Gay Short Films & Web Series

Last year we posted the first season of Misguided, which at the time was raising funds for Season 2. Now the first two episodes of the follow-up have been released, and you can take a look at them below.

The five-part series Season 2, created by and starring, Paul Gosselin,  pairs soap opera legends, Jean Carol (Nadine, Guiding Light) and Jacklyn Zeman (Bobbie, General Hospital) in its opening episode. Both Carol and Zeman were nominated alongside each other at the 1995 Daytime Emmy Awards and over two decades later the soap stars have reunited in this online comedy, soap opera spoof.

Misguided follows the adventures of Paul, a soap opera fan with aspirations of one day appearing on his favorite daytime drama, Guiding Light. Unfortunately with the cancellation of GL, his dream seemed to come to an end, until his character meets ‘Jeva Jones’ played by Jean Carol, who submits him for a role in a CBS Daytime reboot of Guiding Light. In the first episode of Misguided: Part II, Jacklyn Zeman arrives as Paul’s soap opera loving mother, ‘Mo,’ who interrupts Paul while he’s in bed with his arch nemesis, ‘Bauer McBride,’ portrayed by Christopher Robert Smith.

“Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine sitting on my couch, wearing short shorts, and acting alongside daytime royalty, Jacklyn Zeman,” said Gosselin, “it’s been an amazing experience.”

The final three episodes of show’s second outing will be released on YouTube over the next couple of weeks. [Read more…]

Orion Griffith has made quite a name for himself with his feats of strength and acrobatics, as well as impressing in a recent Broadway production of Pippin. In Lunch he once more gets to show off his skills, and very good they are too.

In the film, ‘A young man plans to relax in the park next to his office, but a zealous street performer has plans of his own.’ However, it turns out things aren’t quite as they appear.

It’s a cute little movie, which at only three-minutes long certainly doesn’t outstay its welcome. Take a look at the very sweet film below.

If you know a short film we ought to be posting, tell us by getting in touch via our contact page. And check out more LGBT short films and web series here. [Read more…]

Director Jake Graf has gained a great reputation for LGBT-themed shorts such as Chance, Brace and the excellent Dawn. Now he’s back with Headspace.

The film features the likes of Laith Ashley, Kieran Moloney, Munroe Bergdorf and Captain Hannah Winterbourne as trans individuals showing us their thoughts as they negotiate the everyday trials of their life. Some of those issues are what you might expect, while others may surprise you.

It’s a great little short, beautifully shot and despite its short running time, it certainly makes you think. You can take a look at Headspace below.

If you know a short film we ought to be posting, tell us by getting in touch via our contact page. And check out more LGBT short films and web series here. [Read more…]

Synopsis: ‘Unicornland is an 8-episode webseries about Annie, who explores her sexuality post-divorce by dating couples. Over drinks, at dinner, and in bed. Each episode features a date with a new couple, from Williamsburg hipsters, to Wall Street power duos, to Bushwick burners, as Annie becomes not just sexually active, but activated.

‘Unicornland was created/produced by Lucy Gillespie, directed by Nick Leavens, and shot by a 70% female cast and crew. Unicornland celebrates the ethnic and social diversity of New York City, with a cast that’s 60% non-white, including trans, genderqueer and disabled actors.

‘Unicornland contains themes of polyamory and open relationships, and was made with the full support of the New York sex positive community. In the final episode, Annie attends her first inclusive sex party at the Hacienda Villa, a renowned epicenter of New York scene.’

Take a look at Season 1 below, and find out more at the Unicornland website. [Read more…]

Back in 1967 queer poet and artist James Broughton created The Bed, which has since been billed as ‘the first non-pornographic US film with full nudity’. It’s since become a bit of an underground, midnight movie favourite, but outside certain circles it’s been difficult to see. However, for just a couple of weeks it’s been released online for free (until February 28th 2017).

In it, ‘An old metal bed rolls down a hill, and is sequentially populated with a potpourri of beauties of all ages, including a coterie of young dance students, famous artists and avant-garde celebrities.’ It’s a strange, mischievous and anarchic film, which takes a look at all sorts of things that could happen on a bed – gay, straight, bisexual, mundane, silly and occasionally sexy – and all with plenty of nudity. It’s also sometimes rather bizarre with some unexpected imagery – a lizard crawling out of a naked man’s mouth springs to mind.

It’s certainly not your typical short film, but while it’s available to view, it’s well worth taking a look. And if you head over to Big Joy, which is the site the film’s been briefly released for, there’s the chance to win Broughton’s memoir, Coming Unbuttoned, and the award-winning feature-length documentary, Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton.

To watch The Bed and enter the comp, head over to Big Joy (or if that doesn’t work, you can find it on Vimeo).

San Francisco’s Frameline is one of the biggest and longest LGBT film festivals in the world. However, as with all such fests, while it’s great for those who can attend, it’s often difficult to get the films and their messages to other people. As a result, Frameline has launched Voices, which will launch a new film every month for free via Youtube.

Alongside that will be educational resources, to help teachers to use the films as part of an LGBT inclusive curriculum.

The first film released in Genderfreak, in which, ‘High School violinist Rachel, the token straight friend in her group, starts the school year determined to ask her popular guy crush to the school dance. But Rachel’s plans, and her ideas about gender, go awry when she meets handsome genderqueer teenager Sammy, who plays guitar and challenges the notion that “He” and “She” are the only options. Rachel and Sammy become friends, form a band, and combat the gender binary in this comedic short with a rocking soundtrack.

‘A lighthearted but grounded look at the power of an accepting group of friends who shake up the status quo at one school, director Rebecca Louisell’s Genderfreak has wowed audiences across the world, and opened up conversations between students, parents, and film lovers alike. This film comes with a professionally curated discussion guide.’

Take a look at Genderfreak below below. If you know a short film we ought to be posting, tell us by getting in touch via our contact page. And check out more gay short films and web series here. [Read more…]