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Reeling film festival concludes Sept. 28
2017-09-26
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This article shared 684 times since Tue Sep 26, 2017
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The 35th edition of Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival will conclude Sept. 28.
The first Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival took place in April 1981 in Chicago Filmmakers' 90-seat folding-chair screening room on West Hubbard Street, according to its website.
Reeling 2017 closes Thursday, Sept. 28, with Saturday Church, the coming-of-age story of a young Black teen exploring gender expression and finding acceptance in the Harlem ball scene. It stars Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated actor/Goodman Theatre playwright Regina Taylor.
Here are reviews of two of the films being shown Sept. 28:
Saturday Church ( *** ) ( Sept. 28, 7 p.m. )
Think Moonlight with drags instead of drugs, but this coming-of-age story of a gay African American is really a hybrid of Moonlight and La La Land. When teenaged Ulysses' ( Luka Kain ) father dies, stern Aunt Rose ( Chicago's Regina Taylor ) helps mind him and his younger brother. Already caught wearing his mother's clothes, Ulysses visits Greenwich Village, where he's adopted by four former runaways, three of whom dress as women. Writer-director Damon Cardasis softens the story's intensity with songs, low-"Rent" but serviceable, and dancing. Kain's performance ensures your sympathy, and Cardasis' approach keeps you from being traumatized by things that befall Ulysses.
Apricot Groves ( ** 1/2 ) ( Sept. 28, 7:15 p.m. )
LGBT viewers may guess the surprise ending, but a critic shouldn't reveal it; so I'll let you wonder why the festival's showing a drama about an Armenian-Iranian, raised in America, who's reunited with his brother in Armenia on a mission to propose marriage to his lady love. Trust me, it belongs. Much is really good, yet Apricot Groves has serious flaws too, including being padded to feature-length with overlong shots, speeches and scenes. An enlightened and enlightening film from a region where you'd least expect it, it would be moreso if its gimmicky structure didn't make it conceal so much.
For complete festival information including locations, and to buy tickets, visit reelingfilmfestival.org . |
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This article shared 684 times since Tue Sep 26, 2017
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