attempt to explore his sexual fantasies with the help of an interactive computer game, guiding his virtual reality persona through a series of potential encounters (a naval rough trade, a moustachioed ‘clone’, a retro ’50s muscle men) while offering wry commentary on the shifting landscape of queer cruising. But is it love he’s really looking for?

The film is suffused with nostalgia for a disappearing way of life. It’s also years ahead of its time in anticipating the internet chat rooms and dating sites which transformed the gay scene – and the fickle ‘instant hook-up’ apps that have defined the smartphone generation. It won the Teddy Award for best short film at the 1992 Berlin Film Festival.