D’Arcy Drollinger’s ‘Shit & Champagne’ delivers high-kicking, ass-whooping comedy!

When the drug-lords of the underworld kill your fiancé and your sister – and the cops stand idly by and do nothing – there’s only one thing left to do… dance!

Writer-director D’Arcy Drollinger’s tribute to female empowerment and the low-budget exploitation films of the 1970’s, Shit & Champagne delivers high-kicking, ass-whooping comedy.

After her fiancé, Rod (Mario Diaz), and her half-sister, world renowned calf model Brandy (Steven LeMay), are both brutally murdered, Champagne Horowitz Jones Dickerson White (Drollinger), a divorcée and exotic dancer from the wrong side of the tracks, uses all the right moves to single-handedly take on ‘Mal-Wart,’ the largest sex, drug and back-to-school clothing ring in the country.

But when her best friend becomes addicted to booty bumps and is forced to work as a Mal-Wart brand discount prostitute, Champagne has no other choice than to go undercover and infiltrate the corrupt organization.

Using an arsenal of disguises, a plethora of kung-fu moves and a cornucopia of one-liners, Champagne dances her way down the fast and furious road to revenge.

Adapted from Drollinger’s wildly successful stage show, Shit & Champagne is fiendishly fun, offering up wall-to-wall slapstick and camp thanks to the unwavering comic timing of triple threat writer, director and lead actress, as well as an impressive supporting cast of all-star drag talent.

Watch the trailer for Shit & Champagne below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Short Film Spotlight: Far From Water

Prolific Brooklyn-based director Josh Cox adds to his growing collection of well-crafted queer indie shorts with the evocative 5-minute film Far From Water.

Jarid Dominguez and Lucas Nealon star in the film as two unnamed male friends who are enjoying a trip to the beach together.

From the very beginning, as soon as the pair start playfully stripping off their clothes to go swimming, the sexual tension is palpable.

When they end up sharing a furtive, short-lived make-out session in the dunes, it shakes their relationship to the core and forces them to examine what the future may have in store for them.

With minimal dialog and only a sliver of a running time, Cox is able to pack a whole lot of emotion into this observational coming-of-age tale. The characters may not say a whole lot, but the way they behave with one another – both before and after their romantic encounter – manages to speak volumes.

Watch a brief teaser for Far From Water below. The short film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

Two older gay men navigate the complexities of retirement in the winning comedy ‘Turtles’

Turtles follows Thom and Henri, a married gay couple in their 60s who are living an outwardly sweet existence in their quaint home in Brussels with their pet turtles Topsy and Turvy.

As they celebrate Henri’s retirement from the police force, Thom sees a perfect opportunity to rekindle their passion after 35 years together. Henri, however, can’t seem to cope with his newfound lack of purpose.

Soon enough, the two begin to drive one another crazy. Through a series of increasingly desperate and hilarious maneuvers that only further drive the wedge between them, Thom crusades to keep their marriage alive… even if Henri would rather turn to Grindr. An all-out battle of one-upmanship soon begins.

From writer-director David Lambert, Turtles explores the complexities of an older gay couple with humor and emotional depth, featuring stellar performances by English actor and comedian Dave Johns and Belgian film veteran Olivier Gourmet – who manage to create a classic comedy duo in the Tracy and Hepburn mold.

Thoughtful, provocative and deeply funny, the film presents a unique take on the challenges of long-term relationships and the search for renewed love and purpose.

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

Mormon lovers R.J. and Chris reunite in the bittersweet second entry of ‘The Falls Trilogy’

The second entry in the romantic trilogy from writer-director Jon Garcia, The Falls: Testament of Love reunites lead actors Benjamin Farmer and Nick Ferrucci as former Mormon missionaries and doomed lovers R.J. and Chris.

Picking up five years after the events of The Falls, we learn that the young men’s lives have taken radically different paths. Just as they are beginning to put the past behind them and establish their adult lives, the death of a mutual friend brings them unexpectedly back together.

As old feelings of affection and regret are rekindled, R.J. and Chris must once again confront their seemingly impossible love. Will their reunion prove that the two are fated to be together… or will reality come crashing down on them once again?

Farmer and Ferrucci deliver remarkably natural performances once again in this bittersweet romantic drama that has a lot to say about religion, familial obligations, sexual repression and first love.

Watch the trailer for The Falls: Testament of Love below. The film, along with the original in the trilogy, are now streaming on Dekkoo. The third entry, The Falls: Covenant of Grace, will be available later this month.

Short Film Spotlight: Sacrament

Set in the 1950s, Sacrament stars Abel Benitez and Rin Iverson as Belford and Winston, two young men on a camping trip outside their rural, religious hometown.

As the story begins to unfold it becomes abundantly clear that two men are attracted to one another, something which is forbidden by their conservative community.

What soon follows is a dark night of the soul for Belford, as he enters into a terrifying, anxiety-induced nightmare and tries to reconcile his religious faith with what his heart truly desires.

Gorgeously shot in black and white, this provocative 9-minute short from writer-director Jack Hessler uses horror imagery and religious allegory to convey complicated feelings about sacrifice, religious intolerance and repressed desires.

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

‘Rosodium’ director Théodore Tomasz returns with the road trip romance ‘One Last Night of You’

Expanding on themes he explored in his debut feature Rosodium, French director Théodore Tomasz wastes no time establishing the high-concept premise that drives the action of his newest film One Last Night of You.

In a state of deep despair following a tragic loss, Evan (Lou-Andréas Robert) has been contemplating suicide. During a road trip to a particular cliff-side where he wishes to spend his final moments, his car breaks down. That’s when he meets Léo (Léo Simonot), a mysterious boy who offers to drive him to his destination.

Léo, who seems largely unfazed by Evan’s self-destructive plan, has a devil-may-care attitude that could indicate either danger or salvation. Their opposing attitudes cause a certain amount of friction that results in some unexpected romantic tension.

As the boys continue their journey, meeting interesting characters along the way, they’re forced to reckon with the traumas of the past, the conflicts of the present and the potential of their future – together or apart.

With his worldview suddenly reframed, Evan finds that he may have something – or someone – worth living for after all.

Tackling heavy themes with humor and heart, thanks in large part to the soulful performances of lead actors Lou-Andréas Robert and Léo Simonot, One Last Night of You is an achingly tender portrait of two young men in crisis who find the will to keep going with a little help from one another.

Watch the trailer for One Last Night of You below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo. You can also watch director Théodore Tomasz’s first feature, Rosodium, available now.

The sexy and deeply romantic gay Mormon classic ‘The Falls’ returns to Dekkoo

R.J. and Chris (Nick Ferrucci and Benjamin Farmer) were both born and raised in the Mormon Church. Both boys have girlfriends, were Eagle Scouts at a young age and have perfect academic records. Now, it’s their turn to serve a mission and experience the Mormon rite of passage.

Unbeknownst to them, serving this mission will not only open the doors to strangers’ households – where they’re expected to preach the Gospel and possibly return with some converts to the Church – but will also open up some secrets in their own lives… and feelings that they’ve long kept buried.

Featuring two exceptional and deeply romantic performances from lead actors Nick Ferrucci and Benjamin Farmer, The Falls captures the lives of two young men struggling to make sense of the conflict between their religion and their desires. What they discover will present a challenge to both of their lives, but also offer an affirmation of the human spirit.

Originally released in 2012, The Falls is a beloved romantic indie drama that will resonate deeply with any LGBTQ+ viewers from conservative Christian backgrounds. The story doesn’t stop here, either. Writer-director Jon Garcia followed up with R.J. and Chris in two sequels – The Falls: Testament of Love in 2013 and The Falls: Covenant of Grace in 2016.

Watch the trailer for The Falls below and head over to Dekkoo to dive into the first film – streaming now. The complete trilogy will be available on Dekkoo later this month.

A visitor adds some tension to a gay couple’s dream vacation in the erotic drama ‘Wasp’

Simon Haycock and Hugo Bolton star in Wasp as Olivier and James, an attractive gay couple who are about to enjoy a romantic summer break in the south of France.

The pair’s long-awaited vacation is interrupted, however, by the sudden arrival of Caroline, an old friend of James played by Elly Condron. Having suffered a recent break-up, she is now single and looking to mingle.

At first, everything seems calm as the unexpected trio spend their time around the swimming pool and exploring the isolated village. Slowly however, Caroline starts making her attraction to Olivier known.

As Oliver, who came out late in life and has had relationships with women previously, starts to question his desires, a rift begins to form in his romance with James, who is becoming increasingly more suspicious.

Friendships are questioned and sexual attraction will soon be tested in this tense three-hander from UK-based writer-director Philippe Audi-Dor, who based the screenplay on his own struggles with sexuality during his early 20s.

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