Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2008

After the untimely death of his best friend Mark (Chuck Blaum), Jeff (Adam Neal Smith) is struggling to keep his life together. He silently suffers with his loss, keeping Mark’s memory alive by watering Mark’s plants, picking up his mail and responding to his emails, telling Mark’s online friends and acquaintances of his passing. In an unexpected turn of events, one of Mark’s online flirtations is coming from Italy to Dallas to meet Mark for the first time. In his online friend, the handsome Italian Andrea (Alessandro Calza) was hoping to meet the love of his life. Jeff extends an invitation to come nonetheless, eager to meet this man that Mark quietly pursued. Andrea comes and bonds with Jeff, trying to learn more about the man he could have loved and in return finding a friend. Director Yen Tan creates a lyrical and beautifully simple tale of love and loss, co-written by first time actor/writer Alessandro Calza. — James Montaño