Normally around this time of year, we post a big ol’ list of sexy, exciting, thought-provoking, innovative and/or heartfelt gay films that you can stream over the holiday break. There’s nothing wrong with taking some much-needed time during your long holiday vacation to relax on the couch and watch a movie. Granted, many of us – essential workers excepted (thank you for everything!) – have been doing a lot of that this year already out of necessity. STILL, we couldn’t resist.
If you’re looking for some light (or heavy) gay-themed entertainment, TLAgay has you covered. Stay in, stay safe and watch a movie! Here are twenty-five of our current favorites – all available to rent or download now.
The Acrobat
Montreal is snowed under. While the downtown cranes dance their ballet, two strangers meet randomly in an unfinished apartment. Their chance encounter leads to a violent attraction and a dependency beyond reason. One man is a Russian-born professional acrobat whose future is jeopardized by a broken leg. The other is a buttoned-down, well-groomed man of few words. Which one dominates? Which one manipulates? As it turns out, love is painful and human relations are complex. Staggeringly sexy, this new film from French-Canadian provocateur Rodrigue Jean (Love in the Time of Civil War) features real, completely unsimulated and incredibly explicit gay sex scenes. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.
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 has just moved in with his colleague, Juan. 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? Written and directed by Marco Berger, The Blonde One is one of the year’s hottest gay movies.
Boys
Following one man through two timelines, decades apart, Boys is a gripping and compassionate study of first love and the lingering sting of loss. We first meet Jonas (Sauvage/Wild star Felix Maritaud) in the present, where he’s having a rough go of it. He’s prone to starting fights at the local gay bar, and his boyfriend has had enough of his infidelity and alcohol-soaked antics. His volatile behavior may stem from a traumatic incident in his past. The film flashes back to 1997, where Jonas (played as a straight-laced high school kid by Nicolas Bauwens) meets Nathan (Tommy Lee Baik), the rebellious new student who will become Jonas’s crush. Jonas and Nathan venture out into the night on their first proper date unaware that it’s about to change their lives forever.
Cola de Mono
It’s Christmas Eve, 1986, and Borja (Cristobal Rodriguez-Costabal) is a precocious teenager with a passion for film. As his extended family comes together to celebrate the holiday, the combined forces of the suffocating Chilean heat, free-flowing drinks and repressed desire contribute to the eruption of long-held secrets. This hypnotizing story from Chile is both an enticing family melodrama and an explicit erotic thriller about the ways that passion and desire control our lives – from our pop culture tastes to our sexual fantasies. Jam-packed with nudity and graphic sexuality, Cola de Mono is easily the sexiest and most audacious gay-themed Christmas movie we’ve ever seen. Make sure to draw the shades, dim the lights and watch this one with a box of tissues handy.
Dry Wind
A gloriously erotic new film from Brazilian director Daniel Nolasco, Dry Wind follows factory worker Sandro as he escapes his rural boredom via secret trysts with his co-worker Ricardo – and through elaborate sexual fantasies that would make Tom of Finland himself blush. Though his sex life is in full swing, Sandro shies away from any emotional attachment, preferring to imagine worlds of anonymity, leather and unbridled fetish-play – which Nolasco brings to stunning life in color-drenched widescreen glory. When a new arrival to town – a certified hunk straight out of Sandro’s dreams – sets his sights on Ricardo, Sandro finds himself brimming with jealousy and fearing exclusion from the kind of romance he never thought he wanted.
The Family Tree
Victor (Keith Roenke) is a lonely workaholic who rescues animals for a local shelter. He has always loved the end of the year holiday celebrations. Since he was a young boy, he would create explosive life size dolls made from newspaper and fireworks to celebrate. However, this holiday season will prove unforgettable as Victor’s latest creation (Michael Joseph Nelson) comes magically to life to disrupt and enlighten him on the true meaning of love, friendship and family. Life, as he knows it, is about to change. The holiday specter will teach him to cherish the moments that makes lasting memories, as what was once is no more. The Family Tree is an unusual new gay Christmas romance from prolific indie director Jorge Ameer.
15 Years
Yoav, a successful architect, has everything he’s ever wanted: Dan, his lover of fifteen years – a younger lawyer who adores him; and his best friend, Alma – a successful artist, who is like a mother and a sister to him. However, when Alma announces she is 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. Yoav’s tight grasp on his life begins to come apart, leading to self-destructive behavior that threatens to destroy his life with Dan, unravel his friendship with Alma, and cost him everything. Sexy and thoughtful with great acting and gorgeous cinematography, 15 Years is a must-see.
Fireflies
Ramin (Arash Marandi), an Iranian refugee living in Mexico, is trying to come to terms with his past – one that has left permanent scars on his body and soul. As he strolls through the port of Veracruz – a place where transient souls collide in search of a better life – the haunting memories of his long-distance lover begin to fill his heart with a profound sense of loneliness and repentance. Ramin’s friendship with Leti (Flor Eduarda Gurrola), the young woman who runs the small hotel where he stays, and attraction to ex-con Guillermo, help him find himself as a gay man in a new home. Written and directed by Iranian-born Mexico City resident Bani Khoshnoudi, the beautifully shot and strikingly naturalistic Fireflies won the top prize in the Ibero-American Competition at the Miami Film Festival.
45 Days Away from You
After a recent breakup with “a man who shall not be named,” young bachelor Rafael finds his romantic life spinning out of control. With a change of scenery in order, he sets out on journey of self-discovery – an adventure that will take him from Brazil to England, Portugal and Argentina. Along the way, he seeks the counsel of his nearest and dearest friends. There’s Julia, an amorous single actress trying to land her breakthrough role; Fabio, Rafael’s straight-boy buddy, who is trying to maintain a long-distance relationship; and Mayara, a dear friend who gave up a promising career in favor of marriage. Over the course of his 45-day trip, Rafael grows closer to the people in his life who really matter and learns that all it takes to mend a broken heart is time… and the support of a few good friends.
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 was supposed to be a one-night stand soon turns into a once-in-a-lifetime romance.
The Goddess of Fortune
Alessandro and Arturo (Edoardo Leo and Stefano Accorsi), a handsome Italian couple, have been together for over fifteen years. Despite the feelings that they still have for one another, their relationship is entering a stage of crisis. When Annamaria (Jasmine Trinca), Alessandro’s best friend and former girlfriend, asks the couple to look after her kids for a while, their world is turned upside-down. This new responsibility forces old resentments out into the open and reminds the pair why they fell in love in the first place. With a stellar cast, this charming new family comedy from acclaimed writer-director Ferzan Ozpetek (Steam: The Turkish Bath, His Secret Life) examines how love shifts and redefines itself in long-term relationships.
The Lawyer
Life just drifts by for corporate lawyer Marius (Eimutis Kvosciauskas)… until he finds an unexpected connection with the dark and handsome Ali (Dogac Yildiz), 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.
Neon Boys
To be a father, you have to make difficult choices. Having a hard time landing a job after spending time in prison, Shawn (Matty Gliteratti) decides to try his hand at making ends meet by working as an erotic dancer. It’s all in an effort, ultimately, to support his daughter. While he’s there, though, stripping down to make some cash, he finds that he’s beginning to fall in love with a man… for the first time in his life. A stylish, candy-colored and deeply heartfelt short film from prolific indie director AJ Mattioli and co-director/star Jonathan Salazar, Neon Boys has charm and sex appeal to spare. This thirty-minute short also co-stars accomplished character actor and multiple award-winner Vincent De Paul.
No Hard Feelings
Parvis, 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, 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, an intense first love, an attempt at a joint future and the stark realization that, in Germany, they are not entirely equal. A critically-acclaimed new romantic drama, No Hard Feelings won the coveted Teddy Award for Best Queer Feature Film.
Orpheus Song
Enis and Philipp, two hot macho dudes from Berlin, become workout buddies at their local gym – each spotting the other. The two hunks quickly fall into an intense friendship. When Philipp wins a trip to Greece, he invites Enis along and the two have a great time. But during a hike, they become lost and tempers flare, escalating to a violent scuffle. A mysterious young man, Hercules, 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 Enis and Philipp. 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!
The Prince The Prince is an explosive new homoerotic drama set in a repressive 1970s Chilean prison. During a night of heavy drinking, Jaime, a hot-tempered narcissist, suddenly stabs his best friend. He is sent to jail for murder. There, alone and afraid, he comes under the protection of a tough older inmate known as “The Stallion.” The unlikely pair begin a clandestine romance, but violent power struggles soon threaten their bond. Easily one of the year’s hottest and most sexually explicit gay movies, this searing story of “survival at all costs” takes its inspiration from Jean Genet’s Un Chant d’amour and Fassbinder’s Querelle. The film offers a deeply affecting exploration of masculine aggression, conflicting loyalties and pent-up sexual desires.
Rapture in Blue
Like a David Lynch thriller filmed through a queer lens, writer-director Ryder Houston‘s Rapture in Blue follows a young man’s quest through flickering neon and hazy shadows to find his true self. After Jason (Bryce Lederer) tries to use his childhood home for a steamy rendezvous with his girlfriend, they discover it’s been newly occupied by the smoldering Sebastian (Tanner Garmon), who eagerly warms up to anxious Jason. Wracked with desires he’s long ignored while also being pressured by his girlfriend’s sensual advances, a growing sense of unease and dread permeates his life. After receiving an “impossible” photo of him embracing Sebastian, Jason realizes he needs to confront the madness consuming him from all sides.
Rialto
Colm (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) is a married man in his mid-forties with two teenage children. Though he has a seemingly great life, his world is about to crack open. Still grieving the death of his father, a destructive figure in his life, Colm finds himself struggling to connect with his own family. A shake-up at work also starts threatening their financial future. Desperate for comfort, he falls into the arms of a younger hustler named Jay (Dunkirk star Tom Glynn-Carney) and starts down and increasingly self-destructive path. As his sexual encounters with Jay become more frequent and intense, his recklessness starts to put his entire family life at risk. Don’t miss this tense new drama from Irish director Peter Mackie Burns and writer Mark O’Halloran.
7 Minutes
A bold new drama from writer-director Ricky Mastro, making his feature debut after a long series of acclaimed shorts, 7 Minutes tells the story of Jean (Antoine Herbez), a 55 year-old policeman who discovers his son, Maxime (Valentin Malguy), and another man hanged in a hotel room. The autopsy shows that Maxime died from an overdose of GHB, just seven minutes after his boyfriend. During an evening organized by Maxime’s friends, Jean discovers a nightclub that his son used to frequent. There, he meets the seductive young Fabien (Clément Naline). Desperately trying to learn more about the events that led to his son’s untimely death, Jean becomes increasingly attached to an alluring new world.
Siberia & Him
Reminiscent of Brokeback Mountain and God’s Own Country, the stunning new gay romance Siberia & Him follows two men who begin a clandestine and erotically charged affair. Brothers-in-law Sasha, a meek farmhand, and Dima, a policeman, have always had a fraught relationship. When the two set out on a trip together through the desolate, wide-open country of Siberia in an effort to reach a troubled relative, things begin to change. Along their journey, unspoken truths are uttered and a deep intimacy is built. The pair soon become not only travel companions, but secret lovers – spending their days hiking and hunting for food and their nights in one another’s arms.
These Peculiar Days
An adolescent coming of age tale, These Peculiar Days tells the story of eight friends who graduate high school and celebrate by staying in a cabin in the woods. Just before the trip, Isabel (Sofia Sylwin) breaks up with Roman (Gerardo Del Razo) when she finds out he’s been cheating on her with Oscar (Carlos Hendrick Huber). When Roman tags along to try to win her back, it turns this pleasant weekend into a ticking time bomb that will be set off by their unstoppable sexual impulses. Soon, the lines between their sexuality begin to blur as allegiances and love affairs are quickly made and broken. An unabashedly erotic look at modern sexual fluidity between young adults, These Peculiar Days is both fresh and endlessly compelling.
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.
Your Eyes on Me Your Eyes on Me tells the story of a romantic encounter that changes the life of a drag artist forever. The film follows Gloria (Paul Stone), an accomplished drag queen whose life changes in a variety of unexpected ways when she meets Kandi (Jean-Philippe Boriau), a drag virgin auditioning for her next show. As the bond develops between the two, their relationship takes an unexpected turn. Suddenly the past – and the choices that Gloria made as a young man – come into stark reality. A touching drama from writer-director Sergei Alexander, Your Eyes on Me has earned rave reviews from critics. Film & TV Now called it “compactly structured with an effectively shocking revelation which confounds the very core of emotions.”
