LGBT streaming platform Dekkoo.com has announced its newest release, Davo Hardy’s romantic coming-of-age drama A Silent Agreement, with this racy screen-grab of the two leads in one of the more intimate scenes of the movie.

Since its release in 2017, A Silent Agreement has fascinated and pulled at the heartstrings of Australian independent cinema lovers, the world over. A twelve-month festival tour has allowed the film to screen globally, most notably in Los Angeles, where the ensemble cast, including Paul Mercurio (of Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom and his own lifestyle program Mercurio’s Menu), received high praise for their brave depictions of flawed and complex characters.

The plot of A Silent Agreement is one of redemption and catharsis as we follow the neurotic and occasionally indignant Reuben Heywood (played by writer/director Davo Hardy) as he grapples with a pronounced stammer while navigating the pitfalls of amateur theatre and a budding career as a writer.
His love interest, Derek (played by a profoundly deaf actor. Joshua Sealy), juggles a staunchly self-righteous political activism in favour of the deaf community, while still encouraging his new boyfriend to learn sign language and communicate closer to his own vernacular.

Only when Reuben’s signing becomes so proficient that he can use it in everyday situations, does he recognize its potency to combat his stutter, thereby inspiring him to write an autobiographical screenplay about his experience.

Meanwhile, Reuben’s idol and film industry mentor, Gareth Donahue (portrayed by Paul Mercurio, in his most uncharacteristically fiendish role to date) sees an opportunity to revitalize his own waning career and jerks the rug out from under Reuben, by stealing the developing screenplay as his own; without any of the catharsis or personal experience afforded to Reuben.

A Silent Agreement is the first Australian cinematic production to feature Auslan (Australia’s national sign language) in both its dialogue and storytelling.

“I reckon the way we used Auslan in the story gave the film a thematic authenticity, and since achieving DVD release in Dec 2018, A Silent Agreement has enjoyed a healthy sales life all over the world,” says Hardy. “I am very proud of A Silent Agreement and all the talented cast and crew who brought it to life.”

In a response to Dekkoo’s choice of screen-shot, Joshua Sealy quipped; “When making the film, I said I would gladly put it all out there for the role… Now I have. My girlfriend was pretty speechless at the premiere, when she saw those scenes for the first time. But the reaction from people has been really positive. Even now, in a post Marriage Equality Australia, we are rarely privvy to post-coital pillow-talk between same-sex characters in media. It’s an honest, true-to-life and tender moment that too many stories skip over, in favour of more action and drama. That’s been the most shocking part of all for our audience; we allowed our characters to be raw, imperfect and in love.”

A Silent Agreement is available through Dekkoo VOD and DVD. You can keep up to date with the film here.