Finding Love In The Time Of Social Distancing

This is part of a series reviewing local AV productions highlighting the best of Filipino creativity. For now, we take a look at the internationally awarded and shot-in-the-midst-of-quarantine boy love webseries

- Pao Vergara

I’ll be upfront, as a heterosexual male, I’m not the target market of boys' love (BL) series. But it’s the 21st century, and anyone can appreciate love manifesting across genders and sexualities. And anyone, throughout the ages, if they’re open-minded enough, can sit down for a good tale.

Upon its release, Gameboys not only garnered tons of views but critical acclaim as well, locally and abroad, being the official selection at film fests and for indie shorts awards in Buenos Aires and Amsterdam, and winning awards in the US and Korea.

A 2020 production of independent studio IdeaFirst, Gameboys is directed by Ivan Andrew Payawal (The Panti Sisters 1 & 2, Ang Pambansang Thirdwheel) and written by Ash Malanum (Kiko Boksingero, Unforgettable), the series stars Elijah Canlas as gamer-and-streamer Cairo Lazaro and Kokoy de Santos as Gavreel Alarcon, a “gamer” who only learned the controls as a secret admirer of Cairo aiming to meet him.

As it was originally aired on YouTube, the series has had some parts reshot for Netflix. As of this writing, there are hints of a second season in development.