In the last few years, lesbian and gay cinema admittedly has expanded to include a whole world of genres—we've certainly seen a wider array of themes than boy-meets-boy, girl-meets-girl. Even so, one of the most pleasurable things about this year's Lesbian and Gay Film Festival—and gay cinema in general—is its easy, old-fashioned emphasis on relationship movies. In general release just this fall, we've seen a fine one (Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss) and a, well, not so fine one (Broadway Damage).
The festival's subtitle could be "Unlikely Couples and How They Met," from the opening-night film, Like It Is, and its provincial-boxer-meets-London-hipster love story, right on through to the Taiwanese closing-night film, Murmur of Youth, whose young girl protagonists play out a wrong-side-of-the-tracks love story. The Lesbian and Gay Film Festival gives romance back to us many fold, whether it's the surprisingly authentic-feeling love between Ellen DeGeneres and Anne Heche in the documentary The Real Ellen Story, or the maudlin courtship between two LA cynics in the sarcastically pastel, candy-coated—and downright wonderful—short Sleeping Beauties. Two people from two different worlds meet, feel inexplicably drawn to each other, fall in love, and overcome difficulties—this is the very stuff of romance.
Festival hits. . . and misses
All unsigned capsules were provided by the Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30
Like It Is
Harvard Exit, 8pm
The opening-night film tells the love story of Craig, a young bare-knuckle boxer from Blackpool (would that make him a Blackpudlian?) who's terrified of his own homosexuality, but falls for record-producer/club manager/swinging Londoner Matt. The unlikely romance between the unsure, violent, provincial Craig and the easygoing Matt is brought off with aplomb by the two appealing leads. Equally fresh-feeling is the film's Soho milieu—there are so many breezy sidewalk cafe scenes and trips out to the clubs that I started to enjoy the film as a kind of queer London travelog. Not surprisingly, the relationship meets many an obstacle . . . more surprisingly, one of the obstacles is Roger Daltry as a coke-sniffin', mean-spirited baddie with expensive hair and an eye-tuck.—Claire Dederer
Opening Night Party
ARO.space, 10pm
Hard
Harvard Exit Theater, 10:30pm
Closeted cop Raymond Vates is a rookie in homicide, trying to be "one of the guys" in an overwhelmingly straight, white environment. He and his gruff partner, Lucky, have been assigned to a couple of bizarre murders, which soon prove to be the work of a serial killer. Unbeknownst to them, young male hustlers are being picked up by Jack, a disturbed drifter, who brutally tortures and kills them.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
"Boys' Shorts"
Harvard Exit, 11:45am
In Your Kiss, a daisy chain of smooches ripples across San Francisco. Close to Home documents the journey of the filmmaker as he comes out to his family. A teenage brother and sister compete for the attention of the hunky new Boy Next Door. In Just Out of Reach, a man tries to sneak out on the older man he's just slept with. It Dwells in Mirrors captures the mystery, humiliation, and humor of anonymous sexual encounters. Charlie, the hero of My Body, wakes up next to his own dead body. Rubber Gloves is a twisted take on living with AIDS.
The Brandon Teena Story
Harvard Exit, 2pm
This acclaimed documentary explores the disturbing story of a young woman who passes as a man in a small town in Nebraska. When people in the town find out that Brandon is biologically a woman, two men beat, rape, and murder him.
Join us afterward for an innovative panel discussion of the borderlands between butch lesbians and females-to-males. Our panel features Professor Judith Halberstam, who teaches literature, film, gender theory, and queer studies at the University of California?San Diego; Professor C. Jacob Hale, who teaches and publishes work in feminist, queer, and transgender studies at California State University; and Jason Cromwell, transqueer anthropologist. Local author Caitlin Sullivan will moderate the panel.
Party Monster
Harvard Exit, 5pm
A modern-day true story, as dazzling and dark as a Grimm fairy tale, this documentary follows the erstwhile career of Michael Alig, a founder of the club kid scene in New York City in the late '80s and early '90s.
"Queer Cartoons"
Harvard Exit, 7:15pm, with reception
This animation program comes complete with an Absolut Audience Animation Award for lesbian and gay animation, a cash prize that will be given to the year's best animation as decided by you, the audience.
Daughters of Darkness
Harvard Exit, 9:30pm
One of the most stylish horror films of the 1970s, Daughters of Darkness is campy, funny, and erotic. This elegantly decadent bedtime story for adults explores the darker side of sexuality with shocking frankness. Wear vampire attire and after the screening join other festival goers at Re-bar for a Halloween party/costume contest.
Halloween Party
Re-Bar, 11pm
Fag Hag
Harvard Exit, 11:30pm
Rural beauty pageant contestant Destiny Rutt quits the contest and leaves her hopes of fame and fortune behind. Her life is renewed when she befriends Scott Bushey, a gay drifter who indulges her dreams and inspires her with his determination to become the first white, HIV-positive, motivational rap star, "T-Cell."
