Sebastian Brewer

An experimental film that merges Super 8 and 16mm formats to examine the presence of queer intimacy. At its center are two shirtless men, locked in an embrace, dancing — a quiet yet radical act. Overlaid with hand-inked 16mm film, their bodies become both seen and obscured, highlighted and erased. Through this layered process, Marked reflects on how queer love is shaped, celebrated, and scarred by the society that surrounds it.

This film is based on one year in the filmmaker's fractured life. Rotoscoped figures are layered with stills and live video footage to create an open narrative based on events in his life that took place in 1975. He was 13 and this was a pivotal year for him in many ways. He discovered the magic of animation and was hooked. He made his first animated film with his best friend, they locked themselves away for the whole summer to complete it. 1975 was also the year that he had his first sexual experience, with said best friend. It was a time of great excitement, confusion, fear and withdrawal.

Toybox combines creepiness and playfulness in a series of animations that manipulate the most misused toy of all - the penis. Stripped of eros and emotion, The scenarios of sex-gone-mad play with the absurd qualities of an appendage and a desire that has a mind of its own, and a drive so strong that it leads to self-destruction.