Short Film Spotlight: Mab Hudel

Enys (Chris Jenkins) is what you would call a ‘man’s man.’ He’s a capable farmer with a hot dad-bod who takes care of his family, can chug down a pint with the best of them and, as team captain, is something of a legend at his local rugby club.

At the start of the sexy and charming new short film Mab Hudel (translated as The Magical Son), he’s tired, hungover and generally out of sorts. With all of his responsibilities mounting, he’s had little time to spend with Hikka (Rick Yale), his secret boyfriend.

On top of everything else, there is a major rugby final coming up… and Hikka just happens to be captain of the dreaded rival team. On the field, in the heat of the moment, it becomes apparent that their love affair may not have been as secret as they thought it was.

A crowd-pleaser at film festivals around the globe, Mab Hudel was filmed in South West England using entirely Cornish dialog, offering a glimpse into a region not often captured on film.

Mab Hudel also marks the directorial debut of Edward Rowe, an up-and-coming actor who starred in the films Bait and Enys Men, two recently-released British indies from acclaimed director Mark Jenkin. You can also catch his acting work on high profile series like The Witcher, C.B. Strike and House of the Dragon. We’re excited to see where he goes next as a filmmaker.

Watch a short trailer for Mab Hudel below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.

Caden and Beau consider becoming dads in ‘Baby Steps,’ the heartfelt new follow-up to ‘Say Yes’

Stewart Wade, the writer-director behind Tru Loved, Such Good People and the on-going Coffee House Chronicles film series, follows up his 2018 romantic comedy-drama Say Yes with this thoughtful sequel about a gay couple considering whether or not to expand their family.

Say Yes lead actors Matt Pascua and Patrick Zeller return for Baby Steps as Caden and Beau, two men who came together under deeply unusual circumstances.

When Caden’s twin sister Lily (played by Leah McKendrick) was diagnosed with cancer, he moved in to help her family during their time of need. He never expected to catch feelings for Beau, Lily’s husband.

With Lily’s whole-hearted encouragement, the pair became an unexpected couple after her passing. Now, a full year after her death, they discover that she surreptitiously froze some of her eggs before she started chemotherapy – just in case the two men wanted to start a family.

It’s suddenly up to Caden and Beau to decide whether or not they are ready to take the next step in their relationship and become parents. Their search for a potential surrogate also presents complications when Caden’s own mother enthusiastically applies for the position.

Co-starring Alec Mapa and Alexandra Paul, Baby Steps is a sweet-natured family comedy about everything that comes before bringing home that bundle of joy.

Watch a short clip from Baby Steps below. The full film is now streaming on Dekkoo. Say Yes, the original film, is also available to stream now.

Director Rodrigo Bellott’s ‘Tu Me Manques’ is a riveting and unforgettably emotional must see

With films like Sexual Dependency and Who Killed the White Llama, writer-director Rodrigo Bellott established himself as one of the driving forces behind Bolivia’s nascent film industry. Not only is he an accomplished director in his own right, but he also oversees La Fabrica, Bolivia’s first official film school, where he shepherds emerging young talents through the filmmaking process.

In 2019, Bellott released his most acclaimed film to date, the moving and cathartic Tu Me Manques. We can’t recommend it more highly.

Accomplished Argentinian actor Oscar Martinez stars as Jorge, a conservative Bolivian father who receives news that his son, Gabriel , has committed suicide. Weeks after the tragedy, he finds his son’s laptop where he discovers he had a romantic relationship with Sebastian (Fernando Barbosa), another young countryman who lives in New York City, where his son was studying.

After an initial angry confrontation with Sebastian on Skype, Jorge decides to go to New York to look for answers about his son’s death. He soon learns that Sebastian has channeled his own grief into a bold new play in honor of his lost love, in which Gabriel’s inner turmoil is transformed into an eye-popping gay fantasia… and the result will change Jorge’s life forever.

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at L.A. Outfest and the Audience Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Tu Me Manques is a smart, stylish and ultimately life-affirming exploration of three men’s struggles to reconcile identity and heritage.

Watch the trailer for Tu Me Manques below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo.

New Series Alert: Watch the trailer for ‘Danny Will Die Alone’ – coming to Dekkoo May 16th!

Danny is looking for love in all the right places, but finding all the wrong people.

Born out of creator Jack Tracy’s own post-pandemic dating life, the proudly jaw-dropping new series Danny Will Die Alone follows one single man through the hell-scape of gay courtship in New York City – where he screws his way through the apps in an increasingly desperate search for his one true love.

Recently single after a devastating breakup – and freshly entering a mid-life crisis – Danny finds the dating scene markedly different from the last time he was on the market. Emotional unavailability, fear of commitment and hyper-sexuality abound, all while Danny remains blissfully unaware of his own multitude of flaws.

In Season One, Danny’s attempts at finding romance begin with a failed attempt at converting a hung hookup to a possible partner and end with hiring a professional matchmaker when the apps stop doing their job. Along the way he meets hipsters, conservatives, spiritual beings, sex gurus, sexual novices and even enters his ‘top era’ due to an overabundance of seemingly unwanted bottoms.

Rude, crude and unabashedly judgmental, Danny Will Die Alone serves the relatability missing from modern dating while adding a healthy dose of ‘did he really just say that?’ comedy. In addition to the humor, the series takes a critical look at modern dating, dating app etiquette and shifting relationship styles.

Click the banner below to watch the exclusive uncensored trailer for Danny Will Die Alone. And don’t forget to mark your calendar for the premiere! All episodes will be streaming on Dekkoo starting May 16th.

Viggo Mortensen wrote, directed and stars in the emotional gay family drama ‘Falling’

The directorial debut of A-list star Viggo Mortensen, who also wrote and co-stars in the film, Falling is a deeply emotional family drama in which two worlds collide.

Mortensen stars as John, a gay man who lives with his partner and their daughter in California, far from the traditional rural life he left behind years ago. Legendary character actor Lance Henriksen plays his father, Willis, a man who raised his child in a storm of rage.

Early on, the film shifts between scenes of John as a boy, forced by Willis into regular tests of masculinity, and John as an adult living happily out of the closet.

But when Willis, now in the grip of dementia, descends back into John’s life, his usual vitriol and rancid homophobia continue to flow unchecked. As a son still bound by duty, John must care for the man who hurt him the most.

Co-starring Laura Linney, Hannah Gross and acclaimed director and regular Mortensen collaborator David Cronenberg, Falling offers up a tense examination of the wounds and responsibilities that come with family and the overwhelming need to live one’s life with honesty.

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

Two brothers-in-law get unexpectedly close in the emotional family comedy-drama ‘Say Yes’

Say Yes is a touching comedy-drama about a dying woman who becomes determined to help her husband and her brother find an unconventional path to happiness after she’s gone.

When Lily (Leah McKendrick) is diagnosed with cancer, her beloved twin brother, Caden (Matt Pascua), moves in to help the family during their time of need.

Once there, Caden ends up forming a strong connection with Lily’s husband, Beau (Patrick Zeller). Noticing their bond, Lily comes up with an unusual idea. She makes the two most important men in her life promise to find happiness as a couple after she’s gone. But can a straight guy really fall in love with another man?

With Say Yes, writer-director Stewart Wade, the filmmaker behind Tru Loved, Such Good People and the on-going Coffee House Chronicles film series, set out to tell a story of fluidity, in which a person’s sexual orientation is not the only determining factor in how he or she chooses love.

You’ll also be able to check in on Caden and Beau again soon! Wade followed up Say Yes with the 2023 sequel Baby Steps, which will be available on Dekkoo starting next month.

Watch the trailer for Say Yes below. The film is now available on Dekkoo.

A Brooklyn barber embarks on a hot and sweaty journey of self-discovery in ‘Barrio Boy’

Set during a hot and sultry New York City summer, Barrio Boy stars Dennis Garcia as Quique (pronounced KEE-kay), a Nuyorican barber living in a rapidly changing Brooklyn neighborhood who embarks on an erotically-charged odyssey of self-discovery.

A chance encounter on a basketball court sparks an instant attraction between Quique and Kevin (James Physick), a handsome Irish stranger who is passing through town to settle his late father’s affairs.

As a friendship blossoms between the two young men, so do suspicions about the nature of their relationship – especially to the jealous eye of Cuz (Keet Davis), Quique’s childhood friend turned local bully.

Quique’s quest for love and self-acceptance is further realized as he navigates his way through complex and often messy layers of sexuality, family, friends, race and class.

The truth will prevail in this thoughtful gay drama from Emmy-winning writer-director Dennis Shinners. He marks his feature-length debut here after a series of successful short films, including the 2013 short Barrio Boy which served as the inspiration for this film.

Watch the trailer for Barrio Boy below. The film is now streaming on Dekkoo!

A group of hot young hunks cut loose in Marco Berger’s sizzling hangout flick ‘Taekwondo’

Testosterone is almost like an extra character in the hot dude-packed hangout movie Taekwondo.

Set in a beautiful country house in a chic suburb of Buenos Aires, the film follows Fernando (Lucas Papa) and his many attractive buddies, who are about to enjoy a rowdy “boys only” weekend.

Disconnected from the outside world, they do little more than bask in the hot sun, play around in the swimming pool, smoke lots of pot and drink – naked or half- naked pretty much the entire time.

On this particular occasion, Fernando decides to invite along a newcomer named Germán (Gabriel Epstein), a close friend from his taekwondo class.

Though Germán is quickly welcomed into the group, Fernando hasn’t realized that he is attracted to men. Little by little, the two dudes get more intimate and the simmering sexual tension between them hits a boiling point.

Assembling what might be one of the hottest casts of fit young studs in gay movie history, prolific Argentine director Marco Berger has outdone himself. You won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen.

Watch a short clip from Taekwondo below. The film is now available on Dekkoo. You can also check out a large selection of Marco Berger’s other films right now on Dekkoo as well. The Carnival, Hawaii, The Blonde One, Young Hunter and the sizzling short story anthology Sexual Tension: Volatile are all currently streaming.