The "Boy Culture" DVD kickoff party...

My apologies for being so tardy in posting about what a great event there was last week at East/West Lounge in West Hollywood celebrating the DVD release of the terrific film "Boy Culture." I chatted up two of the film's three stars as well as the film's gifted director and snapped a few pictures too! Pictured above is the film's smolderingly sexy star, Derek Magyar, who plays a high-paid escort who struggles with having a real relationship. He lives with two hot gay roomates (portrayed by Jonathon Trent and Darryl Stephens, respectively). This movie was a big hit at Outfest a few summer's ago, had a modestly successful theatrical run and is now ready for all of you to rent or buy. I do highly recommend it.
"The reaction overall has been incredibly positve since the movie game out," Magyar says. "I only hope that people see it and rent it because it really is a quality film that deserves to be seen. The reviews so far have been great and I'm incredibly proud of it, we're all really proud of it. You just gotta hope for the best."
The three young leads are all quite attractive but it is Magyar who emerged as the real hearthrob with his piercing eyes and handsome face. I wondered how he felt about being something of a hearthrob: "Oh, I'm not a hearthrob. Well, obviously anything like that is incredibly flattering. Anytime I hear something like that or read something like that it's incredibly flattering and humbling."
"It was an incredible role for me. I don't know how often a role like this comes along."
Trent, who plays Joey in the film, posed next to a poster with a glowing review of the film which producer Phil Lobell told me had just come out that day so he had someone blow it up at Kinkos in time for the party!
Trent then talked up the film with me during a cigarette break outside the lounge: "I know this is a movie that reaches more than the GLBT community and hopefully a wider audience will appreciate this film. There's plenty to appreciate. I hope that people will see this film and also watch the commentary that we put on it."
He said if there is ever a "Culture" sequel, he'd leap aboard.
"[Q. Allan Brocka] is an amazing director. He was really hands on saying, 'In tis scene, this is what you're thinking, this is what you're feeling. He knew what he wanted and he knew how to get us to give him what he wanted in a very safe, professional way."
Brocka [pictured with me and 'Big Brother' alum Marcellas Reynolds] also directed the raunchy gay comedy "Eating Out" and is the creator of the animated "Happiest Gay Couple in the World" series on Logo. At 34, he has emerged as quite a force in gay film and television.
I will share our entire conversation in a future post but of "Boy Culture" he said: "It has some interesting discussions about the gay community and relationships and love - the new kinds of families that we're forming in the community...and there are cute boys in it."
I'll say.