(2015, 96 min)
Country: U. S.
Director: Casper Andreas
Studio: Embrem Entertainment
Language: English
SYNOPSIS: During a heated confronting with his unfaithful boyfriend Stephen ("Queer as Folk" star Gale Harold), Dusty (Van Hansis) blacks-out. When he comes to, he finds that his boyfriend has been murdered... and he's the prime suspect.
This is a riveting, stylishly-made indie that proves you don't have to seek out huge studio movies to get exciting stories and top notch production values.
REVIEW:
From director Casper Andreas ("Going Down in LA-LA Land") and screenwriter David Michael Barrett ("Such Good People") comes "Kiss Me, Kill Me", a sexy gay thriller.
Dusty, played by four-time Emmy nominee Van Hansis ("As the World Turns"), blacks out while confronting his cheating boyfriend Stephen, ("Queer as Folk") gay icon Gale Harold. When Dusty comes to, Stephen has been murdered and he’s the prime suspect.
Andreas and Barrett, who produced the film, cast the movie with actors will known to the LGBT community. Brianna Brown (Devious Maids), Yolonda Ross (HBO’s Treme), Jai Rodriguez (Queer Eye), Matthew Ludwinski (Going Down in LA-LA Land), Kit Williamson (“Madmen”), Jonathan Lisecki (Gayby) and D.J. “Shangela” Pierce (RuPaul’s Drag Race).
Director Casper Andreas said, “The sad truth is that there is very little funding for independent gay cinema these days. As the DVD market is disappearing, it’s increasingly difficult to make money on these films in distribution and hence very hard to get investors interested in putting money into them.” The paradox is there is more demand for LGBT content than ever. That's why Andreas and Barrett turned to Kickstarter to raise initial funds for their film. Their thirty-day campaign, was not only successful (raising over $130 thousand), they tapped into an audience interested in seeing movies like this.
Screenwriter/producer David Michael Barrett is thrilled that gay and straight audiences are embracing the film. “First and foremost, our movie is a thriller,” says Barrett, “where our characters just happen to be gay.” Barrett sees this as the future of LGBT cinema, where stories “will be told about people who happen to be gay, rather than their sexuality being the defining detail of their lives and stories. Coming out stories will always be told.”
“But this is an exciting time as the LGBT canvas is now larger. And we as filmmakers are finally exploring genres never before tapped by LGBT characters,” says Barrett.
"Kiss Me, Kill Me", now completed, has turned into quite a film. It is currently touring festivals worldwide, and was just named QFest’s NJ LGBT Film & Digital Media Festival’s Best Feature Film. Other accolades for the film include Audience Choice Award, 2015, QCinema Fort Worth’s Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival, Best Ensemble, 2015, QCinema Fort Worth’s Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival.
-- Victor M. Feraru, The Huffington Post (http://www..huffingtonpost.com/)
