Documentary – Page 12 – Discover great gay stories.

New This Week – 3/12/21

Interior designer and reality show star Farleigh Knock has a knack for keeping beautiful things, including Adonis-like Dennis, around his home. So when Farleigh gives him an unthinkable ultimatum for his 30th birthday–to get a job or get out–Dennis goes from Kept Boy to Lost Man. ‘Kept Boy’ is available now on Dekkoo!

This portrait chronicles life on the streets as seen through the eyes of a cross-dressing, homeless man named Leslie Cochran, one of the most beloved yet polarizing cult figures of Austin, Texas. Told with unapologetic humor, Leslie’s bizarre meteoric rise to iconic status is starkly contrasted with living life on his own terms in a changing world. Stream ‘Becoming Leslie’ now on Dekkoo!

‘Verona’ is the story of two young lovers separated by their rival fraternities. ‘Verona’ is available now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Dekkoo Films presents a new gay film about a young man, in search of himself, discovering the streets of Rome.

Identity and LGBTQ rights become central to a tribe’s future in the new doc Moroni for President

The Navajo Nation is the largest Native American reservation in the United States. Every four years, the Navajo tribe elects its president, whom many consider the most powerful Native American in the country.

Moroni for President centers on Moroni Benally, an underdog candidate with radical ideas, whose homespun campaign originated out of frustration about the lack of progress in the reservation where he grew up. The witty academic embarks on a grueling, lonely campaign, discovering soon enough that theory does not necessarily prepare you for the daily dirt of politics.

As the election unfolds, the film delves into Moroni’s layered identity as a Mormon and gay Navajo man and, along the way, expands to include other LGBTQ+ characters working on some of the other campaigns. This includes Zachariah George, an eccentric assistant to the incumbent president; and Alray Nelson, an LGBTQ+ rights advocate and campaign manager of one of the frontrunners.

Simultaneously a behind-the-scenes look into a political campaign within a Native American community and an exploration of identities within said community, Moroni for President is an eye-opening and humorous portrait of a political race that runs surprisingly parallel to the current political landscape of the US at large.

Watch an extended trailer for Moroni for President below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

New This Week – 2/12/21

Reeling after the sudden death of his son, a middle-aged police officer begins to immerse himself in the local gay club scene – looking for a way to discover more about his son’s private life. What begins as part of the grieving process takes a different turn when he begins forming an intense relationship with a much younger man. ‘7 Minutes’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

For over 40 years, it was considered the “Largest Gay Mass Murder in U.S. History”. On June 24, 1973, an arsonist set fire to the Upstairs Lounge, ultimately killing 32 people. With interviews from survivors, family/friends of victims and witnesses, ‘Upstairs Inferno’ vividly examines this oft-forgotten story and captures the power of unconditional love. Watch ‘Upstairs Inferno’ now on Dekkoo.

In the short film ‘Amateur Dramatics, two competing actors find truth in pretending. Stream ‘Amateur Dramatics’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A thoroughly modern, light-filled look at romance and sexuality.

New This Week – 2/5/21

‘So Far, So Close’ is an unfolding story about the worlds we create for ourselves when viewing life through a screen. Created, shot, and edited entirely remotely during the midst of a global pandemic, ‘So Far, So Close’ is a reflection of the world we live in, telling the stories of the barriers we build, the ones we choose, and how we’re all just hoping to connect. ‘So Far, So Close’ is available now on Dekkoo!

Adapted from an award-winning biography, this acclaimed drama follows Australian artist Adam Cullen and his real-life biographer Erik Jensen. As the two men grow closer, their professional relationship turns into a personal one… and soon spirals into abuse and dependence. Watch ‘Acute Misfortune’ now on Dekkoo!

Khalid was born in Iran, a country where having feelings for another man can lead to the death penalty. Nico was born in Sweden, a country where it’s openly accepted for a man to have a boyfriend. And yet it’s Nico who keeps holding back when Khalid tries to take their relationship to another level. ‘Bror’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

Moroni Benally is running for the presidency of the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American nation in the U.S. Young, gay, Mormon, and highly educated, he sets out to confront the political establishment in a homecoming that challenges what he both imagined home, and himself, to be. ‘Moroni For President is streaming now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: After the tragic death of his son, a 55-year-old police officer wants to find out more about his life.

New This Week – 1/29/21

Adrian and Sebastian live an openly gay life in New York as immigrants. When Sebastian’s visa is rejected, the two must decide whether to return to Colombia – where they face rejection and persecution for their sexual orientation – or do whatever is necessary to stay in the United States. ‘Nowhere’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

Gaetan Dugas was openly gay. In early 1980s he contracted what was termed “gay cancer”. He provided blood samples and 72 names of his former sex partners. Dugas was demonized for his promiscuity and wrongfully identified as patient zero. ‘Killing Patient Zero’ is now available on Dekkoo!

Trey feels small. Gay and lonely in New York, he is surrounded by toxic masculinity everywhere. Newly diagnosed with HIV, and dealing with his perceived physical inadequacy Trey strives for the light within the dark. ‘Mass’ is streaming now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Dekkoo’s new original series, ‘So Far, So Close‘ debuts!

New This Week – 1/22/21

Two teenage boys living in Argentina find their longtime friendship turning into a tentative romance, but their familiesare upset by this possibility and decide to tear them apart. Reunited a decade later, they must face their feeling for each other. ‘Esteros’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

The short film ‘1781’ explores a queer possibility in the lives of two young men in the 18th century. Watch it now on Dekkoo!

Having emotional anxieties after spending time in prison; Shawn takes work as an erotic dancer to support his daughter, and falls in love with a man for the first time. ‘Neon Boys’ is now available on Dekkoo!

A conservative military family in the heart of the bible belt is left to unravel the mystery behind their gay teenage son’s suicide. They soon discover a tragic secret, and begin to question their parenting, values, and civic responsibility amidst a heated city council election in their hometown of Norman, Oklahoma. Don’t miss the powerful documentay ‘Broken Heart Land’ now playing on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Facing immigration issues, a couple must confront fears of rejection or risk losing each other.

New This Week – 1/8/21

Dr. Jason Holden, early 50s, is in danger of losing his family, because of a tragic automobile accident. He becomes a piano accompanist at a local ballet studio and falls in love with Brandon Wykowski, 27, a troubled dancer. ‘The Accompanist’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

’50 Years of Fabulous’ recounts the rich history of the Imperial Council, the oldest LGBT charity organization in the world. Founded in San Francisco by renowned activist, drag queen and performer Jose Sarria (the first openly gay man to run for political office), the Council has helped shape LGBT life and social history in San Francisco and beyond throughout the years. Watch ’50 Years of Fabulous’ now on Dekkoo!

Across distant landscapes of the past, Farm Boy wanders through a phantasmagoria of yearning and regret: memories displaced in time. ‘Farm Boy’ is available now on Dekkoo!

As a special treat this week, new episodes of ‘Bad Boy’ are now available!

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Coming next week: “The summer that changed everything.”

Get Back on Board with Greg Louganis

Back on Board: Greg Louganis is an intimate portrait of the public triumphs and private struggles of trailblazing openly gay athlete Greg Louganis. A refreshingly candid documentary about this four-time Olympic champion, Back on Board follows Louganis for three years as he struggles with financial security and reunites with the sport he once dominated but did not feel welcome in. The threat of losing his house during the recent financial crisis forces Louganis to re-evaluate the choices, relationships, and missed opportunities of his career.

Nominated for an Emmy Award and a Producer’s Guild of America award in 2016. Back on Board: Greg Louganis gained critical and audience acclaim on the film festival circuit, screening at over 40 festivals worldwide and picking up eight awards.

The film was also selected for the American Film Showcase, a program of the U.S. State Department that brings award-winning contemporary American documentaries around the world offering a view of American society and culture as seen by independent filmmakers.

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

The Ice King tells a story of art, sport, sexuality and rebellion

Featuring incredible unseen footage of some of his mort remarkable performances, the searing documentary The Ice King tells the story of lost figure skating icon John Curry. With access to Curry’s personal letters, archive interviews, and interviews with his family, friends and collaborators, this is a portrait of the man who turned ice-skating from a dated sport into an exalted art form.

Watch any figure skating and it falls into two possible camps: before and after John Curry. From what was a macho, technical sport whose judges punished deviation blossomed – through John Curry’s stubborn beauty – ice-dancing. This was no Holiday on Ice, but a new artistic medium. After winning gold at the Winter Olympics for a rebelliously balletic routine, Curry saw the world’s stages sheeted with ice. Audiences and reviewers alike were enthralled by his genius. But Curry’s story is about more than skating. On the night of the final, Curry became the first openly gay Olympian at a time when homosexuality was barely legal.

From bullying and prejudice, to relief in the gay underworld, to his untimely death from AIDS, Curry’s story dovetails with the experiences of a generation. Tortured by demons, Curry was forever on the run. Never owning a home, he lived on the favors of those who loved him. The only place he found true freedom was the ice.

The Ice King tells the story of a man whose body was a battleground. From love affairs, to violence in sex clubs, to its ‘unmanly’ elegance on the ice, every act was rebellion. John Curry was no activist, but an artist expressing his authentic self – yet in a world where his existence was taboo, his life was unavoidably political.

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

New This Week – 11/27/20

A polyamorous male couple test the limits of a restrictive society when they become romantically entangled with a beautiful young woman. ‘The Taste of Betel Nut’ is now available to stream on Dekkoo!

A seemingly pious Hasidic man living a secret double life misplaces his black hat one night which will cause his two separate lives to collide in a way he never imagined. Watch ‘Black Hat’ now on Dekkoo!

John Curry transformed ice skating from a dated sport into an exalted art form. Coming out on the night of his 1976 Olympic win, he became the first openly gay Olympian in a time when homosexuality was not fully legal. Ferociously ambitious yet bent on self-destruction, Curry was an artist and an athlete whose body time and again – sometimes against his will – became a political battlefield. ‘The Ice King’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week – Dekkoo Films present a new original short film from the winner of our ‘Love & Distance’ short film competition!