Category: Short 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.

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!

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.

Short Film Spotlight: Plantonic

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 have grown from a garden.

Originally from Bangkok, writer-director Krit Komkrichwarakool earned a degree in Communication Design, then moved to Canada to pursue a career in film. Integrating his knowledge of design with his approach to filmmaking, Krit brings a unique point of view to his storytelling.

His short film Freefall won “Best Director” at Moscow Shorts and was nominated for “Best Short Film” at the 2018 Leo Awards. Plantonic, recently premiered at Inside Out and won “Outstanding Short Film” at the Reelworld Film Festival and “Best Screenplay” at the Vancouver Short Film Festival.

“Film is a great medium to explore the reflections of our own existence, and the ultimate question of why each of us is here. It is why I do what I do. To speak with my own subconscious. To find a trace of the answers that connect us all,” said Komkrichwarakool.

Watch a short trailer for Plantonic 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.

Short Film Spotlight: Holiday

The new 20-minute short film Holiday follows twenty-something Maurice (Tijmen Govaerts) and his older brother Louis (Oscar Willems), who join the rest of their family for a weekend getaway filled with unexpected tension.

No longer a kid, but not quite an adult, Maurice is having trouble finding his place. He’s also starting to notice how much of a gap has grown between the generations.

Fueled by angst and growing more and more frustrated by his family’s myriad secrets, he starts adding a certain level of tension to each relationship, forcing a breaking point that his well-mannered relatives refuse to cross, no matter how awkward things get.

A sharp, well-observed comedy-drama from Belgian writer-director Michiel Dhont, Holiday teases at deep emotion hidden just under the surface. Watching the short film, it’s easy to imagine it expanded to feature length, delving further into each of the characters. Nonetheless, the game cast lend naturalistic performances that make the family feel authentic and relatable.

Watch a short trailer for Holiday below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

New This Week – 12/16/21

One of the most important and celebrated works of the early ‘90s New Queer Cinema movement, this landmark queer classic from award-winning director Todd Haynes tells three interwoven short stories, examining the AIDS crisis, the work of Jean Genet and more through allegory and a variety of genres. ‘Poison’ is available to experience now on Dekkoo!

Pawel is positive that their recent separation has completely dampened his feelings for the young man with whom he was in love. But when he finds an unexpected visitor at his home one rainy afternoon, it brings up a whole lot of feelings he thought were behind him. Watch ‘After Dawn’ now on Dekkoo!

Sean Paul Lockhart and writer-director Rob Moretti star in this tense psychological thriller about a young man who becomes dangerously obsessed with his slightly older male lover. As their relationship deepens, dependency takes over and dark secrets are revealed – leading to a violent confrontation. ‘Truth’ is available now to stream on Dekkoo.

Teens Isaac and Adam meet in secret one day after class. At the playground, Adam offers Isaac a joint. As the afternoon stretches into the evening, he also offers him a dance and many meaningful looks. Do these two buddies share a secret attraction…or are they just really high? The short film ‘Just Boys’ is available now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: Here come the bears!