Category: International Film

The collection French Touch: Between Men features four scintillating short films

Featuring a series of stimulating short films from France, French Touch: Between Men is a collection that showcases stories about men who are all facing a precipice of deep change in their lives – as well as the male figures who brought them there.

Director Guillaume Foirest’s In Seventh Heaven follows Sofiane (Redouane Behache), who lives in a Paris suburb. Violent, he tries to be like his band of friends. However, Sofiane is attracted to boys – and it’s starting to show at inopportune moments.

In Afghanistan, bachas are young male prostitutes obliged to dance, dressed as girls, for a male audience. They are under the control of a master. Director Chabname Zariab’s When You Hear the Bells tells the story of Saman (Shafiq Ahmad Ali), a bacha, who feels threatened by the arrival of a younger boy destined to take his place and his master’s protection.

After an ambiguous Snapchat video featuring Bilal and Adil (Bilel Chegrani and Adil Dehbi) surfaces, rumors start spreading about the two friends. To save their reputation, each of them decided they need to find a girlfriend fast. Their hunt for a date doesn’t quite go as expected in the short comedy Taste of Love from director Emma Benestan.

Finally, Tapette, the last short film in the collection, comes from director Satya Dusaugey. Just when he is about to move in with his girlfriend, Michel (played by the director himself) is overcome with anxiety. To avoid commitment, he convinces himself he’s actually been gay – and in denial – this whole time.

The full collection, French Touch: Between Men, is available now on Dekkoo. Watch the trailer below.

New This Week – 1/21/22

A sequel to the beloved romance Yossi and Jagger, this moving drama follows Dr. Yossi Gutmann reminiscing about the love he lost ten years earlier. When he encounters a group of attractive young soldiers, one of them, Tom, starts to reignite his romantic feelings. ‘Yossi’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

Featuring a series of stimulating short films from France, this new collection showcases stories about men who are all facing a precipice of deep change in their lives – as well as the male figures who brought them there. Watch ‘French Touch: Between Men’ now on Dekkoo!

A colorful, expertly-crafted short film from writer-director Thibault Lévêque, Nevada tells the story of an unreliable man, in great emotional distress, who calls on two of his friends to join him in a run-down motel in the United States. Once there, his true motivations are unveiled and their friendship is tested. ‘Nevada’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo.

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Coming next week: A sheep farmer whose remote and quiet life is disturbed by the arrival of both his lover and his twin sister.

Short Film Spotlight: High Tide

Writer-director Claire Zhou packs her new 22-minute short film High Tide with low-simmering tension – using minimal dialog and two strong lead actors to tell a story of one man’s burgeoning sexual awakening.

Looking to escape the pain and confusion of an impending divorce, Tarik (Mouad Ben-Chaib) rents a remote cottage in a lush forest in the Netherlands. When he discovers a problem with his shower, he enlists the help of Jonas (Joshua Albano), the cottage’s attractive young owner.

The two men soon realize they have a lot in common. Their encounter awakens long suppressed feelings within Tarik – allowing him to explore his hidden desires and embark upon a journey of self-discovery and healing.

High Tide is available now on Dekkoo.

Bringing Him Back is an erotic character drama about loss, love and human connection

A deeply affecting film about loss, love and human connection, writer-director Borja de la Vega’s Bringing Him Back (also known as Mia y Moi) is a rich character drama with a surprisingly erotic sting in its tail.

Moi (Ricardo Gómez) travels with his boyfriend, Biel (Eneko Sagardoy), to his family home after the death of his mother. Despite arriving to the warm embrace of his sister (Bruna Cusí), Moi struggles to come to terms with his new reality- manifesting in a new disconnect with Biel. When his sister’s boyfriend (Joe Manjon) surprises everyone with his unannounced arrival, their delicate seclusion is shattered – replaced by a potently sensual and tense mood.

Watch the trailer for Bringing Him Back below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

New This Week – 1/13/22

Teddy, a budding novelist, has traded the big city for his professor’s desert home in California to work on completing his first novel. There he meets Leo, the estate’s handsome young caretaker who shows Teddy the ropes of living in the arid wilderness. ‘Sun Kissed’ is now streaming on Dekkoo!

Ian is a shy and insecure teenager searching for his identity. With the help of his imaginary friend, he soon begins to discover himself and learns to face his difficulties. A smart and sensitive short film from writer, director and star Nicolas Dozol. ‘My Own Life’ is now available on Dekkoo!

In the second installment of this hysterically funny smash hit gay series, our favorite investigative bears find themselves caught up in a murder investigation when a former college friend and city council candidate turns up dead at his campaign launch party. Watch ‘Where the Bears Are 2’ now on Dekkoo!

Watch ‘Where the Bears Are 1’ also on Dekkoo!

Icaro chooses Valentine’s Day to propose to his beautiful Vanilla in their favorite restaurant: The Golden Mussel. But Dimitri, the chef, does everything to get in the way of the young seducer, putting Icaro’s sincere commitment at stake in this animated short film from director Gerlando Infuso. Watch ‘The Proposal’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A heartfely drama about coping with incredible loss and trying to be yourself in the face of great cultural adversity – it’s also got really hot sex scenes to boot!

Now Available: Dream Boat

While it’s certainly not advisable to set sail on a cruise ship during a pandemic, this colorful and wildly entertaining documentary invites you aboard from the safe comfort of your home.

Once a year, during normal times, the “Dream Boat” sets sail for a cruise exclusively for gay men – where most passengers, from all corners of the world, are united by the wish to live life authentically as themselves in a protected place. The men have seven days to enjoy their freedom and to love openly. But also on board are their personal stories, their doubts and uncertainties.

Dipankar from India escaped an arranged marriage and now throws himself into action to find the man of his dreams; Ramzi was persecuted by the police in Palestine for being gay and had to start a new life in Europe; Frenchman Philippe was let down by his family when he was bound to a wheelchair, but found a new family with his partner; Martin from Austria enjoys the hedonism and abundant choice of men on the ship and gives his perspective on how to deal with HIV today; and Marek from Poland has everything he needs to stand out on the men’s market, thanks to his trained body.

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

New This Week – 1/7/22

After their mother passes away, siblings Mia and Moi take refuge in an old family home in the countryside – along with Moi’s boyfriend Biel. When Mia’s new boyfriend shows up unexpectedly, the atmosphere becomes surprisingly tense and sensual. ‘Bringing Him Back’ is a rich character study with an erotic sting. ‘Bringing Him Back’ is streaming exclusively on Dekkoo!

A man takes himself to a woodland cottage to escape the pain and confusion of an impending divorce. While enlisting the owner to fix a broken water, he begins to uncover and embrace his hidden desires and embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing. The short film ‘High Tide’ is available now on Dekkoo!

A young political activist embarks on a journey of self-discovery while searching for love – and anarchy – within Berlin’s colorful queer community. Filmmaker Samuel Kay Forrest wrote, directed and stars in this propulsive and energetic love story. ‘HipBeat’ is available now on Dekkoo!

Using sign language, this intimate, emotionally turbulent yet occasionally light-hearted short film centers around a young deaf man’s relationship with his boyfriend – a commitment-phobe who isn’t quite ready to come out of the closet. Watch ‘Pittsburgh’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Teddy, a young writer, ventures to an isolated desert house to complete his first novel, where he meets and seduces the mysterious caretaker, Leo.

Marilyn is a powerful coming-of-age drama based on a true story

With an affection for women’s dresses and a naturally sensitive demeanor, Marcos (Walter Rodriguez) knows he was not made for a life as a tenant rancher – tending livestock and fending off poachers in the beautiful, unforgiving Argentinian countryside.

Starved for connection and finding release just once a year during carnival, Marcos has an unexpected ally in his kindly father Carlos (German de Silva), who pushes his son toward education and a future outside their small, provincial town. But when Carlos dies suddenly, responsibility quickly falls on Marcos and his older brother Carlitos (Ignacio Gimenez) to assume their father’s role, learning the trade, keeping the troubled ranch afloat-and placating their stern, demanding mother Olga (Catalina Saavedra).

With financial and social pressures mounting, Marcos finds a ray of light in a budding relationship with Federico (Andrew Bargsted) yet finds himself unable to escape forces keeping him from being the person he was meant to be, leading to an unforgettable conclusion in this powerful debut feature from co-writer/director Martin Rodriguez Redondo, based on the incredible true story.

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

New This Week – 12/31/21

A stunningly beautiful documentary, ‘Dream Boat’ takes you aboard a cruise ship filled with gorgeous gay men – from bow to stern, starboard to port! For many of them, this yearly trip has become a blissful escape from their day-to-day lives in the closet – the one place where they can truly be free. Watch ‘Dream Boat’ on Dekkoo!

17-year-old Nagisa is in his second year of high school. When he meets Shun, a boy his same age, over spring break, his love life begins to change in unexpected ways. This prequel to ‘His” (also available on Dekkoo) is a heartwarming romantic coming-of-age drama from Japan. ‘His: I Didn’t Think I Would Fall in Love’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

This poetic short romance from director Aretha Iskandar takes us inside the mind and heart of Fred, an introverted young man. When he meets Raphael, the boy of his dreams, his vision, energy and sensuality leave him breathless. Though they part ways, Fred is compelled to tell Raphael how he really feels. ‘Raphael’ is streaming now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A rich character study with a surprisingly erotic sting.

New This Week – 12/24/21

Rural Argentina is not a happy place for Marcos, a gay teen with a fondness for women’s clothing and a mother determined to “set him straight.” Based on shocking true events, Marilyn is a nuanced story of oppression, prejudice, homophobia and a young man who is pushed to his limit and confronted with the impossibility of being true to himself. ‘Marilyn’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

A wildly inventive short film romance, ‘Plantonic’ follows the unique relationship that grows (literally) between a young aspiring artist and the incredibly attractive half-man/half-plant that seems to be growing in his garden. Stream ‘Plantonic’ now on Dekkoo!

This wildly popular comedy-mystery web series follows the exploit of three gay bear roommates living together in Los Angeles – as they attempt to solve the murder of a party guest that turns up dead in their bathtub. ‘Where the Bears Are’ is now available on Dekkoo!

During the summer of 2018, a young man goes to visit the place that brought all of his childhood memories to live. Once there, he says goodbye to this place, the person he used to be…and his first lover. ‘X As In Love’ is available now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A stunningly beautiful documentary that takes you aboard a cruise ship filled with gorgeous gay men.