Experiencing Interruptions?

RENT BOY

CHICAGO 1983 -- A gay porn director must provide "fresh meat" to a hungry stock broker, but when he preys upon a distant childhood friend, the last thing he expects is falling in love.

The film is an allegory for the journey of masculinity whilst being a critique of capitalism and patriarchy, and demands that we investigate one of the most universal themes: how much do we sacrifice for the sake of survival?

  • Shay Van Lue
    Director
  • Shay Van Lue
    Writer
  • Marliese Ruche
    Producer
  • Robert Morvay
    Key Cast
    "William"
  • Jonathan Connolly
    Key Cast
    "Simon"
  • Jeff Reno
    Key Cast
    "Richard"
  • Jacob Laporte
    Key Cast
    "Kevin"
  • Matt Carroll
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 36 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 3, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Shay Van Lue

Shay Van Lue (she/her) is an independent film director, writer, illustrator, and award-winning graphic designer based in Chicago. Van Lue is a queer filmmaker who is passionate about exploring intersectionality with a focus on the taboo, such as race, gender, sexuality, and power structures. Van Lue’s evocative and deeply nuanced stories challenge her audience to discover the universality of the human experience. Van Lue aims to develop new film language that garners empathy and understanding for intimate truths across unsung experiences.

Van Lue graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2021 with a double bachelors in Cinema Directing and Marketing. Since then, Van Lue has accomplished two independent short films and numerous marketing campaigns for local and corporate businesses. "RENT BOY" is Van Lue's college senior thesis film that got delayed numerous times due to the pandemic. It was completed in 2023 and launched alongside her production company, VAL Motion Pictures. Currently, she is directing her first feature, “White Ghost,” and is also developing the feature-length script for “RENT BOY.” Lastly, Van Lue is creating an essayistic podcast series titled “Cineotics.” This series will focus on breaking down various films through a combined critical lease of film theory and semiotics with the goal of helping audiences understand how films create meaning.

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