the flowers and sorrow he gave me (2023)

Summer of 85

What do you dream of when you're 16-years-old and in a seaside resort in Normandy in the 1980s? A best friend? A lifelong teen pact? Scooting off on adventures on a boat or a motorbike? Living life at breakneck speed? No. You dream of death. Because you can't get a bigger kick than dying. And that's why you save it till the very end. The summer holidays are just beginning, and this story recounts how Alexis grew into himself.

The Jump Off

Nigel and Malik have been in a secret romantic relationship for several weeks. Nigel seems content with their unofficial status, but as times goes on, he longs for more. One evening, Nigel decides to take matters into his own hands before thinking of the consequences.

Dance of the Forty One

Mexico City, November 1901. The police raid a private home where a secret party is being held. Among those attending is the son-in-law of President Porfirio Díaz.

Testosterone: Volume Four

Volume Four of this sexy collection of the hottest gay short films around. This collection takes us from a blossoming love in a one-bedroom apartment in Tel Aviv, to the paranoid jealousy that comes with your first relationship, to a visually poetic work of ethereal movement and dance. A comedy about the fantasies of a hunky repairman and a thriller about a one-night stand where nothing is as it seems. The 5 shorts include: Faces (2019); Fish Tank (2018); Rubber Dolphin [דולפין מגומי] (2018); The Handyman (2019); Writhing (2018).

The Glider

Bruno pursues Fabrice, runs without calculation, to fly away with him, until the end.

I Can Just Imagine

Paulo seems to lose himself in the life of others: at the age of 30, he is still closely attached to his protective mother and silent father; to his cold and domineering boyfriend Luis; to the lives of unknown men; to his female roles at the cabaret; and to the songs of Shirley Bassey.

Him

Andri, an anxious teenage boy, hides and represses his sexuality in fear of his masculine father's reaction but, on the eve of Andri's first date, he finds a clever way to reveal his secret.

Final Exams

Four friends are waiting for their final exam results... and their lives to begin. In the mean time, Lang-Vonh is worrying about his Asian heritage, Cédric is struggling to come to terms with being gay and Gaëlle and Chloé are trying to forget about everything until the results are in.

Rubber Dolphin

A gay love story set in a one-bedroom apartment in Tel Aviv. They meet, they have sex, they fall in love. Will it last until the morning comes?

Days

Kang lives alone in a big house, Non in a small apartment in town. They meet, and then part, their days flowing on as before.

Ixe

“Ixe (written X and pronounced EEKS – as it is pronounced in French –, like a scream, a wound) is an imploded, crucified film. Made to be projected on four screens at once, X is drawn and quartered. At the four points of the compass, at the four ends of the cross, War, Sex, Religion and Drugs, the double exposures, the colliding glimpses the eye barely recognizes, the skilful repetitions of themes, remind us that Sex is also the war of bodies, and the pope, the Drug of the people. And the story of this young man, shooting up in order to experience all the horror of the world in front of his TV set, reminds us that the heroin orgy is indeed the subjective locus of the monsters of the modern unconscious.” - Guy Hocquenghem

Mirrors

A pair of ‘straight’ guys discuss their feelings in the cramped confines of a gay club toilet cubicle.

Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt)

School captain Ellie is seriously crushing on her rebellious classmate Abbie. Determined to ask her first love to the year 12 formal, Ellie devises a plan to go public with the invitation but before she can go through with it, her dead aunt Tara reappears from beyond the grave. Believing she's been brought back from the dead to be Ellie's fairy godmother, Tara dishes out unwanted dating advice based on her life as an out lesbian in the '80s.

The Fish Curry

Lalit, 28, decides to come-out to someone who is really special and close to him. In order reveal his sexuality and seek acceptance, he cooks a special dish, a Bengali style fish curry, Maacher Jhol (माछेर झोल). He prepares this dish by listening to a famous radio cooking show. Will the fish curry turn out to be delicious? Delicious enough to appeal to the heart of someone special?

Midnight Cowboy

Joe Buck is a wide-eyed hustler from Texas hoping to score big with wealthy New York City women; he finds a companion in Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo, an ailing swindler with a bum leg and a quixotic fantasy of escaping to Florida.

Ménage

Bickering couple Monique and Antoine are interrupted by bisexual burglar Bob while fighting in a bar. With husband and wife in need of cash, Bob teaches them the most efficient house burglary methods. Monique is attracted to the charismatic thief, but Bob is more interested in Antoine, who eventually succumbs to his attentions. As the trio continues living together, Monique grows unhappy about being ignored by both men.

Law of Desire

Pablo, a successful film director, disappointed in his relationship with his young lover, Juan, concentrates in a new project, a monologue starring his transgender sister, Tina. Antonio, an uptight young man, falls possessively in love with the director and in his passion would stop at nothing to obtain the object of his desire.

The Israeli Boys

Secrets, lies, surprises and more are explored in this rich selection of gay short films from Israel. The 6 short films are: Three (2018); A Trip to the Desert (2016); Rubber Dolphin (2018); Stav (2018); After His Death (2017); Leave of Absence (2016).

The Lyric

An aspiring singer discovers the lyrics in a song written for her could lead her to the killer of the writer who wrote it.

Mother Knows Best

The family's mother has absolutely no problems with her son having just introduced his boyfriend to her. She only wants to give him a little well-meaning advice.

The Surrogate

Jess is thrilled to be the surrogate for her best friend and his husband, but when a prenatal test comes back, it creates a moral dilemma that threatens their friendship.

Slutty Summer

Hunky writer Markus returns home to find his boyfriend of four years naked with another man. Newly single, he begins waiting tables at a swinging Chelsea hotspot where the indelible supporting cast of co-workers offers conflicting directions on the off-road map to love and lust in New York City. Peter insists on holding out for "the one", and Marilyn vows by her "dating commandments." Meanwhile, lascivious Luke promises the film its title by delivering firecracker quips on the joys of his sexcapades. He believes that sleeping around is the best medicine for a broken heart. Despite disillusion, Markus falls for gorgeous model Tyler who doesn't "do relationships" because how can you promise to love somebody forever? Surprising twists, and unlikely advice await, but by the end of one unforgettable SLUTTY SUMMER, happily ever after may just be the answer. Written

Who Am I Now?

New friends Erin and Alex discover a mutual attraction that neither of them have ever felt before. While Alex tries to navigate her feelings, Erin refuses to acknowledge that she might be gay and heads down a path of self-destruction. Faced with Erin's denial, Alex must decide whether to follow her own path, or fight for the first person she's ever loved.

Rookie

An awkward 6-footer teen is forced to learn and play volleyball half-heartedly when the Catholic school she transferred to did not have a basketball team. Everything changes when she meets their star player.

Love Tasting

It's the last week of school in a small polish town's junior high school. Waiting for the final party, several students pass the time at a city pool, as if anticipating the emotional whirlwind they are about to experience. The action takes place somewhere in Poland, where ‘LGBT free zones’ are a reality in 2020. It’s a story about young people, their problems and romantic endeavours in the era of the Internet and social apps, when creating genuine relationships is unnaturally difficult.

Yossi & Jagger

A sociological study of two men in the Israeli army who are lovers. The others in the unit react to their situation, suspecting, but not always understanding. One will leave the military soon, a few months away, as a snowy and desolate outpost is guarded from attack.

Poster Boy

The gay son of a conservative senator who is also the poster boy for his father's re-election unknowingly befriends a gay activist bent on destroying the hypocritical campaign.

A Particular Friend

When Father Matthew discovers an intimacy between two of the other priests at a remote conversion-therapy centre in Northern Ireland, his attempt to do the right thing leads to a crisis of faith and feeling.

The Call

Amir, a prospective university student struggling with his sexuality, calls Switchboard for advice at three crucial moments. With each moment of connection, Amir takes a step further in his journey.

I Am Syd Stone

While shooting a film in a small town, a famous actor puts his personal life and career in jeopardy by starting an intense affair with another man.

Schwarz Weiss Bunt

Facing the loss of her youthfulness, Matilda finds herself at a turning point in her life. Refreshing encounters and unexpected longings force her to face rigid self-understandings with new openness. A surprising and empathetic look at the lives of young adults.

Beauty Boys

In their small village, seventeen-year-old Léo and his friends are crazy about makeup. Jules, Léo's older brother, doesn't share his sibling's passion, fearing he'll be the laughing stock among his gang of pals. The night of the village's "open theater" event, against Jules' advice, Léo walks on the stage dressed in drag.

Burning Days

With the mayoral election approaching, the newly-appointed state prosecutor of a small town suffering from a water supply crisis gradually descends into trouble after a young local woman is raped.

The Sea

The story of Ana and Diego, a couple who decide to go live on the coast in Chile. There, they meet Vicente, with whom Diego secretly begins a relationship. Ana, for her part, must decide if she wants to open up to a relationship that deconstructs the traditional ways of relating affectively.

Shelter

Forced to give up his dreams of art school, Zach works dead-end jobs to support his sister and her son. Questioning his life, he paints, surfs and hangs out with his best friend, Gabe. When Gabe's older brother returns home for the summer, Zach suddenly finds himself drawn into a relationship he didn't expect.

Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss

Billy Collier is a photographer working on a series of pictures featuring recreations of movie kisses, with drag queens playing the female roles. For his male model, he hires Gabriel, a young waiter on whom he has developed a serious crush. While Billy is openly gay, Gabriel says that he is straight and even claims to have a girlfriend. However, as they spend more time together and grow closer, Billy becomes increasingly unsure that this is true.

I Am Woman

In 1966, Helen Reddy landed in New York with her three year old daughter, a suitcase, and $230 in her pocket. Within weeks, she was broke. Within months, she was in love. Within five years, she was one of the biggest superstars of her time and an icon of the 1970s feminist movement who wrote a song which galvanized a generation of women to fight for change.

One to Another

A story about bunch of people who live in a town in provincial France. At the center of it all is Pierre, a conceited and vain bisexual musician in his late teens who acts as a magnet, to varying degrees, for a whole array of characters - from his sister Lucie, with whom he has a heated incestuous relationship, to a city councilor with whom he participates in gay orgies. When Pierre turns up dead, Lucie investigates the reasons for his demise and charts the network of sadomasochistic relationships that crisscross the town.

The Curiosity of Chance

It’s the ‘80s once again, new wave angst and genderbending fashion are all the rage, but new kid at school, Chance Marquis, is trying to find new ways to stand out. Being an odd and somewhat awkward teenager makes him the target of the school bully. To deal with this dilemma, Chance turns to the opposite ends of the high school spectrum for help. On one side is the flamboyant drag queen and at the other, the varsity jock, Levi Sparks with whom Chance develops a unique friendship.

Same Difference

Twin brothers Leon and Noel share their parents, their school and their bunk bed. But when Leon becomes interested in Abi and Abi becomes interested in Noel, a love triangle threatens to tear the twins apart - until Noel makes a declaration of his own.

Incomplete

A man shares a letter expressing his longing for someone he has never met. He reflects on his loneliness and questions whether he needs another person in his life to feel complete, or if what he's truly missing is a deeper connection with himself.

Eating Out

After getting dumped by his slutty girlfriend, Caleb falls in love with Gwen. However, thanks to Caleb's roommate, Gwen thinks he's gay and sets him up with her roommate, Marc.

Daddy

Colin McCormack thinks he has it all - a great job, a steady stream of hot younger guys, and a best friend whose devotion he takes for granted. But when a charming and mercurial intern sweeps him off his feet, Colin sees a chance for something more: A family of his own. What he discovers instead is a shattering secret that may cost Colin everything -- and everyone -- he holds dear.

Marching in Darkness

A young recruit to the Italian army discovers and rejects the seedy world of soldiers who prostitute themselves to supplement their income. But before leaving this world he is raped by a highly-respected senior officer and must decide whether to risk bringing proceedings against him.

The Station In-Between

Theo and Louis, two gay gentlemen, embark on a train journey to Paxmal. They are carrying an urn - it is the last journey for a friend. On their way deep into the Swiss Alps the two men, struggling with their fate, meet various people. While some of these people remind Theo and Louis again of the beautiful things in life, others confront them with ghosts from the past.

Ana e Vitória

Two girls have a chance encounter and instantly befriend. While trying to find themselves, they decide to pursue music together.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Raised a boy in East Berlin, Hedwig undergoes a personal transformation in order to emigrate to the U.S., where she reinvents herself as an 'internationally ignored' but divinely talented rock diva, inhabiting a 'beautiful gender of one'.

REC

A camcorder captures Young-joon and Joon-seok’s anniversary, but beneath the love lies the quiet unraveling of five shared years.

Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom

As Noah and Wade prepare to marry in Martha's Vineyard, the personal problems of their friends - and the unexpected arrival of rapper Baby Gat - threatens to permanently end their relationship.

Pride

In 1984, a group of LGBT activists decide to raise money to support the National Union of Mineworkers during their lengthy strike. There is only one problem: the Union seems embarrassed to receive their support.

Latter Days

Christian, a hunky, 20-something, West Hollywood party boy gets more than he bargains for when he tries to seduce Aaron, a sexually confused Mormon missionary who moves into his apartment complex.

All the Rage

ALL THE RAGE takes a satirical and poignant look at one gay man's obsessive pursuit of physical, sexual, and romantic perfection. Christopher Bedford is everyone's fantasy. He's gorgeous, young, clever, rich, and above all, totally buffed and every boy in Boston seems to want him. At thirty-one, he's gliding through life, celebrating himself as the 90's gay playboy ideal, without ever realizing what a mess he's become.

A Stormy Night

When a heavy storm threatens the city of New York, two complete strangers –a cynical documentary filmmaker from Spain and an idealist app programmer– find themselves sharing shelter, questioning each other’s understanding of life, happiness and love.

Isaac

Two childhood friends, Denis and Nacho, meet again years after having an intense relationship as teenagers. Now with their respective partners, the couples grow close and end up fulfilling each other's needs while breaking rules to discover their truths in the process.

A Skeleton in the Closet

Manuel goes back to his hometown for his parents’ wedding anniversary, but he actually wants to ask money to move to Denmark with his boyfriend. Last time he saw his family, he came out of the closet. Since then, their relationship became tense. Manuel’s plans get ruined when his boyfriend dumps him.

Catalina

Gus, Will, and Brian have been fast friends since middle school. Now in their mid-twenties, Gus is the only one to have left their hometown for New York City, immersing himself in the queer community and finally coming into his own. He returns home for a weekend camping with “the boys” on Catalina Island, and must find new common ground now that he has changed, while discovering how his friends have changed too.

Spark

After an intense encounter with a handsome stranger, Aaron finds himself trapped in a time loop—reliving the same day over and over. As passion spirals into paranoia, he begins to suspect the very person he longs for may be the one keeping him stuck.

India Blues: Eight Feelings

An edgy, bold and passionate love story between two young men who are sometimes afraid to love each other.

The Trip

When 19-year-old gay-rights activist Tommy and 24-year-old Alan first meet in 1973, they find themselves on the opposite sides of the political coin...

Sublime

When 16-year-old Manu realises that he has fallen in love with his bandmate Felipe, turbulent emotions start brewing beneath the surface. How do you avoid losing a friendship once its very foundation has shifted?

7 Minutes

Jean discovers his son Maxime and his boyfriend hanged in a hotel room. According to the post-mortem, Maxime died from an overdose of GHB exactly seven minutes after his boyfriend. Jean will start to investigate further to find out more details, ending up in an infamous club where he will meet Fabien, who will change his life forever.

Because of a Boy

When Vincent finds himself a victim of outing in his high school, he must accept to live with the drastic changes it provokes, and redefine his relationships with his friends and family.

Purebred

During a heatwave in Belfast, transgender man Owen returns to the flat of his on-off-again lover Seán after taking a pregnancy test.

Adonis X

At the height of finishing a commissioned art piece Dan, a struggling visual artist discovers that his creation named Adonis X, can magically come to life. Forming a strong bond between them, Adonis X became Dan's confidante. But what if this friendship blooms into something more than meets the eye? Can both of them resist the growing "bromance " between them?

I'm Not Gay : A Musical

Plagued by a hidden childhood trauma that is destroying his life, an obsessive-compulsive MMA fighter moves to Fire Island and pretends to be gay in order to buy the house of his dreams and exorcise his demons.

Alirón 2: El descanso

A short film which aims to normalize members of the LGTB collective and break with any label. You are gay? Hetero? What difference does it make! Maybe yesterday you liked a boy, today a girl. And tomorrow? Well, tomorrow you stay home, because not every day you have to like someone and you don't have to like anyone.

Stay Lost

A chance meeting with a nomadic musician sets an aimless and depressed young man's life on an entirely new trajectory.

A Wild Heart

Mathan is 17 and struggles with his sexuality and his feelings for his friend François. Over a two summer period, with his friends François and Virginie, he tries to discover his desires, face homophobia and overcome the fear of not being accepted as he truly is.

Uproar

Antoine, twenty-five, does not want to be alone this evening. He leaves in the middle of the night to find a remedy for his loneliness.

Sublet

A gay New York Times travel writer comes to Tel Aviv after suffering a tragedy. The energy of the city and his relationship with a younger man brings him back to life.

The Little Death

In this visual poem set in contemporary Mexico, two lovers share an afternoon of passion as an ancient deity from their dreams performs an orgiastic dance that mirrors their ecstasy.