"Mars will be waiting."  Very nice.  A place for the alien to escape to.

Poor Leon, surrounded by ignorance.

Omg! You're kidding me.  I want more!  I want to see what happens next!. Awesome production.  Superb acting.  Make this into a longer full length feature for sure.

The twist is the bully is most likely gay himself. Its called internalized homophobia where someone bullies someone who is gay  because of they own struggle with their sexuality. The fact that Leon is such a threat to him that he needs to out him at every turn screams internal struggle. Most striaght people truly dont spend time worrying what someone else is doing

A cut above most gay films.

So often it's the people who protest the loudest, make trouble and assumptions about other people that are the ones hiding their own secret desires (unreconciled). I am glad the screenwriters cut this off right before the moment of confrontation - it allows the viewers to fill in the details of how these characters resolve that conflict.

Anytime I witness a young person being so violently threatened, it brings me back to the fear that kept me closeted till I was 25. This was an excellent film, so well written and well acted and beautifully filmed. I just want to know that Leon is going to be OK. I was terrified of what would happen when his coworker got the "evidence" and walked up the stairs into the house. It terrified me for the film to end right there, but it was so well done! I have to assume that he will be OK somehow. Maybe he will leave that hateful environment. But it's so goddamn hard to be surrounded by violence. And for what? What did he do but talk to the author about his book? This is what was so cruel and pointless as I was growing up. Yes there was a sexual opportunity or tension or whatever you want to call it, but they just spoke to each other. The small threatened people who are full of hatred are so afraid of themselves that they don't want anyone to have any freedom that challenges their own limited world. You have to promise not to do anything or else they want to beat the crap out of you. It makes no sense but the fact is that it exists everywhere - an irrational, twisted reality. It kept me frightened for all my young life, way past high school.  I wish I could have come out in college. But I still was under the threat of that beating and that violence. That's why we have to speak up against it in all its forms.
Thank you for this film. I pray to God that it helps end this reign of terror. We've come so far, but the world shows us that it can be taken away again too. I would love to see a sequel, even if it's many years later. I would love to know that Leon finds his way as I know people don't always make it out of the cage. What a powerful film. Here's to a more humane world. Here's to the ways we have made it so much better. Prayers for everyone who is navigating away towards safety and a life of peace away from the killers.
Thank you for this film. 🎥

Great short! It makes you want to see a continuation. This kid is the same one from Netflix series Quern Charlotte. His name is Corey Mylchreest, great acting in there.

I love, I have loved, and I will love again. Many gay men, just like me, often live with the feeling of having been born on a hostile planet. Individuals can be kind, but as soon as people are in a group, they easily become hostile toward anything unlike themselves.

I loved the author's reaction to the quote.  Over the years, people have quote stories of mine at a reading and I don't remember the quote.  🙂

That coworker at the end wouldn't have figured out the message in the book anyway...I believe.  The symbol for Mars tells it all for the educated.

Superb,mature piece of film-making.

I'm late in discovering this, but good job all, even to the actors playing the secondary roles.  If the ignorance and menace weren't there in various stages, it wouldn't strike as hard.  Kudos especially to Hannah Beach, director, for packing quality work into each frame.  Like a few other commenters here, I would hope that somehow, Leon and Malcom are able to connect.  (I wrote a synopsis if interested).

Congratulations to the inventor of this film, actors and to the dedication!

So tastefully done, when I see videos like this, I just think I hope they live out their life in peace and harmony

Such a perfect, moving short film : the aim is crystal clear, the interpretation so just. A GEM !!!!

Corey Mylchreest is so handsome it's a crime lols.

Please make this a full feature ! ❤❤❤

This is excellent and promises more to come. This short could be the opening to a story with depth. First rate.

Pay no attention to the commenters heartless. This short film is very moving and emotional. I'll admit at the beginning I watched because Leon was so beautiful 🩷But it evolved way beyond superficial 💙 Thank you for sharing this work of art💜