Leaving Metropolis is a 2002 Canadian drama film, written and directed by Brad Fraser as an adaptation of his theatrical play Poor Super Man.
His friend and roommate Shannon (Thom Allison), a pre-op male-to-female transsexual, stumbles across the Main St. Diner, owned by Matt (Vince Corazza) and Violet (Cherilee Taylor), who are looking for a waiter.
David gets hired and quickly becomes close with the couple although they don't know of his standing in the art community and are surprised to learn that he's gay.
Shannon, whose sex reassignment surgery has been repeatedly delayed because of her HIV-positive status, begins to become ill. David has a painting installed and Kryla gets his photo in the paper.
Kryla and Shannon hail them as his best work and entreat him to exhibit them but Matt, nervous about how Violet would react, makes him promise not to.
They keep the relationship secret, though, especially in the face of the vehement disapproval Kryla expresses to David at the idea of his sleeping with a married man.
When Matt learns of the show he confronts David, first threatening to destroy the paintings and then offering himself again sexually.
[2] 2002 Montréal World Film Festival Grand Prix des Amériques - nominated Leaving Metropolis was released on Region 1 DVD on April 6, 2004.