Just Came Out: Horseplay

Horseplay, the new feature from prolific filmmaker Marco Berger, takes place during a scorching Argentine summer, following a group of testosterone-charged male friends who get together at a luxury villa to enjoy a little vacation. They’re soon drinking, partying hard, making videos together… and testing one another’s boundaries.

A rare mix of homophobia and horseplay come together to create a wildly homoerotic atmosphere. Under the surface, jealousy and violence begin to emerge. A twisted triangle of friends – a repressed gay man, a secret bisexual boy and a homophobe – will push tensions to the limit.

As with much of Berger’s work – he previously helmed films liked The Blonde One, Young Hunter, Taekwondo and AbsentHorseplay expertly amplifies the homoerotic undercurrents of frat-style male friendships, exploring his characters’ toned physiques as much as their inner thoughts. While the surface of the film offers a wealth of hunky eye-candy, it also doubles as an intelligent, challenging and sometimes shocking critique of sexual misconduct and toxic masculinity.

Watch the trailer for Horseplay below and click here to order your copy. The film is now available on DVD at TLAgay.

 

 

Now Available On-Demand: The Carnival

Marco Berger, the prolific director behind The Blonde One, Young Hunter, Absent, Hawaii, Taekwondo and more, has a new movie available on-demand! The Carnival is a clever 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, the residents 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.

Check out these exclusive photos from the film below and click here to rent or download the film. The Carnival is available on-demand now at TLAgay!

 

 

New This Week: Director Marco Berger Explores Masculinity inThe Carnival

Marco Berger, the prolific director behind The Blonde One, Young Hunter, Absent, Hawaii, Taekwondo and more, has a new movie coming soon. The Carnival is a clever 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, the residents 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.

Check out the trailer for the film below (click “watch on Youtube”) and click here to order your copy of the film. The Carnival is available on DVD starting this week.

 

Trailer Alert: The Carnival

Marco Berger, the prolific director behind The Blonde One, Young Hunter, Absent, Hawaii, Taekwondo and more, has a new movie coming soon. The Carnival is a clever 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, the residents 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.

Check out the trailer for the film below (click “watch on Youtube”) and click here to pre-order your copy of the film. The Carnival is coming to DVD and VOD September 21st.

 

Director Marco Berger’s The Carnival invites you to unleash your inner exhibitionist

Marco Berger, the prolific director behind The Blonde One, Young Hunter, Absent, Hawaii, Taekwondo and more, has a new movie coming soon. The Carnival is a clever 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, the residents 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.

Check out an extensive photo gallery below and click here to pre-order your copy of the film. The Carnival is coming to DVD and VOD September 21st.

 

The Films of Marco Berger

“I let others talk about doing controversial projects that they think will end up at Cannes. Whereas I think my work is always talking about love. Love between men. And I’m going to keep doing it until I die.”Marco Berger

 

Since his first feature film, Plan B, debuted on the international film festival circuit back in 2009, Argentina-based writer-director Marco Berger has been one of our favorite filmmakers. Mixing homoerotic desire, suspense and dramatic tension, he’s created an impressive collection of slow-burn gay indie gems that reward patient and attentive viewers. With the recent release of his film Young Hunter – available now on DVD and VOD at TLAgay – we wanted to take a look back through his resume and spotlight some of our top picks. Though not all of his work is currently available, we linked the titles below so that you can check them out on our website, place your order and take a deep dive into his alluring cinematic world.

 

Click here to check out the full selection of available films.

 

Absent
Knowingly, even aggressively sexual, 16-year-old Martin (Javier De Pietro) locks his seductive sights on Sebastian (Carlos Echevarria), his recently engaged, 30-something swimming instructor. Faking an injury, Martin eventually tricks his teacher into letting him spend the night at his apartment. As Sebastian begins to realize the possible sexual interest on the part of his student, he is conflicted. He is dismissive, but his curiosity is piqued by the boy’s overt advances. An extraordinary event soon forces the increasingly troubled Sebastian to question his own feelings for young Martin. Absent is not a simple boy-meets-boy drama. It’s a taut drama of repressed passion, guilt and regret. The film won the coveted Teddy Award for Best Feature Film at the Berlin Film Festival when it debuted in 2011.

The Blonde One
In the suburbs of Buenos Aires, Gabriel (Gaston Re) has just moved in with his colleague, Juan (Alfonso Barón). 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? Poignant, beautifully-crafted and incredibly sexy, The Blonde One is one of the hottest gay movies of the past few years.

 

Hawaii
Sexual tension practically spills off the screen in this sweaty, titillating romance originally released in 2013. Berger’s Hawaii follows Martin and Eugenio (Manuel Vignau and Mateo Chiarino), two former childhood friends who reunite during a hot summer in the Argentinean countryside. As they work together to restore Eugenio’s summer home, a game of power and desire ensues – compelling the two buddies to grapple with their sexual attraction and reconsider their relationship. With gorgeous cinematography, a lush setting and compelling lead performances, Hawaii is an intimate and unique slow-moving character study that pushes past social boundaries. Lead actors Vignau and Chiarino make the underlying sexual tension palpable from start to finish.

 

Sexual Tension: Volatile
Berger’s pulsating collection of short films weaves together six scintillating experiences of men in various forms of erotic bonding. A young man feels the adrenaline rush of his sexy tattoo artist’s needle in Ari while in The Cousin, a cute boy has a taboo attraction for a family member. Two “straight” buddies literally show each other how to make love to a woman in The Other One, while a man with Broken Arms receives a sensual sponge bath from a male nurse. Love is questionable when a broken shower brings a married man and an innkeeper together and in Workout two muscular men begin to explore each other’s chiseled bodies. Voyeuristic pleasures await you as the camera penetrates and caresses the men’s bodies while exploring the mysterious and electrifying nature of male intimacy.

 

Sexual Tension: Violetas
Berger and co-writer/director Marcelo Mónaco followed up Sexual Tension: Volatile with another collection of shorts, this time for the ladies. Exploring the art of seduction between two women – through six very different, incredibly sexy stories – Sexual Tension: Violetas is an assured underground lesbian classic. Two guests of a hostel become roommates (and more), a keen shop assistant helps a woman uncertain about what dress to buy, great passion starts to develop between girls during a picnic, a few women get a little carried away whilst discussing films at a restaurant, and two high-class escorts discover that they are attracted to each other when they are in bed with a client. Never less than exciting and passionate, this effortlessly cool collection offers up  six unforgettable stories of lesbian attraction.

 

Taekwondo
In a gorgeous country house in Buenos Aires, Fernando (Lucas Papa) gathers his buddies for a boys-only vacation. Free from work, responsibilities and their girlfriends, this close-knit gang of bros kick back by the pool, sunning their impeccably toned bodies and sharing drug-fueled stories of sexual conquests. Fernando has also invited a newcomer named Germán (Gabriel Epstein), a friend from his taekwondo class, who neglects to tell the group that he’s gay. As the lazy summer days disappear, the connection between Fernando and Germán grows and slowly the boundaries of their relationship begin to blur. A veritable masterclass in will-they-won’t-they suspense, this gloriously protracted, beautifully nuanced tease is both wantonly titillating and disarmingly sweet – luxuriating in the eroticism and lingering over the semi-clad bodies with unapologetic gay abandon.

 

Young Hunter
Berger’s most recently released film is a tense and thought-provoking thriller. Young Hunter follows Ezequiel (Juan Pablo Cestaro), 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 (Lautaro Rodríguez) 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 (Juan Barberini), 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.

 

Once again, click here to explore the exciting work of Marco Berger.

 

 

Now Available On-Demand: Young Hunter

Young Hunter, an insanely tense new thriller from acclaimed writer-director Marco Berger (The Blonde One, Sexual Tension: Volatile, AbsentPlan BTaekwondoHawaii) follows Ezequiel (Juan Pablo Cestaro), a fifteen year old boy on the cusp of his sexual awakening who falls for the wrong guy.

 

While his parents are away, Ezequiel meets a handsome, slightly older, seemingly-troubled bad-boy named Mono (Lautaro Rodriguez) 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 disappears, no longer responding to any texts. Ezequiel is surprised and confused until Chino (Juan Barberini), Mono’s cousin, sends him a hidden camera video of Ezekiel and Mono having sex, blackmailing him into making his own sex tape with a minor to be sold on the dark web, in order to keep his secret hidden.

 

Stuck with an impossible choice, Ezequiel decides to try seducing Juan Ignacio (Patricio Rodriguez), an even younger teen whom he knows from school and suspects might have a crush on him. Ezequiel turns from prey to hunter – against his own will – and considers whether to put Juan Ignacio in the same incredibly dangerous situation.

 

Watch the trailer for Young Hunter below and click here to watch the film. It’s now available on-demand at TLAgay!

 

 

Photo Gallery: Young Hunter

Young Hunter, an insanely tense new thriller from acclaimed writer-director Marco Berger (The Blonde One, Sexual Tension: Volatile, AbsentPlan BTaekwondoHawaii) follows Ezequiel (Juan Pablo Cestaro), a fifteen year old boy on the cusp of his sexual awakening who falls for the wrong guy.

 

While his parents are away, Ezequiel meets a handsome, slightly older, seemingly-troubled bad-boy named Mono (Lautaro Rodriguez) 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 disappears, no longer responding to any texts. Ezequiel is surprised and confused until Chino (Juan Barberini), Mono’s cousin, sends him a hidden camera video of Ezekiel and Mono having sex, blackmailing him into making his own sex tape with a minor to be sold on the dark web, in order to keep his secret hidden.

 

Stuck with an impossible choice, Ezequiel decides to try seducing Juan Ignacio (Patricio Rodriguez), an even younger teen whom he knows from school and suspects might have a crush on him. Ezequiel turns from prey to hunter – against his own will – and considers whether to put Juan Ignacio in the same incredibly dangerous situation.

 

Check out this extensive image gallery featuring stills from Young Hunter below and click here to pre-order your copy. The film will be available on DVD and VOD on October 27th.

 

Trailer Alert: Young Hunter

Young Hunter, an insanely tense new thriller from acclaimed writer-director Marco Berger (The Blonde One, Sexual Tension: Volatile, AbsentPlan BTaekwondoHawaii) follows Ezequiel (Juan Pablo Cestaro), a fifteen year old boy on the cusp of his sexual awakening who falls for the wrong guy.

 

While his parents are away, Ezequiel meets a handsome, slightly older, seemingly-troubled bad-boy named Mono (Lautaro Rodriguez) 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 disappears, no longer responding to any texts. Ezequiel is surprised and confused until Chino (Juan Barberini), Mono’s cousin, sends him a hidden camera video of Ezekiel and Mono having sex, blackmailing him into making his own sex tape with a minor to be sold on the dark web, in order to keep his secret hidden.

 

Stuck with an impossible choice, Ezequiel decides to try seducing Juan Ignacio (Patricio Rodriguez), an even younger teen whom he knows from school and suspects might have a crush on him. Ezequiel turns from prey to hunter – against his own will – and considers whether to put Juan Ignacio in the same incredibly dangerous situation.

 

Watch the trailer for Young Hunter below and click here to pre-order your copy. The film will be available on DVD and VOD on October 27th.

 

 

 

Fall in Love with 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?

Written and directed by accomplished queer filmmaker Marco Berger (the same guy behind Plan B, Hawaii, Sexual Tension: Volatile, Absent, Taekwondo and more), The Blonde One is easily one of the year’s sexiest gay movies. Watch the trailer below and click here to rent or download the movie. It’s available now at TLAgay!

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