Category: Adolescence

Nico Greetham co-stars in the charming ’90s-set theater kid comedy ‘Dramarama’

It’s the end of the summer of 1994 and Gene (Nick Pugliese) is preparing for his high school drama friends’ final murder mystery slumber party!

The theatrical hostess, Rose (Anna Grace Barlow), will fly off to start college the next morning, followed by the earnest Claire (Megan Suri), charismatic Oscar (‘Love, Victor’ and ‘American Horror Story’ heartthrob Nico Greetham) and sarcastic Ally (Danielle Kay).

Before they head off to begin their separate lives, however, Gene wants to come out of the closet – but he’s terrified of what his sheltered Christian friends might think… especially Oscar.

The feature-length debut of prolific short film director and producer Jonathan Wysocki, Dramarama is like a perfect mix of The Breakfast Club and The Big Chill. Featuring winning performances from the pitch-perfect ensemble cast, the film offers up a nostalgic and deeply funny coming-of-age tale and a poignant love letter to drama nerds, late bloomers and the intense friendships that mark our youth.

Watch the trailer Dramarama below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Russell Tovey and Arinzé Kene release some long-simmering sexual tension in ‘The Pass’

Young adults Jason and Ade have been members of a famous London football club since they were eight years old. On the night before their first-ever Champions League match, they find themselves sharing a hotel room in Romania.

Though both of them should be sleeping, they’re over-excited. They skip, fight, mock each other, prepare their kit and even watch a teammate’s sex tape. And then, out of nowhere, one of them kisses the other.

In a sporting world where macho image is everything, the impact of this “pass” ends up reverberating through the next ten years of their lives – a decade of fame, failure, secrets, lies… and intense longing.

Based on a stage play of the same name by John Donnelly, The Pass is an intelligent and thought-provoking drama featuring exceptional performances from lead actors Arinzé Kene and Russell Tovey who commit wholeheartedly to the story’s simmering sexual tension.

Watch the trailer for The Pass below. The film is streaming now on Dekkoo!

Warm up your winter with François Ozon’s new queer classic ‘Summer of 85’

Two teenage boys meet on the coast of Normandy and experience a life-changing summer in this sexy and gorgeously-crafted ode to youth from François Ozon, the celebrated French auteur behind ‘Swimming Pool,’ ‘8 Women,’ ‘Double Lover’ and many more.

Set in 1985, the film is told from the romantic, nostalgia-shaded perspective of 16-year-old Alexis (Félix Lefebvre). Unsure whether to pursue his literary aspirations in school or get a job to appease his blue-collar dad, Alexis is at a crossroads – and desperate for affection.

When he meets David (Benjamin Voisin), a dashing stranger who rescues him at sea, his potentially dull summer is upended. He’s quickly thrust into the alluring and enigmatic world of his new friend. Soon, the boys’ flirtatious friendship blossoms into something much more, yet David’s charismatic demeanor belies a mercurial, tempestuous side that threatens to blight their idyllic summer fling.

Ozon inventively blends breezy teen romance with a looming mystery while cutting back and forth between past and present so that the pieces of the puzzle don’t fall into place until the film’s unforgettable, emotionally devastating climax.

Summer of 85 is an electric ode to youth, self-discovery, and the possibilities that lay in front of us all.

Watch the trailer for Summer of 85 below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Angelos at Christmas

Greek writer-director Fotis Zampetakis proves that Christmas movies come in all shapes, sizes and genres with the 18-minute nail-biter Angelos at Christmas.

While his friends are at his house preparing for a party on Christmas Eve, Angelos is in the streets of Athens doing some last-minute shopping. When a group of children enter a bookstore to sing carols, Angelos becomes intrigued by one of them.

He attempts to convince the little boy to go with him in his car. Seemingly looking to escape from his own dark reality and intrigued by the promise of 50 euros, the boy decides to follow the stranger. As the sun sets and the boy falls asleep, Angelos drives them through the woods, heading toward a mysterious destination.

Without giving too much away, not all is at it seems in this stylishly-shot short film. Employing a John Carpenter-like piano score, Zampetakis skillfully ratchets up the horror movie tension, leading to a climax that packs an emotional wallop, but probably not the one you’ve been primed to expect.

Watch a short trailer for Angelos at Christmas below. The full short film is now available on Dekkoo.

Coming out gets more complicated than usual in the charming Italian rom-com ‘Tell No One’

Fast-paced, funny and even a little tear-inducing when it counts, Tell No One is a charming family comedy about successful young man who is long overdue to start telling the truth.

Mattia (Josafat Vagni) is about to move from Rome to Madrid to start a new job and marry his long-distance boyfriend Eduard (Jose Dammert). This will solve two problems: 1) He will be much closer to the man he loves; 2) He won’t have to bite the bullet and finally come out to his family.

His plan hits a major snag, however, when Eduard, having no idea that Mattia is still in the closet, announces that he has planned a surprise trip to Rome so that he can meet his boyfriend’s folks and ask for their son’s hand in marriage.

Stunned by this unexpected news, Mattia has to compose himself quickly and decide whether or not it’s time to tell the truth to his old-fashioned Italian parents.

Though the whole film takes place during one fateful day, director Ivan Silvestrini and screenwriter Roberto Proia use narration and a variety of creative visual flourishes to jump around in time and give the audience the full scope of Mattia’s family life.

Blending clever dialog and comic set-pieces with heartfelt moments of emotional poignancy, Tell No One should resonate for anyone who has spent a little too much time in the closet.

Watch the trailer for Tell No One below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Raúl Castillo and Sheila Vand star in the powerful coming-of-age drama ‘We the Animals’

Featuring riveting performances from Sheila Vand and Raul Castillo, We the Animals follows three boys who tear through their rural New York hometown while their young parents’ volatile relationship makes and unmakes the family many times over.

While Manny and Joel grow into versions of their loving and unpredictable father, Ma seeks to keep her youngest, Jonah, in the cocoon of home. More sensitive and conscious than his older siblings, Jonah increasingly embraces an imagined world all his own.

With a screenplay by Dan Kitrosser and Jeremiah Zagar based on the celebrated novel by Justin Torres, We the Animals is a visceral coming-of-age story propelled by layered performances from its astounding cast – including three talented, young first-time actors – and stunning animated sequences which bring Jonah’s torn inner world to life.

Drawing from his documentary background, director Jeremiah Zagar creates an immersive portrait of working class family life and brotherhood.

Watch the trailer for We the Animals below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Headlock

A powerful 16-minute short film from writer-director Damon Laguna, Headlock stars Alejandro Akara as Diego, a high school wrestling star whose father just happens to be the team’s coach – and puts an unhealthy amount of extra pressure on his shy, introverted son.

When Diego breaks from his father’s strict routine to attend a party with his best friend and secret crush Travis (Eduardo Alexis Peña), he takes the opportunity to finally express his feelings. Things don’t go entirely smoothly, and soon the whole team becomes aware of Diego’s sexuality.

Though he and Travis are able to come to a deeper understanding and finally unleash their pent-up desires, Diego knows he will have to muster up the courage to confront his father once and for all.

Developed at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Headlock is a touching and thought-provoking short drama which examines masculinity and sexuality in men’s sports and the Latinx community.

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

Pedro Almodóvar presents this stylish thriller about one of Argentina’s most infamous criminals

Produced by Pedro and Augustin Almodóvar, El Angel is a provocative true crime drama – exploring the short, violent career of Argentina’s most infamous and longest-serving convicted killer.

Carlitos (Lorenzo Ferro) is a seventeen-year-old youth with blonde curls, a baby face and movie star swagger. As a young boy, he coveted other people’s things, but it wasn’t until his early adolescence that his true calling – to be a thief – manifested itself.

When he meets Ramon (Chino Darin) at his new school, Carlitos is immediately drawn to him and starts showing off to get his attention. Together they will embark on a journey of discoveries, love and crime. Killing is just a random offshoot of the violence, which continues to escalate until Carlitos is finally apprehended.

Because of his angelic appearance, the press dubs him ‘The Angel of Death.’ He’s soon showered with attention because of his beauty and becomes an unlikely overnight celebrity, despite his long list of offenses.

A flamboyant, pop-energized portrait of a serial killer, El Angel made a big splash when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, even drawing comparisons to some of Martin Scorsese’s most revered crime sagas.

Watch the trailer for El Angel below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.