top of page
Hotter_Up_Close_Film Director_Leland Montgomery_Still 12.jpg

HOTTER UP CLOSE

DIRECTED BY
DIRECTED BY
DIRECTED BY

Leland Montgomery

WRITTEN BY

Christopher Matias Aguila

YEAR 

2022

INSTAGRAM
PRINCIPAL CAST

Christopher Matias Aguila

Francisco San Martin

Liz Jenkins

Luke Millington-Drake

John David Williams

Mick Torres

Jay Renshaw

Mike Abbate

Devon Drew

Elijah Olachea

PRINCIPAL CREW

Produced by Carolyn Manetti

Co-produced by Nidhi Kulkarni

Co-produced by Seejon Thomas

Associate producer, Jilmil Das

Cinematography by Michael Basha

Editing by Ya-Ting “Itchy” Yang and Steven Markowitz

Music by Elana Belle Carroll

Costume design by Cassidy Bliss Cooper

Production design by Anthony Robles

SCREENING

Asian American International Film Festival

Boston Asian American Film Festival

Catalina Film Festival

Cinema Diverse

Dances with Films

FilmOut San Diego

Highland Park International Film Festival

Ojai Film Festival

Outshine Miami

QFilms Long Beach

Reelout Charlotte

Seattle Queer Film Festival

SeriesFest Season 8

LOGLINE

On the eve of his 30th birthday, a gay slacker must overcome his crippling insecurities in order to find love.

The gay community in Los Angeles is its own diverse, competitive, funny, incestuous world. Everyone in it seems to be racing against the clock to achieve physical perfection, a flawless mate, and a high-status career. But what happens when your fiercest rivalry is with yourself? On Chris Dela Cruz’s 30th birthday, he asks himself, What now? As he navigates adulthood in a community that seems to value the superficial, Chris realizes that what actually makes someone unique is what’s inside.

Hotter_Up_Close_Film Director_Leland Montgomery_Still 11.jpg
Hotter_Up_Close_Film Director_Leland Montgomery_Still 07.jpg
Hotter_Up_Close_Film Director_Leland Montgomery_Still 10.jpg
PRESS

“Captivating and hysterical” - FilmThreat

“Perfectly balances awkward comedic sensibilities and genuine emotion” - Cameo Launch

Hotter_Up_Close_Film Director_Leland Montgomery_Still 02.jpg
Hotter_Up_Close_Film Director_Leland Montgomery_Still 08.jpg
Hotter_Up_Close_Film Director_Leland Montgomery_Still 04.jpg
bottom of page