The more the merrier

>> Swinging and cheating with David Finch and Maureen Marovitch

by MATTHEW HAYS

As Montreal filmmakers David Finch and Maureen Marovitch interviewed people for their latest documentary, When Two Won't Do, they found the toughest subjects of all within themselves. The feature-length film, currently in production, is an examination of relations outside of monogamy, including swinging, cheating and polyamory (meaning the maintaining of relations with more than one person).

"There was great interest when we showed parts of our film to producers," recalls Finch. "But they all said we should be in it. That the real story was us." Finch and Marovitch have been in a committed relationship for seven years, but Marovitch has always held that traditional forms of intimacy were not for her. Though Finch found it difficult to settle into the idea at first, now he's at peace with Marovitch's intimate relations with two other men; the couple share what is commonly referred to as an open relationship.

Thus their personal lives have found their way into the film, which includes interviews with four-member and five-member alternative families, people who've cheated on their mates and a visit to a 25th anniversary "Lifestyle Convention" in (where else?) Las Vegas.

Sex sells, of course, and When Two Won't Do "has certainly been attracting a lot of attention," says Finch. But notoriously prudish Canadian broadcasters have been, well, a bit frigid. "Everyone's interested. They just don't know if they want to be the first to show it."

The filmmakers have experience in getting people to open up onscreen. Their 1997 documentary Backroads--made through their production company Picture This--told the poignant story of two children's reunion with their estranged mother. But nothing really prepared them for turning the camera on themselves--effectively exchanging a cinéma verité style for a Roger and Me one--especially on a topic of such intimacy. "The questions we have to answer when we're looking at the film are: does this work? Is this too close to home?"

And the filmmakers aren't the only ones who are squeamish. "When we have a film come out, my father usually tells everyone about it," says Marovitch. "Not this time. He's pretty quiet about this one."