Fair Haven, directed by Kerstin Karlhuber and written by Jack Bryant, is an intimate and emotional LGBTQ+ drama that explores identity, family, and the struggle between authenticity and societal expectations. The film follows James (Michael Grant), a young man returning home to his rural hometown after undergoing conversion therapy—a controversial and damaging practice aimed at "curing" homosexuality.
James returns to the family apple farm run by his widowed father, Richard (Tom Wopat), a stern and emotionally distant man who struggles to accept his son’s sexuality. The tension between them is immediate and unresolved. Meanwhile, James reconnects with his former boyfriend, Charlie (Josh Green), who still lives in town and hasn’t forgotten their shared past.
The heart of Fair Haven lies in James’s internal conflict. Having been taught that being gay is wrong, he attempts to suppress who he is in order to please his father and fit into the town’s conservative mold. But the emotional pull of his former relationship, and the simple honesty of his feelings for Charlie, make denial impossible.
The film moves slowly and thoughtfully, using the pastoral beauty of the Vermont setting as a counterpoint to the emotional turmoil of its characters. Its strength lies in its quiet intensity—avoiding melodrama, it focuses instead on subtle gestures, pained conversations, and unspoken truths. Michael Grant delivers a gentle, layered performance as James, portraying vulnerability with restraint, while Josh Green brings warmth and longing to Charlie.
Fair Haven doesn’t offer easy answers. It highlights the long-lasting trauma of conversion therapy, the difficulty of reconciling love with tradition, and the need for empathy between generations. By the film’s end, James begins to reclaim his identity, suggesting a hopeful—though not fully resolved—future.
A spiritual sequel, titled Fair Haven: Second Harvest, could explore James and Charlie’s lives nearly a decade later, now as adults trying to make peace with their past and forge a future together. Set in 2026, the sequel opens with James returning to Fair Haven once more—this time not out of obligation, but to take over the family farm after his father’s passing.
James and Charlie, who drifted apart years earlier, find themselves drawn together again. Charlie, now a schoolteacher in town, has built a quiet, self-assured life, while James, still carrying the emotional scars of his past, is unsure how to begin anew. The two men must navigate forgiveness, maturity, and the decision of whether they’re truly meant to be—or simply connected by nostalgia and shared pain.
Second Harvest could delve deeper into themes of generational change. The town itself, once conservative, is slowly evolving. James hosts a community event to honor his father, confronting his complicated legacy and finding closure. He also connects with a younger queer teenager in town who’s facing similar struggles, creating a mentorship dynamic that reflects how far James has come.
The sequel wouldn’t just be a romance—it would be about healing, about returning home not to escape the past, but to rewrite it.
