Category: International Film

Provocative filmmaker Bruce LaBruce returns with the 1970s-set thriller Saint-Narcisse

The latest film from Bruce LaBruce, Canada’s reigning “King of Kink,” Saint-Narcisse follows Dominic (Félix-Antoine Duval), a young man with a fetish… for himself. Nothing turns him on more than his reflection, with much of his time spent taking Polaroid selfies.

When his loving grandmother dies, he discovers a deep family secret: his lesbian mother didn’t die in childbirth and he has a twin brother, Daniel, raised in a remote monastery by a depraved priest, held captive against his will! The power of destiny brings together the two beautiful, identical brothers, who, after being reunited with their mother Beatrice, are soon embroiled in a blasphemous web of sex, revenge and redemption.

Set in the early 1970s and the afterglow of sexual liberation, Saint-Narcisse is a love letter to the psychosexual thrillers of that era. Elegant visuals are combined with LaBruce’s notorious punk provocations in “a wild ride that’s enjoyable in all its B-movie glory while also titillating the intellect” (The Hollywood Reporter).

Watch the trailer for Saint-Narcisse below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

Now Available: Eastern Boys

The critically-acclaimed Eastern Boys follows the cautious relationship that develops between a single man and a much-younger sex-worker.

Arriving from all over the Eastern Bloc, the young men who frequent the Gare du Nord train station in Paris are scraping by however they can, forming gangs for support and protection and living in fear of being caught by the police and deported.

When a bourgeois, middle-aged man named Daniel (Olivier Rabourdin) approaches a boyishly handsome Ukrainian immigrant named Marek (Kirill Emelyanov), he learns the young man is willing to do anything for some cash.

When Daniel brings the young man home, it leads to an alarming and dangerous home invasion. But once the men are able to spend some time alone together, they end up forming an unexpectedly profound relationship. The drastically different circumstances of their lives ultimately reveal hidden facets of the city they share.

Presented in four parts, this absorbing, critically-acclaimed drama from director Robin Campillo (“The Returned,” BPM (Beats Per Minute)) is centered around relationships that defy easy categorization, in which motivations and desires are poorly understood – even sometimes by those to whom they belong.

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

Short Film Spotlight: Dust

A new 40-minute short film from the Netherlands, Dust follows Alko (Henk Jan Doornbosch), an average teen boy living in the Dutch countryside.

Alko’s thoughts are occupied with girls, carbide-shooting and his changing body. While he and his best friend Björn (Liam Feikens) are struggling with their emerging sexuality, the locals begin to suspect that Alko may be gay. This troubles him so much that he makes a decision he will come to regret.

Director Joren Molter examines toxic masculinity, the expectations put on young men to conform and the coming of age process between best friends in a small rural village community. Between agricultural weekend work and partying, dealing with other adolescent boys and girls, one kiss can make a big difference. The urge to fit in, to uphold image and peer pressure forces the boys to make choices that will greatly affect their friendship.

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

Two teens fall in love at a school retreat in the charming romance The Boy Foretold by the Stars

A heartwarming coming-of-age rom-com from the Philippines, The Boy Foretold by the Stars follows an openly gay teen looking for love.

Dominic Cruz (Adrian Lindayag) is an openly gay high school student from St. Francis Catholic School, an exclusive school for boys. He goes to Quiapo with one of his best friends, Timmy (John Leinard Ramos), to consult Baby R (Iyah Mina), a popular fortune teller renowned for her 99.5 percent accurate predictions regarding love.

During this visit, Baby R informs Dominic that he will meet his soul mate within a week, and gives him three signs to help him determine the identity of his match. Meanwhile, Luke Armada (Keann Johnson), a member of St. Francis’ basketball team, has just broken up with his girlfriend Karen (Rissey Reyes) and decides to participate in the “Journey of the Lord” retreat in an attempt to move on.

Dominic, who was coincidentally one of the volunteers for the retreat, is assigned as Luke’s sponsor and the two young men quickly become good friends. As the two get closer, Baby R’s three signs seem to present themselves. Is Dominic reading the signs correctly, or is it just wishful thinking?

One of the first mainstream gay romantic comedies from the Philippines, The Boy Foretold by the Stars was a crowd-pleasing hit locally, earning awards at film festivals. It’s also currently being adapted into a television series.

Watch the trailer for The Boy Foretold by the Stars below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.

Now Available: Beyond the Walls

From director David Lambert, Beyond the Walls is a wonderfully acted and taut romantic drama about two outsiders whose quick-moving affair faces some serious complications.

Paolo (Matila Malliarakis) is a gangly, long-haired man-boy, older than he looks. He lives with his stern, untrusting girlfriend, Anka (Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin) who is sure he will soon give in to his homosexual urges.

Rugged Albanian-immigrant bartender Ilir (Guillaume Gouix) works in a neighborhood bar. After a night of partying with friends, Ilir takes a drunken Paolo to his place to recover. A sexual relationship begins, but Paolo’s girl, tired of his infidelities, throws him out.

Now, the two young men slowly open up and begin an intense, romantic affair. When one is arrested for drug possession and imprisoned – and the other is tempted into a relationship with another man – the stress threatens their nascent love.

A serious drama about intimacy, separation, manipulation and trust, Beyond the Walls is made all the more remarkable by the two lead actors’ positively fearless performances.

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

New This Week – 7/22/22

Did you know that we have a weekly YouTube show called The Dekkoo Digest that discusses all the films added to Dekkoo that week. It’s a helpful guide to learn about the films we’re programming. Plus, our host Ross is cute as a button!

Check out the latest episode and be sure to visit out YouTube channel every Friday for new updates. Or, you can just check back here. We’ll be sure to link to them.