SHORTS: GETTING TO KNOW HIM

A first date that goes better than expected. Cruising at abandoned parks, in secluded gloryholes, or at the beach. A dance lesson, an acting class. Seeing your partner with fresh eyes again. The stories in this shorts program are all about the excitement, in all its forms, of meeting someone for the first time—whether it’s for one night or for the rest of your life.


Magic 8
Dir. Robyn Faye, 5 min, UK
1974. A smoke-filled sports bar. Love is like a game of pool. Shot on Super 8, this short film explores what happens when a queer connection forms in a stereotypically “straight” space.

Method Cowboy
Dir. Carlos Valdivia, 13 min, USA
When a struggling actor feigns being gay to land the role of a lifetime in an Oscar-bait cowboy western, he decides to transform himself for the role.

Affirmation
Dir. Christopher Vallario, 11 min, USA
When a trans guy and a queer guy embark on a first date, their spontaneous moments of affirmation lead to gender euphoria and joy.

Glory/Us
Dir. Jet Harris, 11 min, USA
The Guy frequents The Hole’s apartment for anonymous sex. The Guy wouldn’t mind losing the curtain. The Hole would. Is he running away from a connection worth pursuing?

Callback
Dir. Matthew Puccini, 16 min, USA
Max’s acting career has hit rock bottom, but when his boyfriend nabs a callback for a coveted role, Max discovers how much lower he can go.

Fly
Dir. Carlton Daniel Jr. , 14 min, USA
When a ballet company holds auditions for a competitive apprenticeship, a perfection-driven dancer has their world upended by a rival who rekindles their love for the craft.

As If I’m Here, As If I’m Not
Dir. Nile Tan, 6 min, USA
Interviews blend with digital abstraction in a documentary that explores the complexities of visibility for queer communities, creating intimate spaces for sharing while preserving anonymity.

Chulo
Dir. Joshua Hernandez, 15 min, Puerto Rico
Gael visits their family in Puerto Rico at the height of summer and soon meets Mateo, a handsome local who changes their life forever.

This screening will be followed by a Q&A.

Part of the 38th Annual New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival