Frameline 33 (SF LGBT Film Festival, 2009) - Day 8

Frameline 33: San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, the world’s premiere showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender cinema, runs June 18-28, 2009, with screenings in San Francisco at the historic Castro Theatre, Roxie Theater and the Victoria Theatre, and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood. Tickets are available via the website 24 hours a day, via fax, or in person at the Frameline Festival Box Office Counter.

Today's short subject program that I was able to preview and post earlier was TRANSTASTIC, which featured narratives about the transgendered experience.

COLLEGE BOYS LIVE (dir. George O'Donnell, USA, 2009, 90 Mins.) This turned out to be perhaps the most exposing of the "call boy documentaries", even if it did try to slide by that actual issue. The film is about the occupants of the webcam house "College Boys Live", which is an adult entertainment website. As it turns out the "college boys" are not in college, doncha' know, but a ragtag collection of post-adolescent Oliver Twists who are in search of a surrogate family and willing to expose themselves to an audience for rent. As exploitative as the situation may sound, the head of the household is not holding them "hostage" and in fact, seems to spend a greater deal of time handling the constant change over of boys. They agree to a 6 month stay, however it would seem that very few make it for a year. At any rate, a great deal of "Big Brother" voyeuristic drama ensues, which actually sort of heightened the entertainment value, in that 'watching a car wreck' way. During the Q&A, one commenter remarked that he felt he was being exploited as much as a voyeur. Well, come on! What about the catalog description LURED you in here...? Yawn...

GIVE ME YOUR HAND (dir. Pascal-Alex Vincent, France, 2009, 80 Mins.) This is one of the more beautifully shot films in the festival. It is dreamily paced and even though the handling of the twins was a bit confusing at times, even emotionally in that stereotypical French "I love you so much, let's fight!" kind of way. The twins, Alexander Carril and Victor Carril, capably handle the emotional ambiguity that director Pascal-Alex Vincent requires of them, as they take a journey to attend their mother's funeral, across country. Now, why this sets off a Candide-like adventure, I am not totally sure. Frankly, now as I think about it, the film really does unspool like a dream - not really making much sense, but just enough to keep me captivated for it's perfectly timed 80 minutes. They also appear in Vincent's short included in the WORLDLY AFFAIRS shorts program, which appears to be nearly a pitch film for this feature.

Maxxxxx says
re both films: "Sweet, sweet eye juice!"

You can contact Maxxxxx or myself here: JayCBird@AOL.COM