New This Week – 12/6/19

An emotional and highly-entertaining documentary from the creative forces behind CockyBoys, ‘Leave it to Levi’ brings to the big screen the story of Levi Karter, one of the adult entertainment industry’s biggest stars and the change that has taken place in his life. Stream ‘Leave it to Levi’ now, exclusively on Dekkoo!

A childhood friendship is put to the test after a fleeting encounter stirs up uncomfortable feelings and emotions that neither are equipped to answer. ‘Marz’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

An ex-convict is trying to make a new life for himself in a new city. But his new life is challenged when his foreboding and charismatic former cell mate arrives in town. Watch ‘Cut Snake’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: An African American gay couple invites a handsome young man home with them turning their lives upside down.

Get ready to fall in love with THE BLONDE ONE

In the suburbs of Buenos Aires, Gabriel (Gaston Re) has just moved in with his colleague, Juan (Alfonso Baron). Shy and reserved, Gabriel is reluctant to follow Juan’s wandering hands and meaningful looks. With a revolving door of beauties streaming out of Juan’s bedroom, his machismo seems firmly in place. However, the attraction between the two men is undeniable.

What starts out as a sexual relationship based on convenience of location soon develops into the engrossing evolution of a tender and intimate relationship, which is as sweet as it is heartbreaking. But, as reality begins to set in on their homemaking fantasy, something needs to give… or does it?

Written and directed by prolific queer filmmaker Marco Berger (the man behind Taekwondo, Absent, Sexual Tension: Volatile, Fulboy and Hawaii), The Blonde One is one of the year’s hottest gay movies and most beloved gay movies.

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

 

Short Film Spotlight: Clothes & Blow

Screened at over 20 film festivals and Winner of Best International Short at Dublin Short Film And Music Festival, Clothes & Blow is a comedy/drama for anyone who has ever struggled to be their true self around their family.

Written and directed by Sam Peter Jackson (The Bathroom), the 23-minute short film stars David Menkin (Florence Foster Jenkins), Nancy Baldwin (Mamma Mia!) and Christy Meyer (Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them).

For American voice over artist Daniel (Menkin), life in London is one long autopilot ride of demanding client calls and awkward Grindr meets. But when his mother Stephanie (Baldwin) decides to visit from the US with less than 24 hours notice, Daniel is forced to re-evaluate how fully and authentically he is living his life.

Watch the trailer for Clothes & Blow below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.

Now Available: Cousins

From writer-director-star Thiago Cazado, the creator behind the 2017 gay drama About Us, comes the unusual new romance Cousins, a controversial and supremely sexy new coming-of-age love story.

Young Lucas (Paulo Sousa) lives with his religious Aunt Lourdes (Juliana Zancanaro) in a quiet country town, where he dutifully helps her proselytize by playing biblical songs on his keyboard. His quiet life is soon agitated, however, when his aunt announces the arrival of another nephew named Mario (Thiago Cazado), who has just been released from jail. Forced to share a bedroom, these two cousins find their personalities clashing… until an unexpected attraction starts to bond them together.

The newest piece of work from a queer filmmaker on the rise, this new film is not afraid to push boundaries.

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

New This Week – 11/22/19

When Lucas and Mario, two young cousins who are only meeting for the first time, are forced to share a room in the home of their deeply religious aunt, they find their personalities clashing… until an unexpected attraction starts to bond them. ‘Cousins’ is now available to stream exclusively on Dekkoo!

After 5-years, Xavi’s boyfriend has left him. To ward off depression, Xavi resorts to self-help books which may not be a wise decision. Watch ‘My Reality’ now on Dekkoo!

Set in 1931, this visually sumptuous comedy-drama from director Peter Greenaway (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover) focuses on seminal filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin) during a location-scouting trip in Mexico – wherein a series of sensual and romantic events unfold that will alter the course of his life and career. Stream ‘Eisenstein in Guanajuato’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A deeply moving human story of a gay teenager left to survive on his own in São Paulo.

A dark gay fairy tale comes to Dekkoo with 1998’s The Wolves of Kromer

Originally released in 1998, The Wolves of Kromer is a dark, funny fairy tale of darkly sexy gay werewolves, murderous old ladies and an old English town bent on getting rid of those not like themselves.

The story centers around the goings-on of two couples: Seth and Gabriel (Lee Williams and James Layton), a pair of werewolves who live outside the quaint village of Kromer and two tottering old women who share a secret. Young Seth, thrown out of his house after coming out as wolf, meets up with the worldlier Gabriel who, attracted to his fair face and bushy tail, takes him under his wing. They spend their nights foraging for food by the lake outside the village of Kromer, hanging out with other wolves, playfully terrorizing the townsfolk and eventually falling in love with each other.

All the while in the town, the seemingly harmless old house servants – the scheming Fanny (Rita Davies) and her daffy accomplice Doreen (Margaret Towner) – plot to knock off their mistress Mrs. Drax (Rosemarie Dunham) and direct blame on the wolves.

Tensions between the nocturnal animals and the hypocritical townsfolk come to a head as the town’s fire-and-brimstone preacher riles everyone up against the ostracized wolves.

Filled with tender romanticism, social satire and laugh-out-loud comedy, this modern-day gay parable is a delight from beginning to end. Also, quite notably, it’s narrated by Boy George!

The Wolves of Kromer is streaming now on Dekkoo.

 

Bringing Season 2 of “Interested In” to Life

Upon the release of season one of Interested In, the world fell in love with Parker, his hookup antics, and his parade of beautifully queer friends. Whether it was the hot guys or the heart of the show that got you hooked, it’s safe to say that we’re all interested in a second season. We got the chance to once again sit down with Michael Witkes—the creator of the show and the actor playing Parker—to talk about all things Interested In and how he’s gearing up for a fierce follow up.

Still from the new gay series Interested In - Now Available on Dekkoo!

Hi, Michael! It’s nice to talk to you again! How have you been since we last spoke?

Amazing! Interested In got it’s big release on Dekkoo! It’s been my gay little dream to be on a queer streaming site, and here we are. This project has been a huge labor of love. It’s been so validating to hear from the queer people who’ve shared their coming-of-age stories with me. I created this series because I was confused after I came out. At the time, I couldn’t find any media or entertainment that depicted my story. So it’s heartwarming to hear that other people from all over the world also find validation in Parker’s journey.

What’s been your favorite reaction?

After our world premiere at Cinema Diverse in Palm Springs, I talked at length about the series with an older man who was a part of the Black Cat riots in Los Angeles in the ‘60s. He was incredibly complimentary and was impressed with the unapologetic depiction of queer sex. We discussed the differences between dating now and when he was my age. He wasn’t even allowed to hold hands with another man in public! What an amazing opportunity it was to thank someone for creating a world where I’m allowed to create Interested In.

Still from the new gay series Interested In - Now Available on Dekkoo!

What was your favorite part of creating season one of Interested In?

It was probably filming. I love the bustle of an indie film set, and it was amazing seeing my vision come to life. We had such an amazing team working on the series, so filming was an absolute joy.

How did you feel after the series was released?

Since I couldn’t be there in the room with everyone as they watched the series, I had no idea how people were reacting at first. It’s been so nice to connect with people online. Also, every screening has been a joy. It’s sometimes hard for me to watch myself on screen—especially in awkward sexual situations—but hearing the audience react positively has been exhilarating.

You’re jumping right back into the ring for the second season. How long have you been working on this second chapter of this story?

It’s been five years in the making! I wrote the first draft during my junior year of college. I initially wrote the series as a play that performed at two different theaters, but I thought that it would work much better as a series. So, the first half of the play was made into season one, and the second half is getting made into season two! I’m very much ready to get the second act out there!

Still from the new gay series Interested In - Now Available on Dekkoo!

Can you tell us a little bit about the journey that Parker will be going on in season two?

I don’t want to give too much away, but we definitely see Parker coming into his identity and gaining confidence. Of course, there will be some major roadblocks along the way. I think people are really going to love this season.

Will we see some of the same beloved characters we saw in season one?

The upcoming season is ultimately about queer friendship, so Parker’s bestie, Danny, is definitely coming back and will play a bigger role. Also, the thing about queer dating and Grindr culture is that you can have these amazingly vulnerable, intimate moments with someone you just met and then never see them again. So, season two will remain true to that, but you might see a few more familiar faces along the way, too.

What do you think is going to be the biggest difference between the first and second seasons?

Season one was very much about building Parker’s world and seeing him be incredibly uncomfortable in his own skin. In season two, Parker delves much deeper into his identity and touches on issues of femininity, consent, sexual assault, and queer identity. Just like the first season, season two will be steamy (but still awkward, of course). We also might have some amazing cameos this time around, so stay tuned for that!

Still from the new gay series Interested In - Now Available on Dekkoo!

For those interested in learning more about season two and how they can help bring the vision to life, where can we go?

We’re currently running a crowdfunding campaign to bring season two to life! We’re approaching the finish line and getting closer to our $15K goal! We have to reach 80% of our goal to receive any of the funds, so if you want to see what happens to Parker in season two, your support is crucial to making that happen!

To help us out, you can make a pledge and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and on our Seed&Spark page! Oh, and don’t forget to spread the love and share the series and our fundraiser with your friends and family! We’re so incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped make season one a success, and your continued support will allow us to make season two a reality!

Is there anything else you’d like your fans to know?

Thank you so much for watching the series and for your amazing messages! You’re the reason we’re making season two! I hope you enjoy it as much as we’re enjoying making it!

While you help bring season two of Interested In to life, why not give season one a rewatch! You can view it here, only on Dekkoo!

New This Week – 11/8/19

In the small English village of Kromer, the local residents are angered by the wild parties held by the promiscuous ‘wolves’ who dwell on the edge of town. When a woman is killed by her servants, they manage to put the blame on the wolves, who soon find themselves hunted by an angry mob. Watch ‘The Wolves of Kromer’ now on Dekkoo!

Adult film star Colby Jansen stars in a coming-of-age story about a young man’s potential path to daddyhood. Watch ‘Matt’ now on Dekkoo!

For voice over artist Daniel, life in London is one long ride of demanding client calls and awkward Grindr meets, but when his mother visits from the US, he is forced to re-evaluate how authentically he is living his life. ‘Clothes & Blow’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

This documentary explores the daily life of a woman who provides shelter for those rejected by family and society. At her home she welcomes her friends within the LGBT community and provides them with a safe place away from persecution. ‘Upon the Shadow’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Dekkoo Films presents a short film about modern love.

Now Available: These Peculiar Days

At only 30 years of age, Mexican writer-director Chucho E. Quintero already has three feature films under his belt. His first, Six Pack, was a high school coming-of-age drama; his second, Velociraptor, a dialog-driven gay sci-fi sex comedy. Now he brings us These Peculiar Days, in which eight high school friends celebrate their graduation by heading out to a cabin in the woods. That may sound like the set up for an Evil Dead-esque horror film, but the one thing you can always expect from Quintero is that he’ll defy your expectations.

Still from These Peculiar Days

An adolescent coming of age tale, These Peculiar Days follows this group of buddies as they gear up for a wild weekend to remember. Just before the trip, Isabel (Sofia Sylwin) breaks up with Roman (Gerardo Del Razo) when she finds out he’s been cheating on her with Oscar (Carlos Hendrick Huber). When Roman tags along to try to win her back, it turns this pleasant weekend into a ticking time bomb that will be set off by their unstoppable sexual impulses.

Still from These Peculiar Days

Soon, the lines between their sexuality begin to blur as allegiances and love affairs are quickly made and broken. An unabashedly erotic look at modern sexual fluidity between young adults from acclaimed writer-director, These Peculiar Days is both fresh and endlessly compelling.

Still from These Peculiar Days

Watch the trailer for These Peculiar Days below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.

 

 

Lilting is an emotional and rewarding tear-jerker

Ben Whishaw stars in Lilting as Richard, a deeply sad young man trying to work through grief. He recently lost his lover, Kai (Andrew Leung), unexpectedly and far too early. Kai’s mother, Junn (Pei-Pei Cheng) is also in great pain as a result of the loss. Kai sent her to a nursing home temporarily while he worked up the nerve to come out to her and invite her to live with Richard and himself. Unfortunately, he died before he had the opportunity.

Richard is deeply concerned with his late lover’s mother well-being. He knows that Junn is unhappy in the nursing home and would like to offer her a way out. The problem is that she has no idea how important Richard was in her son’s life. In fact, Junn, thinking that Richard was just a roommate of Kai’s, seems to think that he was a bad influence on her son. Richard doesn’t want to betray Kai by revealing the truth about their relationship. On top of that, he and Junn don’t even speak the same language.

In an effort to get closer to Junn, Richard hires a translator (Naomi Christie) to help them communicate. But as time goes on and Junn becomes increasingly agitated and suspicious of Richard’s motivations, the truth starts simmering to the surface, practically begging to be revealed.

Lilting is a melancholy, but ultimately uplifting tear-jerker filled with likeable characters that help the emotions sink in. The only villain of the piece, the source of the film’s conflict, is Junn and even she’s sympathetic. She’s unreasonably difficult and treats Richard as an irritation even though he’s on a saintly mission to help her, but she’s also grief-stricken and all alone in a strange country where she’s not able to communicate.

Director Hong Khaou has a poetic sensibility and the cast is uniformly excellent, particularly Whishaw. He sells his character’s admirable mix of deep sadness and unyielding altruism so well that it’s practically a guarantee that your heart will break for him. Lilting is a touching meditation on death and grief that never neglects to celebrate life and love simultaneously.

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