Category: International Film

Short Film Spotlight: Bror

Written and directed by prolific short filmmaker Isabella Carbonell, the fourteen-minute short film Bror (“Brother”) takes place on the soccer field, following two longtime buddies as they cagily broach the subject of taking their friendship to the next level.

Nico (Philip Oros) and Khalid (Poyan Karimi) are best friends – and always have been. Khalid was born in Iran, a country where having feelings for another man can lead to the death penalty. Nico was born in Sweden, a country where it’s openly accepted for a man to have a boyfriend. And yet it’s Nico who keeps holding back when Khalid tries to take their relationship further than it’s gone before.

Well-received on the international film festival circuit, Bror has also been used as an educational film at schools in Germany. The full short film is now available on Dekkoo.

The relationship between a biographer and his subject spirals into abuse and dependence in the tense Australian drama Acute Misfortune

Erik Jensen was an ambitious nineteen-year-old journalist at The Sydney Morning Herald when Archibald Prize-Winning painter, Adam Cullen, with a career retrospective at the Art Gallery of NSW, invited him to write his biography. The new film Acute Misfortune follows of the four-and-a-half years leading to Cullen’s death at the age of forty-six. It is the story of their increasingly claustrophobic relationship.

Based on the award-winning biography Cullen, the Jensen did eventually publish, co-writer-director Thomas M. Wright’s film is about biographer and subject, an iconic artist and lauded author, theft and the commerce of theft, the instability of lies and of coming through an abusive relationship to find meaning in its wake.

These true events, told using almost entirely real dialogue are brought to life by award-winning actors Daniel Henshall (The Snowtown Murders, The Babadook), and Toby Wallace (Romper Stomper, The Turning). Acute Misfortune marks the feature-length debut of Wright, an actor known for Sweet Country and Top of the Lake.

Meticulously researched, the film that was named one of the best films of the year in The Monthly Awards in Australia and by Screen Daily. It also received The Age Critics Prize at Melbourne International Film Festival.

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

New This Week – 2/19/21

Though he’s always considered himself straight, Daniel begins to develop feelings for his alluring new co-worker Javier. Once he admits to his bisexuality, he enters a new world of potential partners. All the while, however, he’s looking to work up the courage to tell Javier how he really feels. Don’t miss this sexy new 8-episode romantic comedy series. ‘Everything I Like’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

A drag queen named Gloria’s life changes dramatically when she meets Kandi, a drag virgin auditioning for her next show. As the bond develops between the two, their relationship takes an unexpected turn. Stream ‘Your Eyes On Me’ now on Dekkoo!

Darío, a 17-year-old boy in Barranquilla, Colombia, is a talented dancer whose mother’s disapproval stands in his way of performing at the upcoming carnival. ‘Dario’ is available now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A psychological coming-of-age film about the courage it takes to be oneself and the daunting fear blocking the way.

New This Week – 2/12/21

Reeling after the sudden death of his son, a middle-aged police officer begins to immerse himself in the local gay club scene – looking for a way to discover more about his son’s private life. What begins as part of the grieving process takes a different turn when he begins forming an intense relationship with a much younger man. ‘7 Minutes’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

For over 40 years, it was considered the “Largest Gay Mass Murder in U.S. History”. On June 24, 1973, an arsonist set fire to the Upstairs Lounge, ultimately killing 32 people. With interviews from survivors, family/friends of victims and witnesses, ‘Upstairs Inferno’ vividly examines this oft-forgotten story and captures the power of unconditional love. Watch ‘Upstairs Inferno’ now on Dekkoo.

In the short film ‘Amateur Dramatics, two competing actors find truth in pretending. Stream ‘Amateur Dramatics’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A thoroughly modern, light-filled look at romance and sexuality.

An unexpected love triangle develops in the romantic drama You and I

It’s summertime in Berlin. Jonas (Eric Klotzsch) is planning a trip through the little known area of the Uckermark, in preparation for a photography project. He invites his best friend, Phillip (George Taylor), to come along.

The two men haven’t seen one another since the time they spent together in London. So they pack up their Mercedes camper and take off across uncharted territory, stopping whenever they see something they like, taking pictures and generally enjoying a laid-back road trip.

The fact that Phillip is gay has never been an issue for either of them. When they pick up a hitchhiker named Boris (Michal Grabowski), however, who shows Jonas some interesting spots and starts to make moves on Phillip, the friendship of the two starts to fray. Maybe three’s a crowd after all? By the end of the summer, things between Jonas and Phillip won’t ever be the same again.

A sexy and bittersweet romantic drama, writer-director Nils Bökamp’s You and I is a stimulating, visually arresting romantic drama that tells a simple coming-of-age story, but packs in a lot of universal emotion.

Watch the trailer for You and I below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

New This Week – 2/5/21

‘So Far, So Close’ is an unfolding story about the worlds we create for ourselves when viewing life through a screen. Created, shot, and edited entirely remotely during the midst of a global pandemic, ‘So Far, So Close’ is a reflection of the world we live in, telling the stories of the barriers we build, the ones we choose, and how we’re all just hoping to connect. ‘So Far, So Close’ is available now on Dekkoo!

Adapted from an award-winning biography, this acclaimed drama follows Australian artist Adam Cullen and his real-life biographer Erik Jensen. As the two men grow closer, their professional relationship turns into a personal one… and soon spirals into abuse and dependence. Watch ‘Acute Misfortune’ now on Dekkoo!

Khalid was born in Iran, a country where having feelings for another man can lead to the death penalty. Nico was born in Sweden, a country where it’s openly accepted for a man to have a boyfriend. And yet it’s Nico who keeps holding back when Khalid tries to take their relationship to another level. ‘Bror’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

Moroni Benally is running for the presidency of the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American nation in the U.S. Young, gay, Mormon, and highly educated, he sets out to confront the political establishment in a homecoming that challenges what he both imagined home, and himself, to be. ‘Moroni For President is streaming now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: After the tragic death of his son, a 55-year-old police officer wants to find out more about his life.

Two childhood friends reunite as adults in the romantic Argentinian drama Esteros

Sexy and heartfelt, Esteros tells the story of two men who get a second chance at love.

Childhood friends Matías and Jerónimo (played at children by Joaquín Parada and Blas Finardi Niz and as adults by Ignacio Rogers and Esteban Masturini) reunite in their hometown of Paso de los Libres, Argentina, on the banks of the Uruguay River. The summer before high school, their friendship transformed into something deeper, but their mutual attraction never came to fruition.

More than a decade later they meet again, and the chemistry between them is palpable, but now Matías has a girlfriend who has traveled to his hometown for Carnival. Seeing his old friend, now so comfortable and confident, reawakens Matías’ feelings. This unexpected opportunity forces him to reassess his choices and to figure out whether he can turn his back on marriage in favor of the man he’s always loved.

A powerful film that elicits feelings of nostalgia for the forgotten romances from our past, Esteros offers a satisfying glimpse into what might have been (and what might still be).

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

New This Week – 1/22/21

Two teenage boys living in Argentina find their longtime friendship turning into a tentative romance, but their familiesare upset by this possibility and decide to tear them apart. Reunited a decade later, they must face their feeling for each other. ‘Esteros’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

The short film ‘1781’ explores a queer possibility in the lives of two young men in the 18th century. Watch it now on Dekkoo!

Having emotional anxieties after spending time in prison; Shawn takes work as an erotic dancer to support his daughter, and falls in love with a man for the first time. ‘Neon Boys’ is now available on Dekkoo!

A conservative military family in the heart of the bible belt is left to unravel the mystery behind their gay teenage son’s suicide. They soon discover a tragic secret, and begin to question their parenting, values, and civic responsibility amidst a heated city council election in their hometown of Norman, Oklahoma. Don’t miss the powerful documentay ‘Broken Heart Land’ now playing on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Facing immigration issues, a couple must confront fears of rejection or risk losing each other.

Now Available: A Skeleton in the Closet

When Manuel (Facundo Gambande) returns to his hometown on the occasion of his parents’ wedding anniversary, he has a bit of an ulterior motive. He’s planning to ask for money so that he can move to Denmark with his boyfriend.

The last time he saw his family, he came out of the closet – and things have been tense ever since. When his boyfriend suddenly dumps him, Manuel finds himself diving head-first into an existential crisis. Now more in need of his family’s love and support than ever, an unexpected opportunity to reconnect presents itself.

Featuring a terrifically endearing lead performance, A Skeleton in the Closet is a tender and heartfelt Argentinian family comedy-drama that you don’t want to miss.

Watch the trailer for A Skeleton in the Closet below. The film is available now, exclusively on Dekkoo.

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New This Week – 1/8/21

Dr. Jason Holden, early 50s, is in danger of losing his family, because of a tragic automobile accident. He becomes a piano accompanist at a local ballet studio and falls in love with Brandon Wykowski, 27, a troubled dancer. ‘The Accompanist’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

’50 Years of Fabulous’ recounts the rich history of the Imperial Council, the oldest LGBT charity organization in the world. Founded in San Francisco by renowned activist, drag queen and performer Jose Sarria (the first openly gay man to run for political office), the Council has helped shape LGBT life and social history in San Francisco and beyond throughout the years. Watch ’50 Years of Fabulous’ now on Dekkoo!

Across distant landscapes of the past, Farm Boy wanders through a phantasmagoria of yearning and regret: memories displaced in time. ‘Farm Boy’ is available now on Dekkoo!

As a special treat this week, new episodes of ‘Bad Boy’ are now available!

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Coming next week: “The summer that changed everything.”