Drama – Page 101 – Discover great gay stories.

Head down the rabbit hole with Tor Iben’s newest thriller The Year I Lost My Mind

Tom (Alexander Tsypilev) is a lonely young man. While carrying out a burglary he falls in love with Lars (Julien Lickert), a young history teacher. Tom starts to stalk Lars and pursue him without revealing himself… or feelings for him.

Meanwhile, Tom is developing a second obsession with a biker – whom, strangely, he seems to keep running into. More and more Tom gets lost inside a dangerous, real-life game of hide-and-seek and a labyrinth of passions. Once Lars becomes aware of Tom’s creeping presence, things take an even wilder turn.

A new thriller from Tor Iben, the German director behind The Passenger and The Visitor (both of which are also now on Dekkoo), The Year I Lost My Mind is sexy and unsettling in equal measure.

“This movie is an attempt to look into the abyss of gay history and trace the marks that this history has left,” said Iben, continuing “this project is for everybody who loves dark stories, dark movies with an artistic touch or anyone who thinks this kind of movie, this kind of attempt, has to be supported!”

Check out the trailer for The Year I Lost My Mind below. It’s available right now on Dekkoo.

New This Week – 7/13/18

In ‘The Revival’, a secret love affair between a southern Baptist preacher and a young drifter challenges the equilibrium of a growing church. Stream this new gay film now on Dekkoo!

This documentary chronicles Madonna’s controversial 1990 “Blonde Ambition” international tour. The film is a behind-the-scenes look at Madonna’s relationships with her dancers and crew, her then-boyfriend Warren Beatty, and her family and friends, achieving an intimate glimpse into the boundary-pushing singer’s drive and individuality. ‘Madonna: Truth or Dare” is now available on Dekkoo!

On the holiest night during the month of Ramadan, Mo, a practicing Muslim reluctantly attends his best friend’s birthday party, where he unexpectedly meets Kal, a 30-year-old all-American white guy, who catches him by surprise with each twist and turn through the streets of Los Angeles. ‘Breaking Fast’ is now available to stream on Dekkoo.

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Coming next week: “Shimmeringly beautiful and utterly real.” – Stephen Holden, THE NEW YORK TIMES

New This Week: The Revival

A desperate young man wanders into town looking for food and shelter. A progressive pastor tries to open the minds of his Old Testament congregation. A born again, recovering alcoholic fights for his church. A pastor’s wife looks to her gay husband for salvation. All of this comes to a scorching climax and an old-time revival that the film’s small-town won’t soon forget.

An exceptional feature-length debut from director Jennifer Gerber and screenwriter Samuel Brett Williams, The Revival explores faith in the Deep South in a drama that asks how far you’re willing to go for the things you believe in.

Eli (David Rysdahl) is a young preacher who has recently returned to his small, Arkansas hometown with his pregnant wife (Lucy Faust). Harvard-educated, Eli is more progressive than your average Southern Baptist preacher, and he’s looking to incorporate some of his forward-thinking into the sermons at his deceased father’s struggling church. Of course, that news does not go down easy with most of his parishioners, who still cling to the “fire and brimstone” portions of the bible.

Things get even more complicated when Daniel (Keep the Lights On star Zachary Booth) shows up at a church potluck. An alluring, mysterious drifter passing through town, Daniel brings out the savior (and a few other things) in Eli. Offering his new acquaintance shelter in a secluded cabin, Eli finds himself more and more drawn to Daniel. The two are soon deep in the throes of a secret affair, and their blossoming romance begins to threaten everything that Eli has worked so hard to establish.

Originating as an off-Broadway stage play by Williams, who adapted his own work for the film, The Revival is edgy, erotic and powerful. “We aim to challenge audiences to deeper understand issues of repression and hate,” said director Jennifer Gerber. “It’s vital to me that my films tackle real stories from the south. In my opinion, The Revival is a story that needs to be told. Given the current political climate we are in, I want to delve into the psychology of a community of people that make up much of our country but very little of our popular culture.”

The Revival is available on Dekkoo now. Check out the trailer below.

A teacher is wrongfully accused in ‘The Green’

An emotional gay drama, The Green is an honest, hard-hitting film about a well-meaning teacher in trouble. Early on in the film, a confident gay high school student makes the observation that “people always look for the easiest scapegoat when their sense of entitlement is threatened.” That line of dialog sets the movie in motion.

Jason Butler Harner stars Michael, an openly gay, happily-partnered teacher who has taken a special interest in a troubled, artistically-inclined student named Jason (Chris Bert).

It is alluded to that Jason’s family life is not very stable. His mother and stepfather (Karen Young and Bill Sage) don’t seem like the most nurturing or attentive parents. Despite warnings from his best friend and co-worker (Illeana Douglas, charming as always) about getting too involved in the lives of students, Michael presses on. He sees potential in Jason and cares about his well-being.

Unfortunately for all parties involved, a heated public argument ensues during a school art show. Jason’s parents soon begin to suspect that Michael’s interest in their son may have lurid undertones.

It doesn’t take long before Michael becomes the town pariah, accused of carrying on a predatory relationship with his student. Adding insult to injury, his relationship with Daniel (Cheyenne Jackson), his loving partner of 15 years, is thrown into jeopardy when authorities start investigating the pair as partners in sordid crime.

The pair’s only major ally comes in the form of Karen (Julia Ormond), a tough-as-nails attorney who believes in Michael’s innocence (and also happens to be gay). Karen is ready for a dirty fight – planning to expose Jason’s parents as ethically-bankrupt opportunists. But, Michael’s refusal to cause harm to this already struggling family might prevent him from clearing his name.

A provocative drama with a stellar cast, The Green is playing now on Dekkoo. Check out the trailer below.

New This Week – 7/6/18

***A DEKKOO EXCLUSIVE***

Andreas and Martin have shared all the ups and downs of life, and now that their son has matured and moved out on his own, they have more free time to focus on themselves again. But when they are left alone with only themselves, will the spark still be there? ‘Paths’ is available now on Dekkoo, one month before it’s DVD release!

A powerful documentary, ‘Pansy’ follows artist, writer and designer Paul Harfleet. Since 2005, Paul has been planting pansies at different sites where instances of homophobic abuse have occurred. An act of quiet, thoughtful resistance, this project aims to turn tragedy into art and trauma into recovery. ‘Pansy’ is available to stream on Dekkoo!

Wes and Chris, in couples counseling, decide to explore opening the relationship to spice up their sex life. Watch Cock N’ Bull 2 now on Dekkoo. And don’t forget to stream the first Cock N’ Bull!

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Coming next week: “Mother” visits Dekkoo!

New This Week – 6/29/18

From Dekkoo Films comes a new gay thriller. After encountering him during a burglary, Tom begins stalking and antagonizing the attractive young Lars. When Lars finds out about Tom’s intentions, he manages to turn the tables on him, leading to a shocking confrontation. Watch ‘The Year I Lost My Mind’ now, months before it’s DVD release!

Wes invites his best friend Chris over for a night in after being dumped by Henry. They attempt to blow off some steam by prank calling strangers, but soon realize that may have been the worst idea ever. Stream the hilarious gay short, ‘Cock N’ Bull’ now on Dekkoo!

A tough young boxer struggles to come out in England. Having traveled to London, from his smaller town, he meets and falls for a twenty-something music producer. But love doesn’t come easy. Watch the gay film, ‘Like It Is’ now, on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: “…a sublimely lyrical understated drama that is such a refreshing look at the way a relationship can unfold despite the fact that the love is not lost, but just misplaced.”

Pride Month Spotlight: The Apple Tree

When Gabe and Jonathan (played as young men by Jay Renshaw and Ryland Shelton) fall in love in the 1940s, they decide to spend their life together in secret. But as the times changed, so died the couple – who were eventually able to express their love openly.

When Jonathan unexpectedly passes away years later, Gabe (played as an older man Jerry Bornstein) is faced with a dilemma that many LGBT elders encounter when they move into retirement homes… going back into the closet.

A 30-minute short film, writer-director Matthew Ladensack’s The Apple Tree screened world-wide at LGBT film festivals, and ended up winning the Best Picture prize at Out in the Desert. The short was very powerful at the time it was released and over the intervening years, with many baby boomers entering assisted living homes, the story the film tells has become much louder and stronger – so much so that Ladensack is in the process of adapting it into a feature film.

The writer/director’s newest draft earned a spot in the Top 50 of the world famous Tracking Board Launch Pad feature screenplay contest and was a semi-finalist at the Nashville Film Festival Feature Screenplay Contest. The feature will focus not only on aging in the gay community, but on two generations of gay men coming together – a new primary character, Colton, is a closeted high school football player who ends up forming a close bond with Gabe and seeing, first hand, the experiences of his LGBTQ fore-bearers.

Make sure you check out the original short film before the full-length feature arrives. The Apple Tree is currently streaming on Dekkoo. It’s one of our Pride Month picks.

New This Week – 6/22/18

Months after they broke up, Gunnar receives a strange phone call from his ex-boyfriend, Einar. He sounds distraught, like he’s about to do something terrible to himself. Gunnar drives up to the secluded cabin where Einar is holed up and soon discovers that there’s more going on than he imagined. ‘Rift’ is now available on Dekkoo!

A sex and drug addicted young man who is forced into a Christian-run ministry in an attempt to cure him of his “gay affliction”, where instead he is faced with the truth in his heart and spirit. Stream ‘Save Me’ now on Dekkoo.com!

A group of gay London gangsters get even with a homophobic thug in a most ruthless way. Watch ‘Dirty Bent Bastards’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Dekkoo Films and director Tor Iben deliver a new gay thriller!

Dekkoo Films to deliver ‘The Year I Lost My Mind’ exclusively June 28!

From prolific gay director Tor Iben and Dekkoo Films comes, ‘The Year I Lost My Mind’, a gay thriller about a lonely young man who becomes dangerously obsessed with a stranger. The film launches exclusively on Dekkoo next week, months before it will be available on DVD or iTunes.

Check out the trailer below or over at the Dekkoo YouTube channel.

In the meantime, check out Tor Iben’s film ‘The Passenger’ which is also available on Dekkoo.

‘The Year I Lost My Mind’ arrives on June 28.

Pride Month Spotlight: This is What Love in Action Looks Like

Though he’s know primarily for films like Blue Citrus Hearts and his Dekkoo Original Series Feral, writer-director Morgan Jon Fox set out to make a difference with his 2011 documentary This is What Love in Action Looks Like.

When 16-year-old Zach Stark told his parents that he was gay, they panicked, believing that something was psychologically wrong with him. They soon sent him to “Love In Action,” a religious organization that promised to “cure” homosexuality.

Founded in 1973, Love in Action, now known as “Restoration Path” is the oldest and largest ex-gay organizations in the United States. They take the position that homosexuality is strictly behavioral and can be cured. Originally for adults, they began a program for teens, many of whom sent involuntarily.

Their draconian methods for sexual “redemption” prompted Fox, already a well-established indie filmmaker, to both become active in the ensuing protest against the group as well as document it all through interviews with several youths who had been in the program, the then current director of “Love in Action” (himself, a “former gay”) and the many young protesters who were compelled to mobilize against the organization.

An important look at gay youth, intolerance and skewed religious beliefs, This is What Love in Action Looks Like is available on Dekkoo. It’s one of our heralded Pride Picks.