MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
But I suppose you must touch life in order to spring from it
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
Shy Lennox
BEATS
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
"Something lo-fi and encouraging," Shy Lennox says of Wishing Well, shot in Forte dei Marmi, Italia. And it is.
Wishing Well: new music from Shy Lennox. Get it.
Sometimes it is harder to deprive oneself of a pain than of a pleasure and the memory so possessed him that for the moment there was nothing to do but to pretend
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
VINCINT
BEATS
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
“Take him to our spot
Hold him like me in the dark
Tell him that he’s all you want
Just please don’t fall in love...”
"I also had to admit to myself that I'm more needy than I thought," VINCINT says. "I always believed that I was the guy who was fine with not seeing [my partner] all the time. But when I'm in love with someone, I've learned that I want to be a little less independent."
Please Don't Fall In Love: new music from VINCINT. Get it.
Life is essentially a cheat and its conditions are those of defeat; the redeeming things are not happiness and pleasure but the deeper satisfactions that come out of struggle
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
Experience is not worth the getting. It's not a thing that happens pleasantly to a passive you - it's a wall that an active you runs up against
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
COR.ECE
BEATS
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
Belong is a “complicated nod to a relationship that survived nearly a year because we only got along being high,” St. Louis singer-songwriter COR.ECE says of his new single and video.
Belong: new music from COR.ECE. Get it.
Vitality shows not only in the ability to persist, but in the ability to start over
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
Cub Sport
BEATS
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
"I wrote Limousine at a time when I was starting to open up about a bunch of things I'd never really said out loud before, a lot of which involved my sexuality — something I'd learned to feel ashamed of when I was growing up," Cub Sport's Tim Nelson says. "This song was inspired by that feeling of being completely exposed while I'm still figuring myself out and working through things. It's an ode to deepening developments in love, sex and spirituality and the way I feel like they're all intertwined. The closing section of this song feels like some sort of other-worldly rebirthing or shedding of a former-self and right from the first demo of this song, I envisioned a video that captures the heightened energy and other-worldly vibe that this song holds for me."
Limousine: new music from Cub Sport. Get it.
He's sensitive and I don't want him to break his heart over somebody who doesn't care about him
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
Miss Benny
BEATS
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
“Can’t get enough, yeah
I just wanna kiss every boy in the world...”
Every Boy: new music from Brooklyn's Miss Benny. Get it.
All the bright precious things fade so fast, and they don't come back
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
Lie to me by the moonlight. Do a fabulous story
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
Loyle Carner
BEATS
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
Loyle Carner teams up with Tom Misch for his new single, Angel. His new album, Not Waving, But Drowning, is out now. Get it.
Hard to sit here and be close to you, and not kiss you
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
Young KSB
BEATS
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
"Slob On My Ass is a remix I decided to do to a popular hit song from the '90s," says New Orleans rapper Young KSB says. "I wanted to put my own spin on it and just have fun. I noticed a lot of my music was great but I never really had fun with it so I did this and it went viral literally as soon as I dropped the video. I’m completely overwhelmed by everything and God has been so good to me. I know the LGBT community will always love it and know I did this for them!" Get it.
For what it's worth: it's never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you find you're not, I hope you have the strength to start over again
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
Louis Futon
BEATS
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
RHYMES
& LIFE
W H E R E W O R D S F A I L , M U S I C S P E A K S
Keiynan Lonsdale supplies vocals for Philadelphia-born producer Louis Futon's Royal Blood. His debut album, Way Back When, is out now. Get it.
I love you anyway - even if there isn't any me or any love or even any life - I love you
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
The world only exists in your eyes. You can make it as big or as small as you want
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
Hard to sit here and be close to you, and not kiss you
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
People disappeared, reappeared, made plans to go somewhere, and then lost each other, searched for each other, found each other a few feet away
MASS IN
M O T I O N
M O T I O N
I T ' S A M A N ' S W O R L D A N D Y O U M E N C A N H A V E I T
BFI Flare 2019: Giant Little Ones
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BFI FLARE
L o n d o n L G B T Q + F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 9
"For popular student Franky, home life is a bit more complicated than it is for most teenagers. Dealing with the repercussions of his father leaving his mother for another man, the breakdown of his seemingly perfect family has left him with a few emotional issues. School, on the other hand, is great. Not only does Franky have a loving girlfriend, he also has the support of his long-time best friend, the ever reliable Ballas. But Franky’s world is about to get turned upside down once again when an unexpected encounter at his 16th birthday party has some fateful consequences." BFI FlareYou'd think this was a genre that's been done to death: in recent years we've had mainstream hits like Love, Simon and Alex Strangelove, and accomplished indie hits like Akron. Can there be anything new to say about photogenic teens on the verge of coming out?
Yes. Giant Little Ones starts out like its older bros, but, thanks to a really smart, satisfying twist (no spoilers here), becomes something else.
Franky (Josh Wiggins) is utterly charming as the genial Franky. An Abercrombie & Fitch-beautiful Darren Mann is his best friend, Ballas. Kyle MacLachlan also stars, as Franky's suddenly gay father, but its the scene-stealing Niamh Wilson who you'll most likely remember, as Franky's unapologetically queer friend, Mouse. There's an outrageously funny scene in which the strap-on wearing lesbian demands some hands on experience of her buddy's equipment. Wiggins and Wilson are hysterical.
Perfectly pitched and cast, Giant Little Ones even has a bittersweet, lump-in-the-throat ending.
A future classic.
A future classic.
BFI Flare 2019: Socrates
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BFI FLARE
L o n d o n L G B T Q + F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 9
"After his mother’s sudden death, 15-year-old Socrates must learn how to fend for himself in São Paulo. Unable to collect her ashes without the consent of a legal guardian and with no income to cover the rent for his run-down apartment, Socrates sees no way out. Landing a small construction job, he meets a troubled young man with whom he forms an unlikely connection. But as financial pressures mount, so do Socrates’ burgeoning feelings, leading him to confront the harsh reality of his situation." BFI FlareBefore you watch Socrates, stock up with tissues. This trip to São Paulo is going to be traumatic.
Socrates is a product of the Querô Institute in Brazil, a UNICEF-supported non-profit that provides social inclusion to teenagers from low-income communities through film-making. Incredibly, the film was co-written, produced and acted by these kids. Watching this accomplished production, you'd never know.
It's this input that gives Socrates its rawness. It's hard to watch Socrates, compellingly played by Christian Malheiros, suffer first bereavement, then heartbreak, isolation and poverty. At his lowest ebb, Socrates cries. He sobs uncontrollably, in deeply troubling, visceral scenes of real trauma. Socrates forces us to watch, from the safety of our comfortable cinema seats, the horrifying choices this gay child is forced to make - and question our own complicity.
A real triumph for its young cast and crew, Socrates will stay with you for a long time afterwards - as it ought to.
It's this input that gives Socrates its rawness. It's hard to watch Socrates, compellingly played by Christian Malheiros, suffer first bereavement, then heartbreak, isolation and poverty. At his lowest ebb, Socrates cries. He sobs uncontrollably, in deeply troubling, visceral scenes of real trauma. Socrates forces us to watch, from the safety of our comfortable cinema seats, the horrifying choices this gay child is forced to make - and question our own complicity.
A real triumph for its young cast and crew, Socrates will stay with you for a long time afterwards - as it ought to.
BFI Flare 2019: Consequences
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BFI FLARE
L o n d o n L G B T Q + F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 9
"17-year-old delinquent Andrej has a serious chip on his shoulder. When his antisocial behaviour lands him in a youth correctional facility, he quickly falls in with a bad crowd, led by volatile and unpredictable Željko. As the two inmates form a tentative friendship, Andrej senses a strong physical attraction blossoming. But are Željko’s feelings real, or is he just using Andrej as a pawn in a far more dangerous game? Driven by a commanding performance from rising star Matej Zemljič, who imbues the conflicted Andrej with a palpable sense of silent longing, Darko Štante’s bracingly homoerotic drama resists the familiar traits we might expect from a queer teen narrative, in favour of something more distinctive and seductive." BFI FlareConsequences is the first gay-themed film to emerge from Slovenia, a country best known for inflicting Melania Trump on the world. It's also the first feature from director Darko Štante.
There's a couple of really shocking, didn't-see-it-coming moments, that will go into my own list of gay cinema's sexiest moments, but where Consequences really succeeds is in its examination of toxic masculinity and the complex dynamics between Andrej and the manipulative Željko.
Challenging, startling and uncompromising, Consequences is a winner.
BFI Flare 2019: Labyrinths of Desire
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BFI FLARE
L o n d o n L G B T Q + F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 9
"Films about finding a connection, whether in the street, a bath-house, nightclub or on an app." BFI FlareFestival veteran Brian Robinson curates shorts program Labyrinths of Desire. So what's a hit, and what's a miss?
Hao-Zhe Lai's character (also named Hao) is a lovable loser, and the focus on body positivity is timely.
Enter (directors: Manuel Billi and Benjamin Bodi) probably ensured a sell-out house with its trailer, which hints at a mass of naked, writhing bodies.
Despite abundant sex, it manages to be moribund and a trial of patience. If you enjoy protracted conversations with someone who's smashed out of their head on drugs, yet believes they're being deeply profound, this is for you.
Foreign Lovers (director: Timothy Ryan Hickernell) wraps things up (and compensates for Enter's pretensions).
Foreign Lovers interrogates the notion of love at first sight. "I was coming off a career enhancing experience and then was suddenly unemployed, un-inspired, and spending most of my time in solitude," Hickernell says. "I was seeking affection from strangers on apps. The winter blues. When no one could see this dance show I had been dying to see I took myself out. A beautiful Italian dancer captured my attention during the performance. Serendipitously our paths crossed at a bar down the street just as I was leaving. A two day love affair ensued. Then and there I had been awoken. I knew I found my story."
Gloriously romantic, you'll swoon.
Gloriously romantic, you'll swoon.
BFI Flare 2019: Last Ferry
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BFI FLARE
L o n d o n L G B T Q + F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 9
There aren't really many gay thrillers out there: recently, M/M and Stranger By The Lake set pulses racing, whilst further back, Transfixed, American Translation, Our Paradise, and Eastern Boys were all effective nail biters.
There's much to like about Last Ferry, including a fantastic soundtrack, and an excellent cast. Torres is perfect as lonely, insecure Joseph, and Sheldon Best excels as his gorgeous love interest, Cameron (and Best is very, very gorgeous). But props must go to Larry Owens for stealing every scene as that gay friend.
Things fall apart a little in the last act, which doesn't quite pay off the build-up, but the ride is so enjoyable that it doesn't really matter. You won't be inclined to holiday on Fire Island after this, but you'll probably be tempted back for another look at the Last Ferry, if only to gawp at Myles Clohessy's incredible ass.
BFI Flare 2019: José
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BFI FLARE
L o n d o n L G B T Q + F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 9
Over the past few years, some of the best features at BFI Flare have been from Latin America - Brazil's Hard Paint (BFI Flare 2018), Argentina's Marilyn (BFI Flare 2018), Brazil's Body Electric (BFI Flare 2017), Chile's Jesús (BFI Flare 2017), and going back to 2016, Venezuela's From Afar.
Add Guatemala's José to that list of winners.
Director Li Cheng interviewed gay and marginalised youth from across Latin America before deciding to set his film in Guatemala, where he felt the need for this story was most urgent. For those of us fortunate enough to live in relatively safe metropolises like London and San Francisco, the plight of gay men - particularly young gay men - in countries like Guatemala is almost unimaginable. Films like José bridge this gap.
Enrique Salanic, not a professional thesp, is a revelation as the titular José, his performance subdued, naturalistic. We stay with him, through the highs and lows, often in tight tracking shots, and at other times, spying our protagonist from afar, a lonely figure in the urban hellscape.
The film closes with an affecting scene at some Mayan ruins (Salanic himself is of Mayan descent), that will guarantee José a place in your heart.
The film closes with an affecting scene at some Mayan ruins (Salanic himself is of Mayan descent), that will guarantee José a place in your heart.
BFI Flare 2019: Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life
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BFI FLARE
L o n d o n L G B T Q + F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 9
The gay porn industry is not kind to its models. Even if you don't know about Joey Stefano, Erik Rhodes or Colin Black, or follow the gay porn gossip blogs, you already know this.
So we know, even before watching the trailer, that Jonathan Agassi's story won't be a happy one, and that the industry that has buoyed him, might also be his undoing, as it has been for so many others.
Or, is the opposite true, as the title of Tomer Heymann's film - Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life - suggests? Heymann leaves space for the audience to make up its own mind, but it's hard not to draw the conclusion that being a gay porn star is as demanding as it probably is corrosive.
Eight years in the making, the film covers the highs and lows in Agassi's life, both professional and personal. His mother is a hero, his father a devil. Russian pornographer Michael Lucas lives up to his sleazy reputation. And what of us, the audience? Is Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life further exploitation? Agassi has already given us his body; now, we get to pick over the bones of what's left.
Titillating, thought-provoking, and well-intentioned - but will it help its subject's well-being? Who knows. Maybe it'll save his life.
Or, is the opposite true, as the title of Tomer Heymann's film - Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life - suggests? Heymann leaves space for the audience to make up its own mind, but it's hard not to draw the conclusion that being a gay porn star is as demanding as it probably is corrosive.
Titillating, thought-provoking, and well-intentioned - but will it help its subject's well-being? Who knows. Maybe it'll save his life.
