Category: International Film
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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.
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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.
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Short Film Spotlight: The Touching
A hidden secret borne of mutual self-discovery hides behind the bedroom door of brothers David and Marek (Herman Tajovský and Krystof Brand).
Though it all starts out as relatively innocent experimentation, Marek starts to feel that their curiosity has crossed the limits of brotherly love. When he begins to distance himself, the younger David struggles to understand why his beloved older brother’s attitude has suddenly shifted.
A mesmerizing 39-minute short film from Czech writer-director Dominik György, The Touching has a timeless quality that fits perfectly with the narrative’s boyhood coming-of-age themes. Filmed in black and white in a 1.33 aspect ratio, the film feels like it could have been made during just about any time over the last sixty years.
Handling deeply uncomfortable subject matter with intelligence, style and grace, the film earned numerous awards at festivals all around the world – and marked György as a distinct cinematic voice worth keeping an eye on. As of now, his resume only includes shorts, but we can’t wait to see what he’s able to do with a feature length film.
Watch the trailer for The Touching below. The short film is now streaming on Dekkoo.
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Short Film Spotlight: Skinny Fat
In Skinny Fat, a short Welsh comedy based on real events by writer-director Mathew David, a gay man confronts his insecurities in a store changing room, triggering him to relive a past trauma.
The filmmaker also stars as Mathew, a 33-year-old man shopping with his mom, Bernie (played by British comedy legend Ruth Madoc). Trying to find the perfectly fitting shirt proves difficult: the smalls are too small everything else is too big.
Mathew’s belly fat becoming the all-consuming focus of his attention causes his mother to be concerned about his behavior. Flashbacks to an abusive relationship with his ex-boyfriend only lead him deeper down the rabbit hole.
Being a loving mother, Bernie tries, through kindness and charm, to break him out of this dangerous path of self-sabotage. But can she pull him out of the darkness? Will Mathew find a way to be happy in his own skin? Or will he be destined to live in fear of his own body?
Watch a clip from Skinny Fat below. The short film is now streaming on Dekkoo.
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A couple crafts their future in the romantic Argentine drama ‘What We Wrote Together’
From writer-director Nicolás Teté, What We Wrote Together is a new feature film that portrays one particular moment in the life of a couple.
Mariano and Juan (Santiago Magariños and Ezequiel Martinez), two men in their mid-thirties, have been dating for more than six years. They share a dog and a quiet, seemingly happy life together.
Now that Juan, a novelist, has achieved some career success, the pair decide to pursue Mariano’s lifelong dream of running a plant nursery in the mountains. Just as the pair begin adjusting to their new environment – and Juan starts working on his newest novel – they receive an unexpected visit from a friend who shares some news that will have untold effects on their best laid plans.
Though they thought they were escaping the city for a peaceful new life, the couple soon find themselves dealing with uncertainty, resentment, trauma, ego and questions about what each of them really wants from life – and whether those individual aspirations align with their shared goals as a couple.
Featuring truly charming performances from the two adorable lead actors, What We Wrote Together is a sexy and thought-provoking romantic comedy-drama about true partnership – and all the baggage that comes along with it.
Watch the trailer for What We Wrote Together below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.
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Short Film Spotlight: That Dark Day
Fábio (Miguel Filpi) is a young trans man from Sao Paulo who works as a caregiver for the elderly. Mourning the end of a recent love affair, his memories and dreams offer a closer look at his coming-of-age and the dilemmas he faced while coming to understand his gender and sexuality.
Everything starts coming into focus for Fábio when he begins working for Louise (Isabelle Lenoble), an elderly cisgender woman who is living far away from any close friends or family. Slowly dying of a terminal illness, Fábio becomes her rock. As weeks go by, their relationship matures into one of abiding affection and deep understanding.
Living in a polarized society, fraught with political and financial turmoil, the pair begin to rely solely on one another and start learning how to say their goodbye – he to a cherished relationship and the person he used to be; and she to life itself.
From Brazilian writer-director Daniel Guarda, That Dark Day is a profoundly emotional 29-minute short film that will linger with you long after the credits roll.
Celebrated at screenings around the world, the film won the ‘Silver Rabbit Award,’ the Audience Choice for Best Brazilian Short Film, at MixBrasil Festival of Diversity Culture when it debuted in 2022.
Watch the trailer for That Dark Day below. The short film is now streaming on Dekkoo.
