Short Film Spotlight: Two Men by the Sea

After leaving Brazil, Cesar (played by writer-director Gabriel Motta) meets Martin (Mauri Liiv) at an empty café in Tallinn, Estonia. Cesar is just killing some time before his train departs. He wasn’t expecting to meet someone. And though their connection is brief, it’s hard to deny that both of them want to keep the conversation going.

Channeling beloved films like Andrew Haigh’s Weekend and Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy, Two Men by the Sea is a deeply charming new 16-minute short film drama from writer-director-star Gabriel Motta which examines that brief spark of attraction that keeps us coming back for more. In front of these two attractive young men lies an uncertainty as infinite as the sea itself.

Watch a short clip from the film below. The full short film is available now on Dekkoo.

Now Available: Tucked

A tender LGBTQ drama, Tucked follows an 80-year-old drag queen who forms and unusually deep relationship with a much younger up-and-coming performer. Though the two come from different backgrounds and have wildly different day-to-day experiences both struggle with their own issues of gender identity and mortality – and find comfort, support and much to learn in one another.

Set in Brighton, Tucked is a classic British ‘slice of life’ story that pays homage to celebrated works like Kinky Boots and The Dresser. A story about love, loss and friendship with a great charm and sense of humor, the film earned rave reviews from critics all around the world and spotlights two fantastic performances from lead actors Derren Nesbitt and Jordan Stephens.

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

New This Week – 11/12/21

Janik and Samuel, best friends in their final year of high school, are practically inseparable. In the wake of a reckless incident, the pair travel together on a trip to Istanbul. During the trip, they find their friendship tested – and they’re soon forced to examine what they really mean to one another. ‘Blurred Lines’ is available exclusively now on Dekkoo!

A man heading to jail entrusts the care of his beloved German shepherd to his gay lover, who becomes enamored with the dog and wants to keep her at all costs. Gary Oldman and Alan Bates star in this heartfelt gay drama, originally released in 1988 and now available again on Dekkoo! Stream ‘We Think The World Of You’ now on Dekkoo!

Ang, a transgender sex worker with a pretty, feminine voice is assigned a special mission as an undercover spy. She disguises herself as a cisgender man to enter into a romantic relationship with Jit, a belligerent yet idealistic student activist with an evil voice. ‘Red Aninsri; Or, Tiptoeing on the Still Trembling Berlin Wall’ is streaming now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Cam Archer’s angst-fueled experimental classic coming-of-age film.

New This Week – 11/5/21

After learning he has only six weeks to live, all veteran drag queen Jackie Collins wants to do is perform his long-running act and behave as if everything is normal. But between a new friendship with a rising young queen and some unfinished business with his estranged daughter, he’s about to have the most eventful month and a half of his life. ‘Tucked’ is available now on Dekkoo!

After leaving Brazil, Cesar meets Martin at an empty café in Tallinn, Estonia. In front of these two attractive young men lies an uncertainty as infinite as the sea itself. A charming new short film drama from writer-director-star Gabriel Motta. Watch ‘Two Men By The Sea’ on Dekkoo!

A deliciously scandalous documentary about unsung Hollywood legend Scotty Bowers, whose controversial bestselling memoir portrayed him as a sexual liaison to the biggest movie stars of the 1940s and ‘50s – including Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Ava Gardner and more. Stream ‘Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: An unapologetically homoerotic study of a profound male friendship.

12 LGBTQ shorts come together in the astounding animation collection Colour Me Queer

Since its origins, animation has thrived as one of cinema’s most beloved formats to tell stories – and this exciting new collection from MIYU distribution is no different.

Through the eyes of award-winning directors, Colour Me Queer explores issues of sexuality, love, and acceptance in a number of thrilling, imaginative styles.

Below we have a short synopsis for each of the 12 films featured in this astounding new collection. Colour Me Queer is available now on Dekkoo.

Tom has a Plant
Tom is living in a world where he doesn’t feel that he belongs, torn between staying or searching for a better place. On his last day, Tom decides to give all of his plants away to the ones he loves, without knowing that they already have a secret plan for him.

I Wait for the Night
A discussion between two boys on the shores of an abandoned lake will force one of them to face his inner demons.

Holy Nuns
Sucked into a whirlwind of improbable events, two eccentric nuns end up sliding down the slippery slope to sin.

Shudo
Two samurais face one another on a battlefield ravaged by war. Absorbed by their pride, they clash in a duel fuelled by deep emotions.

Modern Man
Frida is an old housewife. Her anger rises when she observes her spoiled and pampered husband being indoctrinated by a sexist rap clip.

Tentatrice
During the Roaring Twenties of Chicago, Myrtille is desperately attracted to the the Cabaret’s Singer. One night, the power of a peculiar perfume gives her a chance to step out of the shadows.

Bacchus
Alex, a young woman bored with modern life, is lured by Bacchus into a colorful and mysterious world to explore her deepest desires.

Chapped Lips
In a kitchen, a mother and a child struggle to establish dialogue.

She
In her room, a little girl is unhappy. Sitting on her bed on which is placed a doll, she looks at it with annoyance then catches and throws. This model little girl’s room is not in her image.

Animals
Find out what happens when people stuck on a train stop being anti-social and impolite and start getting real.

Ama
1950: On the coast of Japan, an American woman is visiting a village with her military husband and a group of friends. Breaking away from the group, she meets with Namiko, a young ama fisherwoman.

Make a Stand
Two young women are about to receive the greatest honour : be sacrified to their gods. But the sacrifice doesn’t go as expected.

Of Aska
Two women live happily together, one starts to transform, disturbing their usual dynamic. The one left unchanged has to decide how far their love goes.

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.

Watch the dark, ’90s-set cruising thriller Devil’s Path this Halloween

In the early 90s, while searching for his missing brother in a remote gay cruising park, Noah (Stephen Twardokus) sets his sights on a handsome stranger (JD Scalzo).

When Noah is viciously attacked, he and his new companion escape through the woods with two menacing thugs in hot pursuit.

Lost and frightened, they begin to turn on each other and slowly unravel the truth of what’s really going on around them.

A moody, picturesque psychological thriller from prolific actor and first-time director Matthew Montgomery, Devil’s Path is Halloween viewing-ready. The film features unexpected twists and turns, and seamlessly blends sharp, opposing perspectives about sex and love with suspenseful set pieces filled with existential dread.

Watch the trailer for Devil’s Path below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: I Am Norman

The new 18-minute short film I Am Norman opens with a warning. “You may find the following scenes upsetting, but that doesn’t always mean you should turn away.” The film then follows a man, a conversion therapy survivor living in his car, who takes a filmmaker into the woods to share a dark and disturbing secret.

From director/star Arron Blake and co-director Darius Shu, I Am Norman was filmed over three days during lockdown. The filmmakers challenged themselves to create a visually beautiful short with provocative storytelling using only a two-man crew.

Featuring an exceptional lead performance from Blake, the film has earned rave reviews from critics. Voice Magazine called the film “silently masterful,” Film Threat called it a “refined piece of work,” and Culture Fix called it, rightfully, “unsettling.”

Watch the trailer for I Am Norman below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

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: If I’m Good

A brand-new Dekkoo Films original short film from director Jonathon Pawlowski and screenwriter Madison Hatfield, If I’m Good is a touching short film about grief and finding a light at the end of the tunnel.

Sam (Jono Mitchell) isn’t in a great place. He lost his husband, unexpectedly, only twelve days ago. As anyone who has been through the grieving process knows, it takes a while, and Sam is at just about the point where the reality of his loss is beginning to sink in. Though his sister (Jordan Blair Mangold Brown) wants nothing more than to help, there isn’t a whole lot she can do to mend her brother’s broken heart.

When Sam takes a trip to the pharmacy, he meets Jorge – pronounced “George” – (Daniel Annone). Self-described as “the worst pharmacy associate,” Jorge breaks the rules and decides to flirt with his cute new customer. While Sam is nowhere near ready to start a new relationship, Jorge’s attention brings him just a tiny glimmer of hope – and a reminder that, no matter how difficult things may seem, there are always new opportunities around the corner. The two end up spending a little time together, and Sam soon turns an important corner.

A sweet, smart and gently emotional short film, If I’m Good is now available on Dekkoo.