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| Friday, Sept. 30 7:30 pm |
We Were Here Directed by David Weissman • USA • 90 minutes • Official Site David Weissman's document of the AIDS crisis in the 80's in San Francisco is a deeply moving exploration of the social, political and humanitarian impact the disease had on the queer community. Through a series of intimate interviews with five survivors of the crisis, Weissman masterfully recounts the devasting toll the disease took on San Francisco. Searingly emotional, We Were Here is not only one the best gay films of the year, but one of the best films of the year period! We Were Here illuminates the profound personal and community issues raised by the AIDS epidemic as well as the broad political and social upheavals it unleashed and offers a cathartic validation for the generation that suffered through, and responded to, the onset of AIDS. The film opens a window of understanding to those who have only the vaguest notions of what transpired in those years and provides insight into what society could, and should, offer its citizens in the way of medical care, social services, and community support. We highly recommend buying tickets in advance for this special evening. David Weissman in attendance. |
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| Friday, Sept. 30 10:00 pm |
Opening Night Gala Party At 23Hoyt, 529 NW 23rd Ave. Join us after the screening of We Were Here for our 15th Anniversary Party at 23Hoyt! Director David Weissman will be in attedance. Appetizers are provide by Bill Dickey, David Wagner and Morel Ink. Drinks are hosted by New Deal Vodka and Ninkasi and there will be a full cash bar as well. The gifted, sweet-voiced Holcombe Waller will perform a short set of songs. Good food, good drinks, good people!  |
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| Saturday, October 1 5:00 pm |
Girls Shorts Directors Ellie Krnich and Casey Parks in attendance THERE'S NO HOLE IN MY HEAD - Dir: Alison Segar In 2007, aged 54, Abby Hale was diagnosed with early onset of Alzheimer's. As a mom and medical practitioner Abby eloquently shares with grace and insight what she has both gained and lost as a result of this harsh and cruel disease. This film allows us a rare glimpse into a world that is becoming increasingly common in our society, but is rarely discussed in such an honest and open way. YOUR FIRST COOL ALBUM - Dir: Casey Parks A whimsical interview short in which a series of people discuss what they consider their first "cool" album. CYCLICITY - Dir: Jason Knade The film explores the life cycle of a romantic relationship, from the hopeful hello to the inevitable goodbye. Each vignette aims to concisely and poignantly capture a significant moment of a relationship, a turning point, an instant of irreversible change. In the aggregate, the moments attempt to illuminate the universality of the romantic relationship and how, just like the life of a living creature, it follows a predictable and universal trajectory. http://www.jasonknade.com/cyclicity/ BEST TEXT - MeteorEyes Music video video from the band MeterEyes http://meteoreyes.us/ TRUTH TAKES TIME - Dir: Ellie Krnich Truth Takes Time is a coming-of-age 'motion storybook' that shows us the trials and tribulations of gender, identity and self-love. This is an emotional story of letting go of the past and moving on toward the future. http://www.allielovesemma.com/ LUST LIFE - Dir: Lynda Tarryk A woman who is caught between what was and what could be, takes a chance. http://lustlifeshortfilm.com/ BUTTERY TOP - Dir: Catherine Crouch A jug of wine, a loaf of bread - but wait - what kind of bread? A comedy about a first date with extra baggage. http://www.CatherineCrouch.com CHAINED - Dir: Betsy Kalin From Victorian pocket watches to Zoot Suit style to motorcycle necessity, wallet chains have evolved over the years to become more than a trend in lesbian culture. Today, lesbians are the biggest consumers of wallet chains. All ages, all walks of life, butches and femmes, dykes on bikes, and BDSM practitioners – what drives women to wear chains? And why are they so literally attached to them? Chained! takes a sexy, humorous romp through the lives of lesbians who define themselves by their chains. http://www.itchybeeproductions.com/ WHO DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP - Dir: Casey Parks Humorous interview short in which people discuss their first career choices as children. |
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| Saturday, October 1 7:00 pm |
Hollywood to Dollywood Directed by John Lavin • USA • 79 minutes • Official Site Twin brothers Gary and Larry Lane have written a script with a plum roll for one of their idols, Dolly Parton. Having had no luck getting the screenplay into her hands, they embark on a cross-country journey to personally deliver it to her. They set off from Dolly’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame driving an RV named Jolene. All along Interstate 40 at rest stops, RV parks, bars, and hair salons they meet everyday Americans, as they encounter everything from Floods in Nashville to an Oklahoma Tornado. The journey is also one of discovery for the brothers, as well: their relationship with their parents; their hopes, fears and ambitions; the bigotry they’ve encountered; as they search for tolerance and acceptance and the joy of realizing their biggest dream: handing their screenplay to Dolly Parton. Featuring appearances by Leslie Jordan, Chad Allen, Beth Grant, Dustin Lance Black, Ann walker, and maybe even Dolly herself, Hollywood to Dollywood is a documentary of chasing dreams down the road of life. Gary and Larry Lane in attendance. | |
| Saturday, October 1 9:30 pm |
Kink Crusaders Directed by Mike Skiff • USA • 74 minutes • Official Site |
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| Sunday, October 2 5:00 pm |
Romeos Directed by Sabine Bernardi • Germany • In German w/subtitles • 94 minutes • Official Site Lukas is a handsome, 20-year-old, young man who was born female and is experiencing male puberty triggered by a series of testosterone shots. Entering a summer of community service in Cologne, he is housed in the women's residential halls instead of the men's – a slight he finds nearly unbearable. Lukas finds solace through online video posts with others going through the same struggles as he and in his best friend from youth, Ine, who introduces him to the queer scene in Cologne. Here Lukas, hormones raging, is drawn to the hyper-masculine, physically attractive Fabio. Fabio embodies all that Lukas lacks: disproportionately positive self-confidence and a highly erotic masculine swagger. Lukas is simultaneously attracted to and coveteous of Fabio. The initial attraction between the two boys gradually develops – until Fabio discovers the truth about Lukas. |
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| Sunday, October 2 7:00 pm |
Weekend Directed by Andrew Haigh • UK• 96 minutes • Official Site Winner of Audience Awards at both SXSW and Outfest 2011 and the opening night selection of Brooklyn’s acclaimed BAMcinemafest, Weekend is a startlingly authentic love story, featuring the talents of two incredible new actors and the unique work of a fresh new voice in filmmaking, Andrew Haigh. After meeting one lonely Friday night at a bar, Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New) find themselves caught up in an lost weekend full of sex, drugs, and intimate conversation. Although they have conflicting ideas of what it is they want from life and certainly how to get it, they form a startling emotional connection that will resonate throughout their lives. |
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| Monday, October 3 7:00 pm |
Trigger Directed by Bruce McDonald • USA • 83 minutes Victoria “Vic” Sawchyn and Kathryn “Kat” Lake are friends from childhood who started a neighborhood band together — sort of like the Go-Go’s meet Patti Smith with a little Siouxsie and the Banshees thrown in. Sticking to their rock ‘n’ roll dream, they continued to trade up bands until they began to have real success with a hit single and a European tour. On the tour, things went to hell and, due to egos and drugs and rock n‘ roll, the band imploded as did the friendship. Now it’s 10 years later and a local record label is having a benefit concert to honor women in rock; Vic and Kat are expected to attend. They meet for dinner and it is clear that, although there is a desire to make amends, it’s unclear to each of the women who really needs to apologize. As we travel with them on a trip to the concert and a late night after-party, their stories are revealed and the true nature of their friendship is discovered. Starring Don McKellar and Molly Parker. |
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| Monday, October 3 9:00 pm |
Going Down in LA LA Land Directed by Casper Andreas • USA • 105 minutes • Official Site Young, handsome, and ambitious, Adam arrives from New York with dreams of making it big in L.A. He moves in with his zany best friend Candy who, between auditions, spends her time at the gym, shopping, or looking for a wealthy man. Adam gets off to a rocky start, complete with parking tickets and an insufferable job answering phones. A new job in production looks promising, but soon Adam finds himself dealing with down-and-out directors, washed up starlets, and meth addicts, as he starts to loose himself in a seamy underworld of gay porn and prostitution. |
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| Tuesday, October 4 7:00 pm |
Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together Directed by Wendy Jo Carlton • USA • 89 minutes • Official Site A lesbian musical romantic comedy with a big fat heart! Jamie is moving from Chicago to New York hoping to become a Broadway actress. Her best friend Jessica is bummed, because she thinks she is in love with Jamie. As moving day gets closer, Jessica tries to make Jamie jealous by dating other women. But Jessica’s plan backfires, in a way she could never imagine. Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together is about two queer girls whose codependent, loyal friendship is fraught with erotic tension. As they struggle with the gray areas of love and lust, Jamie and Jessie must figure out either how to grow together or how to grow apart. |
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| Tuesday, October 4 9:00 pm |
Harvest Directed by Benjamin Cantu • Germany • In German w/subtitles • 88 minutes • Official Site
Breathtaking in its evocative beauty, Harvest is an achingly romantic tale of an innocent but ever increasingly passionate affair that develops between two farmhands. |
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| Wednesday, October 5 7:00 pm |
Tomboy Directed by Céline Sciamma • France • In French w/Subtitles • 82 minutes • Official Site Ten year old Laure isn’t like most girls. She prefers football to dolls and sweaters to dresses. When Laure, her parents and little sister Jeanne move to a new neighbourhood, family life remains much the same. That is, until local girl Lisa mistakes Laure to be a boy. Indulging in this exciting new identity, Laure becomes Michael, and so begins a summer of long sunny afternoons, playground games and first kisses. Yet with the school term fast approaching, and with suspicions arising amongst friends and family, Laure must face up to an uncertain future. Director Céline Sciamma brings a light and charming touch to this contemporary coming-of-age story, which is also about relationships between children, children and parents, and the even more complicated one between one’s heart and body. |
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| Wednesday, October 5 9:00 pm |
Mangus! Directed by Ash Christian • USA • 88 minutes • Official Site Mangus Spedgewick is handicapped. Make that “handicapable”. He lost his legs in a tragic drunk driving accident the night of his high school prom. Now with a father who is going to fight the war in Iraq, and a stepmother who simply can’t handle the “upkeep” of the young crippled, Mangus goes to live with his birth mother, Cookie and stepfather (who is only a few years older than him) and his lesbian half sister in a secluded trailer park in the small town of Rivercity, Texas. While there, he auditions for the role of Jesus in their community theater production of Jesus Christ Spectacular (the cheap offspring of Jesus Christ Superstar)…but the town leaders don’t want a crippled Jesus. Mangus decides to take on their discriminatory casting and fights their decision. Will he get to be their towns first crippled Jesus? Not without a hard fight, a road trip and breaking the law a few times along the way. The star-studded cast includes Jennifer Collidge, John Waters and Leslie Jordan. |
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| Thursday, October 6 7:00 pm |
Gun Hill Road Directed by Rasheed Ernesto Green• USA • 88 minutes • Official Site After three years in prison, macho Enrique (Esai Morales) returns to the Bronx to find the world he once knew has turned upside down. His wife, Angela, struggles to hide an emotional affair, and his teenage son, Michael, explores a sexual transformation well beyond Enrique’s grasp and understanding. Unable to accept his child, Enrique clings to his masculine ideals while Angela attempts to hold the family together by protecting Michael. Still under the watchful eye of his parole officer, Enrique must become the father he needs to be or, once again, risk losing his family and freedom. Writer/director Rashaad Ernesto Green’s first feature film is an intricate portrait of a family divided told with sensitivity, gentle humor, and a deep understanding of the environment that shapes its people. |
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| Thursday, October 6 9:00 pm |
August Directed by Eldar Rapaport• USA • 100 minutes • Official Site Over one smoldering Los Angeles summer, emotions run high when the blossoming relationship of two happily partnered men, Jonathan and Raul, is tested. Jonathan receives a message that his former lover Troy is back in town, after years in Barcelona. A seemingly innocent rendezvous with Troy disrupts Jonathan and Raul’s life together and revives a long buried desire and intense longing. What develops is a tangled web of riveting choices these three men have to make. Remaining tender and intricate, and told from multiple perspectives, August poignantly explores the complexities of love and intimacy in the modern world, and eloquently shows us that matters of the heart are never black and white. |
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| Friday, October 7 7:00 pm |
Codependent Space Lesbian Seeks Same Directed by Madeleine Olnek •USA • 70 minutes • Official Site Three lesbian aliens are sent to Earth. Their mission? To have their hearts broken by earthlings so their overactive emotions won’t destroy the ozone of their planet. As the fetching extraterrestrials search for romance on the New York lesbian dating scene, one finds love with Jane, an eager stationery store clerk who is oblivious to the fact that she’s dating an alien. The other two, discovering the neediness of earthling women, connect with each other. Tightly scripted with lo-fi styling and campy DIY effects that would make Ed Wood envious, Codependent mashes up the B-movie and Men in Black and turns it into a witty, wholly original comedy. First-time feature writer/director Madeleine Olnek embraces the intrinsic hilarity of lesbian life and DIY filmmaking to tell a story about love that transcends galaxies. - Sundance Institute |
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| Friday, October 7 9:00 pm |
Bite Marks plays with REGRETS and CANDY Directed by Mark Bessenger • USA • 84 minutes • Official Site When Brewster's older brother goes missing, he must take over a cross-country delivery of coffins to a funeral home. Attempting to stay awake, Brewster picks up Cary and Vogel, a hitchhiking gay couple trying to mend their relationship. Their GPS misleads them into an abandoned junkyard where the truck breaks down, and when night falls, the coffins reveal vampires! Hungry ones! The mismatched trio barricades themselves in the cab of the truck. Can they survive the bloodsucking undead--and each other--until dawn? Mark Bessenger in attendance. |
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| Saturday, October 8 5:30 pm |
Jitters Directed by Baldvin Z • Iceland • In Icelandic w/subtitles • 97 minutes • Official Site Gabriel is a confused sixteen year old in search of his identity. Along with a few of his closest friends, he is trying to figure out who he is and where he stands in an ever changing and complicated world. When he returns to Iceland from a two-week trip to Manchester, England, where he had a brief romantic encounter with another boy, all those close to him seem to think that he has changed. Gabriel falls into a depression, which causes him to take a hard look at himself – which ultimately forces him to reveal a harsh, agonizing secret about himself. What ensues is a tale of complex and fragile relationships, where teenagers struggle with their identities, while forging their place in a sometimes unyielding society. All the while coping with love, loss, hate, betrayal, euphoria, sadness and ultimately… forgiveness. |
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| Saturday, October 8 7:30 pm |
The Night Watch Directed by Richard Laxton• UK • 90 minutes • Official Site Paula Milne's ambitious adaptation of The Night Watch from the novel by Sarah Waters is a poignant tale of liberation and loss, following the lives of four young Londoners throughout different stages of the Second World War. The drama opens in 1947 as the country is trying to rebuild itself after the war; we find Kay mysteriously roaming the streets, haunted by some traumatic personal loss. Meanwhile, Helen and Viv run a marriage bureau, helping people rebuild their shattered lives by finding love. But their own complicated love lives are less easy to solve. Helen obsessively clings to her tumultuous and volatile relationship with Julia, while Viv is continuing an affair with a married man whom she seems unable to break free from. Viv's vulnerable young brother Duncan harbours a terrible secret, when a face from his past re-appears which threatens his fragile existence. Moving back in time through the Forties into the maelstrom of the Blitz, the lives, loves and losses of these four central characters are unravelled. In order to build their future they must each make peace with their past. |