Category: Award Winner

Visionary director João Pedro Rodrigues returns with the stylish genre-hybrid ‘Will-O’-the-Wisp’

From visionary queer auteur João Pedro Rodrigues, the acclaimed Portuguese director behind the The Ornothologist and the provocative gay classic O Fantasma, comes a bold and wildly unpredictable new musical fantasia.

Beginning in the year 2069, Will-O’-the-Wisp follows Portugal’s fictional King Alfredo, who, on his deathbed, starts to recall the social activism and erotic exploits of his youth in the early years of the 21st century.

As a fresh-faced, curly-haired young prince played by Mauro Costa, Alfredo shocked his riotously wealthy royal family by deciding to become a volunteer firefighter –in part to serve his community, but also as an excuse to be surrounded by a bevy of hot, beefy fellow firemen.

When he meets Alfonso (André Cabral), an alluring young instructor, new possibilities open and the pair become deeply immersed in their desire for one another.

This sexually-frank new film – a heady mix of historical tableau, musical comedy, queer romance and post-colonial provocation – maintains a joyous energy while examining heavy themes. Rodrigues manages to confront the inherited ills of our modern day while also indulging in delightfully bawdy humor and plenty of song-and-dance flights of fancy.

Watch the trailer for Will-O’-the-Wisp below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

A personal video sparks a media firestorm in the acclaimed Singaporean drama ‘#LookatMe’

When twin brothers Sean and Ricky are invited to attend church with Sean’s girlfriend, they are treated to an Evangelical rock concert capped by a searing anti-gay sermon.

Incensed by what he’s seen, Sean, a Youtuber, decides to drop an outrageous video lampooning the megachurch’s pastor, but soon finds himself widely condemned – and even prosecuted – for flouting Singapore’s strict laws on public expression.

As Sean descends into near-madness in prison, Ricky gains prominence as an LGBTQ+ activist. Both find themselves at the heart of a culture war that spills out from social media into the real world.

Featuring an impressive lead performance by Yao (sometimes credited as Thomas Pang), an up-and-coming Singaporean actor who plays both brothers, #LookatMe blends together a wide variety of moods and genres, veering from deadly serious to colorfully camp without ever losing sight of its humanity.

Banned from screening in Singapore during a particularly ironic moment of life imitating art, director Ken Kwek’s acclaimed film tells a morally essential fable about social media celebrity, cancel culture and the erosion of basic human rights.

Watch the trailer for #LookatMe below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

‘Jump, Darling’ showcases a knockout performance by the late, great Cloris Leachman

The late, great Cloris Leachman delivers one of her finest late-career film roles in the moving, critically-acclaimed comedy-drama Jump, Darling.

Thomas Duplessie stars in the film as Russell, a struggling actor who moonlights as a drag queen under the name of Fishy Falters. Finding himself at crossroads in both his career and personal life, he escapes to the country and into the arms of Margaret, his aging grandmother (played by Leachman).

The pair soon find themselves in a mutually beneficial arrangement. As Margaret fights to avoid being put in an assisted living facility, Russell decides to move in and help. He also takes to the stage once more, using a local bar to showcase his glamorous skills and strike up a new romance with an attractive young bartender.

Leachman’s unparalleled comic timing and grounded pathos are used to great effect in writer-director Phil Connell’s intimate, genuinely heartfelt story, which features show-stopping musical numbers and profound truths about family dynamics.

An award-winning crowd-pleaser with humor and heart to spare, Jump, Darling is a true must-see about love, family and maintaining your dignity – no matter what your age is.

Watch the trailer for Jump, Darling below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Colman Domingo stars in the sexy and thought-provoking gay drama ‘Beautiful Something’

Edgy, absorbing and raw, writer-director Joseph Graham’s Beautiful Something takes a fresh and unsentimental look at the links between young and old, black and white, sex and love and desire and art.

Cute, 22-year-old writer Brian (Brian Sheppard) continually crashes and burns with each guy he meets, but does not understand why.

The stunningly gorgeous Jim (Zack Ryan) is not afraid to break hearts – except when it comes to Drew (recent Best Actor Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo!), a 40-something lover and world-renowned metal sculptor who can’t seem to look past his latest masterpiece.

Lastly there’s Bob (John Lescault), a successful talent agent from Los Angeles. Now in his mid-sixties, he leads a double life as a sugar daddy for the random young men he picks up.

All four of these characters comb the streets looking for connection. While they often settle for quick and dirty sexual shenanigans, there’s something in the air on this particular night that suggests the outcome will be much different.

Gorgeously directed by Graham (whose electrifying breakthrough film Strapped is also available now on Dekkoo), Beautiful Something tells bold and unflinchingly honest stories about sexually-charged gay life in the most compassionate and understanding way possible.

Watch the trailer for Beautiful Something below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Logan Miller stars in the gripping gay indie family drama ‘Take Me to the River’

Writer-director Matt Sobel’s assured directorial debut Take Me to the River tells the story of an artsy, confident and proudly gay California teen who is reluctantly heading to Nebraska with his parents for a for a family reunion.

Logan Miller, the charismatic, scene-stealing young character actor from Love, Simon, Escape Room and countless indie gems, stars as Ryder, the gay teen in question. Though his parents are supportive, there is some question over how the rest of their extended family will react to his lifestyle.

After planning to come out to his conservative relatives, he agrees to hold off at his mother’s request. Nevertheless, he makes a showy entrance at the cookout with his short shorts and eye-catching shades.

No one seems particularly impressed – except for a 9-year old cousin named Molly (played by Ursulla Parker), who follows him around adoringly. When they go to the barn to look for birds in the rafters and she comes back screaming and inconsolable, Ryder comes under suspicion from the rest of the family. In the process of clearing his name, he learns that some family secrets are better left in the dark.

Co-starring Robin Weigert, Richard Schiff and Josh Hamilton, Take Me to the River is a gripping, thoughtfully layered and superbly well-acted drama about clashing cultures, buried secrets and the ties that bind us.

Watch the trailer for Take Me to the River below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

A shy teen is caught between his family and the boy of his dreams in ‘I Love You More’

How much would you be willing to sacrifice to finally meet up with the man of your dreams? That’s the question at the heart of the new teen drama I Love You More.

For the better part of a year, Ben (Don Shala), a shy Kosovar teen, has been involved in a romantic online entanglement with a boy named Leo. Though they haven’t met in person, they are making plans to do just that. Leo, who lives in Germany, is expecting to come for a visit in just one month.

Falling into the bittersweet throes of first love, Ben spends most of his waking hours engaged in online pillow talk while daydreaming about the day when the pair will finally be together.

An unexpected wrench is thrown into the works when his mom announces that the family will soon be moving to America and starting a new life for themselves. Though this might seem like good news, Ben is not nearly ready to move. If they leave Kosovo, he might never have the opportunity to meet Leo in person again.

Longing for love and connection, Ben puts his family’s dreams on the line and struggles to finally come forward with his truth.

The debut feature from non-binary filmmaker Erblin Nushi, who based the story on their own experiences and feelings of isolation as a queer kid in Kosovo, I Love You More is a tender, resonant and gorgeously crafted coming-of-age drama.

Watch the trailer for I Love You More below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Mikey’s Army

When you are facing a crisis, who goes to battle for you?

In a time when queer kids face unprecedented attacks and hostility from lawmakers, educators and even their own families, writer Eric Ulloa and director Andrew Keenan-Bolger set out to make a short film that puts the beauty – and even magic – of queerness at center stage.

Mikey’s Army stars Markie Aquirre as Mikey Alvarez, a 16-year-old who finds himself at a pivotal moment. He must decide whether or not to be open and honest about his sexuality.

Not quite ready to come out on his own, Mikey unwittingly conjures a trio of guides who appear in an explosion of glitter and glitz. Backed up by a drag queen, an international pop star and an action film heartthrob, he finally finds the courage and confidence he needs to be honest about his feelings.

Featuring a cast of Broadway-regulars like Claybourne Elder and Krystina Alabado – alongside ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ alum Shuga Cain – Mikey’s Army is a thoughtful and touching film that aims to remind us that our differences can be superpowers – and that we’re never alone on the battlefield.

Watch a short teaser trailer for Mikey’s Army below. The 10-minute film is now available on Dekkoo.

An unexpected love triangle forms in Maryam Touzani’s acclaimed romance ‘The Blue Caftan’

Set in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas, The Blue Caftan follows husband and wife Halim and Mina (Saleh Bakri and Lubna Azabal), who run a traditional caftan store, specializing in hand-sewn, made-to-measure garments.

Together, they share a love for the craft, the beauty of fabrics, the history of the artisans and the skills passed down through generations. Most days Halim can be found carefully crafting traditional caftans with detailed embroidery, committing historical significance to each enduring stitch.

Trying to keep up with demand, the pair hire Youssef (Ayoub Missioui), a soft-spoken young apprentice who is eager to learn everything he can from his new mentor. But when Youssef’s interest in Halim takes a romantic turn, it sets up a deeply complicated and unexpected love triangle.

Mina observes the two men with a mixture of jealousy and chagrin as their attraction to one another grows stronger. The dynamics among the three of them begin to evolve in surprising ways that reveal depths of understanding, generosity, and kindness – and illustrate the possibilities of love even under the most difficult circumstances.

With her second feature film, writer-director Maryam Touzani perfectly captures the intimacy and tenderness in human relationships. The Blue Caftan tells a story of unparalleled adoration, one centered on laughter and longing over the popular expectations of love.

Watch the trailer for The Blue Caftan below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Don’t miss ‘Lie with Me,’ a gorgeous adaptation of French author Phillipe Besson’s celebrated novel

Adapted from a beloved novel by French author Phillipe Besson, Lie with Me tells an erotic, tender and heartbreaking tale of a lost romance that lingers.

Guillaume de Tonquédec stars as Stéphane, a celebrated author who, as a shy, bespectacled teenager (played in flashbacks by Jérémy Gillet), had fallen for Thomas (Julien De Saint Jean), a rough-and-tumble boy from their small picturesque town.

Now, after thirty years away, he returns home for a book tour and meets Lucas (Victor Belmondo), Thomas’s grown son… who is searching for answers about his deceased father.

As Stéphane is flooded with memories of his first love, the mysteries of their relationship are revealed. The film contrasts the wintry present with the sun-splashed summer when the two young men first fell in love.

With a bucolic rural European setting and parallel narratives, acclaimed director Olivier Peyon weaves a timeless tale of love found and lost that will sweep audiences away on Stéphane’s wave of nostalgia – and questions of what might have been.

Even tragic love stories have magical moments… and Lie with Me is full of them.

Watch the trailer for Lie with Me below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Director Jared Watmuff’s award winning short film ‘Hey You’ packs a shocking and tragic punch

In April of 2017, over 100 different people were reportedly abducted, tortured and murdered by authorities in Chechnya as part of a heinous crackdown against the LGBTQ+ community. Some of these people were directly targeted and entrapped using dating apps. Ongoing prosecutions, mysterious disappearances and additional waves of attacks continued soon after.

Hey You, a shocking, but deeply important 4-minute short film from writer-director Jared Watmuff, explores this topic head-on.

At the start of Hey You, it seems that we’re watching an ordinary connection transpire between two men on Grindr. Soon enough, however, we realize that we’re seeing the experiences of two men from very different places – and how their simple pursuit of companionship plays out in wildly divergent ways.

A winner of numerous awards at film festivals around the globe, Hey You exposes how, with the convenience of social media and dating apps, our hard-fought rights and freedoms can be taken for granted – and how, for many others, the fight for those freedoms is far from over.

We do feel the need to warn you that the film contains scenes and imagery that most viewers will – and should – find deeply disturbing. This film does not shy away from the tragic reality of the situation.

Watch a short trailer for Hey You below. The full short film is now available on Dekkoo.