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Review

Boys Briefs 2 is hosted by Danny Roberts, a gay man who was a star of MTV's The Real World: New Orleans. While the host is a tad rough with his lines, he doesn't dominate this collection, these marvelous films do. This short collection is being marketed with the theme "Gay First Lust" - we would elaborate this to say that sex is a crucial element to each of these films, most of which are brilliant 4-star shorts.

Touch (Jeremy Podeswa, Canada, 30 minutes) Podeswa is the director of The Five Senses, a remarkable art film we raved about 2 years ago - we were very excited that this short was included. The film is a harsh, entirely narrated tale of a young man (Fletcher, the cute voyeur from Five Senses) who was an imprisoned sex slave of an older man. The 16-year old boy tells his poetry-laden story about how he likes to be beaten and fucked. After his rescue and recovery, he is unable to lead a "normal" life, always seeking the violent sex he lived with day and night. Touch is a highly stylized powerful antidote to the Hollywood pablum and standard news media coverage of child abuse.

Doors Cut Down (Antonio Hens, Spain, 2000, 17 minutes) The incredibly cute and cocky 16-year-old Guillermo cruises the bathroom of the local mall on a regular basis. Well versed in the art of the cruise, the boy has little trouble satisfying his desires with his daily partner of choice in any available stall. Guillermo has a few problems when he is stalked by an older man and then arrested in a stall with another guy. After the arrest, his parents send him to therapy - the doctor recommends that his folks get used to having a queer son! Hot sex, gorgeous men, and a even a great little romance - all in 17 minutes!

Chicken (Barry Dignam, Ireland, 2001, 3 minutes) A game of dare tests the limits for two boys and redefines the boundaries of their relationship.

Backroom (Guillem Morales, Spain, 2001, 13 minutes) In Spain, the tradition of the backroom bar continues in this stylish and sexually over-flowing short film. The setting is a maze where men wander in search of the perfect lover - if only for a few minutes. The dialogue is entirely internal as we trace each man's thoughts in this surprisingly challenging film.

Breakfast? (Alexander Pfeuffer, Germany, 2002, 14 minutes) Boris has his eye on the wild and irresistible Till, but Till is in constant sexual overdrive, always on the prowl. At the pool, he has sex with a man in the shower - at the club he has sex on the back steps. Will sweet Boris put up with this crap? or will Till grow out of? Stay tuned for more details.

Take Out (Jean-Francois Monette, Canada, 2000, 38 minutes) Rory delivers fried chicken while he works his way through high school. He's trying to deal with his coming out, while horsing around with his hunky straight friend at the restaurant. When Rory makes a delivery to a huge Victorian house he meets a handsome middle-aged man (MacIvor) who may be coming on to him.

Among the honors racked up by these shorts are the Best Gay Male Short for TAKE OUT at the Philadelphia International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, Best Short Film for CHICKEN at the Dublin Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and Audience Award for Best Male Short for DOORS CUT DOWN at OUTFEST. All of the films are presented in their original language with English subtitles.

Scott Cranin