Boys On Film 7: Bad Romance

Cappucino – Dir. Tamer Ruggli (Switzerland) 16mins: Jérémie is a shy teenager who keeps a heavy secret: his homosexuality. While trying to find his way between hunky classmate Damien and protective mother Gina, Jérémie’s life is about to change.

Curious Thing – Dir. Alain Hain (USA) 10mins: Jared is closeted. Sam is straight. They find a connection in each other that neither man has had before, but where do they go from there?

Just Friends – Dir. Kim Jho Kwang-soo (South Korea) 29mins: Expecting a cozy night outside of the barracks, Seok visits his boyfriend Min-soo who is serving in the military. However when Min-soo’s mother questions their relationship, the only answer they can give is that they are ‘just friends’.

Cake and Sand - Dir. Christoph Scheerman (Germany) 15mins: Tim and Julian are deeply in love, but can’t find happiness between the sheets. When you can’t sexually satisfy the person you love, is this enough of a reason to quit a relationship?

Watch Over Me – Dir. Mysh Rozanov (Israel) 14mins: On completing his training in a secret elite army unit, Eitan is taken out by mates from the unit to celebrate. During a night of drinking in Tel Aviv he learns things about the unit and about himself that shake his world to its core.

The New Tenants - Dir. Joachim Back (USA) 20mins: A prying neighbour, a glassy-eyed drug dealer, and a husband brandishing both a weapon and a vendetta make up this motley crew of bizarre characters in this Oscar-winning short film.

Mirrors - Dir. Etienne Desrosiers (Canada) 14mins: Julien is a young man trying to make sense of his sexual orientation. One summer by the lake, he watches his family, friends and neighbours lose themselves in a series of heated rendezvous. Starring Xavier Dolan (‘I Killed My Mother’, ‘Heartbeats’)

The Traitor – Dir. Tomer Velkoff (Israel) 13mins: Tomer and Shmulik are a couple. One evening, during a causal supper, one of them announces he wants to break up. Pain takes over their intimacy and the night takes an unexpected turn.

Communication – Dir. Christopher Banks (New Zealand) 19mins Young Jacob is alone and adrift, struggling with a religion that doesn’t accept him, a sexual awakening that disturbs him, and haunted by memories of time spent with a teacher – Andrew – a much older man that may have held the key to his happiness.

The Strange Ones – Dir. Christopher Radcliff & Lauren Wolkstein (USA) 14mins: A man and a boy, travelling to an unknown destination, find respite in a motel swimming pool. On the surface all seems normal, but nothing is what it seems to be.