New This Week – 7/16/21

A voyeuristic, behind-the-scenes look as celebrated choreographer Thierry Smits and his team go through the auditions, rehearsals and eventual premiere of his controversial dance piece Anima Ardens. ‘Bare’ is available now to stream on Dekkoo!

Clement and Alex are looking for a new gay roommate. And they find Leo, a charming student who is in deep trouble to find a place to sleep. Leo will do anything to get that room, whatever it takes. ‘Clément, Alex et tous les autres’ is available on Dekkoo!

A drug addicted hustler, in the middle of a binge, encounters someone from their past. Watch ‘Adam (In Fragments)‘ on Dekkoo!

Today is a day unlike any before. Today is the day Kalthoum and their girlfriends imagine their revenge. Stream ‘Terror Sisters’ now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A series that explores the underground circuit community through the personal lives of different players within the scene.

LOVE SICK AND LONGING IN HONG KONG

COMING SOON TO DEKKOO: I MISS YOU WHEN I SEE YOU

Director Simon Chung’s film, I Miss You When I See You, tells the story of a man’s struggle to find himself again after a battle with depression and the dangers of unrequited love. 

We are first introduced to Jamie (played by Bryant Mak) who comes to visit his old school friend Kevin (played by Jun Li) who’s been battling depression alone in Australia. After learning that Jamie is moving back to Hong Kong, Kevin is compelled to follow him. 

Kevin soon finds work in Hong Kong as an English teacher and sparks a relationship with a troubled student. What follows is a story of sexual exploration and fear of conforming to society’s expectations which concludes with an emotional display at a highschool reunion.

The film shines in its small intimate moments.The film’s stronger elements are really showcased when we are given an opportunity to simply sit and observe delicate moments between characters.

The real heart of the film lies in actor Jun Li. Li delivers an incredibly understated and nuanced performance as a man who is longing for companionship but unknowing where to look for it. 

Watch the trailer here:

You can find I Miss You When I See You streaming on Dekkoo starting July 29

Now Available: The Goddess of Fortune

Arturo (Stefano Accorsi) and Alessandro (Edoardo Leo) have been a couple for over fifteen years. Even though their passion and love have formed a close and important affection, their relationship has been in crisis for a long time.

The sudden arrival of two children, left in their care for a few days by Annamaria (Jasmine Trinca), Alessandro’s best friend, could give an unexpected turn to their tired routine.

The solution will be a crazy departure for them both. But on the other hand, love is a state of pleasant madness.

Written and directed by Ferzan Ozpetek, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Steam: The Turkish Bath and His Secret Life, The Goddess of Fortune is a touching drama about finding family in an unlikely way.

Watch the trailer for The Goddess of Fortune below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

The Dekkoo Original Series HERE COMES YOUR MAN is Now Available!

Two very different young men come together in Here Comes Your Man, a brand-new Dekkoo Original Series that follows their relationship, from beginning to end.

When Jordan (Calvin Picou) and Aaron (Jason Alan Clark) meet in person after exchanging pics and pleasantries on a hook-up app, it’s nervous attraction at first sight. Their initial tryst is fraught with the kind awkward tension that suggests they might not be a perfect match.

On top of that, Aaron is unaware that Jordan is, for all intents and purposes, “straight.” Confused about his sexuality and faking his way through a hetero relationship, Jordan blocks Aaron’s number. When they run into each other in a gay bar weeks later, the truth comes out… and they both find that there is something undeniable about their strange romantic chemistry.

A charming, funny, sexy and refreshingly realistic new 5-episode Dekkoo Original Series from creator/director Omar Salas Zamora, Here Comes Your Man takes us through the entirety of Aaron and Jordan’s tumultuous relationship, jumping father forward in time with each successive episode to show us the most pivotal moments.

Watch the trailer for Here Comes Your Man below. The full first season is now available on Dekkoo!

New This Week – 7/9/21

In this critically acclaimed sweeping romance, Thomas, a young German baker, has an affair with Oren, a married Israeli man. After Oren unexpectedly dies in a car crash, Thomas travels to Jerusalem seeking answers about his death. ‘The Cakemaker’ is available to stream now on Dekkoo!

When a young gay lawyer arrives on Fire Island to explore his sexuality, he becomes witness to a murder after being drugged. A stranger helps him to safety, but he soon discovers his savior is friends with the killer. Watch ‘Last Ferry’ now on Dekkoo!

After an unusual online encounter, a lonely man is challenged to step out from behind his computer screen and shatter long-lived inhibitions to claim the touch of another human being. ‘Touchscreen’ is available to stream on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A voyeuristic, behind-the-scenes look as celebrated choreographer Thierry Smits and his team go through the auditions, rehearsals and eventual premiere of his controversial dance piece Anima Ardens.

ATTENTION QUEER FILMMAKERS!

Dekkoo is launching our second annual one-week short film challenge. Enter to win a cut of $10,000.00 in prizes! Interested? Read on!

THE THEME: HAPPY ENDINGS

After a year and a half of challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t we all use a happy ending? A small token of joy to celebrate life, happiness and the promise of what is to come? We want you to shoot and submit a 10-minute maximum length short film telling a story from a Queer perspective that offers a happy ending.

What does a happy ending look like to you? We want to see!

PRIZES

  • The Dekkoo Jury Award – One film will be selected. The winning film will be decided by the Dekkoo staff based on artistic merit. The winner will receive a cash award of $2500.00 and the opportunity to Direct a Dekkoo-original short film with a production budget of $5000.00.
  • Audience Favorites – Four films will be selected. The four films that receive the most comments on that films page on Dekkoo.com will win $1000.00 each! Filmmakers are encouraged to ask fans to comment often!

Voting will end Sunday, July 25 at 11:59PM PT. Winners will be announced Wednesday, July 28.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM

Submissions must be no more than 10-minutes in length and submitted via Dekkoo’s Dropbox Folder between Monday, July 12 and Sunday, July 18,, 2021. All submissions are due no later than Sunday, July 18 at 11:59pm Pacific Time.

Submission specifications:

  • All films should be 1920×1080 or higher, H.264, preferably no vertical video. All submissions uploaded to Dropbox should be clearly labeled with the film title and director (ex: Avengers_Whedon.mp4)
  • All films should be in English or have English subtitles.

To submit your film:

RULES & TERMS

It is FREE to submit your film. There is no entrance fee! 

  • Entrants must abide by laws and guidelines concerning mask-use and social distancing according to their local regulations.
  • Films must be submitted as an online streaming video via the Dekkoo Dropbox Folder.
  • If a film is accepted, the filmmaker agrees to allow Dekkoo to edit beginning and/or ending credits down for the purpose of time as well as use film footage and audio for promotional purposes.
  • The submitter must be entitled to submit the film and the legal rights to screen it.
  • Submission does not guarantee acceptance. Dekkoo will review all submissions and the submitter will be notified if the film has been approved. Submitter will then be required to sign a Dekkoo Licensing Agreement before the Submission is accepted.
  • By submitting your film you agree to grant Dekkoo exclusive streaming rights to the film for a period of three (3) months. Winners agree to grant Dekkoo exclusive streaming rights to the film for a period of three (3) years.
  • Dekkoo reserves the right to use stills and images for promotional or press needs.
  • Films must be original work. Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights.
  • We just want to say this clearly, one more time, MUSIC MUST BE ORIGINAL or you must have express consent to use the music in your film.
  • Dekkoo expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.

BY SUBMITTING THE MATERIAL, I/WE HEREBY AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND DEFEND THE FESTIVAL, ITS EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AFFILIATES FROM ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBMISSION AND FROM ANY FEES AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES, THAT ANY OF THEM MAY INCUR IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

Short Film Spotlight: It’s Just in My Head

Andreas and Alessandro (Claudio Segaluscio and Carmine Fabbricatore) are two friends who have known each other since childhood.

Now that they have grown up, they study at universities in different cities, but they always spend the summer together in the place where they were born: a seaside resort that regularly fills up with tourists every year.

The two men have opposing characteristics. Andreas is taciturn and diffident, while Alessandro is expansive and optimistic. Andreas is lonely and without many sexual experiences. Alessandro has a life full of friends – and is already engaged to a girl.

With Summer now coming to an end, both Andreas and Alessandro will soon return to the city to resume their college lives. But before leaving, Andreas decides to give Alessandro a gift. He leaves an envelope full of printed selfies in his friend’s mailbox, some of which are dedicated on the back, hoping that Alessandro will finally be able to notice the love that Andreas always has tried to hide.

A touching 17-minute short film from Italian writer-director Marius Gabriel Stancu, It’s Just in My Head is now available on Dekkoo. Watch the trailer below.

Drag Race star Jamal Sims directs the electric new dance documentary When the Beat Drops

The new dance documentary When the Beat Drops invites you to drop into the electric and subversive underground dance scene known as bucking.

As voguing exploded out of the ballroom scene of NYC, bucking was boldly pioneered in the clubs of the Deep South as a new form of self-expression.

When the Beat Drops presents a fresh glimpse into the magnetic artistry and flair behind this emerging dance culture.

In his feature debut, famed choreographer and filmmaker Jamal Sims – who has worked with the likes of Madonna and Jennifer Lopez, and appeared countless times as a judge and choreographer on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” – illuminates the warm-hearted and fierce queer black performers who make up one of the leading “bucking” groups in the city of Atlanta.

As they train for their biggest competition yet, they face the risk of losing their jobs and family to compete at the top levels of this dance scene.

Jamal Sims calls dance a “super power,” and with this film he crafts a vision of the power of dance to bring movement to new heights and elevate the queer community.

Watch the trailer for When the Beat Drops below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.

New This Week – 7/2/21

***SEASON 3 IS NOW AVAILABLE***

In Kuntergrau, coming out is part of the past while sex and love is mundane. A group of five gay friends between 17 and 24 deal with everyday problems and experience the meaning of love, sex, and friendship. Watch season 3 of ‘Kuntergrau’ now on Dekkoo!

A young man’s tragic death at Beirut’s seaside causes his friends to grapple with loss and to partake in his community’s rites and ceremonies, exposing the city’s schisms and its society’s fault lines. ‘Martyr’ is available now on Dekkoo!

Akif, who has to look after his diseased father, is a draft dodger. He has no one to entrust his father to. There is only one way to avoid compulsory military service. He gets close to Ugur who is exempt from military service. ‘Akif’ is available now on Dekkoo!

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Coming next week: A film that explores all-consuming emotion with beguiling restraint, adding up to a delicately understated character study fueled by the power of love. 

Short Film Spotlight: Brothers

Winner of ten different jury and audience awards at various film festivals, the new short film Brothers follows a Muslim Arab boy who realizes he is different. Fortunately, he has an older brother who stands by him and encourages him to always be himself, even in the face of bias and adversity.

Written and directed by Mike Mosallam, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the series All-American Muslim and the recent gay romantic comedy hit Breaking Fast, this short film aims to shed light on LGBTQ+ oppression in a familial, religious space that has yet to be portrayed on screen.

Watch the official teaser trailer for Brothers below. The film is available now on Dekkoo.