Gay Film – Page 120 – Discover great gay stories.

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!

Pride Month Spotlight: Were the World Mine

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”

It doesn’t get better than this swoon-worthy, candy-colored musical about a high school boy who uses magic to turn many of the boys at school gay – just in time for a show-stopping production of a Shakespearean classic. Since its release, Were the World Mine has become a gay musical classic that we will return to again and again.

Timothy (Tanner Cohen) is a gay boy stranded in a private all-boys school, which is largely obsessed with rugby. Unfortunately, there’s only one thing about rugby that catches Timothy’s interest: he’s obsessed with the super-adorable star player Jonathan (Nathaniel David Becker).

Both boys are students in Ms. Tebbit’s English class (she’s played by the delightful Wendy Robie of “Twin Peaks” and The People Under the Stairs). She’s a teacher with a mission: to excite her students with the literature of the ages. When she decides to cast these two boys as the romantic leads in her production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (and to cast boys in all of the female roles), she proves herself just as mischievous as Puck.

The rugby Coach and townspeople are up in arms, but for Timothy, it seems like his wildest romantic fantasies may be coming true. He finds, in the script, the recipe for a potion to make people gay. With just a few spritzes from his magic pansy, the entire town (filled with Christian fundamentalists) is soon whipped into frenzy as the glorious production night approaches.

This deliciously surreal confection from co-writer/director Thomas Gustafson, based on his own 2003 short film Fairies, is a true gem. The musical numbers are over-the-top, production values first-rate and the acting is as flawless as the adorable boys on display. Even the top critics agreed back in 2008 when the film first screened. After Elton called it “absolutely breathtaking” and The New York Times said it was “movie musical magic.” It also managed to snag over twenty audience and jury awards during its initial film festival run.

Swoon all over Were the World Mine RIGHT NOW on Dekkoo! It’s one of our treasured Pride Picks.

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.

New This Week – 6/14/18

On June 12, 2016, a coward walked into Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, FL, and committed the worst mass shooting in US history. Utilizing survivor interviews, re-enactments, and police body cameras, this documentary examines this tragic event. Watch ’49 Pulses’, now available on Dekkoo.

Genesis 2:8. “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.” In this story, João and Pedro live in this garden. One of them is about to leave because someone ate the forbidden fruit. The gay short film, ‘Eden’ is now available on Dekkoo.

Let Julianne Moore, Isaac Mizrahi, Michael Musto and other famous (and infamous) faces take you on a fantastic voyage to New York City’s legendary Florent diner. For 23 years, the all-night eatery in the city’s Meat Packing District was prime stomping ground for a surprising mix of A-list celebrities, tourists, families and club kids. This wildly entertaining documentary chronicles the history and final days of this outrageous icon. ‘Florent: Queen of the Meatmarket’ is now available on Dekkoo!

Pride Month Spotlight: Scrum

“Cinematic and deeply poetic, Scrum smashes stereotypes.” – Screen Australia

“It’s not about gay, it’s not about rugby, it’s about an unstoppable team… who happen to be gay.” – Salty Popcorn

“From sweaty locker rooms to the pub, from nerve-wracking draft meetings to slow-motion clashes in the dirt and rain, Scrum is a handsomely shot and deeply affecting film.” – The Low Down Under

From director Poppy Stockwell, Scrum presents an intimate look at the journey of three different athletes and members of the “Sydney Convicts,” an Australian gay rugby team, as they prepare physically, emotionally and mentally for the 2014 Bingham Cup.

As the players compete for a coveted spot in the Gay Rugby World Cup, this muddy, sweaty and visually arresting documentary shines a spotlight on some incredibly tough men who break every stereotype in the book. Not only are they deliciously rugged, but they have a hell of a lot of heart. Being a member of the Sydney Convicts is a major commitment. They’re not just teammates, they’re brothers.

Originally completed in 2015, Scrum has been broadcast on multiple continents and screened at numerous LGBTQ film festivals all over the world, to great reviews from critics and audiences.

You can watch Scrum now on Dekkoo as one of our Pride Month selections. Just be ready to break a sweat!

New This Week – 6/8/18

Carefree Elias works at a textile factory, juggling long shifts, dreams of the sea, and animated nights-out with no-strings sexual encounters. As he tries to discern where his future may lead him, he and his coworkers decide to go out for a bit of fun, ultimately leading to new encounters and unexpected desires. ‘Body Electric’ is now available on Dekkoo.

A gritty, 17-minute short from Switzerland, ‘Vandalen’ follows two young graffiti artists who are having a secret affair. While one thinks of their relationship as purely sexual, the other is falling in love. When a female acquaintance comes between them, jealousy forces their hidden desires out in the open. Watch ‘Vandalen’ now on Dekkoo!

‘NY84’ follows the adventures of three young artists in the downtown art scene in the early 1980’s. Young and carefree, the friends party, photograph, paint, sing, and play their way through the clubs and lofts of Alphabet City. The party ends in 1984 when Anton and Keith contract a mysterious illness. Stream the gay film ‘NY84’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: On the second anniversary of a needless tragedy, we present a film that commemorates the victims.

One Great Gay Shot – ‘Hidden Kisses’ (2017)

‘Hidden Kisses’ is now available to stream on Dekkoo!

New This Week – 6/1/18

Nathan, 16, lives alone with his father Stephane. A newcomer in high school, he is invited to a party and falls in love with Louis, a boy in his class. They find themselves out of sight and kiss each other, but someone takes a picture of them. Soon, the photo is published on Facebook and a storm overtakes their lives as they face bullying and rejection. ‘Hidden Kisses’ is now available to stream on Dekkoo!

Two friends, just beginning to explore their sexual identities, reveal intimate details of their lives. Is it curiosity, braggadocio or flirtation? Stream the gay short ‘Summer’ now on Dekkoo!

Manchester’s famed queer hub Canal Street comes to life in this documentary series that focuses on the exploits of people who ‘live, work and play’ around the village. Binge watch ‘Queer Street’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: “…The film examines – with a joyous vibe – the exploring of one’s identity and sexuality through fashion and partying” – Vague Visages

DEKKOO DISPATCH 070 – ‘SHORT FILM ROUNDUP!’

Title – ‘Protect Me From What I Want‘

Director – Dominic Leclerc

Starring – Naveed Choudhry, Elliott Tittensor

Release Date – 2009

Title – ‘Prora‘

Director – Stephane Riethauser

Starring – Swen Gippa, Tom Gramenz

Release Date – 2012

Title – ‘Nightswimming‘

Director – Dominic LeClerc

Starring – Linzey Cocker, Tim Dantay, Harry Eden

Release Date – 2010

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Hey there! The dispatch was away for a couple weeks while I was out scouting for the best in queer cinema at the Cannes Film Festival to bring to Dekkoo, but I’m back! We’ve been adding some great short films to the Dekkoo universe lately and I wanted to feature three of them in this week’s dispatch:

‘Protect Me From What I Want‘ is a really sexy and romantic film from the UK (one of two in this week’s dispatch). I’d seen it before a few years ago when it first came out, but watching it again was a much more intimate experience than I remembered it being. The story revolves around Daz and Saleem. One night they meet while cruising each other on a busy street. Daz is clearly the more experienced of the two and tries in vain to get Saleem to kiss him. After Daz continues to initiate sex Saleem runs away and we get to briefly see his very traditional Indian family giving us the cue that not only is Saleem nervous about having gay sex, but he’s also tormented anti-gay pressures from his family. Eventually Saleem seeks out Daz once more and they go to Daz’s house where Saleem finally submits to Daz’s charms. But what happens once the experience is over? Can Daz hold onto someone so conflicted with their inner desires?

‘Prora‘ takes us on a journey through the ups and downs of young friendship when sexual desire enters the picture. Prora’s title is the name of the setting of the film – a beach resort built by Nazi Germany between 1936 and 1939. It was envisioned as the affordable holiday destination for the everyday German laborer. After the war began in 1939 construction stopped and was never completed. The location choice by director Stephane Riethauser is really fantastic. The beautiful outside area contrasted by the bare, distressed interior of the buildings is a great metaphor for the two boy’s friendship throughout the story. The story is really very simple. Two boys – one French, Matthieu and one German, Jan are having a carefree Summer holiday near Prora. One day while drinking they decide to explore the inside. There Jan eventually shows his same-sex attraction to Matthieu which causes… friction to say the least.

‘Nightswimming‘ is a bit of an erotic puzzle. Also hailing from the UK this film explores the nature of repressed desires and inter-generational experimentation. Two young kids break into a swimming pool. On patrol is an older gentlemen who hears the commotion and goes to investigate. Upon finding the handsome boy with his apparent girlfriend he takes pity on them and grants their request to stay overnight. Over the course of the night he observes the two of them playing around and becoming intimate. The boy is obviously showing off a bit especially since at one point he calls out for the guard in jest so the guard can witness him stripping off the girl. Eventually the two separate and the boy starts talking to the guard. The conversation starts with the incredibly funny line “I’ve run out of fags. Got any?”. There’s also an incredibly sexy shower scene with full frontal nudity so if that’s your thing get on that!

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Watch it with: Your gay short film loving friends!

Mix it with: White wine.

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