Pictured Brother to Brother, The Journey, Kinsey films, Bear Cub..
Reeling 2004: The 23rd Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival, is Nov. 4-11, 2004. The second-oldest festival of its kind in the world, Reeling has brought the best in international independent queer cinema to Chicago audiences for 23 years.
This year, Reeling will screen 97 films and videos, in 48 programs of features, shorts, and special presentations, from 16 countries. Reeling's main venues are Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark St., and Chicago Filmmakers, 5243 N. Clark St.
Films in this year's lineup include the sexy schoolgirl romp D.E.B.S., the festival's opening film from director Angela Robinson; Russian film You I Love, the story of an ad executive who seems to have it all until a man falls onto his car; and the festival closer, Straight-Jacket, a fun and socially relevant love story about a closeted Hollywood heartthrob in the 1950s. Documentaries chosen for this year's festival include the controversial Hidden Fuhrer: Debating the Enigma of Hitler's Sexuality and Saints and Sinners, a timely look at gay marriage.
See www.reelingfilmfestival.org .
by Richard Knight, Jr.
Several of the more than 100 films at this year's Chicago International Film Festival, which kicks off Oct. 7 and runs through Oct. 21 are of more than passing interest to GLBT audiences.
In fact, the only two world premieres at this year's celebration are the lesbian-themed The Journey and the gay coming-out story central to Outing Riley. The opening night presentation at the Chicago Theatre will also put the focus on gays and lesbians with the eagerly awaited Kinsey, the new bio-pic of the controversial bisexual researcher, from out director-screenwriter Bill Condon. The film, a labor of love for Condon (who previously helmed the glorious gay-themed Gods & Monsters), stars Liam Neeson as the man who took the world by storm with the publication of his findings in the late '40s—which included Kinsey's infamous calculation that homosexuals made up '10%' of the population. Decades later, of course, we know the figure to be closer to 75%—but I digress! [Liam Neeson will join Condon for the premiere of Kinsey Oct. 7.]
The festival also presents several films of Hollywood's renewed infatuation with fantasy including Johnny Depp's star turn as J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, who co-stars with Kate Winslett in Finding Neverland and Tom Hanks in the long overdue screen adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express. Hanks will be on hand for the closing night screening of the film, a tribute to its director, Robert Zemeckis, which is being touted as yet another cinematic breakthrough for its expanded use of computer animation technology first utilized to create Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Other stars on hand throughout the fest appearing on behalf of new films are Annette Bening (who will accept a career achievement award) who portrays a stage actress from the 1930s in Being Julia and Christopher Walkan appearing at a Q&A on behalf of his latest, Around the Bend (which also co-stars hot new thing Josh Lucas). A host of respected international filmmakers (from Lina Wertmuller to Mike Leigh) are also expected.
There are plenty of GLBT films at this year's festival (actually, about 10% of the total—ironic, eh?). The diverse assortment offers wonderful proof that GLBT relationships and issues are fascinating to filmmakers world-wide. We're here, we're queer and at the heart of some terrific movies. I've included mini-reviews of the film's I've seen, including:
Bear Cub
Miguel Albaladejo deftly redefines family values and 'gay cinema' in this complex and bravely uninhibited drama from Spain about change, commitment and complications. Pedro, the film's main character, is a 'bear'—although based on the evidence here, that term for heavyset, hairy homos must have a broader definition that includes 'bald bears' and 'albino bears' as well. WCT is proud to sponsor the opening night screening of this intriguing movie which is alternately sexy, funny and deeply moving.
Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark, Sunday, Oct. 10 (8:45), Oct. 11 (4:30) and Oct. 12 (9 PM)
Brother to Brother
Winner of the Sundance Special Jury Prize, Rodney Evans' ambitious feature debut engages the theme of cultural legacy while challenging contemporary Black culture. Anthony Mackie, who broke through earlier this year playing a straight man who impregnates lesbians for money in the controversial Spike Lee film She Hate Me, stars as a lonely gay, Black artist in New York who falls under the spell of an elderly homeless poet and writer from the Harlem Renaissance group. A beautiful film that offers a rare glimpse into historical Black gay culture.
AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois, Monday, Oct. 18 7 PM
Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 9:30 PM
The Journey
Set in the lush, rural Kerala, Chicagoan Ligy J. Pullapally's lyrical, lesbian-themed story covers territory rarely visited by Malayalam filmmakers. The film begins with the childhood friendship between beautiful, outgoing Delilah, and her new neighbor, the shy Kiran. As the two girls grow into young adulthood, their friendship intensifies into the Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name and in rural Malaysia, you'd better believe that lesbian taboos still exist. The sensitive story is integrated with great details of local customs and the film is beautifully photographed.
Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark, Tuesday, Oct. 19 (9 PM), Oct. 20 (6:45), Oct. 21 (3:30)
Love in Thoughts
A sumptuous faux-period film that mixes fragile idealism with malicious violence, Love in Thoughts (as its title suggests), is intensely sensual and intelligent throughout. During Germany's decadent Weimar period, two handsome students ... 'enuf said!
AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois, Saturday, Oct. 9, at 6:45 PM, Oct. 10 (6:15), Oct. 13 (6:45)
The Nomi Song
Looking like an alien and singing like a diva, Klaus Nomi was one of the 1980s most profoundly bizarre performers. But, as the film reveals, offstage he was a sweetie pie who loved baking pies for everyone (as I can attest, having met him at the time). Anyone interested in the early '80s avant garde new wave scene will identify with the alternate hokum and fragile beauty of the period that seemed to co-exist most profoundly in this strange little guy. Director Andrew Horn has collected a lot of grainy performance video footage and integrates it with old sci-fi clips that emphasize Nomi's alien persona. Horn also comes up with inventive artistic solutions that keep the film from being just one talking head after another. A big drawback: although Nomi's fellow performer Joey Arias is glimpsed several times in the performance footage, others mention his closeness to Nomi, and he is thanked in the credits, he never appears on camera and his absence is not mentioned or explained. Why? He could have filled in many personal details.
Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark, Saturday, Oct. 9, 2:30 PM, Oct. 10 (3:45), Oct. 11 (9:15 PM)
Outing Riley
The second film from native Chicagoan Pete Jones—first seen on Project Greenlight—is a romantic comedy about Bobby Riley (Jones), a gay man who has hidden his sexuality from his Catholic family. But with both his parents dead, Bobby has run out of excuses to hide his identity from his three homophobic brothers. Then a new problem arises: they don't believe him! Described as a black comedy.
Thorne Auditorium, 375 East Chicago Avenue, Sunday, Oct. 10, 4:30 PM
AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 9:30 PM and Oct. 13 (4:30)
Oxygen / Blackmail Boy
The CFF says that the title of this film has been changed to Blackmail Boy, which sounds like a much better moniker for something described as a 'smoldering thriller, where family dysfunction in a stifling town boils over into scandal, blackmail, and deadly betrayal. A modern Greek tragedy.'
I haven't seen it but I'm betting the son unwittingly sleeps with the father, after they meet in the men's room at a Yanni concert. Or not…
Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark, Sunday, Oct. 17, 4 PM, Oct. 18 (9:15 PM), Oct. 20 (9:15 PM)
Poster Boy
It's tough enough being the son of a despised right-wing senator while you're in college. Harder still when you're a closeted homosexual and your father is virulently homophobic. Especially around campaign time, when dad wants your help. Could this be any more up-to-the-minute? Ah-hem, are you listening Mary Cheney?
AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 9 PM, Oct. 20 (3:45), Oct. 21 (6:15)
Tarnation
With its gripping content, powerful narration, and completely absorbing aesthetic, it's difficult to believe that Jonathan Caouette's prizewinning documentary was made for just over $200 on his boyfriend's iMac. That's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the amazing circumstances surrounding the creation of this film. Executive produced by Gus Van Sant and Hedwig & the Angry Inch star and director John Cameron Mitchell, Caouette's film details his mother's searing journey into the darkness of mental illness and his own descent into the abyss after her. Like the myth of Demeter and Persophone, Caouette is determined to bring her back—only the roles of parent and child are touchingly, maddeningly reversed in the process. Although neither emerges unscathed, the film's dark narcissism and Caouette's focus on self as a survival tactic, pays off in the end. This is a dazzling debut that rightfully has critics raving. Put this on your 'must see' list and show up early as it's a sure sell-out.
Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark, Friday, Oct. 8, 9:15 PM
Tropical Malady
Part romance, part mystery, part cultural commentary, this haunting work focuses on two men exploring the mysteries of the Thai outback... and each other. On patrol, handsome forest ranger Keng meets Tong, a country boy. A playful relationship develops, interrupted when a terrifying shape shifter closes in on their village. Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, a graduate of the School of the Art Insitute, was awarded a joint Grand Jury Prize at Cannes for the film.
Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark, Friday, Oct. 8, 9:30 PM, Oct. 10 (5:30)
Complete information on the festival at www.chicagofilmfestival.org
