Like a queer The 400 Blows with a dash of Tangerine, Soft bursts onto the screen with the infectious energy of its protagonists. A trio of young friends enjoy their summer break by sneaking cigarettes, picking a pocket or two, and trying their damndest to get into a local queer nightclub. For Julian (Matteus Lunot in a star-making turn), their ostensible ringleader, the petty crime is a rebellious act of self-reclamation. For his de facto guardian Dawn (Miyoko Anderson), Julian’s impish ways might prove dangerous. After Dawn doesn’t return home one night, Julian embarks on a perilous journey on the toughest of Toronto streets, confronting his own agency as a young queer person in a world that’s left him behind.

The debut feature by Joseph Amenta (Flood, Frameline44) is a miraculous balancing act, oscillating between the pulse-pounding vibrancy of its electronic music soundtrack and a palpable melancholy — feelings recognizable by queer people no matter their age.