Experiencing Interruptions?

Instaboys

Set against the colorful backdrop of Miami, “Instaboys” follows Diego, an eighteen-year-old struggling with his identity, and Roman, an older, charming “love-them-and-leave-them” type whose confidence hides a fear of real connection. When they meet by chance, the two are drawn into a friendship that deepens into something neither expected, forcing both to look beyond their screens—and their comfort zones.
As Diego faces his parents’ disapproval and his family’s uncertain immigration status, Roman begins to see that his pattern of never ending disposable relationships has left him lonelier than he realized. For the first time, he’s challenged to care about someone more than himself. Together they discover that real intimacy isn’t measured in clicks, followers, or views, but in moments of truth and courage shared offline.
Romantic, funny, and quietly political, “Instaboys” is a coming-of-age story about two young men learning what’s meaningful in a world that prizes appearances over honesty.

  • Matthew Chess
    Director
  • Matthew Chess
    Writer
  • Matthew Chess
    Producer
  • Jesus Dobbins
    Key Cast
    "Roman"
    Weekenders
  • Manuel Lineres
    Key Cast
    "Diego"
  • Rian Ismadia
    Key Cast
    "Luca"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Romance, Dramedy, LGBTQ, Coming-of-Age
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 35 minutes 8 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 2, 2026
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Matthew Chess

Matthew Chess is a Miami-based filmmaker, writer, and designer whose love of storytelling began after seeing the comedy classic "Airplane!" Motivated by its high flying antics, Chess wrote his first screenplay while still in High School, a science fiction parody. A lifelong fan of comedy, science fiction, and coming-of-age stories, he creates work that’s heartfelt, colorful, and character-driven.

His debut feature, "Instaboys" (stylized as #instaboys), grew from his discovery during the COVID lockdowns of the Asian BL genre and its focus on romance over physicality. A graduate of Ohio University’s film program and creator of the award-winning kids’ game show "Answer This Question!", Chess sees "Instaboys" as the beginning of an exciting new chapter in writing and producing for television.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Instaboys" started as one guy with a dream and a script, trying to make something with whatever resources he could pull together. I’m proud we finished it, because anyone who’s ever tried to make a film knows how close these things come to falling apart. What ended up on screen is the result of a group of people who believed in the story and stuck it out — proof that persistence, collaboration, and heart can go a long way.

My directing style is hands-on. I like to be right there with the actors — often sitting on the floor just outside the frame, script in hand, guiding each moment. Watching from the monitors in the back of the room disconnects me. Being where the action is allows me to guide the scene with more precision, and I trust my crew completely when they tell me, “We got the shot.”

At its heart, "Instaboys" is about love in the face of barriers — cultural, religious, and political. Diego’s struggle with unaccepting Catholic parents, and his family’s uncertain immigration status, mirror the quiet pressures so many people live with every day. Beneath the colorful, romantic surface, the film asks, “What happens when your identity collides with tradition and an increasingly hostile political climate?”

When people ask me what "Instaboys" is, I tell them, “Imagine if Hallmark made a gay movie.” It’s romantic, hopeful, and a reminder that love stories still have the power to change how we see each other.