MQFF 2011 Highlights Guide by Melbourne Queer Film Festival

HIGHLIGHTS GUIDE 21st MELBOURNE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL 17–27 MARCH 2011 It’s in our DNA

2011 HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY

In 2011, MQFF is turning 21!

Don’t miss out on your chance to see any of these great films – become an MQFF Member to enjoy ticket discounts and priority booking. See p.10 for a membership form.

MARCH

FEBRUARY

We’re celebrating with a bumper crop of the world’s best queer cinema – here are a few highlights to whet your appetite for this year’s Festival.

Midsumma Carnival

Movies Under The Stars

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2011 FESTIVAL Closing Night Party Back By Popular Demand

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MQFF 2011 Highlights Guide. Published by Melbourne Queer Film Festival inc. ©2011. all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, in whole or part, without the permission of the MQFF. Design by Beige, Official Festival Graphic Design Partner 2011, www.beige.com.au 1

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

BEAR CITY Dir: Doug Langway, USA, 2010 Summer in New York City and the bears are coming out to play. Closet ‘admirer’ Tyler is in his early 20s and fantasises about snagging a daddy bear. He heads off to a bear bar for the first time and meets a group of furry friends: Brent and Fred, a couple who’re thinking of opening up their relationship; and Michael, who’s impending surgery to reduce his weight causes problems with his hot Latino boyfriend, Carlos. The one essential Sexy, funny and romantic, member of the ‘Bear City’ is an utter joy group who’s missing that night is Roger, a sexy silver daddy bear, who could be the man of Tyler’s dreams. But when these two meet, obstacles and other men get in their way, but when the chemistry is this right, it’s only a matter of time… While dealing with some serious issues– weight-loss, monogamy, settling down– Bear City is above all stacks of fun, with a cast that’s very easy on the eye and a script with zingy one-liners. It doesn’t matter if you’re a bear or not, this is a film for everyone who loves having a fun time at the movies! Let the fur fly!

THE LAST SUMMER OF LA BOYITA EL ÚLTIMO VERANO DE LA BOYITA Dir: Julia Solomonoff, Argentina/Spain/France, 2009 Spanish with English subtitles It’s summer holidays, and young Jorgelina heads to the countryside to spend her vacation with her father in the hope of finding adventure and new friends. There she meets Mario, a kid her own age, and the two strike Has appeared at more than 70 up a friendship. film festivals worldwide, and Mario works hard scooped over a dozen awards with his parents on a farm, his only joy seems to be riding his horse and preparing for a race set for later in the summer, a race his father also eagerly anticipates, as it is a test for his son to enter ‘manhood’. When the two friends return from a horse ride, Jorgelina discovers a bloodstain on Mario’s saddle and another one on his trousers. Jorgelina tries to understand, but Mario, confused about the changes his body is undergoing, has no clue of why he is not like the other boys. The Last Summer of La Boyita is a compassionate Argentine drama that recalls MQFF’s 2008 Closing Night film, XXY. 2

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

LA MISSION

SPORK

Dir: Peter Bratt, USA, 2009 La Mission reconstructs the ‘tough boy’ attitude from the mean streets of LA to San Francisco’s working-class Mission District Here, the dynamics and tension pivot around a father–son relationship. Growing up in the Mission, Mexican-American Che Rivera (Benjamin Bratt) Dare we call it a gay has always had to be ‘Boyz N The Hood’? tough to survive. A reformed inmate and recovering alcoholic, Che has worked hard to redeem his life and do right by his pride and joy: his only son, Jes, whom he has raised on his own after the death of his wife. Che’s path to redemption is tested, however, when he discovers that Jes is gay. Compounding matters, his son’s boyfriend is white. It’s a classic ‘getting caught out’ story that many of us can relate to, but here the axes of race, class and social marginalisation complicate the unfolding drama. You know that Che will erupt on making the discovery, but the terror of the scene is gripping and utterly believable. La Mission has screened at a swag of international festivals, including Official Selection at Sundance and Opening Night at San Francisco Film Festival.

Dir: JB Ghuman Jr, USA, 2010 Imagine, if you will, an alternative reality where Glee and Mean Girls were placed in a blender, add in an intersex trailer-parkliving hero, Spork, her foul-mouthed neighbour, Tootsie Roll, who can bust a move at the drop of a hat, and a group of whitebread skanks led Outrageously funny and by the very nasty endearing in equal measure Betsy Byotch, who are all competing in their school’s junior talent show, and you’re only part of the way in discovering the utter joy and unpredictability of Spork. School sucks, but for Spork it sucks pretty hard. Living in a trailer with her brother, and grieving over her dead mother, Spork finds no solace at school where’s she teased not only for her frizzy hair and ‘uncool’ clothes, but because she’s intersex. With the annual talent show looming, our hero sees a chance to break free of a drab life and provide a little magic. Taking its cue from every underdog highschool drama, this inventive film shrugs off clichés with carefree abandon. Spork is a film to embrace with a smile as you head to shake it up on the dancefloor!

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

SASHA SAšA Dir: Dennis Todorović, Germany, 2010 German, Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian with English subtitles Sasha has a crush on his sexy, openly gay piano teacher, Gebhard, but when it’s announced that he’s leaving for a job in another city, Sasha is devastated! How will he be able to convince his object of affection to stay? Living at home with his strict parents and rebellious brother, Sasha is still in the closet, A funny, fresh and spirited and the only person dramatic comedy to whom he can confide in is his best friend, Jiao. A plan is hatched to hit the local gay bar in the hopes of ‘meeting’ Gebhard, and for Sasha to offer himself as the reason to stay… Complicating matters are Sasha’s impending piano audition, and the blossoming relationship between Sasha’s brother and Jiao. With a wonderful leading performance by the handsome Sascha Kekez, this is spirited dramatic comedy.

PRIMA DONNA: THE STORY OF RUFUS WAINWRIGHT’S DEBUT OPERA Dir: George Scott, UK, 2009 Oozing both talent and good looks, musician Rufus Wainwright is regarded as the quintessential thinking person’s gay icon. Following his re-creation in 2007 of Judy Garland’s most famous concert, Rufus decided to write Will have instant appeal to ‘Prima Donna‘, an fans of Rufus’s work opera based on the struggles of an ageing opera queen. The resulting doco elegantly reveals that artistic process, from idea to opening night – whilst also tracing Rufus’s childhood and personal life. Through the lens of interviews with key family members, as well as numerous artistic colleagues, we are exposed to an artist who uses his music as a platform for voicing both the specifics of his homosexual life and broader universal themes.

Australia’s best queer short films, only at MQFF 2011... 4

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

PAULISTA

KABOOM

Dir: Roberto Moreira, Brazil, 2010 Portuguese with English subtitles Aspiring actress Marina arrives in São Paulo with dreams of independence and success. She moves into an apartment on the bustling ‘Avenida Paulista’ with Suzana, a friend of her boyfriend’s. A few floors up lives Jay, a frustrated A rollercoaster journey of secrets, author seeking heartbreak and passion meaning in his life from his poetry and prostitute muse, Michelle. One night Marina and Jay head out to a local nightclub, and on stage find Justine, a fiery singer, with whom Marina is instantly transfixed. The two women begin a torrid affair, but for Suzana it’s just another memento of her rock’n’roll lifestyle – together with her husband, drug problems and drinking – but for Marina, it’s more serious. Meanwhile, Suzana is courted by an office colleague, Gil, and the two begin a relationship, but it’s tempered by details of Suzana’s past. Winner of Best Picture and Best Actress awards at the Hollywood Brazilian Film Festival.

Dir: Gregg Araki, USA, 2010 A hyper-stylised Twin Peaks for the Coachella Generation, featuring a gorgeous, super hot young cast, Kaboom tells the story of Smith, an ambisexual 18-year-old college freshman who stumbles upon a monstrous conspiracy in a ‘Kaboom’ is classic Araki: seemingly idyllic a wild and sex-drenched Southern California horror-comedy thriller seaside town. Smith’s everyday life in the dorms – hanging out with his arty, sarcastic lesbian best friend Stella, hooking up with a beautiful free spirit named London, lusting for his gorgeous but dim surfer roommate Thor – all gets turned upside-down after one fateful, terrifying night. Tripping on some hallucinogenic cookies at a party, Smith is convinced he’s witnessed the gruesome murder of an enigmatic Red Haired Girl who has been haunting his dreams. What he discovers as he tries to find out the truth leads him deeper and deeper into a mystery that will forever change not only the course of his young life but the destiny of the entire world.

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

THE STRING

LE FIL

Dir: Medhi Ben Attia, Tunisia, 2010 French with English subtitles Handsome Malik has been living the high life in France, earning a good living as an architect and enjoying his life as an unattached gay man. But when he returns to Tunisia to live with his mother after his father’s death, he can’t bring himself to tell his mother about his sexuality, and leaps quickly back into the This multi award winner is closet. However, all not to be missed! good secrets eventually be revealed, and eventually Malik is sprung in bed with hot handyman Bilal. While she struggles to face the truth she’s long ignored, a flashback reveals that Malik’s father was fully aware of his son’s secret all along. It slowly becomes clear to Malik that he must sever the apron strings if he is to find balance in his life, and be true to himself.

HEARTBEATS Dir: Xavier Dolan, Canada, 2010 French with English subtitles Francis (played by the young and dynamic director Xavier Dolan) and Marie are best friends and seemingly have it all – youth, good looks and style in abundance. One night they meet beautiful Nicolas, newly arrived in Montréal from the country, and they both instantly A stunning, award-winning fall for him. As one film celebrating all the joys rendezvous leads and follies of young love to another, from dinners to trips to the countryside, each of the two friends slides deeper into fantasies around the same object of desire. Soon, they find themselves on the precipice of a love duel that threatens the friendship they once thought indestructible. Heartbeats is the second feature from 21-year-old Xavier Dolan, who is writer, director and lead actor.

Catch the cream of new international gay men’s short films at MQFF 2011...

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER

ROOM IN ROME

Dir: James Kent, UK, 2010 Opening and closing queer film festivals the world over, The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister tells the incredible, based-ona-true-story tale of an early 19th century English gentlewoman This polished, BBC who ‘preferred the fairer period romance moves sex’ and recorded her at a cracking pace conquests in a coded diary, later discovered by a local historian. But you can expect more than a restrained, straitlaced Jane Austen costume drama, as Anne and her maiden Mariana are sneaking off into the woods for furtive dalliances at the first opportunity, and Anne cruises girls openly in church of a Sunday. As Anne juggles fickle lovers, jealous best friends, sinister coalmine owners, estate renovations and practicing her shooting. And so the big question becomes, which lady does Anne have in her sights? Love of her life Mariana? Faithful friend Tib? Or will it be pretty Miss Walker, the wealthiest heiress in the county? Audiences will cheer as Anne refuses to compromise her lifestyle for the sake of community expectation.

Dir: Julio Medem, Spain, 2010 Spanish, Italian, Russian, Basque with English subtitles Room In Rome is about a one-night stand between two women in a hotel room in Rome. It’s the summer solstice, and Alba and Natasha are strangers from opposite ends of Europe A playful, teasing and very (Spain and Russia) sexy film who have chanced upon each other that evening in a bar. We don’t witness that encounter, but somehow Alba, who is a lesbian, has persuaded Natasha, who is straight, to return with her to her hotel room. A game of seduction and resistance then begins, during which the two women spin tales about themselves that may or may not be true – most of the time completely naked. Whilst the pair shed their clothes very quickly, they’re much more reluctant to lay bare their souls. Yet as the night unfolds, they gradually allow glimpses of their true selves – an emotional striptease that is fraught with peril. By opening up to one another they may not be able to contain this encounter to the hotel room.

HABITACIÓN

EN ROMA

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

UNDERTOW

ELENA UNDONE

CONTRACORRIENTE

Dir: Nicole Conn, USA, 2010 Peyton and Elena are, on the surface, diametrically opposed – one, a well-known lesbian writer, the other a wife of a pastor – but when their paths cross, several times over, they feel compelled to connect. What begins as friendship quickly blossoms into something deeper. Peyton tries to extricate herself before her heart wants what it can’t have. Elena can’t Don’t miss this sexy new imagine not having film from Nicole Conn, Peyton in her life. director of ‘Claire of The And despite the Moon’ and ‘Little Man’ fact that she has never even considered kissing a woman, Elena is overwhelmed with a desire to do just that. Despite Peyton’s reservations, Elena pushes the relationship into a fullblown affair. The two women fall deeply in love, both keenly aware a future together might be little more than a dream.

Dir: Javier Fuentes-León, Peru, 2010 Spanish with English subtitles In this beautifully filmed and unique ghost story set on the Peruvian seaside, a married man struggles to reconcile his devotion to his male lover. Miguel, a handsome young fisherman, and his beautiful bride, Mariela, are about to welcome their first child. But Miguel harbours a ‘Undertow’ is acclaimed secret: he’s in love for its originality and with Santiago, who heartbreaking story is ostracised by the town because he’s gay. After a tragic accident occurs, Miguel must choose between sentencing Santiago to eternal torment or doing right by him and, in turn, revealing their relationship to Mariela – and the entire village. This multi award winning film is a must see!

Watch the best lesbian short films from around the world at MQFF 2011...

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