THE
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WELCOME
In May 2015, Peccadillo Pictures will be fifteen years old, and we think it will be a good time to celebrate. Part of the celebrations will be a special edition of fifteen Peccadillo titles selected from all the films that we have distributed over the years. So the big question is, which films should be included? We would love to hear your thoughts on this; they don’t have to be your favourite films, they don’t even have to be what you consider to be our best films, they should be the fifteen films that you think best represent the first fifteen years of Peccadillo Pictures. Fifteen of you who come up with the best suggestions will each get the full set, so it’s well worth sending us your thoughts on email to competition@peccadillopictures.com with PECCADILLO FIFTEEN in the subject line, or on a postcard/letter to Peccadillo Pictures, 1st Floor, 55 Farringdon Road, London EC1M 3JB. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.
CONTENTS 4-5 7 8-9 11 12 - 13
I N T E RV I E W - J E F F E RY S C H WA R Z S TA F F P I C K S : N I C K Y DESIRE GIRLS ON FILM I N T E RV I E W - A N N A M A R G A R I TA A L B E L O
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S TA F F P I C K S : R O B
15
FUNNY BUSINESS
16 - 17
BOYS
18 - 19
WE WERE HERE / CLASSICS
20 - 21
JASON: FIVE YEARS
22 - 23
E V E RY T H I N G S H E WA N T S
24 - 25
BRUNO & EARLENE GO TO VEGAS
26 - 27
WORLD ON FIRE / SING TO ME
28 - 30
HAUNTE D
peccapics
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INTE RVIE W WITH J E F F R E Y S C H WA R Z
1. What inspired you to piece together the life of Divine? I’ve worshipped at the altar of Divine and of John Waters since I was a teenager. Anyone who feels like an outsider growing up can certainly relate to the world that they created and the way they lived their lives. The idea to do the documentary came about when I was producing the DVD extras for the remake of HAIRSPRAY a few years back. We did a piece called YOU CAN’T STOP THE BEAT: THE LONG JOURNEY OF HAIRSPRAY and it covered the entire phenomenon including the original film. Getting to finally meet and interview all the Dreamlanders gave me the bug to try and do an entire film just about Divine. 2. What are your memories of watching Divine on screen? I had read about PINK FLAMINGOS years before actually seeing it, in Danny Peary’s CULT MOVIES and John Waters’ book SHOCK VALUE. At the time I had no tangible connections to gay culture, so John and Divine’s sensibility certainly helped lead me down a creative path and was an inspiration. And then finally getting to see Divine in those movies when I was in college was just mind blowing. Each film was more jaw-dropping than the next and Divine’s performances were fearless and courageous. 4
INTE RVIE W
3. What do you think it was about the character and persona of Divine that captured the imaginations of the audience? John and Divine appealed to other outsiders and freaks and revelled in shocking people who were humour impaired. Divine did play all the gay clubs when he did his disco act, but his appeal wasn’t limited to a gay audience. Even though the gay community loves drag, there’s always been a tension there. Sometimes they’re not looked upon as the “politically correct” image for straight society to accept us. Today’s queers need to remember people like Divine and the people on the fringes who made it easier for the rest of us. 4. Do you have any fun stories from when you were making I AM DIVINE? There were so many, but going to Baltimore and getting to meet and interview so many of the original Dreamland crew was such a treat. We should all be so lucky to have friends and creative partners like they do. But going to the alley where Divine ate dog shit was a religious experience. Everyone should go to that alley and pay homage. 5. What is next for you? My next project is called TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL. It’s the story of matinée idol Tab Hunter and how he went from being a teenage stable boy to one of the biggest Hollywood stars of the 1950s. He was gay of course and the movie is about the tension between being presented as the boy next door and every girl’s dream date, but in reality keeping a very big secret.
INTE RVIE W
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Available now from
Summer
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Buy all of these titles now at Free Super Saver Delivery and Unlimited Free One-Day Delivery with Amazon Prime are available. Terms and Conditions apply. See Amazon.co.uk for details.
NICKY ON HUSTLER WHITE The appeal of Hustler White lies in its full-blown embrace of the trashy and the ridiculous. It’s a true descendent of the queer underground movies of the 60’s and 70’s. An updated Sunset Boulevard, the storyline weaves around rent-boys and fetishists in sun-soaked Santa Monica, depicting the underworld of LA glamour. Featuring a cast of porn stars and drag artists plus Tony Ward of Madonna-fame, Hustler White is a black comedy with macabre leanings and bizarre sexual encounters. Expect sadistic tattooed leather queens, masochistic OAP’s, amputee sex, and a Jesusloving cowboy. Moreover, expect a movie with as much heart as it has guts. You’ll find yourself laughing through your shock, then crying through your laughter. One sub-plot specifically, featuring unrequited love between skinheads, is a tale of genuine heartbreak. The movie means a lot to me particularly because it served as the ideal ice-breaker when welcoming our newest housemate Kilian last year. To feel that many emotions within such a short space of knowing somebody is unusual. It sped up much of the awkward getting-to-knowyou phase. Thanks to Hustler White, Kilian was part of the family from day one. S TA F F P I C K S
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DESIRE
I AM HAPPINESS ON EARTH Dir. Julián Hernández
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Starring Tanner Cohen & Matthew Camp
Dir. Alain Guiraudie A provocative and accomplished effort by France’s bad boy auteur, STRANGER BY THE LAKE is a steamy mix of the comic and the tragic. Winning Best Director in Cannes 2013 the film became one of 2014’s biggest successes.
DESIRE
B A ELAOUVTEYT O H I D E
Dir. Cory Krueckeberg Cory Krueckeberg’s explicit directorial debut explores the thrill and danger of getting exactly what you wished for.
SATYREAANRG W ER TH LV A EK E I TB HY OU T EL O
G OI D E A ELTOTVI EN G T OG H
Emiliano films intimate moments with a group of male dancers, recording their defined, tight bodies in strong, energetic movements and soon forms an impassioned relationship with one of his subjects. Although the relationship is emotional, erotic and intense, Emiliano finds it impossible to remain faithful and enters into a series of sexual encounters with handsome street hustlers.
Dir. Oliver Hermanus Francois, father of two, lives a skilfully controlled life but he is wholly unprepared when a chance encounter with 23-year-old Christian, the son of his best friend, unravels his clean and ordered existence instantly igniting an all-consuming lust.
+ At the end of a night out, Paulo takes Ilir back to his place. Next morning over breakfast the young men joke about sex. Despite an initial hesitation the two quickly grow closer and experiment in a sensual world neither knows much about.
Dir. James Franco & Travis Mathews In order to avoid an X rating, 40 minutes of gay S&M footage was rumoured to be cut from the film CRUISING starring Al Pacino. Inspired by the mythology of this controversial film, these filmmakers collaborate to imagine their own lost footage.
DESIRE
K E ILTIHGOHUTTS LOONV E AEYEEPATRHW
Dir. David Lambert
GOING DOWN IN L A L A L AND
Dir. Travis Mathews A bold and unflinching look at gay relationships among a group of San Francisco friends including scenes of real sex, striking controversy amongst global film censors, including Australia, where the film was banned.
B T HHEI D WEA L L S A ELYOOVN E DT O
With sensitive performances, an upbeat 80s soundtrack and electrifying dance sequences TEST is a compelling drama that lovingly recreates gay life in 1980’s San Francisco.
IANLTO EV REI OTR O. LHEI A DT EH E R B A R
TAE YSETA R W I T H O U T L O V E IA WL A ON VT E Y T O UHRI DLEO V E
Dir. Chris Mason Johnson
Dir. Ira Sachs A highly charged encounter between a filmmaker and a lawyer grows into a decade long affair rich in sex, friendship, intimacy and love. Keep The Lights On takes an honest look at the nature of relationships in our times.
Dir. Casper Andreas A riveting and uncensored look at the glittering stars and studios of Hollywood, and its lesser-exposed neighbour - the seedy and cut-throat porn industry.
“Excellent, slick, and sexy” - SoSoGay 9
BEN
WHISHAW
CHENG
PEI PEI
ANDREW
LEUNG
MORVEN
CHRISTIE
NAOMI
CHRISTIE
AND
PETER
BOWLES
'WHISHAW IS MAGNETIC' AMBER WILKINSON, THE TELEGRAPH
'A BITTERSWEET TALE OF LOVE AND LOSS... TRULY CHARMING' BEN KELLY, ATTITUDE
IN CINEMAS & ON DEMAND 8 AUG / ON DVD & BLU-RAY 29 SEP
GIRLS ON FILM
GIRLS ON FILM Dir. Various
“This new collection is the perfect opportunity to discover the world of short films but look at it this way, you can watch nine engaging films with great lesbian characters in one go rather than waiting for mainstream studios to get up the nerve to tell our stories.” DATTCH
HERE COME THE GIRLS 1-3 Also available are the three HERE COME THE GIRLS collections – that’s an additional 27 short films, definitely something for everyone. GIRLS ON FILM
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INTE RVIE W WITH
A N N A M A R G A R I TA ALBELO
1. Is ‘Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf’ biographical? I like to call it an, “auto-fiction”- I don’t always have a lot of hot women running after me, unfortunately! But I did want to use elements from my life to create a character we rarely, if ever see: a Cuban-American, lesbian, filmmaker freshly turned 40, committed to LGBT culture and feminism. I wanted to tell a universal story about love, desire, and self-sabotage and have a lesbian character be our protagonist. It’s important that we see all types of characters in cinema, especially flawed characters who figure out how to make their lives better. 2. How did you cast the film and did you have Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in mind when casting? Right from the start, I knew I wanted Guinevere Turner to play my best friend and the Elizabeth Taylor character. The role was written for her! She is a wonderful actor, capable of both drama and comedy and absolutely glows with “Hollywood Glamour”, like Elizabeth Taylor before her. Guinevere helped cast both Carrie Preston and Janina Gavankar who she had met on the L Word.
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3. Have you always had an interest in working in comedy? I personally love comedy and find it can be quite a smart way to analyse our society. French and Saunders have been my heroes for decades! So my goal in making both fiction and documentary is to give as much information as possible yet maintain a comedic tone so people are more open to what I am saying. Vagina Wolf is an optimistic film about honesty with a woman who’s hid too long behind her huge vagina! It was a funny way to talk about being a woman, a lesbian, a lover, a daughter, but also about our fear of powerful women, our own sexual desire, and ourselves. 4. What do you think of current lesbian cinema? I love lesbian cinema and have met many exciting filmmakers these past few years. As women and lesbians, I think we have a very original, insightful and most importantly, necessary view of everyday life. Unfortunately, I feel like lesbian cinema made by lesbians is disappearing! It’s hard for us to find money to make the films, to distribute them, to make a living from them. I thank every audience for buying a ticket and supporting the film and the festival. It’s important to financially support lesbian content. Know that you are helping the film, the actors, writers, technicians, distributors, and our culture every time you buy and support a film. Even clicks and sharing posts have become vital and free to do! 5. What were the most fun bits to film? Shooting on the streets of Hollywood in a vagina costume, swinging a Brazilian wax sign was pretty fun! Lots of car honking and screaming. Also, the fantasy sequences were great. We shot both the lesbian orgy/ pillow fight and the Frankenstein/Silence of the Lambs scenes the same day- it was surreal! Guinevere let me wrap her in bubble wrap a la David Lynch for hours and we tickled her toes from time to time! She hated that (in a good way!).
INTE RVIE W
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ROB ON CODEPENDENT L E S B I A N S PA C E ALIEN SEEKS SAME With over two hundred feature films in Peccadillo’s back catalogue, it’s impossible to pick just one favourite. There are so many gems that I love and could watch over and over, but the formidably titled “CoDependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same” stands out for me as an unexpected treasure. It’s out there on its own, and gloriously so. On a far off planet the atmosphere is being destroyed and authorities believe it is sentimentalism that is causing the damage. Inhabitants who display hazardous ‘big feelings’ are sent to Earth. They hit the New York dating scene to experience the heartbreak earthlings are renown for, heartbreak which will cure them of big feelings for good. (So not that far fetched, really.) It’s a kooky and stylish comedy. Comedy is the hardest thing to get right, and writer/director Madeleine Olnek manages it with assured confidence. The aliens (and the earthlings) are played with deadpan comic brilliance and it makes for a gently charming, affectionate and upbeat film. It takes me back to the exciting glory days of independent filmmaking when the best independent films showed that a huge budget wasn’t necessary to make a film as entertaining as a major studio release. CoDependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same was a festival and critical success and has a cult future ahead of it. I’ve introduced it to friends of all orientations and (sometimes after a little reluctance - is the title off putting?) once they’ve seen it, they’ve shared my big feelings for it. 14
S TA F F P I C K S
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Dir. Rikki Beadle-Blair
Jenn has given up on romance, so holds her Gay Best Friend Matt to a promise once made in high school – to have a baby together. It’s a promise that Matt can’t get out of.
Watch and wince as a fledging referee struggles to control this testosterone tsunami as rude-boy meets bum-boy in this outrageous new comedy set in the crazy world of 5-a-side footie.
Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Dir. Eytan Fox
Tommaso returns home from Rome intending to announce at the family dinner that he is gay. But that evening, just as he says “silence please”, he is upstaged by his brother who, to everyone’s surprise, reveals his own secret!
From the director of YOSSI, comes this extravagant and unashamedly entertaining Eurovision parody featuring a feel-good soundtrack provided by Babydaddy from the Scissor Sisters.
FUNNY BUSINESS
CUPCAKES
Dir. Olivier Ducastel & Jacques Martineau Marc takes his family on a holiday to the Cote D’Azur, only for the trip to descend into anarchy as sexual experimentation runs riot! “Funny and filthy romp... immensely funny” - The List
KICK OFF
Dir. Jonathan Lisecki
From the director of cult 90s teen movie JAWBREAKER comes this comic satire of American high school clique culture in the vein of MEAN GIRLS and CLUELESS.
G AY B Y
Dir. Darren Stein
LOOSE CANNONS
COCKLES & MUSCLES
GBF
FUNNY BUSINESS
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F E AT U R E
BOYS
Every so often a film comes along that speaks directly to its audience; when this happens, it highlights the importance of film as a medium. It can help those watching understand their own situations and aids heavily in discussion. Film works on a wider scale these days than any other medium. So, with a lot of excitement, it is wonderful to see a film come to the UK like Mischa Kamp’s BOYS, which is one of these films that will pretty much relate to any member of the audience watching - but especially to families and young teenagers who may be going through a similar thing. BOYS follows Sieger, a 15-year-old boy who looks after his older brother and father, but without too much gratitude from them. It is how things have become since his mother passed away but not once does he complain - he gets on with the day and tries to make the best of things. His true passion is with his sports but whilst he is training with the athletics team for the national relay championships, he doesn’t count of meeting Marc. Marc is the opposite of him; he is unpredictable and always coming up with ideas to make their lives exciting. Yet, there is something about Marc, which Sieger notices and likes. Whilst at first it becomes hard for him to consider let alone admit anything about his feelings for Marc, he soon realises that he is harbouring strong emotional feelings for his track mate. To help him forget about these feelings, Sieger, with the help of his best friend, becomes romantically entangled with a local girl, Jessica. This relationship makes Sieger’s older brother respect him and yet he never feels as comfortable around her as he does with Marc. Things start to spiral when he learns that Marc is falling in love with him and very soon they both realise that no matter how hard they try, there is no use denying their feelings for one another. Kamp’s beautiful and touching film follows a tradition in the long line of top quality coming of age films, which deal with the discovery of one’s own sexuality. It is something that any LGBT person would have gone through and whatever the age, it makes BOYS even more worthwhile and important. Following in the footsteps of Bavo Defurne’s NORTH SEA TEXAS and prior to that, Christian Faure’s JUST A QUESTION OF LOVE and Sebastien Lifshitz’ PRESQUE RIEN, BOYS talks directly to the audience and poses questions that many would have asked themselves whilst figuring out their own sexuality.
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F E AT U R E
On a different reading, BOYS could be about any relationship that has ever taken place as it goes through each of the stages; the chase of whether the person fancies you, the uncertainty of if it will ever work and the possible clarity one gets if it all comes together. With changing times and more acceptance towards the LGBT community, a film like BOYS poses interesting and significant questions for families and is one step closer to helping give a voice to those younger boys and girls who recognise their own sexuality earlier.
F E AT U R E
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WE WERE HERE
WE WERE HERE Dir. David Weissman
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Eleven lesbians and gay men in their 60s and 70s, tell personal stories of their lives. These are often revealing and pioneering as they recall their personal experiences.
Dir. Greta Schiller Revealing and often humorous, Before Stonewall exposes the fascinating and unforgettable decadeby-decade history of homosexuality in America.
WE WERE HERE
G AY S E X I N T H E 7 0 ’ S
Dir. Sébastien Lifshitz
B E F O R E S T O N E WA L L
LES INVISIBLES
The first documentary to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco and the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion, and determination. “astonishingly powerful. This is a film that needs to be seen today more than ever” Attitude
Dir. Joseph F Lovett A stunning visual document of New York during the decade of gay liberation and sexual abandon following Stonewall.
“Enlightening, wistful and totally hot.” ★★★★ - GT
Dir. Celine Sciamma
15 year old Alex has a secret. When a plastic surgeon and his son visit her coastal retreat, Alex’s insecurities about her sexuality manifests itself in a teenage crush like no other.
Laure isn’t like most girls, she prefers football to dolls and sweaters to dresses. After moving home, life remains much the same. That is, until local girl Lisa mistakes her for a boy. Laure can’t resist and becomes Michael - an exciting new identity!
Dir. Haim Tabakman
Aaron, a butcher in Orthodox Jerusalem is a pillar in his community. However, when he hires handsome student Ezri, sexual tensions begin to escalate. Starring Ran Danker
CLASSICS
TA X I Z U M K L O
Dir. Stephan Lacant A forbidden love between two police cadets, Marc and Kay, is at the centre of this brave and uncompromising film. Branded the German Brokeback Mountain, Free Fall is an honest and beautiful tale of courage, love and acceptance.
TOM BOY
Dir. Lucía Puenzo
A one-night stand becomes something more in this unconventional love story between two young men that won the hearts of audiences around the globe.
XXY
Dir. Andrew Haigh
EYES WIDE OPEN
F ARLEOEVFEATLOL H I D E
WEEKEND
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+
CLASSICS
Dir. Frank Ripploh
The story of Frank Ripploh - school teacher, film director and insatiable sex addict! Fully restored and re-mastered, with exclusive extra features and presented uncut for the first time. 19
F E AT U R E
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WA R hi gh ly em N IN G : o ti R ea d at on al co n te n t. yo ur ow n pe ril.
JA S ON: F IV E Y E A R S
few months ago, I came to the decision that it was time for me to step aside at Peccadillo, and move on to new experiences and challenges. Peccadillo was my first job out of university and that was now five years ago! In the five years I’ve been at the company, I have seen it grow from the relatively small operation it once was, to one of the most exciting, innovative and forward thinking independent distributors in UK film. I wanted to take this opportunity to recount some of my fondest memories, recording on paper what an amazing place Peccadillo is to work for. The launch of Andrew Haigh’s career is high up there. When I started, the release of Andrew’s debut film, GREEK PETE was just coming to a close, but straight away I could see there was an amazing talent there. When we released WEEKEND in 2011, no one knew how big it would bcome and how many hearts it would touch. We did all of this without any support from funds or investors, taking a huge risk – but one that we believed in.
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The next highlight and a close contender for best memory would the time we spent with Patty Schemel during the release of HIT SO HARD. The band Hole were a massive part of my teenage years – and to meet and hang out with the drummer who went on possibly the most talked about grunge tour of all time, ‘Live Through This’, was simply amazing. Who would of thought that I would be in the basement of a Lesbian bar singing Karaoke to ‘Call Me Maybe’ with one of my rock idols?! Sticking with the teenage theme, one of the films I fiercely called my all-time favourite movie growing up was called JAWBREAKER, directed by Darren Stein. I remember it was around March 2013 when an ungraded but totally magical screener landed in my lap, that was G.B.F. When I saw it was by Darren Stein, I ran home, watched it, laughed, cried and ‘LOL’D’ my way through it and instantly campaigned for its acquisition. It’s not all about fun though; there’s been a fair amount of hard times too. Surviving the 2011 riots where all of our stock was burnt in the Sony fire was a very tough time, but Peccadillo have never been defeatist. We take the impossible and make it possible – like many of our acquisitions, as brilliant as they are, they are tough. An example of this being 2012’s release OUR CHILDREN; one of my all-time favourite Peccadillo films and one of the most unforgettable yet harrowing performances from Émilie Dequenne. We made it work where others said it was too tough for the UK film market. So, it is with a heavy heart, that I pass on the baton (you’ll have to buy BOYS when it’s released in October to understand that reference) but I couldn’t be passing it on to a better team. I hope that I’ll continue to be a part of the Peccadillo family as I truly believe that the work we do is important and without that work – the UK film industry would be a much more boring, conventional place!
F E AT U R E
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E V E RY T H I N G S H E WA N T S
T R U L OV E Dir. Shauna MacDonald & Kate Johnston
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Dir. Bruno Barreto Set at the height of 1950s glamour, this dazzling drama recounts the extraordinary relationship between Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Elizabeth Bishop and Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares. Starring Miranda Otto.
E V E RY T H I N G S H E WA N T S
M A R G A R I TA
Dir. Constanza Fernández For all those who understand what it is really like to introduce your parents to your partner, A MAP FOR LOVE is a fresh and exciting addition to the new wave of lesbian cinema.
R E AC H IN G FOR TH E MOON
A M L OAVPE FTOOR HLIO DVE E
TRU, 37, a serial bed-hopping lesbian cannot commit to a relationship or a job for long, until she meets ALICE, 60, a beautiful widow, who has come to town at the last minute to visit her daughter, SUZANNE, 35, a too-busy corporate lawyer and Tru’s ex-lover. Tensions rise as Alice and Tru begin to forge an unlikely friendship...and more.
Dir. Dominique Cardona & Laurie Colbert To save money Ben and Gail fire their daughter’s lesbian nanny Margarita and set off a chain of events that could lead to her deportation, but girlfriend Jane arrives with a proposition that could change evrything.
NICOLE CONN BOX SET Dir. Nicole Conn
A sexy, lesbian romp, where Lola, on the verge of success in both love and work, could lose it all if she is late. With an upbeat soundtrack and hot all-lesbian cast.
Dir. Donatella Maiorca
This luscious 19th Century lesbian romance is based on a true story, a beautiful and seductive film that dramatically portrays a historical case of genderbending.
E V E RY T H I N G S H E WA N T S
THE FISH CHILD
Dir. Megan Siler & Ellen Seidle
SEA PURPLE
AN D VTEH TEO N H C IADMEE L O L A A LO
The captivating CLAIRE OF THE MOON is a defining chapter in modern Lesbian cinema, the first time that an out lesbian director and cast made a lesbian film for a lesbian audience. Now re-mastered with exceptional sound and vision, Peccadillo Pictures presents it for a new generation in an exquisite four disc box set that also includes her latest blockbuster A PERFECT ENDING along with ELENA UNDONE, MOMENTS: The Making of Clare of The Moon, and the first lesbian period bodice-ripper, the scorching CYNARA.
Dir. LucĂa Puenzo When Lala engages in an affair with her father’s maid, the pair plan a heist to set them free. A gripping tale of forbidden lesbian romance that boasts beautiful cinematography and electrifying performances from its two female leads. 23
I guess you could say if it wasn’t for Peccadillo I wouldn’t be where I am now. Sure, I’ve always had an interest in cinema and dreamed of one day making a film, however it all just seemed like such a faraway place. I’ve been lucky to get stuck into the trials and tribulations of film distribution. It’s where I first started doing my internships during studies, and was ten times more interesting than writing essays. Whether it was getting the inside scoop while making tea at Metro Tartan (IRREVERSIBLE, BATTLE ROYALE) or running around Cannes half naked and covered in ketchup for Troma (THE TOXIC AVENGER, POULTRYGEIST) there’s a real buzz about the business of promoting important films and getting bums on seats, especially when you’re doing it in the name of queer and fringe cinema, and directors you really like and respect. Peccadillo was my first real 9-5 job, and working for them put me in good stead for the next challenge. BRUNO & EARLENE GO TO VEGAS was a film I wanted to make after leaving Peccadillo. It is my love letter to the outsiders, the weird and wonderful people who exist on the fringe, on the outside looking in. I wanted to take queer and gender-defying characters and place them in genre narratives where they would usually not be given a voice, let alone visibility. The road movie, the Western and the buddy movie were the three I wanted to explore. They share similar themes of love between friends, finding fulfilment from the journey and not the goal, and fighting back when society puts you in a corner. 24
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Above all, it had to be big, colourful and ambitious, with a queer current running through it that incorporated all the letters of LGBTQI - so rarely seen together in film. Having not made a film before, going straight into a feature and self-producing it was dangerous, but the challenge was irresistible. Making it in another country with a skeleton crew out in the desert, a whole host of road blocks were thrown into our path, but with a micro-budget comes, surprisingly, a lot of flexibility and a sense of rolling with the punches. We got there in the end. I was lucky to have Peccadillo alumni Ashleigh Sumner (AND THEN CAME LOLA), Miles Szanto (BOYS ON FILM: PACIFIC RIM), Ross William Wild (BOYS ON FILM: CRUEL BRITANNIA) and both Phillip Evelyn and Barbie Q (LEAVE IT ON THE FLOOR) all play a part in bringing the film together, along with ELVIRA herself, Cassandra Peterson. As for the future, I look forward to making another film - although not so far away this time. And a producer would be nice! by Simon Savory
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WORLD ON F IRE
THE GOLDEN DREAM Dir. Diego Quemada-Díez
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An assassin for the Sicilian mafia, Salvo is solitary, cold and ruthless. Assigned to eliminate a rival Mafia clan, he discovers Rita, a blind girl who stands powerless while hearing her brother’s murder.
Dir. Julio Jorquera Arriagada “A handsome cast and evocative cinematography offer a sexy, subtle film that evokes hits like ‘The Wrestler’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain” - New York Times
WORLD ON F IRE
B A ELROLVI EN T3O6 H I D E
Dir. Fabio Grassadonia & Antonio Piazza
MY LAST ROUND
S A ALLV O VOE T O H I D E
“A beautiful film, full of human warmth, compassion and truth. The struggle of the innocent is caught with precision. And it is clear that the real enemy is beyond their reach or comprehension, but nonetheless very present in the film. Terrific!” - Ken Loach
Dir. Kaspar Heidelbach To ensure a Jew doesn’t win gold in the 1936 Olympics High Jump, the Nazi’s include the mysterious Marie Ketteler in their team, but Marie is really a boy. Inspired by true events, Berlin 36 is one of the biggest untold Olympic scandals.
SING TO ME
THE YEAR D O L LY PA R T O N WA S M Y M U M Dir. Tara Johns
Your AAA pass into the life of lesbian drummer from rock band ‘Hole’, Patty Schemel. A tale of overnight success, the cost of addiction, and ultimately, recovery and redemption. With Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love.
Dir. Wendy Jo Carlton Jamie is moving to New York in two weeks, Jessica thinks she is in love with Jamie, so as moving day gets closer she tries to make Jamie jealous by dating other women, with hilarious results.
SING TO ME
L E AV E I T O N T H E F L O O R
Dir. P. David Ebersole
JAMIE & JESSIE ARE NOT TOGETHER
HIT SO HARD
Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal) and Macha Grenon (Barney’s Version) star in a fabulous and funny coming of age story about a little girl in search of her real mother, and herself. Featuring music from Martha Wainright, Nelly Furtado and of course Dolly, The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mum tells it like it is, in true Dolly style!
Dir. Sheldon Larry With songs by Beyonce’s music director Kim Burse and choreography by Beyonce’s dance master Frank Gatson Jr. ‘Leave it on the Floor’ is a one of a kind celebration - a gay African-American musical about finding your true family. 27
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THE SAMUR AI / C OW B OY / B OYS V I L L AG E COWBOY by Till Kleinert was the winner of the 2008 edition of THE IRIS PRIZE for best LGBT short film. An astonishing film full of dark eroticism, Till creates an incredibly tense atmosphere that builds to a very surprising climax. It’s safe to say that this short film by Till Kleinert completely wowed the Peccadillo office, and we knew right then that he would be a name to watch.
child, I have been most drawn to the adventurous, the mysterious and the uncanny in fiction, be it in the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales or in films like the Swedish ‘Ronja Rövarsdottir’. The dark forests and abandoned, desolate estates around Berlin, although appearing very frightening to me at first, later became favourite places of mine to explore. Somehow, the feeling that the world was filled with wonder and awe for me always COWBOY features on BOYS ON FILM 2: IN went hand-in-hand with the subliminal TOO DEEP and Till’s next short, the spooky fear of something dangerous lurking at Iris Prize project BOYS VILLAGE can be its edges. found on BOYS ON FILM X. As a ‘grown-up’ writer and director, I When he came to us with THE SAMURAI, have made it my ambition to explore the project that would become his first those edges, to discover, confront and feature film, we had to get involved. From become acquainted with the monsters its world premiere at this year’s Berlin that dwell in the dark corners out there. Film Festival, the international response The process of my own coming out as a to THE SAMURAI has been overwhelmingly teenager could well be translated into one sensational. The UK premiere takes place of those explorations of the unknown, and at London’s FRIGHT FEST after which Till maybe it is the vague ‘otherness’ from my returns to Cardiff to present the film at surroundings I have felt back then that this year’s IRIS PRIZE. has gone on to become one of the primal Here, Till talks about his work, especially causes for my inclination to gleefully delve THE SAMURAI: “Ever since I was a small into the realms of the monstrous and the deviant. 28
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I have to admit that my reasons for seeking out those creatures of the night might not be all that noble. Indeed, there seems to be some sort of secret anarchic urge within me to see the monsters set loose and rampantly reclaim what’s theirs, to witness them bringing back some wonder and excitement into a world so controlled by order and reason that it at times threatens to suffocate all sense of joy and opportunity. THE SAMURAI tells of an encounter with one such monster.
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Starring David Kross & Daniel Bruhl
Peter Jackson’s cult masterpiece about the true story of a crime that shocked a nation. Starring Kate Winslet & Melanie Lynskey
Dir. Mark James & Phil O’Shea Filmmaker Holly invites the stunning Vicki to take part in a documentary she’s shooting about the ‘Weekend Vampire’ phenomenon. A passionate and erotic affair quickly develops between the two women.
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T H E A R R I VA L O F W A N G
A darkly sexy sword and sorcery fantasy from the director of Summerstorm based on the best selling novel.
Dir. Peter Jackson
U N H A P P Y B I R T H D AY
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K R A B AT
Dir. Marco Kreuzpaintner
H E AV E N LY C R E A T U R E S
An exciting tale of a young man whose life is turned upside down when he overcomes his deepest fears to help a ghostly group break free of their eternal prison.
VA M P I R E D I A R Y
A M AG NIF IC E NT HAU NTING
Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Dir. Mike Matthews & Mark Harriott
A refreshingly queer and sexy take on the British Hammer Horror Films when a surprise birthday turns into a living nightmare.
Dir. Manetti bros. When interpreter Gaia is offered a job that pays a fortune she can’t believe her luck. What she uncovers could threaten the very survival of the human race!
B OYS O N F I L M 1 -11 The Boys on Film series has breathed new life into short films throughout the UK and around the world. Always featuring award winning films from already established filmmakers as well as up and coming talent, they have the ability to surprise, entertain, arouse and provoke debate. From Sundance to Cannes, from the Iris Prize to the Oscars, the Boys on Film series has grown from strength to strength and continues to astonish and amaze.
B OYS O N F I L M
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