There seems to be a certain myth surrounding Australian guys, right? Just hearing the term “Aussie guys” immediately conjures up an image: sun-kissed, muscular and strong, smelling of the beach (but not in a bad way), kind eyes…
Whoops, we got carried away.
What we wanted to say was: there’s a new gay anthology movie that taps into that myth, exploring the stories of these oft-deified beings from “Down Under.” the australian boys is a collection of seven shorts by seven up-and-coming directors, each of which is said to be about “the lives and loves of these men and Kids from the other side Australia.”
It’s not just a gay clothing brand, or something one might type into the search bar of an adult website, “Aussie Boys” is a state of mind, it’s a vibe, it’s a mindset. And the film aims to explore it from every angle: “From historical beginnings in the 1600s to the truck stop dilemmas of the 1990s, modern-day road trip romances, and faces from the past who return for a last goodbye”.
Related: 7 Hot Designer Swimwear Brands From Australia
But, as long as it may sound, we will notice that the australian boys seems to present a rather limited view of gay life: that is, that of able-bodied white cisgender men who are almost all (but not quite) between the ages of 18 and 35. It is perhaps not the most complete representation of gay life on this vast and diverse continent.
Still, we’re always happy to shed light on projects that center and celebrate gay histories, and the australian boys it certainly is that. Starting today, the film is available to rent and stream worldwide on Amazon Prime Video and Vimeo On Demand.
You can watch the trailer here and then see a brief synopsis of each australian boys short below:
burning soul
Australia, June 1727, a ship of the Dutch East India Company was wrecked on the hostile coast. Pieter and Hendrick are friends like brothers: they grew up together, they sailed together, they survived together. But when Hendrick discovers the true nature of Pieter’s heart, the two men are caught up in a storm where friendship and faith come crashing down. Director: Cedric Desenfants.
Miles
Lifelong friends Edward, Michael and Ashley are involved in a love triangle, but not everyone knows it. Embarking on a road trip, they begin the process of untangling their feelings for each other. Director: Christopher Samson.
infidels
An apartment for the night. The paths of three men cross, participating in a dance of desire in which words leave unspoken bubbles on the surface. Director: Luke Marsden.
Eric
Hiding in a forgotten and isolated motel, a “guy” meets a returning soldier dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. The brief encounter is a gentle collision of two lost characters trying to find each other. Director: Andrew Lee.
what adults know
Teenager Roy and his ailing mother Elizabeth live an aimless life on the road, shuttling between gas stations, temporary jobs and cheap motels. When they end up in a desolate trailer park, fractures begin to appear in Roy’s relationship with his mother as she begins to fall head over heels for the park manager, Maurice. Director: Jonathan Wald.
All the good things
Levi and his partner Isaac embark on a road trip together before parting ways. Along the way, Isaac realizes that he’s not ready for his first romance to end. Director: Simon Croker.
The prey
A lifelong friendship is under siege when two aging Australian men visit the monolithic dam that defined their young lives and confront feelings that were seized long ago but can no longer be contained. Director: Brendon McDonall.