Category: Religion

An alluring stranger comes between three witchy siblings in the supernatural thriller ‘Cheat’

Originally produced by the Filipino network Hue TV, the new ‘Boys’ Love’ film Cheat is a campy psychological thriller with supernatural undercurrents.

A tale of stolen innocence, the film follows Vee (Daryll Rodriguez), an alluring and mysterious young man who comes from an unusually sheltered upbringing. When he befriends Dong, Jennifer and Jay (Migo de Vera, Allora Alcantara and Victor Relosa), a family of three siblings, along with their mother (Tuesday Vargas), who dabbles in witchcraft, his strange charms set off a series of events that will inflict devastating consequences.

As all three siblings begin to fall in love with the unusual stranger, jealously, lust and betrayal rear their ugly heads and Vee’s mere presence in the family’s life threatens to tear them apart.

With edgy supernatural soap opera vibes in the vein of ‘Supernatural’ or ‘Charmed,’ Cheat delves into the maelstrom of intimate relationships within a tightly knit family. It’s also got style and sex appeal to spare.

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

A supernatural intervention brings closure to a complicated love affair in the Bollywood melodrama ‘Love is Love’

Taking inspiration from Ghost, the wildly campy Indian melodrama Love is Love tells the story of a complicated relationship that ended far too soon.

Jumping around in time, the film follows the romantic relationship that develops between childhood friends Aryan and Ashley (Kapil Kaustubh Sharma and Yuvraaj Parashar).

Though it took them a while to come to terms with their feelings – and caused much gossip within their tightknit circle of friends – the pair found their way into one another’s open arms.

When Ashley dies unexpectedly, it shakes Aryan to his very core. After two failed suicide attempts, an otherworldly intervention ensues. Ashley, aided by an older female sex worker with psychic abilities, reaches out to Aryan from beyond the grave in an effort to bring perspective and closure to their tragic love affair.

Originally created as part of a trilogy and re-edited for this U.S. release, Love is Love stirred up controversy in India as one of few Bollywood films to prominently feature gay characters and themes.

Watch the trailer for Love is Love below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Two men’s marriage plans cause a media firestorm in the romantic drama ‘Mysterious Ways’

From Paul Oremland, the New Zealand-based filmmaker behind 100 Men, Surveillance 24/7 and Like It Is, Mysterious Ways tells the powerful and courageous story of two men who become torn between their faith, their families and their love for one another.

Anglican priest Peter (played by British actor Richard Short, from The Tragedy of Macbeth and the Canadian TV series ‘Mary Kills People’) and boyfriend Jason (played by newcomer Nick Afoa) want to get married.

For Anglicans, this is not allowed – and homosexuality itself is still taboo in Samoan culture. Samoan-Kiwi Jason has to deal with his family’s strict cultural beliefs while Peter clashes with the Anglican Church hierarchy.

When news of their marriage plans make headlines, it scandalizes the devout local community and unleashes a media storm that pushes the couple’s relationship to the limit.

A searing critique of the church’s attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community, Mysterious Ways is an impassioned and moving drama.

In the words of director Oremland, “Most religions still see being gay as sinful. This does huge harm to millions of people in terms of self-esteem, family rejection and legitimizing hatred. A love story where God is on our side is a powerful statement that is needed now more than ever.”

Watch the trailer for Mysterious Ways below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Paper Airplanes

A teen boy’s spiritual and sexual awakenings coincide in the poetic 17-minute short Paper Airplanes.

Santiago Cabrera stars in the film at Mateo, a young man who is living with his casually overbearing aunt while grappling with the loss of his mother.

In this vulnerable state, he finds himself unexpectedly connecting with the spiritual realm. Suddenly he’s being followed by the ghost of Enrique (Alex Orellana), a recently deceased classmate, who is rumored to have killed himself after his parents discovered that he was gay.

Comforted by Enrique’s spectral presence, the two grow increasingly closer. But is Mateo really experiencing supernatural visions – or is this his mind’s way of dealing with his own grief and repressed desires?

A meditative film from Ecuadorian writer-director Rob Mendoza, Paper Airplanes is a thoughtful and romantic queer ghost story, as well as a coming-of-age fable about growing into your own skin and learning to say goodbye.

Watch the trailer for Paper Airplanes below. The full short film is now available on Dekkoo.

A personal video sparks a media firestorm in the acclaimed Singaporean drama ‘#LookatMe’

When twin brothers Sean and Ricky are invited to attend church with Sean’s girlfriend, they are treated to an Evangelical rock concert capped by a searing anti-gay sermon.

Incensed by what he’s seen, Sean, a Youtuber, decides to drop an outrageous video lampooning the megachurch’s pastor, but soon finds himself widely condemned – and even prosecuted – for flouting Singapore’s strict laws on public expression.

As Sean descends into near-madness in prison, Ricky gains prominence as an LGBTQ+ activist. Both find themselves at the heart of a culture war that spills out from social media into the real world.

Featuring an impressive lead performance by Yao (sometimes credited as Thomas Pang), an up-and-coming Singaporean actor who plays both brothers, #LookatMe blends together a wide variety of moods and genres, veering from deadly serious to colorfully camp without ever losing sight of its humanity.

Banned from screening in Singapore during a particularly ironic moment of life imitating art, director Ken Kwek’s acclaimed film tells a morally essential fable about social media celebrity, cancel culture and the erosion of basic human rights.

Watch the trailer for #LookatMe below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

An unexpected love triangle forms in Maryam Touzani’s acclaimed romance ‘The Blue Caftan’

Set in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas, The Blue Caftan follows husband and wife Halim and Mina (Saleh Bakri and Lubna Azabal), who run a traditional caftan store, specializing in hand-sewn, made-to-measure garments.

Together, they share a love for the craft, the beauty of fabrics, the history of the artisans and the skills passed down through generations. Most days Halim can be found carefully crafting traditional caftans with detailed embroidery, committing historical significance to each enduring stitch.

Trying to keep up with demand, the pair hire Youssef (Ayoub Missioui), a soft-spoken young apprentice who is eager to learn everything he can from his new mentor. But when Youssef’s interest in Halim takes a romantic turn, it sets up a deeply complicated and unexpected love triangle.

Mina observes the two men with a mixture of jealousy and chagrin as their attraction to one another grows stronger. The dynamics among the three of them begin to evolve in surprising ways that reveal depths of understanding, generosity, and kindness – and illustrate the possibilities of love even under the most difficult circumstances.

With her second feature film, writer-director Maryam Touzani perfectly captures the intimacy and tenderness in human relationships. The Blue Caftan tells a story of unparalleled adoration, one centered on laughter and longing over the popular expectations of love.

Watch the trailer for The Blue Caftan below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

‘Perfect Obedience’ is a hard-hitting religious drama based on a shocking true story

A disturbing coming-of-age drama from Mexican filmmaker Luis Urquiza, Perfect Obedience follows Julián (Sebastián Aguirre Boëda), a naïve thirteen-year-old boy who travels from the arms of his loving family into the austere and secretly sinister halls of a local seminary.

Father Ángel (Juan Manuel Bernal), the institution’s leader, sees something special in young Julián. The priest singles him out as his own personal disciple, installing him in his palatial private quarters and even giving him a new name. He also teaches him about the concept of ‘perfect obedience,’ the cardinal rule of which is to never question a superior’s authority.

Over the course of one year, the two become unnaturally close, surrendering to the most intense, blissful and contradictory episode of their lives.

Years later, now older and wiser, Julián (played as an adult by Alfonso Herrera) begins to regret their relationship. After leaving the order, he decides to seek justice from his once all-too-powerful religious tutor.

Based on the shocking true story of Marcial Maciel, the “Legion of Christ” founder who was revealed to have a long history of carefully covered-up child abuse, this hard-hitting, award-winning film proves an intense and unforgettable drama, both chilling and heartbreaking in equal measure.

Watch the trailer for Perfect Obedience below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

An ancient creature spurs a young man’s sexual awakening in the stylish thriller ‘Carnal Sins’

After experiencing relentless bullying at school, Nino (Nicolás Díaz) and his family decide to spend the summer in a remote country house in Argentina.

This temporary home is situated in a conservative Catholic town and surrounded by a mysterious forest, supposedly haunted by ‘the Almamula,’ a monster that takes those who commit carnal sins and impure acts.

Unable to escape blatant homophobia and the suffocating grip of Catholic traditions, Nino wanders around the area and begins to see visions of the titular mythic monster.

With temptation and curiosity around every corner, he wonders how long it will take before this creature pushes his desires to their breaking point.

In Carnal Sins, promising first-time feature director Juan Sebastián Torales captures the turmoil of adolescence with a dark sense of humor and unflinching honesty, creating a truly beguiling narrative that takes hold of your imagination and never lets go.

Watch the trailer for Carnal Sins below. The film is now streaming exclusively on Dekkoo.

‘A Little Lust’ tackles bullying, homophobia and hormonal urges with a vibrant and funny Italian sensibility

There’s nothing wrong with a little lust as long as you keep it in check.

For sixteen-year-old Rocco (Andrea Amato), that’s getting harder to do. His two hormonally-charged aims in life are to finally get laid and to go see his favorite pop star in concert with his best friends – sassy and tomboyish Maria (Carolina Pavone) and nerdy and quiet Mauri (Francesco De Miranda).

When a bullying incident at school forces Rocco to come out of the closet to his divorced, middle-class Italian parents, their liberal leanings are severely tested. Luckily, his two friends stand by him and quickly latch on to his impulsive plan to run away from home… in his parents’ stolen car, no less.

The three buds are planning to go see their favorite singer in concert. They don’t realize, though, that they’re being followed hot on the heels by Rocco’s neurotic mother and his eccentric grandma – to hilarious effect.

A vibrant and funny Italian family comedy from director and co-star Veronica Pivetti, A Little Lust is both immersive and heartwarming – plus there’s a sweet, romantic twist you won’t want to miss.

Watch the trailer for A Little Lust below. The film is now available to stream on Dekkoo.