Take a trip Down Under with these seven short stories, The Aussie Boys, featuring the lives and loves of a selection of guys from across Australia. From historical beginnings in the 1700’s all the way through to noughties truck stop dilemmas, present-day road trip romancing and faces from the past returning for a final goodbye. All these short films are set outside Australia’s main cities, where small town queer life can feel isolated and melancholy, a recurrent theme throughout these thought-provoking films.
Eric dir. Andrew Lee 15 mins
Tucked away in a cheap, forgotten and isolated motel, a young guy meets a returning soldier coping with PTSD from Afghanistan. Their brief encounter is a soft collision of two men, both lost and living quite basic lives, and trying to find themselves within each other. A beautiful film, shot in black and white, highlighting the difficulty many men have in conveying their true feelings and emotions for each other. Excellent casting of Daniel Webber as Eric and Kallan Richards as John. 9/10
Infidels dir. Luke Marsden 7 mins
An apartment at night. Three men cross paths, engaging in a dance of desire where words left unspoken bubbles to the surface. I love this film. The themes of passion, infidelity, forgiveness and humanity are expertly conveyed without any dialogue. Very clever. 9/10
Burning Soul dir. Cédric Desenfants 14 mins
Australia, June 1727, a ship from the Dutch East India Company lies wrecked off the hostile coast. Pieter and Hendrick are friends like brothers. They’ve grown up together, sailed together, and survived the wreck together. However, when Hendrick discovers the true nature of Pieter’s heart, the two men enter a storm where friendship and faith collapse. Great casting and cinematography. 7/10
Miles dir Christopher Sampson 15 mins
Lifelong friends, Edward, Michael and Ashley are involved in a love triangle, but not all of them are aware of it. Embarking on a road trip, they begin the process of untangling their feelings for one another. This is a complex yet gentle story, enhanced by fine coastal cinematography and a beautiful soundtrack. 7/10
What Grown-Ups Know dir.Jonathan Wald 30 mins
Teenage boy Roy and his ailing, grifter mother Elizabeth live an aimless life on the road, on the run from Roy’s father. They shuttle between gas stations, temp jobs and run-down motels. When they end up at a desolate caravan park, fractures begin to appear in Roy’s relationship with his mother as he starts to fall for park manager Maurice. A rather poignant film covering themes of first love, the lack of choice of partners in the countryside, working and parenting whilst poor and suffering major illness and the breakdown of family life. Daniel Roberts gives an excellent performance as park manager Maurice. 8/10
All Good Things. dir Simon Croker 13 mins
Levi and his partner Isaac embark on a road trip together before Levi moves to Melbourne and their planned break up. Along the way Isaac realizes he isn’t ready for his first romance to end. Very believable film about young love.7/10
The Dam. dir. Brendon McDonall 16 minutes
A lifelong friendship is under siege when two mature Australian men visit the monolithic dam that defines their young lives, and are confronted by feelings that were impounded a long time ago, but cannot be contained anymore. Interesting story about wasted time in life. 8/10
WATCH AT: Vimeo (Worldwide) / PeccadilloPOD (Worldwide) Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.de
Review: Ris Fatah Queerguru’s Contributing Editor Ris Fatah is a successful fashion/luxury business consultant (when he can be bothered) who divides and wastes his time between London and Ibiza. He is a lover of all things queer, feminist, and human rights in general. @ris.fatah
Labels: 2022, review, Ris Fatah, shorts compilation, The Aussie Boys
