From the director of the ever-popular Noah’s Arc comes a Sex in the City jorl with a cast of effervescent buppies reuniting in New York a year after graduating from varsity. If you know the director you know the recipe; throw a cross-section of upwardly mobile, beautiful black youth into a pot, add sex (lots of it), intrigue and a light sprinkling of tame homo angst and you have the makings of a delish dish, best served hot. The cast of five – four guys and a girl – look fabulous as they trawl for fun, catch up on a year’s gossip and mull over the weird intersections of their lives. The issues are sex, fidelity, sex, attractiveness, sex and unexpectedly, virginity, when it turns out that Sebastian is not only a virgin but needs lessons from his mates on how to have gay sex (some decent tips in there). Good-looking fun with a point!

Links

Home page: http://www.skinnythemovie.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkinnyTheMovie
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2107835/

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/gtoE9FJErmk]

Buhli Msibi’s poem I Break the Boxes provides the title for this wide-ranging, touching, often funny documentary highlighting the lives of black lesbians in South Africa. The title is appropriate; by telling the tales of six high profile women, the sheer breadth of experience in the black lesbian community is revealed, the profiled women all having redefined their set parameters in one way or another. They are a well-thought out mix of voices and bear compelling witness to an epoch that has seen gay rights go from zero to hero. There are the mother figures, Mary Hames of UWC’s Gender Equity Unit and Dr Yvette Abrahams of the Gender Commission for Gender Equality, who set the scene with stories of the anti-apartheid activism years (and falling hopelessly in love). The traditional leader, Fikile Vilakazi of the Coalition of African Lesbians, one of the country’s most eloquent spokespersons on the rights of gay people, offers a compelling argument against the gay-is-white argument; “if you say being gay is not African then you insult me, because you are saying I am not African”. Another strong voice is Out in Africa’s own Theresa Raizenberg, activist and film buff, who remembers the early ABIGAIL years and the changes since. The youth is represented by Jozi FM DJ Charmaine ‘Fino’ Dlamini and soccer star Portia Modise, both completely out and succeeding in their fields, despite being largely male-dominated sectors. A warm, compelling and satisfyingly affirming film.

Sharon Gless (of Cagney and Lacey, remember?) plays Hannah, an elderly disabled lesbian now living in an institutional home, where around the corner and down three corridors, her life-long lover, Rachel, lies comatose and dying.

The nursing staff and Rachel’s daughter refuse to allow Hannah to visit Rachel, ‘for their own good’. Sounds like a bit of a downer, right? There’s nothing, however, morbid or gloomy about Hannah Free. Between the light-handed, easy and beautiful cinematography and the humour and low-key courage of the screenplay, this movie is enchanting, romantic and paced with a delicacy that will keep questions about life and love in your mind long after the last shot. Made on a skimpy budget in three weeks, Hannah Free shows no signs of anything but professionalism and passion. As strategies to bring Hannah and Rachel together unfold, so too do questions about what it really means to fight for her, right up until the moment of death-do-us-part.

Links

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Trailer

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOnM3Ttaxv8]

Is it possible to really ‘be seen’ and fall in love amidst the chaotic big-city grind of bars and bullshit? Andrew Haigh’s beautifully shot drama makes a good play at answering the question without descending into schmaltzy romcom or Hollywood artifice. Russell’s night begins ordinarily enough — at his straight mate’s house party, then on to a gay club where he meets Glen -– and it all gets far more interesting. Out comes a tape recorder, Glen starts recording their thoughts on sex, armpits, love, coming out and friendship. It’s the start of a weekend of firsts and, as they spend more time together, the barriers come down, masks fall and nonchalance turns to regard -– for each other and the future. Haigh’s fly-on-the-wall shooting style gives his film the air of authenticity and makes Russell and Glens’ journey all the more real. It has a gentleness to it as well, a kindness that helps get across Haigh’s idea that we’re all looking for something honest, whatever that may be and wherever we may look for it.

Links

Home page: http://www.weekend-film.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WeekendtheFilm
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/weekendmovie
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1714210/

Is re-igniting an old flame ever a good idea?

For those intrigued by Rapaport’s short film of a few years ago (Postmortem), here’s the expansion. Troy returns to LA from Barcelona after years away and looks up his old flame, Jonathan. In the interim Jonathan has taken up with Raul, an Argentine waiting for his work permit to come through. The reunion throws up all manner of complications as the passive aggressive and ever-irresponsible Troy faces the consequences of his selfishness and past behaviour. Jonathan too has to face up to the truth of his feelings for both Raul and Troy, as well as the reasons behind his reluctance to move in with the Argentinean. Playing muse and chorus to all three is Nina, Jonathan’s friend, whose straight talking offers a welcome alternative to the mens’ emotional confusion. Issues of infidelity, trust, honesty and the foundations of love play out against the backdrop of LA’s gay village and beaches. Thought-provoking, contemporary – and very good looking.

Awards:

Cardiff International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival:
    Iris Award: Best Feature Film and Best Actor

Links

Home page: http://august-the-film.com
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1753460/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/August-a-film-by-Eldar-Rapaport/141368955921267

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSRZmz1-mGM]

Shank is Simon Pearce’s debut feature, based on a script co-written and produced by Christian Martin. In working class Britain, gang member Cal runs with a disaffected mob of heavy-drinking, drug-dependent hoodies, preying on the weak to feed their habits. His ‘manly’ bravado hides the truth about his sexuality, a risky revelation at odds with the gang’s homophobic bent. Rescuing a French exchange student from a gay-bashing by the gang sets him dangerously apart from his so-called friends and on a path as punishing as it is potentially promising. Pearce’s explicit, shocking, largely hand-held film has already picked up an international award and breathes new life into British independent, alternative cinema.

Awards:

Miami L&GFF 2009:
    Roger Walker-Dack Award for Emerging Talents in Queer Cinema

Links

Home page: http://www.shank-movie.co.uk/
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1288571/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shank/28046683415

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/ml4IPDnyd1g]

If Beautiful Thing restored your faith in teenage coming-of-age movies way back then, consider Bavo Defurne’s gentle Flemish work of art the continuation of the genre. On a particularly grim bit of the Flemish coast Pim is growing into his teenager years and a whole lot of confusion. His impulses draw him towards Gino, his best friend who lives close by with his ailing mother and sister Sabrina. Pim’s own domestic arrangement is less than perfect – there’s no father figure and mother Yvette is a faded femme fatale with a thing for accordions and sexy gypsies. As Pim’s feeling intensify, so does the complexity of the situation; Gino meets a girl, a lodger arrives, Sabrina declares her love and Yvette makes her move.

Defurne’s film, sporting all the delicacy and detail of Tom Ford’s Single Man with minute attention paid to the 1970s décor and setting, is equally subtle in its emotional nuances. Indeed, few recent offerings are as layered or as beautifully realised and the palpable sense of dreamlike remembrance stays with you long after the final triumphant scene.

Awards:

Fipresci International Press Award 2011
Montreal World Film Festival Silver Zenith Award 2011
    Best Feature Debut

Links

Home page: http://www.noordzeetexas.be/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/noordzeetexas

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9gINU_VT0Q]

“I’m Ibrahim, I’m Turkish. I’m Bram, I’m Belgian. I am a Muslim, and I’m gay.” And the so the scene is set for trouble as handsome Bram tries to negotiate his way through the contradictions of opposing cultural influences and expectations. His situation – traditional parents, a thuggish younger brother and a looming arranged marriage – is offset by the easy relationship his love interest, the gorgeous Kevin, has with his mother who embraces his sexuality. The moody atmosphere of Antwerp is juxtaposed with the sunny warmth of Turkey where Ibrahim, forced to wed his cousin, finally consummates his romance with Kevin in an incredible light-filled scene of seduction. But that’s not the end of his woes. All praise to director Thys for steering us so deftly through this muddle to deliver a satisfying, sexy romance while never belittling the dilemma facing the unwilling hero of the piece.

Links

Home Page: http://www.mixedkebab.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mixed-Kebab/261195247286486?ref=ts
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1301308/

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWooRL_4mEM]

Restrained, somber, strict Mia, attends her estranged father’s engagement party with her architect boyfriend Tim, where they plan to announce their own intention to marry. Her uneasy relationship with her (philanderer) father is further spoiled by her soon-to-be step-sister, the blonde, vegetarian, free-spirited, and intoxicating Frida, who attracts the attention of all the men in Mia’s life – her father, brother, and fiancé Tim. Stung into re-establishing her connection with her father, Mia ends up spending time with Frida, and that’s when things really begin to go wrong. A beautiful lesbian tale, with great performances and cinematography, but its strength lies in the important subtexts – the depiction of familial relationships, facing up to one’s weaknesses, the hardship of honesty and the pain caused by infidelity.

Awards:

American Film Institute’s Film Festival 2011
    Best Breakthrough Film

Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/kissmemovie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Kyssmig
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyss_mig
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1859522/

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDZOiGQ1McE]

Toby Attwell is the designer of the 2008 Festival programme and posters. Based on the African barber shop signs and on playing cards (the reversible nature of our posters – up CT, down Jozi and vice versa), and playing on the gender of our royalty, Kings and Queens, this design has inspired us to produce a custom pack of Festival Playing Cards, all designed by Toby. This beautiful, unique limited edition will be for sale at the Festival at R100 a pop…. We also have Out In Africa t-shirts (great quality) and posters for sale. More from the designer

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