This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!

 

 

Desire: The Short Films of Ohm
An award-winning international photographer, filmmaker and educator, Ohm Phanphiroj uses his heady artwork to deal with controversial issues – social injustice, human rights, sexual exploitation, sex positivity, identity and desire. Now, for the first time ever, you can see four of his most stunning (and sexually explicit) films in one place. The collection Desire: The Short Films of Ohm includes his infamous Desire Trilogy, The Meaning of It All, Journey and The First Conversation Between Frank & I. Each of these works explores male desire in a singularly artful, erotic and forthcoming way. In Ohm’s own words: “If my work touches you, moves you or makes you feel uncomfortable, then I have done what I came here for.”

 

 

Available Light
A sexy, funny and disturbing experimental feature by filmmaker Todd Verow (the same prolific director behind Anonymous, Vacationland, Goodbye Seventies and many more), Available Light follows several unconnected people in different cities as they try to escape their loneliness through love, lust or some combination of both. The film was shot in real locations using only available light. The viewer is both a voyeur, watching the characters in intimate situations that are not meant to be seen, and an active participant, imagining what the characters are going through and making connections between them that may or may not be real.

 

 

Shadowlands
From director Charlie David, Shadowlands is an anthology film that explores love in three separate stories – a couple renegotiating a relationship, a narcissist grasping to comprehend it, and star-crossed lovers mourning its loss. The collection begins in 1928 with Alex, a self-obsessed plastic surgeon hell-bent on perfection who is hosting a house party with an assortment of colorful guests. Fast forward to 1951 and we meet a gay military couple exploring the idea of opening up their relationship while on a remote camping trip – where they encounter a mysterious stranger. The stories conclude in 2018 when a painter, mourning the loss of his lover, becomes obsessed with creating a realistic painting of him.

 

 

French Kisses
Get seduced by a collection of incredible gay shorts from France. In Apollo, we follow a teen, riddled with insecurities, who fantasizes about an ever more muscular body – and an even bigger banana. Herculaneum concerns two men and a volcano that growls. In The Body of Angels, Remi listens to the birds and falls asleep in the hedges while, Gabriel does something far more sinister. In En Retour, Jean-Marc meets Simon, a younger man, for dinner. After a promising start, the evening plunges into extreme drama. Ruptures follows Gabriel and Andre, ex-boyfriends who cross paths for the first time in ten years. Finally, in Electric July, Thomas and Victor visit an abandoned bridge and face their most secret fears and desires.

 

 

Altered Innocence: Vol. 1
The cult studio label Altered Innocence is dedicated to releasing gay films with an artistic edge. Nearly three hours of LGBTQ and coming-of-age short films and music videos await you in their new cinematic mixtape supreme! Films from established auteurs like Peter Strickland (The Duke of Burgundy, In Fabric), Cam Archer (Wild Tigers I Have Known), Joao Nicolau (From John) and Yann Gonzalez (You and the Night, Knife+Heart) join fresh new voices such as Alexis Langlois, Shaun Hughes, Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel. Cruising, dancing, naked wrestling, trans terrorism, first love, bullies, femme fatales, band practice and much more is in store! Altered Innocence: Vol. 1 is a badass, must-see new collection!

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!

 

Give or Take
Martin’s (Jamie Effros) is a pragmatist who’s checked the boxes of an acceptable life yet feels disconnected, especially from his father, Kenneth, a distant man Martin could never figure out. Their relationship got more complicated when Kenneth came out after his wife died. For the first time, he was able to live openly and honestly as a gay man. He found love with a younger man, his lawn guy, Ted (Norbert Leo Butz), and they’d been living together in Ken’s house on Cape Cod ever since. When Kenneth dies, Martin goes home to sell the house while sharing it with Ted. Grieving, they circle each other, butt heads and negotiate how to remember the different man they both loved and the significance of what he left behind. Give or Take is a touching, award-winning film about love, loss, connection, acceptance and what it truly means to be home.

 

Cousins
From writer-director-star Thiago Cazado, the creator behind the 2017 gay romance About Us, comes this controversial, but supremely sexy coming-of-age love story. Lucas (Paulo Sousa) lives with his religious Aunt Lourdes (Juliana Zancanaro) in a quiet country town in Brazil. The young man spends his days gardening and playing keyboard, always avoiding his aunt’s attempts to match-make him with the local girls. Everything starts to change when he’s joined by a trouble-making distant cousin named Mario (Cazado), who has recently been released from prison. Forced to share a bedroom, these two cousins find their personalities clashing… until their aunt leaves for a religious retreat. The two soon find themselves becoming friends – and much, much more. Packed with male nudity and sexual tension Cousins is a romance that is not afraid to push boundaries.

 

Flatbush Luck
Former Wall Street hotshot Jimmy (Tanner Novlan) and his buttoned-up cousin Max (Robby Stahl) make meager livings as telephone repairmen in their native Brooklyn neighborhood, slaving away to meet the demands of their increasingly yuppie clientele. Jimmy wants nothing more than to return to his fast-paced lifestyle, while Max is starting to have second thoughts about his upcoming – and very expensive – wedding. When Jimmy overhears illegal insider trading during a routine house call, he convinces Max that they should tap the phone line to cash in on the scheme – hoping the money will solve their problems. But when stock tips turn to murder plots, the hapless men are unable to go to the police and soon find themselves in over their heads and flat out of luck. Flatbush Luck is a charming romantic comedy crime caper from prolific director Casper Andreas.

 

A Skeleton in the Closet
Prodigal gay son Manuel (Facundo Gambandé) returns to his hometown for his parents’ wedding anniversary. The reason he’s really there, however, is to ask his parents for money so that he can move to Denmark with his boyfriend. It’s been a while since he has been home. The last time he saw the family, he came out of the closet. This revelation caused an unfortunate rift in their relationship. Manuel’s plans get ruined when his boyfriend unexpectedly dumps him. He soon finds himself in the middle of an existential crisis. This trip then becomes an opportunity to rebound and re-discover his love for his family and the family business… and ultimately find his own sense of being. From Argentine writer-director Nicolás Teté, A Skeleton in the Closet is a tender and thoughtful family comedy about coming out, coming of age and coming around.

 

Handsome Devil
An unlikely bond forms between two teen boys at an Irish boarding school in this touching comedy-drama from Irish writer-director John Butler. 16-year-old Ned (Fionn O’Shea), with his spiky red hair and ambiguous sexuality, is the music-geek outcast more smitten with David Bowie than with kicking balls around the pitch. Given his frequent skirmishes with the resident jock bully, he goes to great lengths to distance himself from his athletic new roommate Conor (Nicholas Galitzine), who is struggling to reconcile his own conflicting interests. When the boys come together and find an unexpected connection, they learn that they are stronger together. An award-winning crowd-pleaser, Handsome Devil offers a touching reminder of the importance of loyalty, bravery, standing up for yourself and making sure that your voice, no matter how different, is heard.

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!

 

Isaac
The debut film from directing duo David Matamoros and Angeles HernandezIsaac employs two different timelines to tell the story of two couples who clash together. Former childhood friends Denis and Nacho (Ivan Sanchez and Pepe Ocio) had an intense relationship as teenagers. After years apart, they meet in a café and seemingly regain those distant ties of trust, affection and complicity. Denis, who needs money for a business venture, doesn’t hesitate in asking Nacho for a loan. From there begins a game of mutual dependencies in which the two men’s partners – Marta (Maria Ribera) and Carmen (Erika Bleda) – are both implicated. And if this four-way collaboration was not complex enough, loose ends, social pressures, ambition, repressed desires and the guilt that has been weighing on the two men for many years further complicate this intense story of polyamory.

 

Here Comes Your Man
What begins as a simple hookup blossoms into an unlikely romance between two young men in this charming and deeply sexy gay romantic comedy. When Jordan (Calvin Picou) and Aaron (Jason Alan Clark) meet in person after exchanging pics through a hook-up app, 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” and in a hetero relationship. The two go their separate ways and, confused about his sexuality, Jordan impulsively blocks Aaron’s number. When they run into each other again weeks later, the full truth comes out… and they find something undeniable about their strange romantic chemistry. But turning a one-night stand into “happily ever after” is not quite as easy as it seems.

 

The Third One
In the extended pre-title opening to The Third One, we’re treated to raunchy online conversations and video chats between Fede (Emiliano Dionisi), a college student, and an attractive gay couple in their early 40s (played by Carlos Echevarría and Nicolás Armengol). After a few heated internet encounters, the three of them decide to meet in person. Unfolding largely in real time over the course of one night, this deceptively simple from director Rodrigo Guerrero concerns a ménage à trois – the planning stage, the main event and the aftermath. Light on conflict, but heavy on tension, the film aims to simulate a modern gay threesome as believably as possible – and it succeeds. This is a sex positive movie that looks at taboos – open relationships, intergenerational affairs – with a fair eye and celebrates the enchanting effect that one night of honest, uninhibited passion can leave you with in the morning.

 

Death in Buenos Aires
Death in Buenos Aires is a gripping police thriller about corruption, paranoia and the secret gay lives of the wealthy elite of Buenos Aires during the politically tumultuous 1980s. At the scene of a murder of one of the city’s high society figures, veteran police inspector Chavez (Demian Bichir), runs into Gomez (Chino Darin), a.k.a. “El Ganso” (“The Goose”), a handsome rookie cop with dreams of advancement. When Chavez uncovers that the murder may be linked to a small-time hustler and the gay nightclub La Manila, the detective sends the rookie undercover to pose as a young hottie on the prowl for an older benefactor. As they come close to luring out the killer, the erotic charge of their new surroundings triggers changes in both Chavez and Gomez. Director Natalia Meta‘s deeply involving debut film delivers rich, multi-faceted characters that match the complexity of its riveting story.

 

Retake
Tuc Watkins stars in writer-director Nick Corporon‘s romantic road film as Jonathan, a lonely, middle-aged man who hires a male sex-worker (Devon Graye) in San Francisco to join him on a trip to the Grand Canyon. Jonathan insists on calling his hunky companion “Brandon” and lays out specific rules for their role-playing – he wants to play daddy and expects “Brandon” to be his submissive boy toy in bed and in public. A feeling of menace and allure underscores Jonathan’s actions as the trip commences between the two strangers. But as “Brandon” digs deeper for clues and begins to ferret out the truth, he also realizes that his feelings for Jonathan go far beyond the usual client/hustler relationship. As the duo draws nearer to their geographical destination, the emotions of both men spill out and threaten to expose the carefully constructed world Jonathan has paid to create.

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!

 

Don’t Look Down
In a high-rise apartment in Paris, four gay men and one woman gather to share their experiences of a man with whom they have all been either romantically or sexually involved. All five of them fell in love, but were ultimately betrayed. In the main room, they talk, drink and dance. One by one, each of them goes into another room to confront this man – and share in a private moment of truth and revelation. But what happens between the monster and the individual characters remains their secret. From Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau, the acclaimed filmmakers behind Paris 05:59: Theo and Hugo, Don’t Look Down is a new mystery about secret desires and the ways we change when we’re falling in love.

 

Young Hunter
A tense new thriller from acclaimed writer-director Marco Berger, Young Hunter follows Ezequiel, a fifteen year old boy on the cusp of his sexual awakening. While his parents are away, he meets a handsome, slightly older guy named Mono and quickly starts a relationship. Mono invites him to his cousin’s villa to spend a weekend together, but while returning from the trip Mono seemingly disappears, no longer responding to texts. Ezequiel is surprised and confused until Chino, Mono’s cousin, sends him a hidden camera video of their sexual encounter, blackmailing him into participating in an increasingly dangerous criminal conspiracy. Against his own will, Ezequiel must decide whether to come clean or turn from prey to hunter.

 

The Lawyer
Life just drifts by for corporate lawyer Marius… until he finds an unexpected connection with the dark and handsome Ali, an incredibly attractive young Syrian refugee who makes his living as a sex-cam worker. After Marius’s estranged father passes away, his infatuation intensifies. It isn’t long before he’s completely obsessed. He inevitably flies to Belgrade to meet Ali with in person, in hopes of a romantic week with his sexy Arab prince. Although, off-camera, things might not be exactly as they seemed. An intense romantic drama, The Lawyer is the newest film from prolific filmmaker Romas Zabarauskas, the same writer-director behind Porno Melodrama and You Can’t Escape Lithuania.

 

Jesus
18-year-old Jess is trapped in a dead-end cycle of drugs, sex, apathy and an obsession with violence. Living with his father, Hector, where TV covers for their inability to communicate, doesn’t help matters. After his band loses a competition, he and his friends get drunk and head out looking for a thrill. They find it in a cemetery: a young defenseless boy crosses their path and violence ensues. Soon, the attack becomes national news – and the police are searching for those responsible. Desperate to avoid the authorities, as well as his friends, Jess has no choice but to turn to his father for help. But will he go to any extent to protect his son, or cut him loose? The event brings them closer than ever, but also tears them apart.

 

The Visitor
Cibrail is a young Turkish policeman living happily with his girlfriend in Berlin. He has integrated seamlessly into local culture, is socially active and financially stable. On the surface, his life looks perfect but something is causing him to have sleepless nights. When his girlfriend’s attractive male cousin arrives from Rome, Cibrail is instantly drawn to the handsome, charming visitor. The restless feelings and longing he has suppressed for years begin to bubble to the surface, setting off a chain of events that will turn everyone’s lives upside down. The Visitor is a sensual drama, exploring the dramatic consequences and rewarding journey of a man triggered into embracing who he really is.

 

 

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!

 

Bringing Him Back
After he learns that his mother has passed away, Moi (Ricardo Gomez) travels to his family home with his boyfriend Biel (Eneko Sagardoy) by his side. Despite arriving to the warm embrace of his sister (Bruna Cusi), Moi struggles to come to terms with his new reality. His tricky, unexplored new issues also start to put a strain on his relationship with Biel. When his sister’s seductive new boyfriend (Joe Manjon) surprises everyone with an unannounced visit, their delicate seclusion is suddenly shattered – replaced by a tense and potentially sensual mood. A deeply affecting film about loss, love and human connection, writer-director Borja de la Vega’s Bringing Him Back is a rich character drama with a surprisingly erotic sting.

 

A Dim Valley
Ecology graduate students Albert and Ian (Whitmer Thomas and Zach Weintraub) are spending the summer collecting samples with their curmudgeonly advisor (Robert Longstreet). At his woodsy cabin along the Appalachian Trail, close quarters foster comical friction and unexpected bonds between the two young men. When three mysterious, enigmatic female backpackers (Rachel McKeon, Feathers Wise and Rosalie Lowe) crash into their lives, they push the men to open up to one another and their true feelings soon begin to deepen. A clever new indie gem from writer-director Brandon Colvin, A Dim Valley is partly a queer allegory, partly a hilarious stoner comedy and partly a transcendental meditation on mysticism and love.

 

Kill the Monsters
When young, pretty, and charmingly aloof Frankie (Jack Ball) falls mysteriously ill, his older and wiser partners – overthinking, practical Patrick (Ryan Lonergan), and impulsive, fiery Sutton (Garrett McKechnie) – agree that it’s time to head West, begin new adventures, and seek holistic treatment. From here, the highs and lows of the trio’s journey mirror key points in United States history – from hot sex in their luxurious New York City apartment through a road trip that results in a civil war and possible breakup to an all-out poker war involving scheming, sophisticated, and calculating German and Russian lesbians. Don’t miss this sexy, funny, touching and expertly-crafted black and white indie gem.

 

Why Not You
Mario (Thomas Prenn), a sensitive young dancer, finds difficulty in the day-to-day life of his small Italian village. At a local festival, he reunites with Lenz (Noah Saavedra), a former childhood friend who left town long ago. Mario quickly becomes fixated on Lenz, who is now living out his dreams as an actor in Rome. Inspired, Mario decides to follow his friend to the Italian capital. When they meet in a gay bar, the night takes a tragic turn. Escaping unharmed, Mario’s life will be forever altered by the incident and the loss that follows. The debut feature of writer-director Evi Romen, Why Not You is a challenging character drama, following a disoriented young man who senses that he must find a place for himself in the world.

 

Men of Hard Skin
Ariel (Wall Javier) lives a quiet life with his father and sister on their picturesque farm in a rural part of Buenos Aires. Unbeknownst to his family, Ariel is in a twisted relationship with Omar (German Tarantino), a neighborhood priest. Having confused his mistreatment for romantic affection, Ariel takes it upon himself to free himself from their relationship and soon embarks on a secret affair with one of the male workers on his father’s property. Meanwhile, as Omar continues to succumb to his urges, he forms a friendship with a much older priest who finds himself wrestling with similar desires. Defiantly unsentimental, Men of Hard Skin is a complex, confrontational and richly textured exploration of sex, power and abuse.

 

Valentine’s Day Streaming: 25 Romantic Gay Movies Available to Watch On-Demand!

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. With hearts a-flutter this Valentine’s Day, we decided to put together a list of some of our favorite recent gay romances – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!

 

Are We Lost Forever
Are We Lost Forever follows two young men who may have come to the end of their long-term relationship. For Hampus (Jonathan Andersson), breaking up with Adrian (Bjorn Elgerd) is a good thing. He’s happy to veer away from the destructive path that their relationship had been taking. For Adrian, it’s quite the opposite. He’s devastated to lose his lover and will stop at nothing to win him back. The fallout of their break-up is divided into stages of desperate attempts to reunite, as well as rebounds that sometimes push them further apart and sometimes bring them closer together. This feature-length debut from award-winning short film director David Fardmar is a poignant, sexy and bittersweet romantic drama.

 

Benjamin
British comedian Simon Amstell wrote and directed this charmingly offbeat gay romantic comedy about a filmmaker juggling the excitement of his upcoming film premiere with the fear and awkwardness of a burgeoning romance. Always ready with a self-defensive quip, indie film director Benjamin (Colin Morgan) nervously prepares for the premiere of his sophomore feature when he meets and falls for hard for Noah (Phenix Brossard), a young French musician. Will Benjamin’s insecurities and anxieties get in the way of success and happiness? Will his film be a critics-savaging disaster and he, a one-hit wonder? Benjamin is a charming, laugh-out-loud look at one man’s land mined road to success and love.

 

The Blonde One
In the suburbs of Buenos Aires, Gabriel (Gaston Re) has just moved in with his colleague, Juan (Alfonso Baron). Shy and reserved, Gabriel is reluctant to follow Juan’s wandering hands and meaningful looks. With a revolving door of beauties streaming out of Juan’s bedroom, his machismo seems firmly in place. However, the attraction between the two men is undeniable. What starts out as a sexual relationship based on convenience of location soon develops into the engrossing evolution of a tender and intimate relationship, which is as sweet as it is heartbreaking. But, as reality begins to set in on their homemaking fantasy, something needs to give… or does it?

 

Boy Meets Boy
Harry (Matthew James Morrison) has been partying for forty-eight hours straight when he meets Johannes (Alexandros Koutsoulis) on the dance floor of a club in Berlin. With fifteen hours left until Harry’s flight back to London, the young men spend the day together – wandering the city and experiencing the contrasts in their lives. As the two men grow closer in this short window of time, they begin to confront their own individual truths while developing a deep connection. Taking inspiration from the beloved gay hit Weekend and Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy, Boy Meets Boy is a tender and deeply moving new gay romance that has been earning rave reviews from critics on the LGBTQ film festival circuit.

 

Boys Night
Bouncing around from genre to genre, this stellar new collection of short films from Mattioli Productions showcases some of the most cutting edge recent gay cinema from the United States and Australia. In Hopelessly, a bisexual man learns to embrace polyamory. Mass follows an insecure young man looking to bulk up physically. Innocent Boy is a stylish backwoods horror flick. Miles tells the story of a bittersweet love triangle. Sacrifice follows two men in love who find their professional lives tearing them apart. Finally, Tooth 4 Tooth is a smart, satirical vampire comedy. There’s something for everyone in this unique collection – a TLA Exclusive. Sit back, relax and get ready to make it a Boys Night.

 

Brotherly Love
Brotherly Love is the movie adaptation of the Lambda Literary Award-nominated novel “Seventy Times Seven” by Salvatore Sapienza. Which “calling” do you answer? The one you feel from God or the one you feel about your true authentic self? That is the exact dilemma that Brother Vito (played by writer/director Anthony J. Caruso) is facing. He’s gay, but devoted to his less-than-accepting religious community. Soon, he must decide between becoming a Brother or declaring his love for Gabe (Derek Babb). Shot entirely in Austin, TX and with a local cast and crew, Brotherly Love is a fresh take on the traditional gay love story.

 

Center of My World
After a summer away at camp, Phil (Louis Hofmann, star of the hit Netflix series “Dark”) returns home to find that his mother and twin sister aren’t speaking to one another. Not willing to confront his family during the last days of the summer holidays, Phil escapes to hang out with his best friend, Kat (Svenja Jung), eating ice cream and playing dress-up. As the school year begins, a new student arrives – the handsome and mysterious Nicholas (Jannik Schumann). Smitten, Phil watches his crush as he runs around the track after school, and is thrilled when Nicholas returns his feelings. A touching must-see, Center of My World won numerous “Best Feature Film” and “Best Director” awards at festivals around the globe.

 

Everything I Like
Daniel (Milton Roses), is an editor at a production company. When Javier (Esteban Masturini), a new cameraman, joins the crew, it upends Daniel’s life in ways he never expected. Though he’s always considered himself straight, Daniel begins to develop feelings for the alluring Javier. Though he’s encouraged by his closest friends to finally come out of the closet, Daniel isn’t sure he’s ready. Once he admits to his bisexuality, he enters the world of online dating, embarking on an uncomfortable and deeply funny journey through a new world of potential partners. All the while, however, he’s looking to work up the courage to tell Javier how he really feels… and to finally get over his fear of being naked in front of another person.

 

4 Days
Taking place over four consecutive Valentine’s Days, this indie film from the Philippines takes an intimate look at the complicated relationship between two college buddies. Derek (Sebastian Castro) has had a string of girlfriends. All the while, after each break-up, his best friend Mark (Mikoy Morales) has been waiting on the sidelines – ready to clean Derek’s wounds while harboring secret romantic feelings. Through intrusive, carefully selected long takes, we’re invited to observe the pair and witness as the tension between them escalate. The lead actors give exceptional, often heartbreaking performances in this thoughtful and patient romance – wherein the awkward silences and furtive glances speak volumes.

 

From Zero to I Love You
Jack (Scott Bailey) has a beautiful wife, two daughters, a big house and a great job. He also has a secret that has been eating him alive for most of his life. Jack is attracted to men. He tries as hard as he can to be the faithful husband and good father until one night, he can’t do it anymore. Pete (Darryl Stephens) is a guy who happens to have a history of getting involved with married men. His father (Richard Lawson) and his soon-to-be stepmom (Leslie Zemeckis) are on him to find someone who’s actually available and to settle down. A chance encounter at a party leads Jack straight to Peter who will change his life forever and upend everything Jack has built. What begins as one-night stand turns into a once-in-a-lifetime romance.

 

I Want Your Love
After years of treading water in freewheeling San Francisco, a young gay man (Jesse Metzger) prepares to move back to his roots in the Midwest. During his last weekend in town his friends, roommates and ex-lovers throw him a party that brings his already bittersweet feelings about leaving into sharper focus. Torn between his creative dreams and the reality of earning a living, he’s made to take responsibility by redefining what it means to be an artist, a gay man and an adult. Expanded to feature length from an award-winning 2010 short film of the same name, I Want Your Love features graphic, unsimulated sex scenes. Viewer discretion is advised (as is the case for a lot of films on this list, to be honest).

 

Here Comes Your Man
What begins as a simple hookup blossoms into an unlikely romance between two young men in this charming and deeply sexy gay romantic comedy. When Jordan (Calvin Picou) and Aaron (Jason Alan Clark) meet in person after exchanging pics, 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, Jordan blocks Aaron’s number. When they run into each other weeks later, the truth comes out… and they find something undeniable about their strange romantic chemistry. But turning a one-night stand into “happily ever after” is not quite as easy as it seems.

 

Last Summer
High school sweethearts, Luke and Jonah (Samuel Pettit and Sean Rose), spend their final months together over the course of a long, quiet summer in the rural South, contemplating their uncertain future. Jonah, sensitive, quiet and artistic, prepares to leave his small town for college, leaving Luke behind, but all he wants is for Luke to ask him to stay. But Luke, an athlete struggling through summer school, knows that his boyfriend needs to experience the world beyond their home. A beautiful melancholy romance, Last Summer takes on an almost other-wordly vibe – set in an idealistic American South where Luke and Jonah’s relationship is never taken as anything other than a normal high school romance.

 

No Hard Feelings
Parvis (Benjamin Radjaipour), the son of exiled Iranians, copes with life in his small hometown by indulging himself with pop culture, Grindr dates and raves. After being caught shoplifting, he is sentenced to community service at a refugee shelter where he meets siblings Banafshe and Amon (Banafshe Hourmazdi and Eidin Jalali), who have recently fled Iran. As a romantic attraction between Parvis and Amon grows, the fragile relationship between the three is put to the test. They find and lose each other throughout a summer of fleeting youth, and intense first love. A critically-acclaimed new romantic drama, No Hard Feelings won the coveted Teddy Award for Best Queer Feature Film.

 

Nowhere
Adrian and Sebastian (Miguel González and Juan Pablo Castiblanco) live an openly gay life in New York as immigrants. When Sebastian’s visa is rejected, the two must decide whether to return to Colombia – where they face rejection and persecution for their sexual orientation – or do whatever is necessary to stay in the United States. Either way, the thoughts and discussions associated with the decision will have a profound effect on the couple. Hitting upon hot button issues, Nowhere is a riveting new romantic drama that places its characters within the context of a difficult immigration situation – as well as a furthering sense of homelessness and lack of belonging, which consistently haunts our main protagonists.

 

On the Fringe of Wild
Two young men fall in love under harsh circumstances in this moving teen romance set in the early 2000s. Peter (Harrison Browne) dreams of leaving his small Ontario town to pursue his life as an artist, but his homophobic father (Andrew Bee) intends to “make him a man” instead. Sending him on a hunting trip one cold winter break, tensions run high and Peter runs away. Lost, cold and reaching his breaking point, Peter meets Jack (Cameron Stewart), who’s also desperate to escape his toxic family situation. A romance quickly develops between the two teenage boys as they hide away in a secluded cabin, discovering one another – and themselves. But the world outside won’t let them sneak away so easily.

 

Orpheus Song
Philipp and Enis (Sascha Weingarten and Julien Lickert) have become workout buddies. The two hunks quickly fall into an intense friendship. When Philipp wins a trip to Greece, he invites Enis along. During a hike, they become lost and tempers flare, escalating to a violent scuffle. A mysterious young man, Hercules (Henry Morales), happens upon them and leads them to a magical underground cave. During the night, fueled by forbidden fruit Hercules has warned them against eating, passion ignites between our two lead buddies. The next day, nothing between the two will ever be the same. This wildly erotic variation on Greek mythology will quickly have you falling under its sensual spell!

 

Out in the Dark
Out in the Dark follows a young, affluent and ambitious Palestinian grad student and a Jewish lawyer who fall in love. The adorable Nimr (Nicholas Jacob) crosses the border to study and occasionally to meet his friends at a gay nightclub in Tel Aviv. One night, he is introduced to the handsome and wealthy Roy (Michael Aloni) and an instant attraction ensues. While Tel Aviv is more accepting, Nimr’s homeland is not. He struggles to keep the peace with his Muslim family – especially his brother, who is now a member of a radical, extremist anti-Palestinian organization. Despite being surrounded by all of these weighty (and sometimes dangerous) obstacles, the budding couple cannot help but fall immensely in love.

 

The Revival
A secret relationship between a preacher and a young drifter challenges the equilibrium of a church. When Eli (David Rysdahl) begins preaching at his father’s old church, he is desperate to open the minds of the Old Testament-obsessed, fire-and-brimstone congregation. His plans are quickly derailed when he strikes up a relationship with a fascinating drifter (Zachary Booth). Tensions soon come to a head, with simmering resentments and repressed emotions all leading to a revival that will shake this sleepy Arkansas town to its core. The Revival  originated on the stage as a very successful off-Broadway play. Director Jennifer Gerber adapts the story into a film that is edgy, thought-provoking and essential.

 

Screwed
Screwed takes us to the Finnish countryside for an unforgettably romantic summer. Seventeen-year-old Miku (Mikko Kauppila) is trying to come to terms with his sexuality and find his place in the world. After his parents find out that he threw a wild party while they were away, he is ordered to spend the summer with them at their cottage. A flirtation soon develops between he and Elias (Valtteri Lehtinen), the irresistible boy next door. As they spend the summer together, escaping the turmoil offered up by their uniquely dysfunctional families, a passionate relationship quickly blossoms. But the boys soon realize that love is not as easy as it seems… especially when it comes to first love.

 

A Skeleton in the Closet
When Manuel (Facundo Gambande) returns to his hometown on the occasion of his parents’ wedding anniversary, he has a bit of an ulterior motive. He’s planning to ask for money so that he can move to Denmark with his boyfriend. The last time he saw his family, he came out of the closet – and things have been tense ever since. When his boyfriend suddenly dumps him, Manuel finds himself diving head-first into an existential crisis. Now more in need of his family’s love and support than ever, an unexpected opportunity to reconnect presents itself. Featuring a terrifically endearing lead performance, A Skeleton in the Closet is a tender and heartfelt Argentinian family comedy-drama that you don’t want to miss.

 

Song Lang
Set in a richly imagined 1980s Saigon, Song Lang is both a gritty underworld noir and an operatic romance. An unlikely bond develops between hunky, brooding Dung (Lien Binh Phat), a tough debt collector for a ruthless loan shark, and Linh Phung (popular V-pop singer Isaac), a charismatic young opera singer. The two meet when Dung comes to forcefully collect a debt from the struggling opera troupe. But when their paths cross again, a deep friendship develops, awakening romantic feelings in both men. Making his feature debut, Vietnamese director Leon Le serves up a uniquely lush melodrama, teasing a smoldering relationship between two apparent opposites set against the backdrop of a gorgeous art form as it fades out of fashion.

 

A Stormy Night
Marcos (David Moragas) arrives in New York from Barcelona only to find out his layover flight to San Francisco has been cancelled due to a storm. This leaves him without a place to stay for the night. That’s how he meets Alan (Jacob Perkins), his old college friend’s roommate, who is happy to host him for the night. The two boys have nothing in common, but they will have to spend twelve hours and a New York storm together. Throughout the night, a series of misunderstandings lead the boys to challenge each other’s approach to love, relationships and happiness. They both have secrets to hide that are difficult to hold. And yet, the biggest challenge might be having to say goodbye to each other the morning after.

 

The Strong Ones
Based on an original short film, which won the Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival, The Strong Ones follows the romantic saga of two beautiful Chilean men on different life paths. Lucas (Samuel Gonzalez), an architect, travels to visit his sister, who lives in a remote town in Southern Chile. Beside the ocean, shrouded in the wintery mist, he meets Antonio (Antonio Altamirano), a boatswain on a local fishing boat. When an intense romance blossoms between them, their strength, independence, and adulthood become immovable, just like the ebb and flow of the tide. Confidently directed by Omar Zúñiga Hidalgo, The Strong Ones took home both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at Outfest last year.

 

Taekwondo
In a beautiful country house in a chic suburb of Buenos Aires, Fernando (Lucas Papa) and his buddies are having a “boys only” weekend. Disconnected from the outside world, they bask in the sun, play in the pool, smoke pot and drink – naked or half-naked pretty much the entire time. Fernando decides to invite a newcomer, Germán (Gabriel Epstein), a close friend from his taekwondo class. Germán is quickly welcomed into the group. Fernando doesn’t realize, though, that Germán is attracted to men. Little by little, the two dudes get more intimate and the simmering sexual tension hits a boiling point. Assembling one of the hottest casts in gay movie history, prolific director Marco Berger has outdone himself with Taekwondo.

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. This week we’re focusing on unique documentaries. Here’s just five of our current favorites that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!

 

The Carnival
From acclaimed, prolific filmmaker Marco Berger (The Blonde One, Young Hunter, Taekwondo), The Carnival is a clever new pseudo-documentary which centers around two men who grew up in the town of Gualeguaychú, a city in the east of Argentina near the border of Uruguay. Every summer, they participate in the town’s traditional carnival, which transforms the men of the community into Dionysian figures via costumes, glitter and feathers. While Berger captures the action – and the mostly straight male participants’ bodies – he also blurs the line between fiction and non-fiction, adding his unique cinematic spin, homoerotic themes and eye for dynamic male relationships to color and comment on the proceedings.

Everything at Once
A  deeply seductive new documentary, Everything at Once profiles Paco Moyano and Manolo Rodriguez, two Catalan photographers who have been together for thirty years. Their simple yet sophisticated style records the sex appeal of working class men, using natural light and abandoned locations. With great compassion and understanding, Paco and Manolo build an intimate relationship with their subjects, capturing not only their bare bodies but their inhibitions and hidden depths as well. In the end, they reveal just as much about themselves as they do the nude men in front of their cameras. Everything At Once tells a beautiful story of two fascinating artists and a special relationship that has lasted for three decades.

Mr. Leather
In April of 2018, São Paulo played host to the second annual Brazilian Mr. Leather competition… and things got heated. Mr. Leather offers you a front-row seat – and takes you deep behind the scenes – as five individual contestants vie for full leather dominance. The winner will be crowned by Dom Barbudo, the first official Mr. Leather of Brazil. Along with victory comes a year-long commitment to promoting the leather community throughout the country, even in the face of increasingly conservative values and political unrest. In his feature film debut, writer-director Daniel Nolasco (Dry Wind) follows all the action, creating gorgeous and intensely provocative compositions that celebrate the unique power of this thriving subculture.

Chemsex
Cruising through hidden basements, bedrooms and bars across London, the startling documentary Chemsex from directors William Fairman and Max Gogarty frankly and intimately exposes a dark side to modern gay life. Traversing an underworld of intravenous drug use and weekend-long sex parties, this stunning documentary tells the story of several men struggling to make it out of “the scene” alive – and one health worker who has made it his mission to save them. While society looks the other way, this powerful and unflinching film uncovers a group of men battling HIV as well as drug and sex addiction while trying to find acceptance in a changing – and incredibly challenging – world.

Seed Money
Seed Money tells the the fascinating and largely unknown story of Chuck Holmes, the San Francisco pornographer who founded Falcon Studios. As a major contributor to gay advocacy groups, Holmes helped create and shape gay identity in the 20th century, only to find out that while his money was welcome in philanthropic circles, he sometimes was not. Funny, candid and completely eye-opening, this feature-length doc is packed with mind-blowing archival footage as well as interviews with notable figures, including Chi Chi LaRueJeff Stryker, Scissor Sisters front-man Jake Shears and John Waters. Learn all about one of the gay community’s most unheralded heroes – seems like it’s the least we can do for him!

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!

 

Not Knowing
Umut (Emir Ozden) is a young water polo player – a gentle and quiet high school senior just trying to live his life in a complicated world. When a fellow player spreads a rumor that he is gay, Umut displays maturity beyond his years. He doesn’t deny the allegation – refusing to apologize or explain himself. His parents, distracted by their own marital problems, prove powerless to stem any fallout as his time at school becomes more and more fraught… until events reach a shocking head. Set in the high testosterone world of teen sports – and a sometimes suffocating Turkish society – Not Knowing is a thoughtful and touching coming-of-age drama that holds a mirror up to what it still means to be young and gay in so much of the world today.

 

15 Years
Yoav (Oded Leopold) has everything he’s ever wanted. He and his younger lover Dan (Udi Persi), a lawyer who idolizes him, seem to have a charmed relationship. Their sex life is still off the charts, their emotional bond is strong and they enjoy an intimate circle of friends. When Yoav’s best friend Alma (Ruti Asarsai) announces she’s pregnant, it ignites Dan’s desire to become a father himself. But Dan’s parental urges have the opposite effect on Yoav – who is haunted by long buried demons. He soon ends up engaging in very self-destructive behavior that threatens to destroy his life with Dan, unravel his friendship with Alma, and cost him everything. 15 Years is a searing, insightful drama that offers a telling portrait of an emotional darkness lurking beneath the surface.

 

About Us
Diego (co-writer/director Thiago Cazado) is leaving his hometown in Brazil to attend a film school in California for four years. He will have to leave behind everything he has ever loved… including Matheus (Rodrigo Bittes), a handsome young man with whom he fell madly in love and shared a brief passionate affair. Ten years later, back in Brazil, Diego decides to write a novel about their relationship using his camera instead of his pen. This heartfelt biopic shows how passion can increase our motivation in life, but also how making tough choices can affect that passion. Romantic and intimate, filmed with a handheld, fly-on-the-wall intimacy, About Us brings us right into the middle of a tricky relationship – portrayed with aplomb by the two lead actors, both relative unknowns with talent to spare.

 

In Bloom
Young lovers Kurt and Paul (Kyle Wigent and Tanner Rittenhouse) could not seemingly care less about the alleged serial killer stalking the streets of Chicago. They’re far too busy being the perfect 20-something gay couple. They’re fun, deeply in love and not lacking for money thanks to Kurt’s highly successful pot-dealing business. But when a sexy young customer (Adam Fane) makes a play for Kurt, he makes a decision that threatens to permanently ruin everything that he and Paul have built together – all while placing himself in the elusive murderer’s path. Prickly and compulsively watchable, In Bloom is a warm, funny, intelligent, sharply-written, painfully honest, well-acted drama and first feature film by promising writer/director Chris Michael Birkmeier.

 

Downriver
Sometimes the path to redemption is paved in sin. 18-year-old James (Reef Ireland) has just been released from juvenile detention after serving time for his involvement in the suspected drowning of a young boy in a river years earlier. Ravaged with uncertainty, dealing with an estranged family and forced to face the dead boy’s mother, James is set upon a journey of self discovery, shocking revelations and danger as questions surrounding the boy’s death brim to the surface. Old friendships are questioned, family ties are tested and lives are put on the line as James must find his path to the truth. From Australian writer-director Grant Scicluna, Downriver is a carefully-calibrated mystery/thriller which tells a sleepy tale of secrets, manipulation and redemption.

 

 

 

 

Trailer & Photo Gallery: Bringing Him Back

A deeply affecting new film about loss, love and human connection, writer-director Borja de la Vega‘s Bringing Him Back is a rich character drama with a surprisingly erotic sting.

Moi (Ricardo Gomez) travels with his boyfriend, Biel (Eneko Sagardoy), to his family home after the death of his mother. Despite arriving to the warm embrace of his sister (Bruna Cusi), Moi struggles to come to terms with his new reality, manifesting in a new disconnect with Biel. When his sister’s boyfriend (Joe Manjon) surprises everyone with his unannounced arrival, their delicate seclusion is shattered- replaced by a potently sensual and tense mood.

Watch the trailer for Bringing Him Back below and click here to pre-order your copy. We also have an extensive photo gallery available below for your viewing pleasure! The film will be available on DVD starting January 18th.

 

 

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!

 

Blurred Lines
Janik and Samuel (Emil von Schonfels and Mekyas Mulugeta) are best friends enjoying their final year of high school. Though they share a tight bond, they come from different worlds. Janik’s parents are responsible and uptight. Samuel comes from a broken home. The two teens seem to want what the other has. While Samuel looks for order and discipline, Janik seeks out chaos in his day-to-day life. When a thoughtless incident puts their relationship in jeopardy, the pair decide to leave Germany and set off on a long-planned trip to Istanbul. While there, the boys look to enjoy their freedom, try out a new life and figure out the true depths of their friendship. Blurred Lines is a sexy and thought-provoking new coming-of-age drama.

 

The Strong Ones
Based on an original short film, which won the coveted Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival, The Strong Ones follows the romantic saga of two beautiful Chilean men on different life paths. Lucas (Samuel Gonzalez), an architect, travels to visit his sister, who lives in a remote town in Southern Chile. Beside the ocean, shrouded in the wintery mist, he meets Antonio (Antonio Altamirano), a boatswain on a local fishing boat. When an intense romance blossoms between them, their strength, independence, and adulthood become immovable, just like the ebb and flow of the tide. A true gem, The Strong Ones took home both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at Outfest when it debuted in 2020.

 

You’ll Never Be Alone
After his gay teenage son (Andrew Bargsted) starts secretly cross-dressing and becomes the victim of a violent homophobic attack, Juan (Sergio Hernandez), a withdrawn manager at a mannequin factory, struggles between paying his son’s exorbitant medical bills and his last attempt at becoming partners with his boss. As he runs into dead-ends and unexpected betrayals, he’ll discover his own form of violence. Juan feels he’s made too many mistakes, but his son can still be saved. With You’ll Never Be Alone, writer-director Alex Anwandter combines atmospheric style and unnerving realism to craft a powerful, courageous and socially-conscious debut which reflects on the values of human freedom and justice.

 

Testosterone: Volume One
Testosterone: Volume One is guaranteed to get your pulse racing. From the intense effects of first love to a deliciously campy tale of a camping trip gone horribly wrong, this compilation of four brilliant short gay films is sure to stir. The End of My World follows an attractive young man who, after a break-up, becomes convinced that the world is ending. The Surf Report tells a ghostly beach-side love story. It Gets Better? follows an older man who decides to start telling secrets online. Finally, the hilarious Killer Friends is a quirky horror comedy that follows four friends on a camping trip gone terribly wrong. Make sure to look for the rest of the Testosterone short film collections as well. There are four in total so far!

 

Fireflies
Ramin (Arash Marandi) is lost. An Iranian man who escaped persecution in Tehran, he wound up – accidentally – in the Mexican port of Veracruz. His time is soon divided between hard labor, trying to learn Spanish and cruising for anonymous sex in dark alleys. Though he pines for the boyfriend he left behind, he finds himself drawn to Guillermo (Luis Alberti), an inscrutable ex-con with a body full of bullet holes. Beautifully shot by Iranian-born, Texas-raised filmmaker Bani Khoshnoudi, who lends striking attention to detail in nearly every frame, Fireflies is a sensitive, award-winning portrait of a gay man in exile, showing us a world where borders can’t always be crossed and our scars – literal and figurative – tell many stories.