Short Film Spotlight: Slashr

Every Grindr user’s worst fears are brought thrillingly to life in writer-director Amir Moini’s Slashr.

Nathan Mohebbi stars in this 12-minute horror short as Ashkan, an attractive young man taking a solo trip to the mountains of Big Bear. Looking to clear his head in the aftermath of a breakup, he rents an isolated cabin with lots of opportunity for snowy sightseeing.

Encouraged by his best friend Ricky to engage in some frisky rebound sex, he also downloads a Grindr-inspired gay hookup app called Torso.

Though he’s not emotionally ready to throw caution to the wind and hop into bed with a stranger, he cruises the app and starts a conversation with a faceless admirer… whose persistence becomes alarming and whose physical distance, as listed on the app, keeps getting closer… and closer… and closer.

Heavy on suspense and spooky atmosphere, Slashr marks Moini as a director to watch. You could easily imagine him using this film as the opening of a feature-length horror flick – something in the vein of Scream, but with a decidedly queer point of view.

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

Not all is as it seems (or as it’s remembered) in the new French romance ‘Rosodium’

Suffering from severe panic attacks, introverted young engineer Noah (Thibaut Cattelin) has been looking for a way to re-live only his happiest moments. He’s been working on a complicated neurological experiment – a project which connects memory storage and immersive reality, allowing you to experience your best moments over and over again.

During an eventful road trip with his two best friends, he meets Lohan (Jules Bahloul), a bad-boy tattoo artist, and invites him along for the final week of their journey.

An attraction quickly develops between the two young men. Along the way, they experience all the exhilarating moments of first love. As their bond grows stronger, Lohan’s “live for the moment” attitude challenges Noah’s control, teaching him that in order to create happy memories, you need to take risks, make yourself vulnerable and be willing to experience some painful moments as well.

From French director Theodore Tomasz, Rosodium is a tender romance that plays with time and structure in unexpected ways.

Watch the trailer for Rosodium below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo along with a 20-minute “making-of” documentary.

The Italian rom-com ‘Mascarpone’ looks at life, love and sex through the delicious lens of food

A romantic comedy-drama from Italian co-directors Alessandro Guida and Matteo Pilati, Mascarpone looks at life, love and sex through the delicious lens of food.

When Antonio (Giancarlo Commare) is dumped by his partner, whom he depends both psychologically and economically, his life begins to change radically.

Embracing all of his new possibilities, Antonio soon enrolls in pastry school, rents a room from the attractive, free-spirited and sex-positive Denis (Eduardo Valdarnini) and takes a job working in a bakery owned by the extremely hunky Luca (Gianmarco Saurino). He also starts having numerous hot sexual encounters with eligible men.

Through this process, Antonio discovers that it was wrong to give up his independence for the sake of his past relationship.

As sweet and silky as the ingredient which serves as the title, Mascarpone is the perfect gay date movie, blending sexy men, endearing characters and charming humor. Having premiered to great acclaim at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, this flavorful gay treat is sure to delight.

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

The queer ’90s classic ‘Broadway Damage’ is now available on Dekkoo

Originally released in 1997, the romantic comedy-drama Broadway Damage plays like a valentine to ‘90s New York indie cinema when viewed through today’s lens.

Mara Hobel, Michael Lucas and Aaron Williams star as Cynthia, Marc and Robert, a trio of recent NYU grads who score a great apartment together in Greenwich Village. Marc is a struggling actor, Cynthia is desperately trying to break into the magazine publishing world and Robert, an actor/songwriter, is secretly harboring feelings for Marc – who is, sadly, oblivious.

Burning with youthful ambition, all three are ready to take New York City by storm. But when a sexy new neighbor enters the picture, the realities of life, love and career goals start to test their dreams and the dynamics of their friendship in unexpected ways.

A winner of numerous awards at LGBTQ film festivals when it first debuted, Broadway Damage is ready to take you back to a different, but no less complicated time.

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