Sequin in a Blue Room review – illicit thrills in gay coming-of-age story

Sequin (the remarkably assured Conor Leach) is 16, but adds two years to his age to buy entry into an adult world of covert gay hookups. The no-strings connections he scrolls through on his phone during his English lessons exert a fascination which is thrillingly illicit; infinitely more exciting than the option of dates with lovesick boys his own age. Sequin’s only rule is that he never meets anyone twice. Then he encounters a handsome stranger in an anonymous sex party – located in the throbbing blue room of the title – and his quest to find the man reveals that, for all his poised appeal, Sequin is out of his depth.

This feature debut from the Sydney-based writer and director Samuel Van Grinsven may tackle familiar material – gay coming-of-age stories are hardly uncommon – but it does so with a lustre and style that marks Van Grinsven out as a name to watch. Perhaps even more notable is Leach, a silky, feline presence who owns every moment that he’s on screen.

• On multiple VOD and virtual cinema platforms