A poetic queer short film by Roberto F. Canuto about a young postman and a gangster finding love and hope amid danger. Shot on Super 16mm at NYFA.

This film is also available as part of the "The NYFA Years – American Student Works (2010–2011)" and "The Complete Works: Roberto F. Canuto & Xu Xiaoxi".

“Toto Forever” is a queer romantic short film directed by Roberto F. Canuto and co-written with Xu Xiaoxi. Created as a student project during his Master’s in Filmmaking at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, it was shot on Super 16mm and tells the story of Toto, a young postman who finds love and hope with a wounded gangster amid danger and loss. Blending romantic drama, fantasy, and symbolic cinema, the film has been celebrated at LGBTQ+ film festivals worldwide.

Strongly influenced by the Japanese Yaoi (Boys’ Love) anime aesthetic, the film transforms a tragic love story into a visual fable about purity, desire, and transcendence. It evokes the timeless moment when the human spirit recovers after loss and rediscovers faith in life and love.

🎥 Genre: Romantic Drama / LGBTIQ+ / Symbolic Fable
🕒 Runtime: 14 min
🌍 Language: English (with optional subtitles)
📽️ Format: Super 16 mm Film
🎵 Music: Andrea Centazzo
👥 Cast: Kylan James, Kjord Davis, Diana Grivas, Alexander Aguila, Alexandra Smothers

🔗 Contact: [email protected]

Tagline:
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.” — Emily Dickinson

Official Links:
🔗 Official Website: https://almostred.com/toto-forever/
🎞️ IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1391130
🎬 TMDb: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/283633-toto-forever
📚 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toto_Forever
⭐ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/film/toto-forever/
🎥 FilmAffinity: https://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film996476.html
▶️ Trailer: https://youtu.be/JupGLTB9m2s

---
🗂️ Tags: Toto Forever, LGBTQ+ Film, Queer Short Film, Gay Love Story, Romantic Drama, Independent Cinema, Symbolic Cinema, Art House, Boys’ Love, Yaoi Aesthetic, Super 16mm, NYFA, Queer Romance, Short Film, Poetic Film, Gay Cinema, LGBTQ+ Love, Independent Short, Fantasy Drama, Roberto F. Canuto, Xu Xiaoxi