Category: International Film

‘Room for a Man’ is a deeply personal, remarkably assured doc about identity and sexuality

One of the first things that writer, director and documentary subject Anthony Chidiac confesses in his deeply personal film Room for a Man, is that he is paralyzed by fear. He finds the very concept of life in the outside world overwhelming.

Chidiac lives with his mother, a French teacher, in Beirut, and rarely leaves the house. His home is a refuge, but in some respects it’s also a prison. To Anthony, the outside world feels like a hostile environment. That’s partly because of his sexuality – something that his own family refuses to accept. His mom wanted him to become a notary, so that he would earn a lot of money and become ‘a real man.’ But that’s not how he sees himself.

When his bedroom undergoes a renovation, much to his mother’s dismay, Syrian construction workers arrive to do the remodeling. As they peel away at the walls, Anthony engages them in an exploration of his own identity and sexuality within the confines of the apartment.

As the construction workers come and go in the freshly embattled household, unexpected passions get stirred. Through the process of renovation – and the making of this film – Anthony finally begins to blossom and embrace his own identity.

Though he may suffer from insecurities, his filmmaking is remarkably self-assured. Room for a Man is a courageous, stylish and ultimately life-affirming cinematic experiment.

Watch a short trailer for Room for a Man below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Two young men from different backgrounds come together in the sexy Italian romance ‘Empty’

Italian writer-director Giovanni Carpanzano’s feature-length debut, Empty follows two incredibly handsome young men in love who come from different worlds.

Giorgio (Gianluca Galati) is the first-born son of a wealthy and prominent Italian lawyer. Marco (Kevin Di Sole) comes from a much more modest family and has been struggling to emancipate himself from his small provincial town.

Both young men dream of an overwhelming love and above all to emerge from their current circumstances into something greater. The powerful force that attracts them to one another will also fuel them in their fight to stay together.

Sexy, thought-provoking and deeply emotional, Empty examines two lovers at a crossroads and the overwhelming and unexpected love that pushes them.

Watch the trailer for Empty below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Conditional Desire

Tunisian director Houcem Slouli’s award-winning 15-minute short film Conditional Desire follows Ahmed and Salma (Slim Dhib and Imene Ghazouani) , two young gay adults who, despite residing in a society that values conformity, strive to remain honest with themselves.

Unfortunately, they find that they must grapple with a heart-wrenching psychological burden as they sacrifice their happiness to meet the expectations of others.

Having found one another, they married for convenience – seeking the freedom to pursue their passions while masquerading as a heterosexual couple.

With secret lovers representing their true identities, they navigate emotional challenges, questioning the sacrifices they’re forced to make to preserve their secret.

A stirring short drama, Conditional Desire explores identity, love and the effort it takes to stay true in a deeply restrictive world.

Watch the trailer for Conditional Desire below. The short film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: The Black Widow

While cycling through the streets of Marseille, Alfredo (Siro Pedrozzi), a young Italian student, crashes his bike. Seeking help, he stumbles upon a strange porno theater – seemingly imported from another time – during the screening of a mysterious film called La Vedova Nera (The Black Widow).

Once inside, reality begins to morph with the images on the screen, creating one single terrifying dimension. Consumed with thoughts of sadomasochism, murder and graphic gay sex, our protagonist finds himself trapped somewhere between fear and arousal as he looks to make his escape from this disorienting dream space.

A colorful homage to giallo films – and the work of Dario Argento in particular – this provocative, mind-bending 21-minute queer horror short from co-directors Fiume and Julian McKinnon is backed with bold and incredibly creepy cinematic imagery you won’t soon forget.

Watch a short teaser trailer for The Black Widow below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.