Queerguru’s Jose Mayorgas reviews GERONTO an award-winnng short film about sharing

Jason Watkins and Noah Valentine turn into the genuine figures that allow us, viewers, into the intimacy of a couple after their desire of connection and belonging, two universally human characteristics that shape their bond.

An engaging tale that may be difficult to watch and even controversial for some, the story shows one of the many forms a relationship may take when there is a feeling of longing to be seen, heard, and held by another person.   

Shot in contemporary London, indoor sequences are the perfect frame for the nearness required between the two protagonists.

Quoting actor Noah Valentine:  “Human experience is meant to be shared and we all have our own preference regarding who we´d like to share it with”. This story about sharing becomes a conversation piece too.

Written with autobiographical content by Christopher Sherwood, the short film addresses the validity of age-gap relationships while narrating the self-discovery between two men from totally different generations.

Directed by Mark Pluck, the film won the Grand Prize Alternative Spirit (LGBTQ) Short Award at its world premiere at the Rhode Island Film Festival and will have its European premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2026 14-16 August.

JOSE MAYORGAS : CONTRIBUTING EDITOR.  Guatemala, Central America 

Lawyer and notary public, visual artist, and editor of El Azar Cultural,  lives and works in Guatemala City. Cinema lover, curious about the possibilities life brings and eager to live the experience.