There is a really good reason why you will want to hit the big city lights of Boston this coming weekend. Its the 32nd edition of the their LGBT Film Festival, and just like it’s title it really is Wicked Queer. They have another wonderful eclectic program of real cinematic treats and we would rave about most of them if we had the time, but we don’t so here then are our top 6 picks of movies that you will not want to miss.
At No 6 is Oriented. Brit filmmaker Jake Witzenfeld’s impressive and heartwarming documentary is an intriguing snapshot of what life is like for gay Arabs living in a trendy suburb of Tel Aviv today. He follows three extremely engaging best friends in their early twenties for 18 months through 2013 – 2014 when tensions between Gaza and Israel flared up yet again. (We tracked down Jake to talk to him about his movie for PTV ….and the interview will be aired very shortly.)
At No 5 is Spa Night. It’s a really coming-of-age story of a young Korean/American man with a foot in two different cultures in which he doesn’t feel he fits, and which in a way mirrors his parents own struggle to find their American identities. On top of that David also has to come to terms with his own sexuality, which looks like it is going to take a great deal longer to resolve.
At No 4. is Uncle Howard . Unquestionably one of the best movies with LGBT content to premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was filmmaker Aaron Brookner’s delightful tribute to his filmmaker Uncle, whom he adored, and who sadly died of AIDS in 1989 at the tender age of 34. Howard Brookner packed a lot into his short life and left a small but powerful and impressive portfolio of work when he passed including the definitive documentary on William S Burroughs. It’s very easy to see why Aaron Brookner wanted to get this all on film, as it’s an excellent record of a remarkable man that made an important contribution to early queer cinema ……. and he was also quite a handsome charmer at the same time.
At No 3 is Women He’s Undressed. Gillian Armstrong’s captivating documentary on three-time Academy Award Winning Costume Designer the larger than life Orry-Kelly starts out with a rather wonderful statement ‘He called himself a hem stitcher, yet he really was a Hollywood Star. In the country he’s come from, that’s bloody amazing, but no-one has ever heard of him’. The country was Australia which he left in the 1920’s to find fame and fortune which he certainly did and and unknown actor as a long term boyfriend who changed is name to Cary Grant. You will not only know about Orry-Kelly after this, you will positively love him too.
At No 2 is Theo & Hugo that just picked up a prestigious Teddy Award at the Berlinale Film Festival last month. From gay partnered filmmakers Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau who always make such queer positive movies come this one which is somewhat of a totally unexpected revelation when the explicit sex that lasts a full 20 minutes at the start of this extraordinarily wonderful new French queer movie then surprisingly makes way for what turns into this rather tender and delightful tale of love-at-first-sight between these two cute young guys. Brave, sensuous and as romantic as hell, this one will have you clamoring for more.
Finally at No 1 is Viva. The folks at Wicked Queer have honored this one by deservedly selecting this for their Opening Night Gala. This compelling melodrama set in Cuba in the gritty underbelly of Havana’s nightlife in the world of drag queens far removed from the picturesque parts of the city that are reserved for tourists. It follows one young man’s struggle to find his own way out of a life of poverty as he discovers he has a remarkable talent that comes alive when is on stage and in drag. Electrifying performances from an unknown cast makes this movie a sheer joy that will absolutely love. We should add that it was submitted for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Picture but not by Cuba, but by Ireland. This film is the work of two talented Irish Filmmakers, one of whom could barely speak Spanish. It makes you appreciate that the G in LGBT also stands for global.
For all the screenings details and how to buy tickets etc go to wickedqueer.org
And to find out our take on other movies on the festival that we didn’t have time to cover here check out queerguru.com
See you in Boston, and have a Wicked Queer time.
