International Film – Page 70 – Discover great gay stories.

Cinema Spotlight: Center of My World

After a summer away at camp, Phil (“Dark” and Red Sparrow star Louis Hofmann) returns home to find that his mother and twin sister aren’t speaking to one another. Not willing to confront his family during the last days of the summer holidays, Phil escapes to hang out with his best friend, Kat (Svenja Jung), eating ice cream and playing dress-up.

Louis Hofmann and Svenja Jung in Center of My World

As the school year begins, a new student arrives – the handsome and mysterious Nicholas (Jannik Schümann). Smitten, Phil watches his crush as he runs around the track after school, and is thrilled when Nicholas returns his feelings. However, when first love’s volatility comes to light, Phil realizes he must deal with the problems of his past in order to deal with the issues of his present.

Louis Hofmann, Jannik Schümann and Svenja Jung in Center of My World

A touching must-see romance, Center of My World was chosen as an Official Selection and won numerous “Best Feature Film” and “Best Director” awards at festivals around the globe. Louis Hofmann delivers a terrific lead performance, which has earned him a lot of additional high-profile work in film and television internationally.

Jannik Schümann and Louis Hofmann in Center of My World

Watch the trailer for Center of My World below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

Now Available: Unfriend

Set in Manila, loosely based on a real-life true crime, Unfriend tells the story of a socially isolated fifteen-year-old named David (Sandino Martin) who is coming to terms with his sexuality and dealing with the intense emotions of his first relationship, which doesn’t seem to be going very well.

After having met the attractive, slightly older fellow teen Jonathan (Angelo Ilagan) on Facebook, David begins to develop strong feelings for his new social media friend. Unfortunately, he soon learns that social media relationships tend toward the casual. Realizing that Jonathan has discarded him for another guy, David embarks on an increasingly self-destructive mission to win him back at all costs.

Written by prolific Filipino television creator Zig Madamba Dulay and directed by Joselito Altarejos, the innovative filmmaker behind The Game of Juan’s Life, Pink Halo-Halo and Antonio’s Secret, Unfriend is a powerful film that aims to inspire discussion and shine a light on certain stigmas associated with mental health problems.

Also, according to the director, Unfriend is his take on “how social media has changed the way we live our lives, how we have become performers, and how social media has also made us voyeurs and exhibitionists.”

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

Two men get lost In the Grayscale

When architect Bruno (hot Chilean TV star Francisco Celhay) finds himself passionately drawn to Santiago tour guide, Fernando (Emilio Edwards) he faces challenging decisions about his identity – and his relationship with his wife and young son.

Hired to design a civic landmark for the Chilean capitol city, Bruno struggles with the commission. His uncertainty about how to proceed professionally is paralleled by his personal grappling.

Offering no easy answers, this tenderly told tale of sexual discovery has earned comparisons to Andrew Haigh’s Weekend for its beautifully realized portrayal of two men in love. Variety called In the Grayscale “A measured, tenderly played study of imprecise sexual identity.” The San Francisco Chronicle called it a “wonderfully complex character study.” The film also won the Jury Award for Best First Feature at the Frameline San Francisco LGBT Film Festival and the Ibero-American Debut Award at the Miami International Film Festival.

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

Heartstone is a moving coming-of-age story from Iceland

In a remote fishing village in Iceland, teenage boys Thor and Christian experience a turbulent summer. As one of them tries to win the heart of a girl, the other discovers that he is harboring romantic feelings toward his best friend.

When summer ends and the harsh nature of Iceland takes back its rights, it’s time to leave the playground and face adulthood for the first time.

An absolutely gorgeous, profoundly emotional coming-of-age film, Heartstone has won the hearts of critics all over the world. The Playlist said it’s “beautifully shot, touchingly performed and delivered with a thrillingly atmospheric sense of place.” And Screen International said it’s “Affecting as well as perceptive in how it intimately depicts the blossoming of youth… just the right amount of confidence, compassion and clear-eyed style.”

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

New This Week – 2/22/19

In a remote fishing village in Iceland, teenage boys Thor and Christian experience a turbulent summer, as one tries to win the heart of a girl, while the other discovers new feelings toward his best friend. When summer ends and the harsh nature of Iceland takes back its rights, it’s time to leave the playground and face adulthood. ‘Heartstone’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

After four years of escorting to pay for college, Dane struggles to transition into a new reality and must say goodbye to one particular client. Don’t miss the wonderful gay short ‘Getting Off’!

‘The Constitution’ tells the story of four people who live in the same building, but avoid each other because of the differences in their lifestyles, sexual habits, nationality and religion. Stream it now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A documentary series that follows men who have always dreamed of letting their inner drag queen out!

New This Week – 2/15/19

Bruno, an architect with a great life, is hired to build an iconic landmark, and as he works with a gay history teacher named Fer, an unexpected and intense romance starts to blossom. ‘In the Grayscale’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

In this short film, Billy, a 17 year-old boy in a seemingly perfect relationship, grapples with his feelings towards an older male tattoo artist. Watch ‘Hold My Hand’ now on Dekkoo!

On Christmas Day, young David finds out that his boyfriend Jonathan as taken another lover. The discovery sends him into a depression that drives him to “get him back” at all costs. ‘Unfriend’ is available now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: In a remote fishing village in Iceland, teenage boys Thor and Christian experience a turbulent summer,

The new coming-of-age drama Seeds packs an emotional punch

Young middle-schooler Andy (Emilio Puente) is about to see his world entirely changed. After witnessing the death of his mother during a senseless act of violence, he is sent from Mexico City to Cuernavaca, where he will stay with his paternal grandmother (Carmen Maura).

Tasked with weeding and picking fruit around the property, Andy meets a young, charismatic gardener named Charley (Diego Alvarez Garcia), who seems to be his only source of friendship and camaraderie. As Andy begins getting closer to Charley and searching for information about his absent father (Moises Arizmendi), he finds himself on an increasingly bumpy path through adolescence.

Seeds, the feature-length debut from award-winning short film and documentary director Alejandro Andrade Pease is gorgeously shot and features arresting performances. This sun-dappled coming-of-age story packs a serious emotional punch.

You can watch the trailer for Seeds (originally titled Cuernavaca) below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.

New This Week – 2/8/19

In the wake of a family tragedy, Andy, an introverted student who seems different from the other boys, is forced to move in with his strict, no-nonsense grandmother. When he meets and develops a relationship with her sexy young gardener, he is opened up to a world of new possibilities. ‘Seeds’ is available exclusively on Dekkoo!

Set in a small Texas town, two lonely men struggle through relationships until one day they meet each other. A refreshing, intelligent drama about two very un-stereotypical gay men. Watch ‘Pit Stop’ now on Dekkoo!

Michael is 33 and he’s never been with a guy. His first encounter is going to be awkward…and also kinda great. The gay short film ‘Silverlake Afternoon’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Offering no easy answers, this tenderly told tale of sexual discovery has earned comparisons to Andrew Haigh’s acclaimed ‘Weekend’.

Cinema Spotlight: Bromance

Welcome back to the fall of 1996.

When four friends go on a camping trip in a remote part of Argentina, sexual tensions quickly bubble to the surface. Once in virtual seclusion by the beach, Juli, the only girl of the group, quickly recognizes that the boys seem to have a closer relationship than what she would consider “normal” (it’s only ’96, after all).

The line between friendship and love fade further for two of the boys in particular as their desire becomes too much to bear. When what started as a simple getaway quickly becomes tinged with sex, romance and conflict, everyone is forced to confront who they really are for the very first time.

Starring Javier De Pietro, the scrumptious star of Absent and Sexual Tension: Volatile (both of which are also available on Dekkoo), Bromance uses a clever found-footage aesthetic to deliver a thoughtful and supremely sexy meditation on young, burgeoning gay love.

Bromance is available now on Dekkoo. Watch the trailer below.

New This Week – 2/1/19

Samuel and Wilfredo, two struggling artists in the Philippines, have put everything they have into a new independent film project that they’re hoping will launch their careers. But when the Board of Censors bans their film for having gay themes, they find more even more obstacles along to road to success. ‘Uncensored Dreams’ is available now on Dekkoo!

A young musician named Ansel has an unexpected encounter with Niall, an endearing, deaf dancer. ‘Louder Than Words’ is available to stream on Dekkoo!

In what way does communication serve as a form of self-expression, and self-expression a form of communication? ‘Words’ explores how people navigate gender and identity in the open and evolving landscape of New York City.

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Coming next week: A brand new-gay film that is a magical coming-of-age tale.