Deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as GOD S OWN COUNTRY...one of the most moving gay romance stories of recent years Film Inquiry.
Having moved to Paris for university, Leevi returns to his native Finland for the summer to help his estranged father renovate the family lake house. Tareq, a recent asylum seeker from Syria, has been hired to help with the work, and when Leevi s father has to return to town on business, the two young men establish a connection in the heat of the Finnish summer.
A MOMENT IN THE REEDS is one of the first queer feature films made in Finland. Viewing Finland from both the perspectives of an immigrant and an emigrant, the film casts the long-marginalised voices of sexual and ethnic minorities centre-stage in a story about the search for freedom, acceptance and a place to call home.
Cast: Janne Puustinen, Boodi Kabbani, Mika Melender Director: Mikko Makela Language: Finnish with english subtitles
Publisher: Saffron Hill, Year: 2018
Yad is finally back home after a life of studying and partying in Amsterdam. To his mother s dismay he settles for the job of a care-worker looking after Ans an elderly woman and that s when he meets her handsome grandson Joris.
The spark of mutual attraction is instant and a passionate romance begins! But with Yad s parents nagging him about his career choices, and Joris s mother struggling in the aftermath of her divorce, will true love have a chance to blossom?
With the right mix of humour, romance, sexiness and pathos, this enchanting cross-cultural love story... is a witty, well-acted crowd-pleaser. San Francisco Chronicle.
Cast: Josha Stradowski, Majd Mardo, Jenny Arean Director: Annemarie van de Mond Language: Dutch With English Subtitles
Publisher: Saffron Hill, Year: 2019
Lorenzo is a quiet teenager who lives with his parents and his younger brother in small city in the Argentinean Patagonia. One day, a family friend's son named Caíto moves south and settles in at Lorenzo's home. His family is going through difficult times and can't give much care to him. Caíto is very shy and hardly speaks. Lorenzo is supposed to help him feel at home. They become friends. They spend great amounts of time together. Although Lorenzo doesn't like sports, he puts up with Caíto's fascination for mountain biking. They share deep conversations too. They can be very different but they come to understand each other. It won't be long until everybody at home realizes Caíto is a difficult case. After a couple of days, Lorenzo's parents feel they've had enough. But then, Caíto makes a big confession to Lorenzo. He tells him the true reason why he was forced to leave his house. After that, Lorenzo takes charge of him so that his parents let him stay. He now has a secret to hold, a responsibility to take and a troublesome partner that will take him through new life experiences.
Cast: Angelo Mutti Spinetta, Lautaro Rodríguez, Guillermo Pfening Director: Martin Deus Language: Spanish with english subtitles
Publisher: Matchbox Films, Year: 2019
Marvin is different. He is a quiet, sensitive and artistic fifteen-year-old with an unwitting attraction to other boys. This makes him victim to forceful bullying, both at school and within the confines of his impoverished home, making his situation unbearable. With the support of his teacher, Marvin discovers his thirst for theatre, and its transformative power of becoming someone else. Refusing to be victimised, Marvin moves to Paris to reinvent himself.
As a theatre student, he swiftly befriends the right people including legendary actress Isabelle Huppert (playing herself), and with her help, begins to exorcise the ghosts of his childhood.
Winner of the Queer Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, Reinventing Marvin is a powerful, uplifting story of a young man s quest, against all odds, to be himself.
Cast: Finnegan Oldfield, Grégory Gadebois, Vincent Macaigne, Isabelle Huppert Director: Anne Fontaine Language: French with English subtitles
Publisher: Saffron Hill, Year: 2018
22-year-old Leo sells his body on the street for cash. Men come and go but he remains; stuck in the same place and longing for love. Uncertain of what his future may bring, Leo hits the road. Sometimes reckless, sometimes savage, sometimes tender but always with a pounding heart - Leo is ready for change
Cast: Felix Maritaud, Eric Bernard Director: Camille Vidal Nacquet Language: French with english subtitles
Publisher: Saffron Hill, Year: 2019
To celebrate the start of summer, handsome 17-year-old Miku throws a wild party at his parent s house, which turns destructive quickly. As punishment, Miku is forced to spend the rest of his summer with his family at their secluded country cottage. There, Miku meets the confident, magnetic Elias. The two spend their summer inseparable, discovering themselves, their sexuality and each other. But with an intense holiday romance comes the inevitable spectre of separation, and, as the summer comes to a close, the boys will have to face the realities of potential heartbreak head on.
Equal part erotic summer romance and moving portrait of teen angst, Screwed is both stirring and affecting.
Cast: Valtteri Lehtinen, Mikko Kauppila, Marlene Dumas, Jukka Federley, Sami Huhtala Director: Nils-Erik Ekblom Language: Finnish with English Subtitles
Publisher: TLA Releasing, Year: 2019
Hicham runs away from his home and comes to Lyon, looking for Thibaut, a young man who tried to kiss him a few years earlier. Thibaut is an activist at the 'G-Spot', a LGBT Center. Hicham enters his world, apprehensive but enthusiastic. However, as Hicham begins a journey to find his own identity, he comes to understand that Thibaut isn't exactly who he appears to be.
Cast: Mehdi Meskar, Eric Pucheu, Claudine Charreyre Director: Maxime Potherat, Jules Thénier Language: French with english subtitles
Publisher: TLA Releasing, Year: 2019
