Give as a gift
The most difficult truths are often the ones we struggle to say aloud. These seven stories explore what we carry for ourselves and one another—love and loss, fear and desire, family obligations, hidden identities and the fragile hope of connection.
As Tom sits beside his dying father, he must confront the guilt, love and unspoken truths that have defined their relationship. Maya searches for the right words to come out to her mother. At an audition for a prestigious ballet company, a perfection-driven dancer meets a rival whose joy rekindles their sense of love and freedom. A tender encounter between two men from different generations fractures under the weight of a painful misunderstanding. In New York City, a queer married couple faces a devastating loss and the fragile work of remaining connected. An aspiring stand-up comedian places her ambitions on hold to care for her 99-year-old grandmother during the final years of her life. And in an America where the government has outlawed homosexuality, a grieving father, played by Jelani Alladin (Fellow Travelers), struggles to survive after the death of his husband.
Next year, America. Civil rights are under siege as the U.S. government bans all homosexual activity, weaponizing surveillance to enforce its vision of “traditional family values.” Against this oppressive backdrop, NEXT YEAR tells the story of Robert, a grieving father struggling to move forward after the tragic death of his husband. Starring Jelani Alladin (Fellow Travelers), the film is a powerful and haunting portrait of love, loss, and resilience in the face of authoritarian rule. A film by Peter DiMario and Guto Barra.
- Year2026
- Runtime21 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereWorld Premiere
- GenreDrama, Gay, Narrative, Political, Romance, Short Film
- DirectorGuto Barra, Peter DiMario
- ScreenwriterPeter DiMario, Guto Barra
- ProducerPeter DiMario, Guto Barra
- CastJelani Alladin, Zach Martens, Sherz Aletaha
The most difficult truths are often the ones we struggle to say aloud. These seven stories explore what we carry for ourselves and one another—love and loss, fear and desire, family obligations, hidden identities and the fragile hope of connection.
As Tom sits beside his dying father, he must confront the guilt, love and unspoken truths that have defined their relationship. Maya searches for the right words to come out to her mother. At an audition for a prestigious ballet company, a perfection-driven dancer meets a rival whose joy rekindles their sense of love and freedom. A tender encounter between two men from different generations fractures under the weight of a painful misunderstanding. In New York City, a queer married couple faces a devastating loss and the fragile work of remaining connected. An aspiring stand-up comedian places her ambitions on hold to care for her 99-year-old grandmother during the final years of her life. And in an America where the government has outlawed homosexuality, a grieving father, played by Jelani Alladin (Fellow Travelers), struggles to survive after the death of his husband.
Next year, America. Civil rights are under siege as the U.S. government bans all homosexual activity, weaponizing surveillance to enforce its vision of “traditional family values.” Against this oppressive backdrop, NEXT YEAR tells the story of Robert, a grieving father struggling to move forward after the tragic death of his husband. Starring Jelani Alladin (Fellow Travelers), the film is a powerful and haunting portrait of love, loss, and resilience in the face of authoritarian rule. A film by Peter DiMario and Guto Barra.
- Year2026
- Runtime21 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereWorld Premiere
- GenreDrama, Gay, Narrative, Political, Romance, Short Film
- DirectorGuto Barra, Peter DiMario
- ScreenwriterPeter DiMario, Guto Barra
- ProducerPeter DiMario, Guto Barra
- CastJelani Alladin, Zach Martens, Sherz Aletaha