The ‘Boys on Film’ series is one of the most popular strands from Peccadillo Pictures, that has been going for an impressive number of years now. Each release themes a series of short films from around the globe, giving a spotlight to film-makers who often don’t get an audience beyond the festival circuit. For the latest release, ‘Boys on Film: Dangerous to Know’, 10 shorts have been collected together from Brazil, Hungary, Belgium, USA, Norway, Israel, Georgia and the UK, each exploring risky attractions between men.
With a run time of almost three hours, there’s a lot to get through with ‘Boys on Film: Dangerous to Know’, and as always with this (and indeed any shorts collection), there is a variety in terms of the quality. Renato Turnes’ ‘My Uncle’s Friend’ opens the release and it’s a 9-minute short from Brazil comprising of homemade footage of a young Vicente Concilio. Vicente was captured on film by his father, and his voiceover narrates his first experience with acknowledging and exploring his sexuality. It’s a gentle and somewhat sweet start for a collection that dives into much darker territory.
Rather than discussing each of the 10 shorts, as this review would go on for far too long, I’ll highlight some of the best moments on ‘Boys on Film: Dangerous to Know’. The first is ‘Chaperone’ by Sam Max, a short that stars Zachary Quinto (‘Star Trek’ franchise) as a mysterious man that has been hired to provide services to a younger man. What those services are, I shan’t reveal but suffice to say it’s not what you’ll expect and it’s the first truly dark moment on the collection.
‘Break Me’ from director Irasj Asanti, who also stars as Farzad, tells the story of closeted cage fighter Mansour (Ravdeep Singh Bajwa). Battling in secret with his sexuality and desperate to keep his dalliances with other men from his father, Mansour lives with the constant threat that his father Farzad will find out. The short is a tense one and it handles its subject matter well, showing how Mansour’s heart and head collide when it comes to being who he really is.
Israeli film-maker Uriel Torten covers similar ground in the fantastic ‘By His Will’, which looks at the conflict between sexuality and religion. Elisha (Ido Tako) is attracted to men and wants to act on his feelings, but the guilt from his religion and the expectations of society leaves him in limbo. It’s a story that’s been told before but Torten’s take on it is one worthy of your time.
The last two films I’ll highlight are both from the UK; Mark Pluck’s ‘Hornbeam’ and Sean Lìonadh’s ‘Too Rough’. Pluck’s film sees two strangers meeting in a van to hook-up and we see their relationship evolve over time. What starts out as harmless fun soon becomes something much deeper, leaving both men questioning their actions. Lìonadh’s ‘Too Rough’ sees a young boy terrified of his abusive and alcoholic parents, when they unexpectedly return home while he has a man in his bed. This short is hard to watch in places and it’s without a doubt the tensest of all the films here.
There are two extras on the DVD and Blu-ray releases; interviews with directors Sven Spur (‘Eden’) and Sean Lìonadh (‘Too Rough’), giving viewers further insight into those two short films.
‘Boys on Film: Dangerous to Know’ is one of the strongest releases in the series for a while. These stories will engage viewers and I’m sure many watching will be able to relate to aspects of them. Giving a real overview of the film-making talent in gay cinema around the world, this series remains as vital as it ever has. You’ll also probably never look at Zachary Quinto in the same way again.
Cast: Zachary Quinto, Ravdeep Singh Bajwa, Ido Tako Directors/Writers: Renato Turnes, Máté Konkol, Sven Spur, Sam Max, Uriel Torten, Irasj Asanti, Elene Naveriani, Mark Pluck, Tom Young, Sean Lìonadh Certificate: 18 Duration: 159 mins Released by: Peccadillo Pictures Release date: 24th July 2023 Buy ‘Boys on Film: Dangerous To Know’ now
This article contains an affiliate link. Sales through this link may result in us earning a commission.
