Category: Adolescence

Take a trip back to 1995 with the heartfelt coming-of-age comedy ‘Screams from the Tower’

From up-and-coming writer-director Cory Wexler Grant, Screams from the Tower takes place in 1995, following best friends Julien and Cary (Richie Fusco and David Bloom) as they begin their junior year of high school.

Though his offbeat, frequently edgy and often inappropriate sense of humor is not for everyone, Julien’s primary ambition is to host a show on the high school radio station.

When his dreams start to become a reality, Julien learns that he must come to terms with his shiny new popularity, his at-risk friendship with Cary and the reality of his own sexual identity.

A hilarious and heartfelt blend of comedy and drama, Screams from the Tower perfectly captures the highs and lows of teenage life, the struggle for self-acceptance and the true meaning of friendship. The real screams are the friends we make along the way.

Watch the trailer for Screams from the Tower below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Ruins

Poetic and deeply mysterious, Ruins is a supremely sexy 14-minute short from French writer-director Benoît Duvette, following two nameless young men (Paul Lecomte and Simon Royer) whose forbidden love has sent them running from society at large.

Set in a misty lakeside forest, the film finds two unnamed teen boys on the run. We don’t exactly know why, but it isn’t hard to guess that their feelings for one another are intense.

In the hollow of the night, alone, their pains and their fears eventually come to the surface.

Playing out like a dream sequence, Ruins is a sensual, atmospheric, and incredibly homoerotic coming-of-age short about the literal and figurative pain of youthful longing and desire.

Watch a short clip from Ruins below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

‘Sandbag Dam’ is a sensitive, stunningly photographed portrait of youthful masculinity

Croatian director Cejen Cernic’s acclaimed romantic drama Sandbag Dam examines an internal battle that forms between small town ideals and burgeoning gay desires.

Former childhood friends Marko and Slaven (Lav Novosel and Andrija Zunac) shared a secret teenage romance before being found out – which resulted in Slaven’s father casting him out of the family.

Years later, Marko has become a local arm-wrestling champion and plans to start a career close to home with his younger brother. When Slaven returns after the death of his imposing father, their reunion threatens the delicate balance of Marko’s life and the traditional future he sees for himself.

As their town prepares for a coming flood, Marko will have to deal with his own torrent of buried emotions and decide what path he wants to follow: the life that was chosen for him or a more authentic one of his own making with Slaven.

Set in rural Croatia, this relaxed, slice-of-life drama skillfully captures the everyday rhythms of small town life while telling a gripping tale of forbidden gay love and long-awaited second chances.

Watch the trailer for Sandbag Dam below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Golden Boys

The short film Golden Boys follows Scott, Dylan and Carter (Steven Yaffee, Kristopher Turner and Andre Kim), three longtime friends on an unexpected bender who end up back at their old private school looking to cause trouble.

After breaking in, they immediately revert to being teenage boys – racing wheelie chairs, spiking the faculty coffee and drunkenly photocopying their asses.

The night begins to sour for Scott, though, when he is reminded of the fervent and confusing friendship he once had with Dylan. Haunted by the physical chemistry that they once shared, Scott recalls a time when they seemed right on the brink of exploring their romantic attraction. Neither he nor Dylan, however, could bring themselves to fully explore their feelings.

In the unforgiving light of those regrets, Scott grapples with the somber events that have brought him and his friends back together, and comes face to face with the true consequences of having been the school’s Golden Boys.

Watch a brief clip from Golden Boys below. The full 8-minute short is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Director Sergio de León gets surreal in the unique coming-of-age drama ‘Keep Coming Back’

Keep Coming Back stars newcomer Bruce Pintos as Emilio, an eighteen-year old who can hardly keep his hormones under control.

Emilio is suddenly, unexpectedly faced with handling the cursed inheritance of a rural dovecote for carrier pigeons following the death of his mother. Looking to settle her debts, he and his mother’s boyfriend Juan uncover a legacy of local bird racing championship prizes in their pigeon coop, inspiring them to begin training their feathered flock for an upcoming race.

As Emilio navigates a weighty cocktail of new, all-consuming sensations – including grief, lust and romantic longing – he discovers the local community’s gay orgies.

Deliberately surreal and packed with offbeat humor, this fascinating debut feature from South American writer-director Sergio de León is one of the most vivid and original queer coming-of-age films in recent memory.

Watch the trailer for Keep Coming Back below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

A filmmaker searches for his lost brother in the riveting documentary ‘Jimmy in Saigon’

The critically-acclaimed documentary Jimmy in Saigon begins as a personal exploration into the mysterious death and radical life of Jimmy McDowell, an American 24-year-old Vietnam veteran who died as a civilian in Saigon in 1972 – all while filmmaker Peter McDowell, Jimmy’s younger brother, was only five years old.

While investigating Jimmy’s past, Peter takes us from the Midwest of the United States to Vietnam, France and back home again.

In his quest to get to know his brother, he uncovers a hidden romance, new family ties and a remarkable global love story.

Executive produced by Dan Savage, this riveting and emotionally resonant film offers up a poignant glimpse into the short life of a young man whose sole desire was to be loved, despite a myriad of social obstacles and the fog of war.

Watch the trailer for Jimmy in Saigon below. The documentary is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Boychick

In sunny suburbia, a loud-mouthed Jewish mother (Andrea LaBella) incessantly nags and humiliates her shy, gay, teenage son (Ben Lang) – who she calls her Boychick.

Meanwhile, in the classroom, Boychick can’t seem to stop ogling a hunky male classmate. If only Boychick had the courage to face up to his desires.

As if by magic, along comes his idol, a pop star by the name of Ashley Hart (Lindsey Girardot). She arrives just at the right time, ready to give our lonely, long-suffering protagonist the hip-strutting, hair-flicking confidence he desperately craves.

Originally released in 2001, this crowd-pleasing 12-minute comedy from writer, director and producer Glenn Gaylord won over 14 different awards at LGBTQ+ festivals.

Boychick is finally back to slay once again! The short film is now streaming on Dekkoo!

Short Film Spotlight: Tomorrow

Set in a Southern California suburb, the 13-minute short Tomorrow focuses on a small crowd of high schoolers as they celebrate the final sunset of the old millennium.

It’s New Year’s Eve, 1999, but all is not well within their small circle of friends. Along with this once-in-a-lifetime milestone comes the pressure to redefine oneself, a pressure that will test and transform the bonds of friendship.

Trevor (Zachary Roozen) wants to use the occasion as an opportunity to win a midnight kiss from his crush, the vivacious Sarah (Katie Baker). He enlists Clark (Daniel Rashid), his sensitive and introverted best friend, as a wingman in the effort. Clark, however, is secretly considering whether or not he should finally express his long-concealed love for Trevor.

Screenwriter Joshua Paul Johnson and director Leandro Tadashi craft a gorgeous and all-too relatable coming-of-age drama wherein the silences between the dialog are louder than words.

Watch the teaser for Tomorrow below. The short film is now available exclusively on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Utopia

Thomas and Julien, two boys from different social backgrounds, decide to meet in person after first connecting over the internet. Together, the pair embark on a dreamy adventure through the Parisian suburbs.

Lost among architectural projects, they begin an on-going conversation about the concept of utopia, and begin to nourish ideas about what their own personal utopia might look like.

Lead actors Pierre Elliott and Romain Poli deliver tender performances as two romantic young men who form a much-needed connection in this 22-minute short film from director Manfred Rott, originally released in 2012 to great acclaim at queer film festivals around the globe.

Gorgeously shot on 16 millimeter black and white film, Utopia is quietly moving and feels timeless in both vision and theme.

Watch a teaser trailer for Utopia below. The short film is now available on Dekkoo.