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’.

Two men. A small town. A love that isn’t quite out of reach.

In Pit Stop, a perfectly-crafted American drama, openly gay Ernesto (Marcus DeAnda) and closeted Gabe (Bill Heck) grapple with the sad tribulations of being gay in a small, working-class Texas town. This truly uplifting love story, given great critical praise when it first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, delicately examines male intimacy, the heartache of unsuccessful relationships and the transformative power of love.

Marcus DeAnda and Bill Heck in Pit Stop

“I need to get on with my life,” Ernesto pronounces as he kicks out live-in ex-boyfriend Luis. Macho yet sensitive, Ernesto still carries a hopeless torch for his other ex-lover, Martin. Meanwhile, down-to-earth building contractor Gabe seeks solace with his ex-wife and six year-old daughter while pining over the loss of his relationship with Chuck. Trying to find connection amidst formidable loneliness – this is the story of Ernesto and Gabe.

Bill Heck and Amy Seimetz in Pit Stop

Reminiscent of such classic rural gay love stories as Big Eden and Brokeback Mountain – and showcasing equally accomplished performances from its handsome leads – Pit Stop achieves an understated tone of authenticity rarely seen on screen as it shows us a tender, beautiful slice of gay American life.

Marcus DeAnda in Pit Stop

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

Watch the trailer for the profoundly moving new short film Louder Than Words

Louder Than Words, written and directed by Julio Dowansingh, is an independent short film that follows a young musician named Ansel (Luke Farley), and his unexpected encounter with Niall (Marty Lauter), an endearing, deaf dancer.

Marty Lauter in Louder Than Words

When forced to share a studio space, artists Ansel and Niall find themselves awkwardly beside each other, performing song and dance respectively. They have an underlying connection, and that is a closeted interest and admiration of each other. While Niall can read lips, an obvious language barrier still stands between him and Ansel.

Luke Farley and Marty Lauter in Louder Than Words

In order to communicate, Ansel and Niall must step out of their comfort zones, because even though they share similar passions and quickly inspire each other, the inevitable risk of miscommunication – both in language and emotion – remains, rendering their hidden affection almost impossible to express. 

Luke Farley in Louder Than Words

The film explores the sheer struggle that queer people often face in a culture that is yet to fully foster accepting spaces for courtship and love. At its core, the story portrays how difficult it can be to communicate romantic interest as a queer person, and in this case, an added impediment of being hearing impaired.

Luke Farley and Marty Lauter in Louder Than Words

Louder Than Words is now available to stream on Dekkoo. Check out the trailer below.

Cinema Spotlight: Bromance

Welcome back to the fall of 1996.

Still from Bromance - Available now on Dekkoo

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).

Still from Bromance - Available now on Dekkoo

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.

Still from Bromance - Available now on Dekkoo

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.

Still from Bromance - Available now on Dekkoo

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

Censored Dreams takes an insightful look at filmmaking in the Philippines

Get an in-depth look into the independent film scene in the Philippines with this sexy and thought-provoking feature from director Joselito Altarejos.

Censored Dreams takes us through the process of making a gay-themed feature film by following the lives of an aspiring actor named Samuel (played by Arjay Carreon) and a struggling filmmaker named Wilfredo (Richard Quan).

Samuel has hung all of his hopes and dreams on becoming an actor. He’s hoping Wilfredo, who has also staked his livelihood on finishing their film, can help make his dreams a reality. Their hopes, unfortunately, are dashed when the Board of Censors assigns their new project an X-rating, which means it will be banned from being shown publicly. Their path toward fame and fortune is suddenly littered with even more obstacles.

Censored Dreams is available now on Dekkoo.

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.

Cinema Spotlight: Teenage Kicks

The scars of our youth shape the adults we become.

Miles Szanto and Daniel Webber in Teenage Kicks

In the riveting Australian drama Teenage Kicks, angst-ridden seventeen-year-old Miklos (Miles Szanto) makes plans to escape his migrant family and run away with his best friend and secret crush Dan (cutie-pie Daniel Webber, hot off his star-making turn as Lee Harvey Oswald in the miniseries “11.22.63” and his regular role on “The Punisher”).

Miles Szanto and Daniel Webber in Teenage Kicks

Miklos’s dreams are dashed after the accidental death of his older brother Tomi (Nadim Kobeissi). Only he knows the events that led to this tragedy. Suddenly, he is forced to navigate his guilt, as well as his explosive sexuality, in order to find the man he will become.

Miles Szanto and Daniel Webber in Teenage Kicks

Written and directed by Craig Boreham, who recently made MTV’s list of “hot filmmakers to watch,” Teenage Kicks is a smart and sexy drama that has earned rave reviews around the globe. Empire magazine labeled it “a debut not to be missed.”

Miles Szanto in Teenage Kicks

Teenage Kicks is now available on Dekkoo.

Take a trip back to 1992

The new 25-minute short film 1992 follows Martin (Louis Duneton), a seventeen-year-old student who and spends the majority of his time behind a video camera, recording everything everything that catches his eye. One day, he meets an older man named Dominique (Matthieu Dessertine), who works as a watchman at his school. After their first encounter, Martin seems to only have eyes for his new crush.

Louis Duneton and Matthieu Dessertine in 1992

Examining infatuations, the frustrations of adolescence, father-son conflict, first-time sexual experiences and the way being a gay teen has changed from the early ’90s to now, director Anthony Doncque’s period piece 1992 is provocative and brutally honesty. The film depicts a warts-and-all sex scene between a teen and a twenty-something that should ring familiar to any or us who came of age pre-internet.

Louis Duneton and Matthieu Dessertine in 1992

Louis Duneton and Matthieu Dessertine give committed, completely fearless performances and Doncque stands out as a talented director worth keeping an eye on.

You can watch 1992 now on Dekkoo. Just be warned: the film features scenes of graphic sexuality. Viewer discretion is advised.

New Series: Single Record

Single Record is a hip-hop series shot as a narrative documentary. The series tells the story of Aaron (Nelson Moses Lassiter) a young rapper fighting through depression as he breaks through in the music industry while coming to terms with his sexuality. As his inner circle witnesses his unraveling, they must work behind the scenes to save his stalling career and ultimately his life, at the same time they manage the fallout in their own personal lives.

The show is designed to illustrate how people can often ignore calls for help and not realize something is wrong until its too late. Single Record is told through the perspective of Aaron’s friends. Each one of them have a different idea of what is going on and each perspective has some truth. The whole truth is revealed by combining all the perspectives. The idea of perspective is to illustrate that we are often unaware how our decisions and actions impact other people and their actions.

“I wanted to create a show that touches on sexuality, identity and self acceptance. I used Hip hop because it is a genre that has strong views on sexuality. I wanted to show the impact these views can have on someone’s life and hopefully change the way people think,” said Lassiter, the show’s creator and star. “As a gay black man who is also a rapper, I deal with these issues and I wanted to create a world that shows what others like me have to go through and ultimately encourage others to accept themselves and others.”

The first six episodes of Single Record are available to stream now on Dekkoo.