‘Goodbye Blue Sky’ from director Brandon Zuck is available to stream on Dekkoo.com!
Category: Short Film
New This Week – 12/15/17
An eccentric, aging psychotherapist forms an unusual bond with his newest patient, a much younger gay man suffering from depression and boyfriend problems. Wildly inventive and relentlessly sexy, ‘Seat in Shadow’ is a strange little mind-fuck from Scotland.
Director Ades Zabel has been an integral part of the Berlin cabaret and drag scene since the 1980’s. His hilarious stage character Edith Schröder, for whom he is best known, stars in this drag holiday comedy filled with unforgettable and often crude humor. ‘When Edith’s Bells Toll’ is the perfect recipe for the holiday season.
13-year-old Gabe Kowalski is a late bloomer whose attempts to impress Shane, a more mature classmate, get him into a hairy situation. The adorable gay short, ‘Yeah, Kowalksi!’ is now available to stream on Dekkoo!
Joe, in the midst of dropping out of college and coming out as gay, decides to record the everyday activities of his life on a handheld mini-video and post the clips to the internet. Soon after he begins this experiment, Joe meets Jesus, a narcissistic hustler drawn to the idea of constantly being on camera. Watch ‘The Famous Joe Project’ now on Dekkoo.com!
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Coming next week: A wonderful series about a boy named Danny who is struggling to balance his lives as a queer person dating in his twenties, an actor auditioning in Hollywood, and a babysitter mothering a surly six year-old named Quinn.
DEKKOO DISPATCH 049 – ‘YEAH, KOWALSKI!’ AND ‘SEAT IN SHADOW’
Title – ‘Seat In Shadow‘
Director – Henry Coombes
Starring – Henry Coombes, Ross Hunter, Jonathan Leslie, Marcella Mclntosh
Release Date – 2016
Title – ‘Yeah, Kowalski!‘
Director – Evan Roberts
Starring – Cameron Wofford, Conor Donnelly, Kaitlyn Knippers, Annamarie Kasper
Release Date – 2013
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Happy Wednesday Dekkoo’ers! We’re getting closer to the holidays which makes everyone go a little crazy so here are a pair of movies that you might sympathize with:
‘Yeah, Kowalski‘ is a super adorable short film about puberty and first crushes by Evan Roberts. A festival darling back in 2013 it traces a week in the life of 13-year old Gabe Kowalski. He’s a bit of a late bloomer who has two obsessions: Growing armpit hair and impressing his dream-boy, Shane. Shane seems the polar opposite of Gabe. He’s tall, outgoing, and proud of his armpit hair. There’s a lot to love about this film especially the honest depiction of a gay crush at such a young age which hopefully becomes the norm in this day and age.
Next up for your double feature pleasure is ‘Seat In Shadow‘ a film hailing from the UK that has a decidedly mind-bending bent to it. I wouldn’t expect anything less from the feature film debut of artist Henry Coombes whose work has been presented at the Venice Biennale among other prestigious art shows. Collaborating with David Sillars on the screenplay who also plays the role of the therapist Albert they’ve crafted a unique study of mentor-student relationships that can go off the rails.
Albert is an older gay painter and self-proclaimed therapist that lives his own life and doesn’t seem to care what anyone thinks of it. He studies unique ways of living and thinking through YouTube videos like how to make your own toothpaste with charcoal and random lectures on Jung. He also gets very high and talks to his plant he’s named Priscilla. When an old friend of his comes to his apartment he reluctantly agrees to help her grandson named Ben who’s going through a rough time and could use someone to talk to. You’d think Ben would have everything going for him. He’s young, good-looking, and goes to parties. Unfortunately Ben is in love with a guy that’s simply a big ‘ole jerk! He uses Ben and then criticizes everything about him.
The film is comprised primarily of one on one sessions between Albert and Ben. In the sessions they delve deep into human emotions like love, sex, and the desire to consume drugs. You can tell that the director has a deep fondness for hallucinogenic drugs. The movie definitely worships them and the filmmaking style reflects a very twisted and warped view of reality. The best part of the film by far is Albert. He’s painted very realistically with all manner of human flaws inherent in an older gay artist. He’s part monster/part angel and the director really manages to delve into that with a real honesty that’s refreshing.
Well I think you’ve got two extremely interesting films to dig into today/tomorrow/this weekend so I hope you’ll do that and let us know what you thought! 🙂
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Watch ’em with: Your mentor
Mix it with: Absinthe!
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New This Week – 12/8/17
Based upon controversial author Bret Easton Ellis’ best-selling book, this highly-underrated jet-black comedy is one to revisit. Notorious for its bedroom scene of drop-dead gorgeous Ian Somerhalder and Russell Sams dancing in their underwear, this highly-homoerotic, acerbic college-set film has gained a well-deserved cult following over the years. Featuring bitterly-funny cameos by Swoosie Kurtz and Faye Dunaway along with a pulse-pounding soundtrack, it’s time for you to learn the “Rules.” Watch ‘The Rules of Attraction’ now on Dekkoo.com!
Eddie’s fascination with his older, sexier neighbor, Chad, heightens after he spies on him in the bathroom measuring his manhood. ’33 Teeth’ is now available to stream on Dekkoo.com!
This indie series set in Atlanta GA follows an ensemble cast that is catapulted into chaos after a brutal attack divides the city. Separate lives quickly become entwined forcing each person to face their own prejudices. Binge season 1 of ‘Skin Deep: The Series’ now available on Dekkoo!
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Coming next week: A witty, perceptive study of social mores, sexual excess and the bizarre symbiotic relationship between doctor and patient, teacher and pupil; artist and muse.
New This Week – 11/24/17
Long considered a hard-to-find movie, this stylish gay indie classic from 1992 tells the true story of gay lovers Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold Jr., who kidnapped and killed a child in the early 1920s in an attempt to get away with “the perfect murder.” They didn’t. They got caught and soon became notorious figures in the media. Watch ‘Swoon’ now on Dekkoo!
In the short horror/thriller ‘Candy‘ from director Mark Bessenger (Bite Marks, The Last Straight Man), a man calls into phone sex lines looking for a potential romantic partner. Vic, a college student, is interested, but is too nervous to accept, prompting the mysterious caller to take matters into his own hand.
You know the face. You’ve seen him in a million things. But who is he? The documentary ‘That Guy…Who Was In That Thing‘ looks at sixteen actors and details their ups and downs as they struggle to forge careers in Hollywood. They’ve played cops, lawyers, bosses, best friends, psychopaths, politicians and everything in between. Now you’ll know who they are.
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Coming Next Week: “In this moody, occasionally dreamlike drama, it’s not what happens to Jasper and his friends that’s important, so much as what happens within Jasper’s soul.” – Eric D. Snider, Moviefone
New This Week – 11/17/17
Here is the essential story of a love between creative geniuses Christopher Isherwood (whose book ‘The Berlin Stories’ inspired the musical and film ‘Cabaret’) and American portrait artist Don Bachardy. Ripe with history and romance, ‘Chris & Don. A Love Story’ resonates with the heart.
When Colt, an aspiring writer, falls into the hands of Ely, an older wealthy man, their relationship evolves into a complex dynamic of father and son. As Ely’s demons unravel, Colt becomes witness to this king all alone in his castle. Watch ‘Attention of Men’ now on Dekkoo.com!
Meet Vienna’s underdogs of respectable society. Sporting leathers jackets like suits of armor, these young hustlers are in search of adventure, freedom and a quick buck. Don’t miss this stylish new doc following a tight-knit group of desirable young men. Watch ‘Brothers of the Night’ now on Dekkoo.com!
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Coming next week: A film about one of the 20th century’s most notorious crimes: The 1924 thrill-kill murder of a 13-year-old boy in south-side Chicago
New This Week – 11/10/17
Hard partying and wild love affairs lead to some serious soul-searching when a group of close-knit friends are forced to come to terms with the unexpected death of a loved one. Sort of like a pansexual version of ‘The Big Chill’, ‘Even Lovers Get the Blues‘ offers a sexually explicit portrait of a group of young Belgian friends.
In this gay short, an intense “bromance” between a gay football player and a straight military solider confronts the meaning of friendship and masculinity. Watch ‘Forces’ now on Dekkoo.com!
Thomas is blindsided when his estranged brother, Seth, shows up unannounced to the annual family vacation… with his boyfriend. Despite a well meaning attempt to surprise everyone, things do not go as planned, throwing Thomas and the family into an awkward week long vacation where everyone has problems and no one wants to talk about them. ‘An Ordinary Family’ is available now on Dekkoo.com!
Take a peek at the brand new, behind-the-scenes Dekkoo-exclusive video from photographer Marco Ovando. This time, Marco trains his lens on the absolutely gorgeous Andrew Vecchio. We guarantee it will have your blood racing within the first 5 seconds!
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Coming next week: “Had Fassbinder shot a documentary about Viennese prostitutes, it would look like this” – Filmstarts
New This Week – 11/2/17
‘Coffee House Chronicles: The Movie‘ is a comedy that explores the many ways LGBT people connect in the world of the Internet, social media, and of course coffee houses. The movie, based on the successful web series from writer-director Stewart Wade, covers two days and one night of love, hookups, heartbreaks, and hopes in gay Los Angeles.
Set one evening in present-day Moscow, 16 year-old Pyotr is baited by an ultra-nationalist group known for their violent abductions and attacks bolstered by Russia’s LGBT propaganda law, but Pyotr has a dangerous secret. Watch ‘Pyotr495’ on Dekkoo now!
While not a gay-centric comedian, Colin Quinn’s ‘Unconstitutional’ is a poignant (and hilarious) stand-up special that deserves a look due the current political environment. Quinn offers an analysis of the creation of the United States Constitution and its effect on the American psyche how the three branches of government are similar to people in a bar, why most U.S. presidents are unattractive, and how the Kardashians reflect on our country. Watch ‘Colin Quinn: Unconstitutional’ on Dekkoo!
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Coming next week: A contemporary pansexual drama that can best be described as the darker, equally sexy Belgian versions of John Cameron Mitchell’s ‘Shortbus’.
DEKKOO DISPATCH 042 – ‘PYOTR495′
Title – ‘Pyotr495‘
Director – Blake Mawson
Starring – Alex Ozerov, Alanna Bale, Juliana Semenova, Max Rositsan
Release Date – 2016
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How was everyone’s Halloween festivities last night? Did you have to take the day off work to recover? Over here at Dekkoo we’re still clinging onto the vapors of October with this week’s short film that really packs a wallop: ‘Pyotr495‘.
The beginning of ‘Pyotr’ starts out simple enough, a really really cute guy named Pyotr (played by Alex Ozerov) is cruising on Grindr one night and is invited over to an older muscle stud’s apartment (decorated in terrible/amazing Russian fashion), but since this is a horror film he of course runs into some trouble, namely a few anti-gay Russian Nationalists that believe that it’s their responsibility to rid Russia of ‘degenerates’ like the gays. A twist towards the end makes the short film extremely enjoyable 😉
There are lots of reasons why this short film has played all over the world: great direction, fantastic cinematography, a great horror twist, and a really cute lead to name more than a few, but it’s the films social commentary about LGBTQ bullying that really ties everything together. The films starts with a message, stylized like the beginning of a Disney fairy tale: “Russia, 2014 – The country’s military has been ordered to invade the Ukrainian territory of Crimea, while the newly-instated LGBT Propaganda Law makes it illegal to present gay life in Russia as normal. President Vladamir Putin’s approval rating is at a six-year high.”
This film paints a reality for many LGBTQ people living in Russia. They don’t feel safe in the same spaces that most of us in the U.S. feel safe in. The wrong hookup can lead to devastating consequences. Charlie David from Border2Border (who helped bring Pyotr to a wider audience online) interviewed the director Blake Mawson and asked a question about why the film is so important in this day and age:
With what we’ve seen is happening in Chechnya with the anti-gay purge and concentration camps for gay men, these human rights abuses by Chechen authorities where journalists covering the story are receiving death threats and being forced to flee the country – this is obviously a very clear sign that things are not getting any better and are in fact worsening in many parts of the globe. While I’m not claiming that our short film is solving any of world problems, I do think it is important that we use our voice as artists and as people in any way possible to draw attention to these injustices and continue to raise awareness.
I think if I can use genre-type film to put an audience in the shoes of the people who are experiencing this type of terror and hatred, make them uncomfortable and have them realize that this is actually not so make-believe in the end, that this type of horror is real – then we can begin to open people’s eyes and reach an audience in unexpected ways.
Check out ‘Pyotr495‘ tonight and do your part in kicking the asses of Russian bigots!!
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Watch it with: Your horror buddies.
Mix it with: Russian Vodka of course!
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New This Week – 10/27/17
Lily meets an attractive young man named Finn and invites him to her rich family’s summer home. When Lily’s jealous younger brother Jamie finds out that Finn is not who he claims to be, Jamie decides to play a sinister game to get rid of him – and blackmail him into performing some “favors.” A stylish and sexy sun-soaked thriller, ‘Palace of Fun‘ is a throwback to European art-house thrillers of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Think of it like Roman Polanski’s ‘Knife in the Water’, but with more gay kissing.
‘Grind‘ is a musical short film that explores a damaged man’s search for a connection in an interconnected world.
After his Emmy winning turn playing a woman in the FX show ‘Baskets’, stand-up comedian and actor Louie Anderson is entering a third act of his long career. This stand-up special, filmed in 2014, shows Louie’s unconventional and jovial humor as he tackles his bad habits, pesky family members (the inspiration of his ‘Baskets’ character) and his aging body. Watch ‘Louie Anderson: Big Baby Boomer’ now on Dekkoo!
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Coming next week: A comedy that explores the many ways LGBT people connect in the world of the Internet, social media, and of course coffee houses.
Discover great gay stories. 