From first-time feature director Nate Dushku, Birder is a brand-new queer erotic thriller that delves into the dark cultural spaces that society often ignores while exploring the lines of consent in a dom/sub space.
Michael Emery stars as Kristian, a bird watching-enthusiast from Vermont who ingratiates himself with the fellow campers at Lotus Lake, a sex-positive queer nudist colony nestled in the woods of New Hampshire.
The site offers up an abundance of gorgeous views and escapist fantasy. It’s a supportive place where psychologists, wellness coaches, body workers, throuples, bisexual couples and drag artists alike can feel free to explore their sexuality without judgement.
Bed-hopping, fetish play, campfire hookups and a bit of relaxed fishing ensue, but love amongst the trees turns dark and twisted when Kristian the birdwatcher is around. It soon becomes clear that it’s not the just the bears in the woods that people need to worry about.
Reminiscent of director Alain Guiraudie’s 2013 gay classic Stranger by the Lake, Birder is the thinking man’s sexually-charged horror flick, handling sensitive material with caution and delivering the thrills while managing to convey a positive message. The film takes a sardonic and disturbing look at what a monster sees when they look in the mirror and uses metaphor to explore the traumas the queer community endures at the hands of social entities lacking empathy.
Watch the trailer for Birder below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.
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