Three shorts for you today and (as of posting) you can watch through links below.
Boys of a Certain Age (viewable here)
Starfuckers (viewable here)
Just Out of Frame (viewable here)
Genre: Drama/Suspense
"Boys of a Certain Age" captures a volatile and exploratory time in adolescence through the character of Cole. As he lay in bed, awake, contemplating, he is interrupted by car headlights that don't dissipate like usual. It's not someone driving by: it's someone driving in, watching him. Cole shares his concerning experience with his best friend Angel, who brushes it off, but after an intimate, yet, distance, moment in the woods between them, it seems like elements of danger become intertwined with their relationship. The stranger drives back that night, giving a signal that perhaps he's been in the "driver's seat" the whole time. The story invokes a lot of questions, but not many answers, which may leave viewers feeling unsatisfied. The possibly that this experience is intentional as a metaphor for exploring a Queer identity iin a world filled with heteronormativity, however, is intriguing.
Genre: Drama
"Starfuckers" is a drag-revenge short film you never knew you needed. Centered around a Queer sex worker and a film director, the striking opening scene sets up a powerful dynamic all too familiar. It's uncomfortable, and invokes a sense of dread, only intensified by an intimate dinner between the two that comes to a crescendo of tension. But in an unexpected moment, the pendulum swings in the other direction, resulting in a poetic, carefully calculated drag performance that reveals the whole story, not only the director's victim, but of an exploitative industry. The ending is impossible to look away from, with an incredible performance serving real, raw emotion in the form of a hypnotic monologue. It's a provocative and thoughtful exploration of reclaiming identity through performance.
Genre: Drama
"Just Out of Frame" explores the dynamic of two friends discovering another side of their relationship before setting off for college. Elizabeth is a bit shy and reserved, not enjoying parties, but decides to attend one after Peach invites her. She confesses to Peach that she didn't really come for the party, but rather, for her company. Peach reveals her romantic feelings for Elizabeth, leading to them spending the night together. however, soon after Elizabeth realizes Peach isn't looking for anything long term, leading to them parting ways, which Elizabeth seems to never recover from. Happy endings are, sadly a rarity in LGBTQIA+ narratives centering love stories, and this does not take any strides in a different direction. Despite a lackluster ending, it effectively shows how important open communication is from the start for a lasting relationship.
