All Boys

All Boys

In the wake of cultural events like the Velvet Revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall came the rise of a newfound adult film industry in Eastern Europe. Since then, Czech actors in gay erotica and sites like Bel Ami have risen to iconic status. Markku Heikkinen's revelatory documentary All Boys shows us both sides of this nascent industry, which can be interpreted as either a sign of sexual liberation or as the exploitation of disenfranchised young men.

In a hyperconnected world where erotic media is never far out of reach, All Boys is required viewing. Heikkinen uses beautiful cinematography, historical research and devastatingly honest interviews to give us a rare look behind the scenes of the adult film production process. In particular, he follows the rise and fall of actor Aaron Hawke - whose short career serves as a cautionary tale on the fleeting nature of stardom. Behind every seductive image is a story, and All Boys is intent on showing us how the story ends.