Long before folks were getting their fashion fix discovering new design talent on Project Runway, Americans were gaga over the disco-chic glamour of Halston.
The new documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Frédéric Tcheng (Dior & I), titled Halston, chronicles the rise of America’s first superstar fashion designer.
From a Midwest childhood in conservative Des Moines, Iowa, to landing a job as a hatmaker at the famed Bergdorf Goodman department store, to putting that famous pill box hat on former First Lady Jackie Kennedy’s head, the film follows the life and times of Roy Halston Frowick as he became famous as simply ‘Halston.’
Using rare archival footage along with interviews with family, friends and famous clients like Liza Minnelli (“His clothes danced with you”), supermodel Iman, and Andy Warhol, Tcheng takes the audience behind-the-scenes as Halston struggles to find his artistic legacy amid the pressures of big business.
Halston’s meteoric rise during the celebrity disco culture of the 1970s was sadly followed by a just-as-quick fall from grace after the designer sold his brand to JC Penney for a rumored $1 billion. Apparently, the glam was gone when you could buy it at the local mall.
He would eventually pass away at the age of 57 in 1990 due to lung cancer related to HIV.
It is a fascinating story and the critics have raved about the film:
Ryan O’Connell’s unconventional comedy series is based on his own experiences as a gay man with cerebral palsy navigating sex and a career in TV. He not only stars in the series, but also serves as writer and executive producer.
Critics are loving the depiction of a physically challenged gay man through O’Connell’s lens. In one episode, he is convinced by a friend to hire a sex worker in order to lose his virginity. Instead of being ‘tragic,’ the sequence moves from awkward, to touching and eventually to a sweet, sexy resolution.
O’Connell recent told NBC News he’s still in “shock” the series happened.
“It feels very surreal, because I didn’t think that any of this could be possible,” he said. “I’ve been working in Hollywood for six years now, and I know that even the best ideas, even the best shows, with the best talent attached, the odds of one actually getting shot and made and released is very medium rare.”
Now available on Netflix.
Sauvage / Wild
Leo is 22 and sells his body on the street for a bit of cash. The men come and go, and he stays right here — longing for love. He doesn’t know what the future will bring. He hits the road. His heart is pounding.
Felix Maritaud plays Leo, a French hustler who’s a beguiling homo-goulash of low self-esteem and empathy, who falls in love with gay-for-pay Ahd (Eric Bernard), who doles out tenderness, disgust, and violence in equal doses.
“A powerful portrait of a gay male prostitute in free fall” – Guy Lodge, Variety
Official synopsis: “On the 10th anniversary of his dad’s death, Joris still tries to come to terms with his father s absence when he meets the free-spirited Yad, who returns back home to his family after living on his own. Although very different, there is an instant spark between the two and they want to be more than just friends , but both have issues with their mothers that threaten to jeopardize their relationship.”
Cindy Lou Peeples at Frameline wrote, “Refreshingly, the family conflict in this romantic comedy is not that Joris and Yad are gay, but that they are defying family expectations in other ways and must make a new set of choices about how to be themselves.”
Check out the official trailer for Giant Little Ones, a heartfelt coming-of-age film about high school friendships, self-discovery, and sexual awakening.
The movie, directed by Keith Behrman, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, and just released the official trailer.
The official synopsis for the film reads:
“Franky Winter (Josh Wiggins) and Ballas Kohl (Darren Mann) have been best friends since childhood. They are high school royalty: handsome, stars of the swim team and popular with girls. They live a perfect teenage life – until the night of Franky’s epic 17th birthday party, when Franky and Ballas are involved in an unexpected incident that changes their lives forever.”
Apparently, Ballas is the experienced pro at sex with his girlfriend, while Franky hasn’t made the leap into sexual intimacy with his girlfriend.
The ‘incident,’ as you might guess, is a drunken, late night sexual encounter in Franky’s bed. When the morning comes, Ballas freaks out and makes a hurried exit.
Soon, the school is buzzing with rumors that Franky may be gay (thanks to Ballas), and Franky (still a virgin) finds himself questioning his own sexuality before he can even figure out who he is.
His soul-searching leads him to finally cope with a personal, family issue he’s never resolved: his father (Kyle MacLachlan) leaving his mother (Maria Bello) to go live with a male partner.
While it’s not clear how much time has passed since the breakup, Franky is fairly estranged from his dad. The situation presents an unusual dynamic for a teen trying to understand his burgeoning sexuality.
Also, without his best friend Ballas to lean on in a difficult time, he finds solace with Ballas’ sister, Natasha, who is also a social outcast. The two renew their childhood friendship, but is the attraction their co-outcast status? Or is Franky trying to parse feelings for Ballas?
Darren Mann as Ballas in ‘Giant Little Ones’
Along the way, there’s also a transgender friend and a gay teammate on the swim team, so there’s much for Franky to accept or resent. And that includes possibly some internal homophobia over the idea he might be gay.
The fresh take here is that Behrman isn’t focused on our teen hero coming out, but exploring how lies can shift public perception, and how homophobia can rewrite a teen’s life.
The Hollywood Reporter praised the film calling Giant Little Ones “a confidently shot and beautifully acted story that manages to transcend quite a few — if clearly not all — of the coming-of-age genre’s cliches by delving into how the Millennial generation experiences sexuality, ostracism and growing up and how they try to relate to their parents and peers.”
The Film Stage called the movie “Flawless… adolescence with an authenticity rarely seen.”
And Seventh Row raved, “One of the most warm, thoughtful, and patient explorations of teen sexuality that the coming-of-age genre has to offer.”
Giant Little Ones is set to open in New York City on March 1, then in Los Angeles and select cities across the U.S. on March 8.
Emrhys Cooper (Mamma Mia, Vanity) directed and starred in the short film which has been acquired by production, financing and distribution company Dynamic Television.
Gerald McCullouch, of the Bear City movie trilogy and the award-winning web series, Hustling, is also featured in the film.
Anthony Johnston, Emrhys Cooper, Gerald McCullouch in ‘Trophy Boy’
In the short, Cooper plays ‘James,’ who after living as a social media ‘celebrity’ finds out the hard way what real life is like.
The official synopsis:
Trophy Boy is your classic “riches-to-rags” story. It depicts the downward spiral of James – a spoiled, influencer and narcissist, who, based on his social media accounts, appears to have it all.
But, just before his 30th birthday, his much older boyfriend, on whom he was financially dependent, breaks up with him. James now must face reality with no work experience and no idea where to start.
With his sex-addicted best buddy by his side, James takes a crash course in living and sets out to prove that he doesn’t need anyone to take care of him.
He ultimately ends up alienating himself further from reality and comes face-to-face with the bitter fact that if he doesn’t learn to live as an adult in the real world, he’ll never be more than a washed-up, unwanted accessory.
Emhrys Cooper in ‘Trophy Boy’ (photo: Andrey Kopylov)
Speaking to Towleroad last year, Emhrys explained his inspiration for making the film: “Social media has created a generation of self-obsessed narcissists obsessed with self-obsessed narcissists. My goal for Trophy Boy is to say look up from your phone, breathe, observe, and think about what really matters; honesty, integrity and deep sense of responsibility.”
Critics have raved about the film:
“With impeccable dialogue delivery, amazing body language and performance, he (Cooper) consumes the screen every time he faces the camera…The climax is a pure masterpiece in terms of both, acting and story. The dark, haunting depth attained in performance and narration makes ‘Trophy Boy’ worth a watch!”” – Indie Shorts Mag, September 14, 2018
Cooper and Trophy Boy co-star Donal Brophy will executive produce the new series along with Dynamic Television’s Holly Hines.
Dynamic’s list of series include SYFY’s Trapped, Van Helsing, Wynona Earp and Z Nation, East Los High for Hulu, and Madiba on BET.
You can watch the entire 12 minute short film, Trophy Boy, below.
“In church I found God, and then Polaroid led me straight to the devil.”
A rather apt statement from Matt Smith’s “Robert Mapplethorpe” in the trailer for the upcoming biopic, MAPPLETHORPE.
Smith (The Crown, Doctor Who) stars as the controversial and provocative photographer of the 1970s and 1980s who became a flashpoint for political conversations about art versus pornography.
The influential artist, who died in 1989 due to AIDS-related causes, scandalized the art world with his images S&M scenes and the naked male body.
From the trailer description:
Robert Mapplethorpe (Matt Smith) is arguably one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Mapplethorpe discovered himself both sexually and artistically in New York City throughout the 70’s and 80’s. The film explores Mapplethorpe’s life from moments before he and Patti Smith moved into the famed Chelsea hotel, home to a world of bohemian chic. Here he begins photographing its inhabitants and his new found circle of friends including artists and musicians, socialites, film stars, and members of the S&M underground.
Mapplethorpe’s work explored eroticism in a manner that shocked and challenged the public’s views on the boundaries of art. The film explores the intersection of his art and his sexuality along with his struggle for mainstream recognition.
“Like any artist in many senses he was vilified at the time,” Smith told EW. “But that’s because he was pushing the boundaries and the form and the envelope of that he was doing and the time he was in, and often the purpose of art is to do that.”
Mapplethorpe was also responsible, in part, in reigniting interest in photography as a mainstream, evocative art form.
“I’m an artist,” says Smith’s Mapplethorpe. “I would have been a painter, but the camera was invented.”
Matt Smith as “Robert Mapplethorpe”
In that Mapplethorpe died of AIDS, Smith also explored the impact of the disease that nearly wiped out a generation of gay men. He told EW:
Just investigating that moment in time, it certainly made me reflect on being a homosexual in the ’70s in New York and the way they were treated for a disease that was completely misunderstood. You think with what we know now about HIV and AIDS, you think if only we could have imparted a bit of the medicinal knowledge and the cultural understanding of that thing. It was appalling really what happened to gay men then, and the way they were treated, and what they had to go through.
It’s amazing how far we’ve come in being able to treat that particular disease. It absolutely made me think about that. He died so young and if he were around now, then he’d live out the whole of his life and still be a brilliant, prolific artist I’m sure. Because he was prolific. He just worked and worked and worked.
Directed by Ondi Timoner, the movie premiered earlier this year at the Tribeca Film Festival and the critics raved.
“A phenomenal performance from lead Matt Smith,” wrote Lena Smith for Slate. “Audiences will feel unable to tear themselves away.”
The Hollywood Reporter also gushed about the film’s lead: “A superb performance from Matt Smith.”
“The film is afraid of neither the life nor the work of the notorious photographer” wrote Dan Callahan of The Wrap.
The film also stars Marianne Rendón, Mark Moses, Carolyn McCormick, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Brandon Sklenar, McKinley Belcher III, and Kerry Butler.
A favorite on the film festival circuit, the movie garnered several awards including:
• Winner of the Audience Award (Feature Film) at the Auction Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival
• Winner of the Audience Award (Best LGBTQ Film) at the Key West Film Festival
• Winner of the Audience Award (Narrative Film) at the Long Beach Film Festival
• Winner of the Audience Award (Best Feature Film) at the Oslo/Fusion International Film Festival
MAPPLETHORPE lands in theaters March 1, 2019. Watch the trailer below.
After successfully making the rounds of the international film festival circuit, Mario, a gay-themed movie steeped in the world of professional European soccer will finally be available in the U.S. via Video On Demand October 30.
The film follows Swiss-German soccer hopeful Mario (Max Hubacher) who is assigned housing with a new-teammate, dark and swarthy Leon (Aaron Altaras), a striker from Hanover, Germany.
Chemistry (or biology) is what it is, and one night during a video game session, a bout of tickling leads to a kiss.
Passions now ignited, the real story of Mario begins as the two young athletes face many obstacles, both personal and professional, as their dreams of becoming soccer stars loom in the distance.
There are swirling rumors among team mates, tamping down concerns by veteran sports agents, a threat of blackmail, and personal demons to address that have been long-buried in the pursuit of athletic achievement.
Credit director Marcel Gisler for developing the palpable chemistry between Altaras and Hubacher throughout the film.
The film had its premiere at BFI Flare London LGBTQ Film Festival in early April this year, and premiered in North America at Miami’s Outshine Film Festival later in spring.
The Swiss film was so well-received it managed to take home trophies in the ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Supporting Actress’ categories at the most recent Swiss Film Awards.
The Guardian called the film “a heartfelt and human drama with the texture of truth and characters to care about.”
The Independent wrote, “Every gay man will instantly connect with either Mario or Leon and their relatable worries of life and love.”
And The Hollywood Reporter hailed “the small, very human moments” of the movie that ensures Mario “feels authentic and is, finally, moving.”
This heart-warming rollercoaster of a film, set on and off the field, offers a dynamic and realistic picture of how gay professional athletes are still struggling to live their authentic lives in the 21st century.
Emrhys Cooper directs and stars in the short film, Trophy Boy, set for release later this month.
The film also features Gerald McCullouch of the Bear City movie trilogy and the award-winning web series, Hustling.
In the film, Cooper plays ‘James,’ who after living as a social media ‘celebrity’ finds out the hard way what real life is like. The official synopsis:
TROPHY BOY is your classic “riches-to-rags” story. It depicts the downward spiral of James – a spoiled, influencer and narcissist, who, based on his social media accounts, appears to have it all.
But, just before his 30th birthday, his much older boyfriend, on whom he was financially dependent, breaks up with him. James now must face reality with no work experience and no idea where to start.
With his sex-addicted best buddy by his side, James takes a crash course in living and sets out to prove that he doesn’t need anyone to take care of him.
He ultimately ends up alienating himself further from reality and comes face-to-face with the bitter fact that if he doesn’t learn to live as an adult in the real world, he’ll never be more than a washed-up, unwanted accessory.
Critics have raved about the classic riches-to-rags story about a young social media “influencer” and self-proclaimed ‘trophy boy’ who gets dumped by his wealthy, older boyfriend/benefactor.
“With impeccable dialogue delivery, amazing body language and performance, he (Cooper) consumes the screen every time he faces the camera…The climax is a pure masterpiece in terms of both, acting and story. The dark, haunting depth attained in performance and narration makes ‘Trophy Boy’ worth a watch!”” – Indie Shorts Mag, September 14, 2018
Anthony Johnston, Emrhys Cooper, Gerald McCullouch
After making the rounds on the film festival circuit (Cannes Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, California Independent Film Festival), the 13-minute short is scheduled to have screenings and a premiere event in New York City this month.
The short will be available on Vimeo on October 22. Watch the teaser below.
Some news items you might have missed: • California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law AB 2439 which designates the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBTQ veterans memorial. California is the first state to have a designated memorial honoring LGBT veterans. • Streaming service Netflix is catching flak for under-representing lesbians, bisexuals and trans folks in it’s LGBT content.
Someone let netflix know that 678 gay men films and 2 lesbian films doesnt make a lgbtq section
• Homocon and self-described provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos recently took to Facebook to cry about his ‘ruined life.’ The far-right lunatic says his cancelled speaking events have cost him “tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. And when I get dumped from conferences, BARELY ANYONE makes a sound about it – not my fellow conservative media figures and not even, in many cases, you guys.” • Human Rights Campaign Foundation president Mary Beth Maxwell resigned her position after multiple instances of using the N-word in the workplace. • The Hollywood Reporter calls the upcoming film, 1985, “Sensitively observed, a model of eloguent restraint;” and Variety calls the film an “Excellent drama… nothing here rings false.” Starring Gotham‘s Cory Michael Smith as “Adrian,” eldest son to Texas residents Virginia Madsen and Michael Chiklis, the film follows Adrian as he returns home following the death of his partner to AIDS. Home for the holidays to say goodbye to his family, he reconnects with his old friend Carly (Jamie Chung) and his younger brother Andrew (Aidan Langford). Watch the trailer below. The film is set for limited release October 26.
Director Camille Vidal-Naquet’s feature film debut, Sauvage, which chronicles the journey of a 22-year-old gay street hustler, garnered praise and accolades when the film premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Strand Releasing has now acquired the North American rights to the provocative film which Vulture called “the most sexually frank film at Cannes.”
The film’s star, Felix Maritaud, was honored with the best actor prize during the Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week. You may recall Maritaud’s previous star turn in Robin Campillo’s (BPM) Beats Per Minute which won the Grand Jury prize at Cannes in 2017.
Vidal-Naquet describes the lead character as a “solitary young man who hits the road and wanders from one encounter to the next, longing for love, driven by an unquenchable capacity for love that keeps him going, regardless of the violent world around him.”
Although the movie received acclaim at the famed film festival, the debut did not go without some controversy.
One scene, in particular, was graphic to the point that some audience members got up and left the screening.
At one point, Léo goes home with a city-dwelling couple who treat him like an unthinking animal, making cruel cracks about his appearance and inspecting his teeth as though they were checking the quality of a product. It’s hard to watch this happen to someone as open-hearted as Léo, and that’s even before one of the men orders Léo to get on all fours, then begins to lube up a gigantic, intimidating butt plug which he will wield almost like a weapon.
But the director defended the graphic approach to the material, saying, “It wouldn’t be honest to make a movie about prostitution without talking about these kinds of things.”
In addition to the gritty, coarse world of male prostitution, Sauvage also finds vulnerability and balance by touching on Maritaud’s unrequited love for a fellow hustler.
The film is set for a late 2018 release and recently dropped the first trailer. Watch below.
‘Bad Boy On Probation’ is the third installment of the comedy web series that has almost a million views on YouTube.
“Mack (Tony Harth) gets his “Daddy Scott” (Artie O’Daly) to pretend to be his real dad when a probation officer (Alina Bock) comes for a check in. But Scott gets more than he bargained for.”
I’ve previously shared the earlier “Bad Boy” videos here.
