Category: Adolescence

A fascinating fluid life is chronicled in the documentary Electroboy

Jimmy Cliff once sang “You can get it if you really want.” If this sentence applies to anyone, then it most definitely applies to model, snowboard pioneer, advertising whiz, author, party organizer and composer Florian Burkhardt, who managed to talk everyone around him out of their own goals and into achieving his own.

A documentary by Swiss filmmaker Marcel Gisler (Mario, Fogi is a Bastard), Electroboy tells the breathtaking true life story of a young man who leaves his claustrophobic Swiss surroundings for the wide world in search of fame and recognition.

In a series of success stories he reinvents himself time and again, changing settings and careers like other people change their shirts. Yet Florian’s life on the fast track turns into an escape from his own biography, which finally catches up with him at full force.

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

Now Available: From Afar

Winner of the Golden Lion Award (the “Best Film” award, essentially) at Venice Film Festival, Alfredo Castro (The Club, The Prince) stars in this gripping and complex drama from Venezuela.

Wealthy, middle-aged Armando (Castro) lures young men to his home with money. He doesn’t want to touch them – or to be touched. He simply wants to watch from a strict distance. Armando’s first encounter with a young street thug named Elder (played by newcomer Luis Silva) is violent, but this doesn’t discourage the lonely man’s fascination with the tough handsome teenager.

Financial interest keeps Elder visiting Armando regularly. Despite their taboo arrangement, an unexpected intimacy begins to emerge between the two mismatched men. However, Armando’s haunted past looms large, and Elder soon ends up committing the ultimate act of affection on Armando’s behalf.

From Afar is available now on Dekkoo. Watch the trailer below.

Now Available: Thicker Than Water

Longtime best friends Joaquín (played by writer-director Benjamín Cardona) and Carol (Isabel Arraiza) are engaged in a deeply codependent relationship. Both of these young friends find themselves trapped, lacking a clear vision of where their lives are headed.

While Joaquín’s sexuality drives a wedge between himself and his conservative family, Carol juggles multiple unfruitful relationships that keep her caught inside a stagnant loop.

Realizing that his perception of love has been greatly affected by his broken upbringing, Joaquín struggles to finally move forward, delicately balancing his tried-and-true connection with Carol against the arrival of a new romantic partner. He’s soon forced to question all of his expectations of happiness in the process.

A stylish, bittersweet and refreshingly honest examination of friendship and personal evolution, Thicker Than Water (originally titled Más que el agua) marks the arrival of a major talent in writer-director-star Benjamín Cardona.

Watch the trailer for Thicker Than Water below. The film is available to stream now on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: The Pier Man

Theo (Hubert Girard) is a young dock worker who is starting to find only monotony in his day-to-day life. When he meets the alluring Giuseppe (Youssouf Abi-Ayad) a disillusioned sailor spending some time ashore, things begin to change.

Through Giuseppe, Theo starts to imagine a potential new life for himself – one far more exciting than the one he is living. Soon, he musters up the courage to face the waves, escape his dull existence and get closer to Giuseppe by joining his crew.

From Swiss writer-director Loïc Hobi, The Pier Man is a sexy, stylish and thought-provoking 20-minute short film. Using an almost 1980s-style synth score and spare, careful cinematography, the film takes a look at what life is like in an only-male world out at sea – and how, for some, that could be either a blessing or a curse.

The Pier Man is available now on Dekkoo.

Beach Rats star Harris Dickinson drives men wild in the vibrant Postcards from London

Jim (played by Harris Dickinson – the star of Beach Rats and the upcoming The King’s Man) is so beautiful you might think a Greek sculpture had just come to life.

His future in the cultural-desert that is his small Cumbrian town would consist of working at the local nuclear power plant Sellafield, socializing at his local, and going to bingo as a treat. So like many before him, Jim journeys to the great Metropolis that is London to seek fame, fortune, culture and excitement. The epicenter of all this activity is of course Soho, with its bright neon lights, street life, and bars catering to every gender and whim.

From writer-director Steve McLean, Postcards From London tells the story of this remarkably beautiful teenager as falls in with The Raconteurs – a gang of unusual high class male escorts who specialize in post-coital conversation.

From shy novice to sought after escort and eventually artist’s muse, Jim would be the toast of the town if it wasn’t for his annoying affliction. He suffers from Stendhal Syndrome, a rare condition which causes him to hallucinate and faint when he encounters real works of art. But when Jim is roped into the world of detecting art forgery, could his condition bring about his downfall?

Watch the trailer for Postcards from London below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: A Cemetery of Doves

“Silence is the language of God. All else is poor translation.” – Rumi

From Nigerian writer-director Adé Sultan Sangodoyin, A Cemetery of Doves is a thoughtful and deeply poetic coming-of-age short film about love, heartbreak and navigating the world as a queer individual.

Though the film features no dialog, the feelings are present. The filmmaker also employs subtitles to give us an idea of the young protagonist’s inner dialog.

What story exists in the film concerns a young Nigerian teenager’s misguided declaration of love for an older man. When his sentiments are met with rejection, he subsequently struggles with heartbreak and fear for his safety and future in a society which is intolerant of the LGBTQ community.

Adé Sultan Sangodoyin studied English Literature and Journalism at the University of Buckingham in England. His films, Different Plains and Eyimofe have screened at film festivals all over the world. His short stories, “A Language of the Unconscious”, “Dad Attempted Many Things and Failed” and “The Charred Flower” have been published in the Kalahari Review and Agbowo Magazine, respectively. A Cemetery of Doves marks him as a visually gifted filmmaker to watch.

Watch the trailer for A Cemetery of Doves below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

Coming Soon To Dekkoo: Postcards From London

After leaving his parents in small town Essex, young but naive Jim heads to big city Soho to pursue big dreams of arts and education. Things don’t exactly go according to plan for Jim, we find him asleep in a grimey alleyway and robbed blind.

After aimlessly walking the Soho streets, Jim finds himself in the company of a group of male prostitutes specializing in post sexual conversation, calling themselves “The Raconteurs”. Jim is quickly thrown into an incredibly stylized world of London sex work and self discovery.

Postcards from London is a visually stunning ride. The film has an incredibly unique tone and visual style showcasing moody and atmospheric sets with bright pops of color. Contributing to the film’s style is the impeccable fashion worn by the film’s characters. The Raconteurs themselves sport incredible ensemble outfits that make the world of the film feel unique and alive.

Art also plays a large role in Jim’s story. Many famous paintings become topics of post coital conversation and paintings are even recreated by the cast during several dream sequences. These dreams are highlights of the film, providing an opportunity for some truly stunning imagery.

You find Postcards From London streaming on Dekkoo soon.

Now Available: Khata

Young Kamal (Akram Tanna) is trapped in a seemingly endless circle of male prostitution fueled by his brother Hatim (Nizar El Manouzi) and pimp Danny (Chris Peters).

After weeks of few jobs and low revenue, Kamal accepts a call from Jacob (Tobias Nierop). Hatim soon begins to feel an attraction towards Jacob, and what once was simply business now has become so much more. Hatim must now try to escape his world of blackmail and danger while trying to pursue a budding relationship with Jacob.

Khata never shies away from showing the gritty details of male prostitution. The audience is forced to bear witness to violence, drug use, and a particularly violent depiction of sexual assault. The film lays everything bare and forces it’s audience to confront the sometimes violent word of sex work head on.

Khata is streaming on Dekkoo now.

Now Available: II

A group of Belarusian students look for their place in life in II, a fast-paced coming-of-age drama from breakout director Vlada Senkova.

Like many Belarussians, Nastya and Sasha want to study in the European Union. They’re taking Polish language lessons after school to further their studies. Meanwhile, their friend Khristina is primarily interested in sex with her new flame.

Unfortunately, they never use a condom. As a result, Khristina is forever terrified of finding out that she’s pregnant. Fortunately, Nastya is always by her side – and even agrees to take an HIV test with her in order to allay her fears.

The result of the test, however, tears her life apart in unforeseen ways. At every level, a campaign of persecution is set in motion – fueled by a mixture of ignorance, lack of education and fear of the unknown.

Shot over only six days, II had originally been planned as a short film, but the themes grew so large that the running time increased as well. The film has earned rave reviews and provoked deep discussion at film festivals all around the world.

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

Now Available: Pulse

Directed by Stevie Martin-Cruz and written by Daniel Monks – who also stars – Pulse is a thoughtful sci-fi indie from Australia which has earned rave reviews at film festivals all around the world.

Monks stars in Pulse as Olly, a disabled gay teen who is suffering from a degenerative disease which is ravaging his body. When he is presented with an unusual opportunity to experience the world differently, he jumps at the chance. Soon, he is able to have his mind transferred into the body of an attractive young woman (played by Jaimee Peasley). This sets off a series of events which allow him to find love in previously unattainable ways, but also challenge the very core of who he is as a person.

Pulse is both a tender coming-of-age tale and a provocative and insightful look at disability, sexuality and identity.

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