Welcome to Week 3 of my 4-week Pride 2021 Film Festival where I’m presenting LGBT short films. I’m posting a selection of films every Saturday this month. You can watch these on any device, but for full effect I suggest watching on a big screen desktop monitor or connecting to your TV.

This week I’m presenting films on two broad themes: Friendship and When Things Go Awry. I’m particularly happy with this week’s selection. These films stand out for their depth of dialogue and character development.

Friendship

These next few films explore deep friendships and more.

My Best Friend

Two best friends spend an evening together under the stars, smoking a joint and talking intimately when one breaks the news that he’s leaving the area for a year. Their pending separation brings out a new depth to their relationship.

Bro

Written, directed and produced by Peter Michael, this short film explores the relationship of best friends Aaron and Harris as they deal with a dynamic change in their friendship when romantic feelings surface. How will they continue being best bros?

In The Woods We Can Be Together

Note: This film has been taken down since this post. I’m hoping it will be made available again.

This rich film runs a bit long at 41 minutes but is worth every second. The cinematography is superb, shot entirely using an iPhone 8 Plus. This is the story of two strangers who meet along a park trail in Southern Ohio and slowly form a brief yet deep relationship. It’s receiving glowing accolades on YouTube. To quote just one: “One of the loveliest gay short American films I’ve ever seen with a particularly good choice of music that added to the atmosphere. This bucolic, transient romance of Alex and Taylor was a gentle, simple and convincing portrayal of two guys whose chance encounter in the woods somewhere in Ohio led to moments of happiness they’ll both remember for a long time and was perfectly captured. Well done to all concerned.”

When Things Go Awry

Life is life — and like for everyone, things sometimes go wrong in the lives and relationships of LGBT people. These next films look at our darker yet human side.

Papercut

This video has been viewed over a million times on YouTube. From Omad Productions, this film depicts “Two closeted actors on their way to their first high profile awards ceremony fight both expectation and each other, as intimacy and insecurity collide in the back seat of a car.”

Consequence

A sad story too often repeated in the straight and LGBT communities.

Lost in Expression

A fraternity brother faces a crisis when his boyfriend is unfaithful.

And It Was Good

OK, these are all good films — but I just can’t end the week on such an unhappy note as the last three stories! Here’s a quick award-winning and uplifting tale of two boys, one Christian and the other Jewish.

Easy

Title image is a screenshot from My Best Friend.