The Exploding Boy

Alex Silvers is a lonely queer teenager in Portland with one consuming dream: to become the next Jim Henson. He builds puppets and stages shows in the safety of his room, because everywhere else feels hostile. His father is overbearing, school is an oppressive grind, and even the neighbors seem to be plotting against him. Then a charismatic transfer student arrives, and for the first time Alex has someone to share his felt-and-foam ambitions with, along with feelings he has never had a name for. Co-directed by Monty Wolfe, who also wrote the script, and Ian Southworth, this warm, offbeat coming-of-age romantic comedy stars Parris Bates as Alex, with Adrienne Sparks and Daniel Q. Taylor. The film won Best Dramatic Feature at the Oregon Independent Film Festival, where Bates was also named Best Actor.