Zane Phillips and Jelani Alladin are the lead actors in 'Strangers on a Beach', a queer erotic thriller set in 1983 San Francisco, spotlighting a mysterious killer targeting homosexual men. Directed by Michael Schwartz, the film draws inspiration from the queer subtext of 1980s noir films by David Lynch and Brian DePalma, but it aims to directly center queer voices while maintaining suspense and sensuality. The film is set to debut at the Big Apple Film Festival in NYC in June. The narrative challenges the historical portrayal of queerness as dangerous by presenting an authentic representation. Zane Phillips was recently seen in Puerto Vallarta with his boyfriend Froy Gutierrez, celebrating a hotel grand opening.

Zane Phillips and Jelani Alladin are starring in 'Strangers on a Beach', a film set in 1983 San Francisco where a mysterious killer is targeting homosexual men. The central character, Calvin, is depicted in a story intertwined with suspense and romance.

Michael Schwartz, the writer and director, was inspired by the 1980s noir films of David Lynch and Brian DePalma, which often included a queer subtext, albeit with queerness coded as dangerous. This film seeks to challenge those biases.

The film aims to authentically center queer voices, maintaining its elements of being scary, sexy, and strange while addressing the historical consequences of queerness being associated with danger.

The debut of 'Strangers on a Beach' is scheduled for the Big Apple Film Festival in New York City this coming June, marking its first public appearance.

Apart from his professional engagements, Zane Phillips was recently spotted in Puerto Vallarta with his boyfriend, Froy Gutierrez, attending the grand opening of a new hotel, highlighting his off-screen life.

The film's narrative not only focuses on suspense and eroticism but also seeks to engage audiences in reflecting on societal biases and the concealment of identity during the 1980s.

This new collaboration between Phillips and Alladin brings together two actors known for their significant roles in 'Fire Island' and 'Fellow Travelers', respectively, adding star power to the film's intriguing premise.

Zane Phillips and Jelani Alladin are set to star in an upcoming short film together!

The 31-year-old Fire Island actor and the 32-year-old Fellow Travelers actor will lead Strangers on a Beach, a queer erotic thriller set in the 1980s, according to Variety.

Strangers on a Beach was written and directed by Michael Schwartz and is set to make it’s debut at the upcoming Big Apple Film Festival in NYC in June.

Keep reading to find out more…

Here’s a synopsis: “It’s 1983 in San Francisco and a mysterious killer is targeting homosexual men. But Calvin just wants to kiss that handsome stranger.”

“Studio films of that era often reveled in queer subtext,” the director shared in a statement of the film’s inspiration from David Lynch and Brian DePalma‘s 1980s noir films. “But even between the lines, queerness was frequently coded as danger. That kind of projection carried difficult consequences, as did the concealment of identity. By centering authentically queer voices – all while keeping things scary, sexy and strange – we set out to challenge the biases of both the characters and the audience who watch them.”

If you missed it, just last weekend Zane was seen enjoying a little getaway in Puerto Vallarta with boyfriend Froy Gutierrez for the grand opening of a new hotel!