Before 2020 finally ends and we can look forward to (hopefully) a better 2021, NQV Media is sneaking out another instalment of their āThe Male Gazeā series. The popular shorts series pulls together five new shorts from the UK, France, Sweden, Mexico and the USA for new release āThe Male Gaze: The Boy Is Mineā.
The collection opens with 7-minute short āUnevenā from director Rafael Ruiz Espejo and itās a quirky watch. The short follows a lonely sock who tries to catch the eye of a sexy young man when he finds an opportunity to lend a helping hand. āUnevenā doesnāt outstay its welcome and itās a fun way to ease you into the rest of the shorts.
Second short āWolvesā is from Fuoco Maria Balduzzi and itās considerably darker in tone. It tells the story of Josh, a 16-year-old boy who has a volatile relationship with his father. He spends time alone in a nearby woods and one day meets another boy that puts him on a path of self-discovery. Itās an intriguing short but I did feel that the story could have been fleshed out a little more to give it more of an impact.
Jerome Casanovaās āJohnnyā tells the tale of the wild and impulsive titular young man who draws the attention of AurĆ©lien. Despite Johnnyās unpredictable, and not always pleasant behaviour, AurĆ©lien canāt help but be drawn to him and what unfolds is a refreshing take on first love.
The strongest short on the collection is āDebutā by Anette Sidor. Aspiring model Philip attends a casting for a renowned photographer and he gets the opportunity to post alongside a well-known model called Sebastiaan. The two men immediately have a sexual chemistry but while Philip is keen to do whatever the photographer asks, no matter how far over the line it might be, Sebastiaan isnāt as keen. Itās an interesting exploration of the fashion industry and the lengths people will go to feed their ambitions.
Nicolas Jaraās āGuardianā concludes the collection and it focuses on a Latino teen who lives with his homophobic father. He keeps his sexuality and boyfriend a secret and his only connection to his mother is through video tapes she recorded for him. The short is a classic coming-of-age tale that goes where you expect it to and it doesnāt really have anything new to say sadly.
āThe Male Gaze: The Boy Is Mineā is a mixed bag but for the most part itās very enjoyable. Iād say itās worth checking out for āDebutā alone but overall it wasnāt as cohesive as some of the releases in the series so far. As always though, NQV have curated a collection of shorts that are worthy of your time and they continue to support LGBTQ film-makers from around the world.
Cast: Hannes Fohlin, Karl-Henrik Franzen, Carlos Flores Jr Directors/writers: Rafael Ruiz Espejo, Fuoco Maria Balduzzi, Jerome Casanova, Anette Sidor, Nicolas Jara Certificate: 18 Duration: 95 mins Released by: NQV Media Release date: 18th December 2020 Buy āThe Male Gaze: The Boy Is Mineā now
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