For the next 10 days Beaubourg in the center of Paris is playing host to the 30th Edition of Chéries Chéris queer Film Festival that has a program that celebrates the whole LGBTQA+ spectrum. Its jam packed schedule has a real international flavour of some of the best new queer cinema.
Vous pouvez lire ceci en français ....ou dans une autre langue ....en cliquant sur le lien à côtéAs usual the Queerguru team of reviewers have scoured the whole program to give you
OUR TOP PICKS OF MUST SEE FILMS:
“All Shall Be Well “is a new lesbian drama from Hong Kong director Ray Yeung that is moving and beautifully made. It opens with a scene from the everyday life of two women, shopping at street markets and then unloading the food at home. We intuit that they might be lovers, especially as they prepare a meal together wordlessly in synch, with the familiarity of a very long-term couple.
But before much more occurs, Pat passes away in her sleep, leaving Angie shocked and grieving. Ray Yeung has cleverly used the family drama genre to uncover the truth behind the “acceptance” of queer people.”
Queer Greek Filmmaker Fil Ieropoulus second feature film AVANT DRAG. and If you caught his debut feature ORFEAS2021 there a couple of years back, you will know that he likes to push the parameters as much as he can when filming his subject. Leropoulus sticks to the subject of queer rights which in the present political climate is more urgent than ever: he follows ten drag performers who find solace in each other as they rebel against their oppressive reality and those who control it. As the title indicates, these are not those Queens who are just about makeup, wig, or dress that the ubiquitous Ru Paul insists on. Thank God
It’s not surprising to learn that BIG BOYS, the debut feature film of Corey Sherman, is based on an incident in his own life, as it has such a convincing authenticity to it. In fact, the premise of his heartwarming tale of a confused teen coming to terms with his burgeoning sexuality is something that most of us gay men can relate to on a personal level.
Big Boys is the tale of 14-year-old overweight Jamie (Isaac Krasner) who is a bit of a geek and verges on being shy around others. Whilst other boys his age may be splitting their attention between sports and girls, he is just obsessed with developing his culinary skills. He is on the verge of going on his annual camping trip with his older brother Will (Taj Cross) who he tolerates and their twenty-something cousin Allie (Dora Madison) who is extremely fond of. However, his mother shares the news that not only is Allie now dating but her new boyfriend Dan (David Johnson III) is coming on the trip too. It doesn’t sit well with Jamie at all.
CLOSE TO YOU. Acclaimed director Dominic Savage and writer/actor Elliot Page (Tales of The City, Juno, Inception) tell an emotional tale of ‘outsiderness’ that many queer people will relate to. The improvisation adds an authenticity and ‘kitchen-sink’ drama feeling that a fully prepared script might not have achieved. The role of Sam feels very personal to Page, in one of his first major roles since his own real-life transition. Gentle, dimly-lit cinematography and a slow, melodic soundtrack combine with strong casting and fine performances to tell a realistic, poignant, heartfelt story.
CROSSING Georgian retired teacher Lia (Mzia Arabuli) promised her deceased sister to find out her missing transgender daughter Tekla. Achi (Lucas Kankava), a neighbor, informs Lia her niece crossed the border and lives in Turkey, he proposes to a reluctant Lía to go in search of her. He will accompany her as a translator for the journey. They decide to set off together the morning after.
Director Levan Akin (And Then We Danced) delivers a portrait of Istanbul and a segment of its inhabitants, locals and immigrants showing their cultural roots, their solidarity and care for each other. In film, the fresh breeze from the Bosphorus also soothes the souls of them all.
EGOIST. Its the story of Kosuke (Ryohei Suzuki), a (single) Japanese magazine editor, is desperate for connection and he falls for his personal trainer. They have great chemistry and It doesn’t take long for the two to open up personally to one another either. This deeply affecting drama with a surprising amount of heart and character depth doesn’t spare us on the explicit nature of their relationship .
SEBASTIAN : Aspiring twenty-five-year-old Scottish writer Max, (the handsome Ruaridh Mollica), is living in London and working on his first novel, a story about a sex-worker, Sebastian. He’s good-looking and ambitious, energetically forging his career and soul. To improve the authenticity of his work he creates an online escort profile and starts seeing clients himself, as his alter-ego Sebastian, and writes about each gig afterward. His potential publisher is impressed with his work, which he credits to interviews with sex workers. Sebastian is the latest film by Finnish writer/director Mikko Måkelå, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival. (where it was nominated for
Australia’s rough, macho culture is examined from a queer perspective in Sunflower, a tough coming-of-age, coming-out drama set in the suburbs of Melbourne which is the debut of Director/writer Gabriel Carrubba.Sunflower treads a fairly well-trodden path in terms of teenage coming-out stories. It’s a tale that queers all over the world can relate to though. Strong casting, a good plot and an authentic-feeling blue-collar Australian setting add to the mix. Although a new film, there is an air of the 1990s about Sunflower, not in a bad way
THE ASTRONAUT LOVERS :In this romantic comedy from Argentinian Teddy Award Winner Marco Berger (one of Queerguru’s very favorite queer filmmakers)Javier Oránand Lautaro Bettoni are Pedro and Maxi,friends from childhood reunited years laterat a beach house with a group of friends, during a weekend. Well chosen locations, camera angles that provide intimacy and the appeal of the two male leads are the hooks in this talky picture that strongly, refers to Marco Berger´s early films where tension is latent but nothing erupts.There is an additional ingredient in Astronauts´ story, Pedro and Maxi agree on playing a game: to tell their friends they are interested on each other as a couple.
THE JUDGEMENT : the journey of a gay couple in love in homophobic Egypt. The men belong to a culture different from the Western and the demonstrations of loving care and other interactions are always interesting to observe. The film pictures contemporary Egypt rooted in religion and traditions that go against free will and respect for difference.Unfortunately, several misconceptions are replicated all around the world. Directed by Marwan Mokbel with stunning photography by Leo Purman. it is one of the rare few queer movies in Egypt and is a definite must-see.
YOUNG HEARTS Fourteen-year-old Eli as (Lou Goossens) is growing up in a nice European family and has the loving care of his grandfather who owns a farm somewhere in the Netherlands. One day, he is aware they have new neighbors, afterwards at school he meets Alexander (Marius De Saeger) and learns he and his immediate family come from Brussels. Life is never the same
Festival du film LGBTQI de Paris starts 11/15 and will end on 11/26. To see the whole program and book tickets. https://cheries-cheris.com/festival/
Festival du film LGBTQI de Paris
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