WATCH: A teen crushes on his bestie & bandmate in this touching tale of first love

For teen classmates Manuel and Felipe, only a few things matter: Music, friends, girls, and (in a distant fourth) school.

Together with a few other pals, they’ve formed an amateur rock band, spending most of their free time in Manuel’s garage jamming. But even when they’re not rocking out, Manuel and Felipe seem to spend every second in their small, coastal town together—writing songs, exploring, and laughing.

Their tight bond slowly begins to shift, however, when both boys get girlfriends.

Felipe’s done up an abandoned van in the woods—decking it out in pillows and blankets—making it the ideal spot for hook-ups. When he offers the hot spot up to his friend, Manuel’s first intimate encounter with a girl leaves him feeling insecure and confused… all he can think about is Felipe.

The feature film debut from Argentinian writer-director Mariano Biasin, Sublime is a sweet and tender tale of first love, the kind that can give you butterflies but also leave you stomach in knots.

Young stars Martín Miller and Teo Inama Chiabrando shine as Manuel and Felipe, respectively, as they navigate the nuances of a complicated friendship that’s suddenly playing a different tune.

As Manuel parses his feelings, he finds himself lashing out in different ways, but Sublime refreshingly avoids the cliches of the coming-of-age and coming-out subgenre. It stands out all the more for its authentic portrayal of youth, and how all the world seems to fall away when a new crush comes into focus.

On top of that, the indie charmer boasts a rocking soundtrack thanks to the boys’ band that’ll have you toe-taping and air-guirtar-ing along with it.

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The film made its premiere over a year ago at the Berlinale International Film Festival, and has been winning over audiences at festivals across the globe ever since (including the Seattle International Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize in the Ibero-American Competition).

Now, Sublime finally is set to make its digital/VOD and DVD debut in North America on June 20, courtesy of Cinephobia Releasing.

Check out the official trailer below:

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