Frameline Voices is a curated program of short films that forms part of San Francisco’s annual International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, the largest such film festival in the world. This year’s shortlist for distribution includes the following seven fresh and innovative short films, all of which are so worth watching.
THE ROGERS
Directors. Joe Wilson & Dean Hamer | 2020 | USA
An intimate glimpse of the first visible group of transgender men in the Pacific Islands: the Rogers of Samoa. Although there is a thriving transgender women’s community in Samoa who are generally well integrated into society, life for transgender men in Samoa is much more difficult. From the loneliness of family rejection and homelessness to the camaraderie of church, cooking, and dance, this excellent short documentary tells the stories of Samoa’s transgender men. They reveal the challenges and possibilities of life in an island society rooted in culture and tradition.
BLACKNESS IS EVERYTHING
Directors. Alba Roland Mejia | 2021 | USA
I loved this short film which features a very interesting cast of characters and combines excellent black and white cinematography with a poetic voiceover / soundtrack to celebrate the diversity of the Black diaspora in the Bay Area.
FLEX
Directors. Matt Porter | 2020 | USA
This is a very funny comedy. Charles explores the gray areas of his own sexuality after going through an unexpected breakup. Beautifully art directed and produced, the perfect sexy comic short. Starring Charles Gould (Bonding), Charles Rogers (Search Party, Men Don’t Whisper), and Brianna Baker (Suicide Kale).
4 FRUIT BITES
Director. Dave Quantic | 2021 | USA
An introduction to four unique queer, trans, and genderqueer voices as featured in the Fruitbowl Podcast.
MY AUNTIES
Director. Richard O’Connor | 2020 | USA
Raised by gay parents in the early 1980s, Stefan Lynch was cared for and loved by a group of adults, largely gay men, whom he called his “aunties.” Stefan remembers the succession of AIDS-related illnesses in his family, but even in the face of sickness and loss, his aunties showed him how to survive, thrive and care for one another. This is a very poignant podcast with the speaking voices matched to animation. Beautiful.
NOOR AND LAYLA
Director. Fawzia Mirza | 2021 | Canada
Noor and Layla are breaking up, and dividing up their possessions. Is it the end of the road for these two Muslim women… or is it just the beginning? I loved this film which features two supercool young Muslim women as they navigate their relationship. Beautifully shot and cast to challenge any stereotyped thinking of Muslim women.
LUV U CUZ
Director. Eric Pumphrey | 2021 | USA
Set in a not-too-distant future, maybe in 2050, this clever animated short film features two cousins who bond over the course of a crazy night on the town, until their relationship is tested in more ways than one. We see that whatever happens with technology in the future, human nature will largely remain the same.
Five of the seven films (Flex, Blackness Is Everything, Four Fruit Bites, The Rogers, and My Aunties) are available now on Here TV, America’s first and largest LGBTQ+ premium subscription TV and streaming service, and will also be accessible on other platforms in the coming weeks, including on Alaska Airlines flights and on YouTube. Two additional titles, Noor and Layla and Luv U Cuz, will premiere on Here TV and other platform partners in January 2022. My Aunties is also premiering for free on Frameline’s YouTube channel.
Review: Ris Fatah Queerguru Contributing Editor Ris Fatah is a successful fashion/luxury business consultant (when he can be bothered) who divides and wastes his time between London and Ibiza. He is a lover of all things queer, feminist, and human rights in general. @ris.fatah
Labels: 2021, curated shorts, Frameline Voices, review, Ris Fatah
