Life with Movies and Maxxxxx

Frameline's 31st San Francisco LGBT Film Festival screens in San Francisco June 14 through the 24th. I've been fortunate enough this year to have access to screeners of nearly the entire festival (since I'm in Atlanta, now), and I'll be posting 'previews' two days in advance of each day's screenings. Woo hoo!

Ah, Day 10, aka Saturday, or unofficially "Pink Saturday" in the Castro! This is usually when I would start to burn out on films and begin partying with the tourists. Ironically, even from my 'remote location', I only have access to two of the SEVENTEEN (?!) programs scheduled for the day, which would be 'on schedule' for me, if I were IN San Francisco this year. (Say "Hi!" to the gang on top of the Castro Theatre marquee for me!!) I was able to screen the full program of 'Worldly Affairs', aka foreign short subjects, and a few of the submissions in 'Dyke Delights', a collection of short subjects of a lesbian nature. Apparently. [I will post an update with 'Dyke Delights' separately.]

"41 Seconds (41 Sekunden)" (dirs. Tobias Martin, Rodney Sewell, Germany, 2006, 4 min.) One of the shortest, if not most successful films of in this years festival! Two (straight) guys talk and bluff their way about who is the best kisser, until... Well, THAT's a spoiler! The technical effects as well as the pacing of the the actors is great. I don't know how, much less why there are two directors credited. However, they did a great job on his tiny little treasure!

"Anthony (Antoine)" (dir. Jean-Philippe Laraque, France, 2006, 6 min.) This is an odd little jealous squabble between a pair of gay partners who are contract killers. There's is a slight twist at the end, however the entire set-up is just so... odd that it doesn't really go where one hopes, much less expects. It's well done. It's just... odd. There. THAT's eloquently put, huh?

"INVULNERABLE"(dir. Alvaro Pastor, Spain, 2005, 25 min.) I started into this with a wary and weary eye. However, what could have been an 'after school special' is actually a heartfelt and cinematic impressionistic look at how a high school teacher deals with the news that he is HIV+. It is hard to start into, but fairly rewarding by the end.

"Kali Ma" (dir. Soman Chainani, India, 2007, 14 min.) A fairly slight, though no less than pretty to look at 'skit' about a mother who becomes 'kali ma' (fire mother) as she wreaks vengence against the (gorgeous!) boy who is tormenting her son. It's not a terribly well acted piece. However, it is harmless enough and Brendan Bradley is awfully nice to look at.

"Milonga Gay" [no weblink available] (dir. Paul Chernosky, Argentina, 2006, 5 min.) Simply, a five minute tango between several male dancing couples. I like tangos. Though the photography is a bit too dark and grainy to make out the detail one would hope to view.

"The Police Box" (dir. Josh Kim, Korea , 2006 , 4 min.) I didn't understand what was happening in this. Apparently, a boy and girl are competing for the affections of a policeman via a 'police box' where they are leaving messages. I guess. The review copy I had also played a second time, where the director included subtitles of what every production element cost, which was actually more entertaining than the film itself.

"Smalltown Boy" (dir. Moby Longinotto, UK, 2007, 13 min.) This is an effective documentary about a real-life 'only gay in the village' in the form of 15 year old David. He decides to come out (as if there he were 'in' to begin with?) as the 'Carnival Queen' in the village's annual fair. The film gives a really nice portrait of the boy, as well as where he lives. Though I found it to be a bit slim as far as portraying his family.

Maxxxxx says
re "41 Seconds": "I love you, too!"
re "Anthony": "Cranky bird!"
re "Invulnerable": "Sweet, sweet eye juice!"
re "Kali Ma": "Pretty bird!"
re "Milongo Gay": "Doobie doobie doo-ooo"
re "Police Box": "Is it bedtime?"
re "Smalltown Boy": "Pretty bird!"