August is a magnificent journey that touches on a familiar note for many: “what if he comes back?” Emotions run high when Jonathan receives a message that his ex, Troy, is back in town after living in Barcelona for years. A blast from the past becomes a passionate current affair. But things aren’t so simple, especially since Jonathan is happily partnered with his new love, Raul.

By telling the story from multiple viewpoints, director Eldar Rapaport poignantly expresses the complexities of love. Raul, who is married to Jonathan’s female friend so that he can stay in the U.S., is apprehensive when the ex he’s heard so much about returns. And Troy is clearly after his old flame, while Jonathan is torn between his two great loves and his own personal struggles. What develops is a tangled web of tough choices that each character has to make for love.

While at first the situation seems to present a clear set of moral lines, the character and plot developments eloquently express that matters of the heart are never black and white. All three men are aware of what is developing and are forced to confront their own emotions. Troy must face his tendency to run away, Jonathan struggles with his emotional maturity, and Raul tests the limits of what he’s willing to tolerate for love. Based on the short film Postmortem, August is gorgeously shot, thoughtfully acted, and scored with haunting Middle Eastern melodies, culminating in a confident piece with a tender tone.