The dark side of obsession rears its head in The Fixation (La Fijación), an excellent, twisted, erotic, queer thriller by director Matias De Leis Correia, which has its world premiere at Miami´s Outshine Film Festival this Saturday.

Handsome Argentine fashion photographer Alvaro (Diego Alfonso) has an established business with his studio partner Monica (Gabriele Pastor). Times are tough however – he’s in debt, with little work, and also caring for his dying father, who also needs money. Monica persuades him to accept a big budget commission for an erotic glamour shoot from Fernandez, a previously annoying client. He reluctantly accepts the assignment – he doesn’t want to shoot glamour or work for that client again. The shoot involves twelve different male models over twelve days. The first model to show up is Felipe (the beautiful Ezequiel Bianchini), an ex-boyfriend of Alvaro. Previously, things hadn’t ended up well between the two men, and their reconnection opens up old wounds. Famous model Felipe, however, still has strong feelings for Alvaro, and the two men begin a fraught, toxic dance around each other. Matters are not helped by the ever-presence of Danilo (Bautista Barreiro), Alfaro’s handsome, eager young studio assistant. Desire, jealousy and infatuation combine with a lack of will power to wreak havoc as the lines between passion and madness become increasingly blurred.

Correia understands male sexual impulsiveness and takes us on a dark journey without boundaries. The Fixation is a slow-burn, unpredictable movie, full of tension. The mood is erotic, but also dangerous. Crimes of passion arise out of the toxicity. Where is this going to lead?

Alfonso is excellent as the equally downbeat and misstepping Alvaro, unable to control his sexual urges as his sanity is challenged. Bianchini, (in real life also a successful model as well as an actor) is perfectly cast as the sexy, scheming, manic, swivel-eyed obsessive, Felipe. He has the most amazing body. Barreiro also shines as the hot young studio assistant. Correia understands the intensity of the relationship between photographer and model and successfully takes that to explore humanity’s imperfections. Entertaining, sexy, and not too detached from reality.