There were two homosexuals in my high school class. There was a boy who was white, thin, tall, good at studying, with bangs that slightly covered his eyes. He had a calm and quiet personality and was favored by teachers and female classmates. At that time, we were still using forums, and everyone liked to post something on the campus forums. Most of the posts on the forums were just spam with little content. However, one day, a post appeared on the forum. I still remember the name of that post, which was called "Do you know Lin Xuyang?" Lin Xuyang is his name. The post begins with a few pictures of Lin Xuyang and another man. In the photos, they were shopping together, some were looking at each other, some were standing side by side. Lin Xuyang was smiling happily, I had never seen this expression on him at school. However, I don’t know why, but this picture of two good brothers makes me feel weird, as if... they are too intimate. Behind the picture were a few words from the poster. I don’t remember the details, but the general idea was that Lin Xuyang and that man had an improper relationship. That was my first exposure to the word “homosexual”. When I saw this word, I was shocked and felt a little uncomfortable. The post quickly went viral. The next day, on my way to school, I saw people secretly looking at him in the classroom, and occasionally people whispering to each other. At that time, most people…
Luca Guadagnino, a renowned director behind Call Me by Your Name and Challengers, now brings us into a new romantic world in Queer, adapted from the deeply personal work of William S. Burroughs. The result? A unique, striking film that stands out in its own right. Set in 1950s Mexico, the film follows William Lee (played by Daniel Craig), a wandering writer trapped in a life of alcohol and drug abuse. His existence is marked by indulgence, with little to anchor him. When not numbing his mind to cope with life's chaos, William spends his time with his mischievous gay friend Joe (Jason Schwartzman) or in the bars where fleeting encounters with young men occur—often with a price. William, a wandering dandy, drifts through life aimlessly, moving from one binge to the next, and from bar to bar. It is during one of these hazy nights that he encounters Eugene (Drew Starkey), a strikingly handsome young man who, with his Navy background, seems almost otherworldly. Eugene’s beauty, marked by a flawless face and perfect body, draws William in, sparking an immediate obsession. As they start spending time together, William's desire grows, and he wonders if he can seduce Eugene into his bed. But Eugene remains a mystery—ambiguous, detached, sending mixed signals while spending much of his time with Mary (Andra Ursuta), a woman he enjoys playing chess with. Eventually, one night, Eugene finds himself at William’s place, and they sleep together. In that moment, William feels a rare sense of aliveness, something he hasn’t experienced in ages. However, as the…
In early summer of 2009, I graduated from college. Fortunately, in this era, when many people are still worried about finding a job, I was lucky enough to pass the civil service exam. During the summer vacation, the last two months of vacation, I used it to play a huge joke on life because I entered the circle. By accident, after graduation, my class monitor and I went to see our counselor, mainly to collect our diplomas. Along the way, the squad leader talked to me about gay things. When I got home, I went online to the forum and added QQ. From then on, I started to hang out in this circle. After surfing the Internet for two months, I came to this city on the last day of August. And met him now. This way of getting to know each other is probably commonly used by many gays. I first saw him on QQ. I don’t know when he added me, but when I was bored and looking through my QQ friends from beginning to end, his photo attracted me. I went into his space and saw a lot of his photos. Indeed, I believe that anyone who likes men will definitely like him. He is mature, handsome and charming. It’s a pity that my thoughts were too simple at the time, otherwise so many things would not have happened later. I will talk about these things later. yes? Am I no exception? As soon as I saw him, I was attracted to him. The feeling of a…
In Land of Storms (2014), a young footballer leaves everything behind, only to find himself caught between passion, identity, and society’s harsh judgment. A raw and gripping tale of self-discovery, forbidden love, and the struggle to be free—this Hungarian drama pulls no punches. Are you ready for the storm? Director: Ádám Császi Writer: Ádám Császi, Iván Szabó Country: Hungary Genre: Drama Language: English, German, Hungarian Duration: 106 min Stars: Ádám Varga, András Sütö, Enikö Börcsök, Sebastian Urzendowsky "Land of Storms" is a Hungarian drama that delves into the intricate themes of love, self-discovery, and societal constraints. Under the direction of Ádám Császi, the film follows the journey of a young footballer as he grapples with issues surrounding acceptance, passion, and personal freedom. A Tale of Love, Struggle, and Transformation Szabolcs, an aspiring footballer based in Germany, reaches his breaking point after a heated argument with his close friend, Bernard. In search of solace, he returns to his grandfather's home in the Hungarian countryside. There, he encounters Áron, a quiet young man, and an undeniable connection is formed between them. However, when Bernard shows up unexpectedly, Szabolcs is faced with confronting his feelings, societal expectations, and the consequences that stem from his choices. Emotional Resonance and Cinematic Mastery What sets this film apart is its subtle yet impactful narrative. Instead of relying on long monologues, the film expresses deep emotions through moments of silence, meaningful gestures, and stunning cinematography. "This isn’t just a story of love; it’s about discovering yourself in a world that refuses to understand you." The Hungarian countryside becomes more than just a setting—it serves as a symbol of both…
There are many ways to come out, such as with classmates, friends, colleagues, and family. The difficulty and complexity of each are different due to the different relationships between them. Coming out to family is the most difficult and complicated. So I will focus on talking about some of the big and small things that happened when my boyfriend and I came out to our family. We are all family now. Let me first briefly introduce the two protagonists: I, 28, am from a small town in Sichuan, and I live and work in Guangzhou; he, 35, is from a rural area in Jiangxi (a real rural area, the nearest grocery store is several miles away), and he lives and works in Guangzhou. I met him in 2008. He was kind, considerate, tall and handsome... (cough, let's get down to business) In short, within two months, he forced me to live with him on the grounds that my residence was dirty and messy. One day not long after that, his mother came to Guangzhou to see him. Since we rented a one-bedroom apartment with only one bed, he scratched his head all day and couldn't figure out how to tell his mother. I was at work at the time, and he didn't call me in advance. It wasn't until I got home from get off work in the evening that he finally said to his mother: "I'm going to pick up a very important person (at that time he would pick me up at the bus stop every day, but…
Today I want to talk about my first love. It may not be considered a true love, but it was the first time I had emotional investment with a boy. For me, it has irreplaceable meaning in my life. It was the time before the exams in the second semester of my freshman year. The early summer sun was getting hotter and hotter. A senior in my senior year invited me to his rental house. I didn’t know anything and I was new to the circle, so I went there without thinking. Of course, the senior wanted to have sex. At that time, I thought that men only had sex. I never thought that two men could fall in love with each other, let alone get married and live together. At that time, I thought that two men having sex was driven by desire, which was sinful and dark, but it attracted me. I went to the senior classmate's place. He was not my type, a little bit effeminate. I thought he should be a 0, but he wanted to find me, a 0. I couldn't understand it. We chatted and watched TV. I had no intention of having sex with him, nor did I want to leave. At that time, I just wanted to stay with him and didn't want to go back to the dormitory. The senior classmate didn't want to chase me away, and he couldn't satisfy his desire, so he called his "brother" to come over. His brother is a 1, a pure 1, which means…
In early summer of 2009, I graduated from college. Fortunately, in this era, when many people were still worried about finding a job, I was lucky enough to pass the civil service exam. During the summer vacation, the last two months of vacation, I used it to play a huge joke on life because I entered the circle. By accident, after graduation, my class monitor and I went to see our counselor, mainly to collect our diplomas. Along the way, the squad leader talked to me about gay things. When I got home, I went online to the forum and added QQ. From then on, I started to hang out in this circle. After surfing the Internet for two months, I came to this city on the last day of August. And met him now. This way of getting to know each other is probably commonly used by many gays. I first saw him on QQ. I don’t know when he added me, but when I was bored and looking through my QQ friends from beginning to end, his photo attracted me. I went into his space and saw a lot of his photos. Indeed, I believe that anyone who likes men will definitely like him. He is mature, handsome and charming. It’s a pity that my thoughts were too simple at the time, otherwise so many things would not have happened later. I will talk about these things later. yes? Am I no exception? As soon as I saw him, I was attracted to him. The feeling of a…
It's been a year since I graduated, and I just want to use this text to commemorate our feelings, sometimes I miss him very much, but I'm afraid to disturb him, and I don't know what to do...... When he was in college, he and I weren't in the same class, but he used to come to our dorm to play because one of us was a fellow of his country. When I first entered the university, I was very reserved, and I was generally more Sven, and I let go after I got acquainted. I'm an introverted guy with a bit of shyness, and sometimes a bit headstrong. He is an athletic boy with a hearty personality and a dimple when he laughs, which is very sexy. He played basketball very well, joined the varsity team, played defense, and later won the championship of the varsity competition. I'm a basketball idiot, and I usually only like to play table tennis and badminton, which are not too strenuous sports. Later, I also learned some shooting moves in physical education class, and when I happened to hit a few heads during practice, they praised me for my basketball talent. I just laughed, and with my size, I still knew what I could do. But he was still very happy in his heart, so he said provocatively: Let's compete, whoever loses will have dinner. I'm one-on-one with him, and if I hit one before he shoots 10 balls, I win. I know he's provoking me, but I think he's too arrogant, although…
The knocks on the door kept ringing. Jian Xiaoning seemed to sense impatience, so he shouted, "I'm coming..." while trying to open the door as quickly as possible. But he couldn't be quick, because he had just learned to use crutches, and he always felt uncomfortable using them, and his walking was very awkward. Finally, he reached the door and looked out through the peephole. There was a boy holding a snack box standing outside. He knew that this was the waiter from the "Aegean Sea Pastry Shop" who had brought him the egg tarts he ordered. Today was his birthday, and he didn't order a birthday cake, but only some egg tarts. So he opened the door. But after opening the door, he was stunned. The delivery boy was about his age, wearing a white T-shirt, jeans, blue and white sneakers, and had a handsome face. Jian Xiaoning actually knew this boy, but he didn't know his name. A month ago, when Jian Xiaoning went out with her boyfriend Zhu Yuliang, she met a few friends in the same circle. Some of them were friends with Zhu Yuliang, but Jian Xiaoning was not familiar with them. Only one person named Xiaohai was Zhu Yuliang's classmate, whom he had met once. Later, they went to a big food stall to eat barbecue, and the delivery boy was also there. They sat together while eating and chatted for a while. Jian Xiaoning knew that the 19-year-old boy was a freshman like her and was Xiaohai's buddy, but that was all. The…
For his first short film as director, Frédéric Lavigne hits hard and right in the heart with the hyper sensitive Coeurs perdus . Paris, 1992. Julien (Guillaume Soubeyran) is a science thesis student. A bisexual who doesn't really accept himself, he logs on to a gay phone line from time to time to have anonymous encounters. It is through this channel that he meets Christophe (Isaak Dessaux), a boy his age who is a bit of his complete opposite. Julien is taciturn, discreet, speaks little, internalizes or even represses his feelings, dresses in little vintage T-shirts. Christophe, who is a hairdresser, is an assertive gay man, who may seem extravagant at first glance, extroverted, with a queer look. Opposites attract and their first meeting immediately causes sparks: Julien is clumsy and not very comfortable but Christophe with his kindness and spontaneity will quickly take the lead. In the weeks and months that follow, they will live an up-and-down relationship: while Christophe becomes attached, Julien remains elusive, inaccessible, and undemonstrative. We understand that he feels things but blocks them, does not fully assume them. And then one day he learns news that will shake him up forever... There are films that have this rare little magic that makes you know from the first scenes that you are going to love what you are going to see. Hearts lost to this magic. Everything rings true in this highly melancholic short film that is extremely promising. Obviously, the director Frédéric Lavigne was not mistaken in choosing the ultra-cute Guillaume Soubeyran in the lead role, who explodes here on the…
Never Let Him Go is a gripping four-part docuseries that delves into the enigmatic death of Scott Johnson, a gay academic found dead at the bottom of a cliff near Sydney in December 1988. His brother, Steve Johnson, spent over 30 years relentlessly pursuing justice, determined to uncover the truth behind Scott's tragic death. Scott, a promising American prodigy studying in Australia, had a bright future ahead of him. Tragically, it was cut short when his body was discovered naked and mutilated at the bottom of a cliff, with police hastily concluding suicide as the cause. However, over the years, numerous leads suggested that Scott might have been another victim of hate crimes—a violent, bias-motivated death that had been dismissed for too long. Across four tightly edited and emotionally compelling episodes, Never Let Him Go chronicles the investigation, which evolves from a simple unresolved mystery into a landmark case. The docuseries highlights the challenges of seeking justice within the context of systemic bureaucracy, while shedding light on the plight of the LGBTQ community, which suffered widespread violence that often went unnoticed. The documentary follows Steve’s unyielding quest for answers, showing the toll it took on him and his family. The show features testimonies from Scott's partner, his friends, his siblings, and key figures in the investigation, including police officers and journalists who covered the case. However, the real heart of the story is Steve, whose pursuit of justice forms the backbone of the series. In 2007, Steve enlisted journalist-turned-private investigator Dan Glick, and together they spent the next 15 years…
My hair grows close to my scalp, and it is naturally wavy. It grows in a messy direction and is very difficult to manage, so I have never been able to find a suitable barber. Two years ago, I went to a barber shop by chance, and a strong and handsome guy helped me to manage my hair easily. From then on, I became dependent on him and developed a good friendship with him. I remember when I first walked into that barbershop, he stood up to greet me, very polite, and spoke like a mosquito. His white and tender face was revealed under his thick stubble, which formed a huge contrast with his thick arms and sexy chest muscles. But I liked him, so I let him cut my hair. I sat down and looked at him in the mirror, wondering, "Could he be gay, too? Could he be a strong man who looks masculine but is actually soft on the inside?" My feeling was soon confirmed. When he was cutting my hair, he deliberately put his strong legs close to me, and sometimes even pressed the bulge in the front of his jeans against my arm, which made me feel numb. He kept calling me "handsome guy"... Doesn't that mean he was very sure? He must be... the same kind of person. I was thinking about what to do with him, but he had already finished my haircut. When I looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes lit up. It was perfect! His craftsmanship was superb, which…
