In her sophomore feature, Eliza Hittman captures the inner struggle of the coming out experience without cliché and also explores the dangerous line between machismo and homoeroticism. Set along the boardwalks in working class Brooklyn, teenage Frankie whiles away his summer hanging out with his ne’er-do-well friends and secretly haunting online sites to hook up with older men.
Feeling pressure from his family and friends, Frankie attempts a relationship with a neighborhood girl but is unable to deny his desire for men. Frankie finds himself at a crossroads, torn between his intense feelings and society’s expectations, while also dealing with the drama of a sick father, a world-weary mother, and a developing younger sister. Newcomer Harris Dickinson, who plays Frankie, provides one of the best performances out of Sundance and offers a vital portrait of growing up gay.
Press
”British newcomer Harris Dickinson makes a stunning impression in Eliza Hittman's beautifully rendered study of repressed sexuality in un-hip Brooklyn.” - Variety
”With just two films, Eliza Hittman has established herself as one of the premier chroniclers of wayward youth.” - The Wrap
”Beach Rats is a captivating character study and one that feels vital.” - Guardian
Director’s Biography
Eliza Hittman was born and raised in Brookyn, where she attended Edward R. Murrow High School. She graduated from Indiana University in 2001 with a BA in theater and drama, and in 2010 received her MFA from the School of Film/Video at California Institute of the Arts. She is the director of It Felt Like Love ('13) and Beach Rats.