#FIRSTLOOK: 2023 INSIDE OUT 2SLGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The winners of the 2023 Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival Awards were announced this weekend in Toronto where $32,000 in prizes were handed out to various 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers. Top honours went to Juan Sebastián Torales’ ALMAMULA (Best First Feature), Lulu Wei’s SUPPORTING OUR SELVES (Best Canadian Feature), Beth Warrian’s ADORE (Best Canadian Short), and Karimah Zakia Issa with SCARING WOMEN AT NIGHT (Emerging Canadian Artist).

The Audience Award winners are Ally Pankiw’s I USED TO BE FUNNY (seen in still above) for Best Narrative Feature, Loveleen Kaur’s LEILANI’S FORTUNE for Best Documentary Feature, and Zeppelin Zeerip’s APAYAUQ for Best Short Film.

The festival is also proud to announce director Judith Schuyler’s upcoming project THERE IS LIGHT won the annual “Pitch, Please!” contest. The “Pitch, Please!” competition took place in person on June 3, 2023, with competitors from across the globe presenting a short, two-minute pitch to a jury and audience. Prizes awarded to the winner include a cash production grant of $5,000 sponsored by Netflix.

The 2023 festival took place in person and virtually from May 25 to June 4 in Toronto, Canada and showcased 107 films from 30 countries, including 33 feature films, and 7 world premieres, This year’s festival opened with the Canadian premiere of Ira Sach’s critically acclaimed drama PASSAGES, and closed with Tom Gustafson’s fantastical summer romance, GLITTER & DOOM, with cast Tig Notaro, Lea DeLaria, Missi Pyle, Alex Diaz, and Alan Cammish in town to present its world premiere.

The full winners and awards are as follows:

CANADIAN JURIED AWARDS

The jurors for the 2023 Canadian jury were filmmakers Odu Adamu, Dylan Glynn, and Alice Wang

Best Canadian Feature – sponsored by Warner Access Media

SUPPORTING OUR SELVES – Director, Lulu Wei

Best Canadian Short – sponsored by DGC National

ADORE – Director, Beth Warrian

Emerging Canadian Artist – Sponsored by RBC Royal Bank

SCARING WOMEN AT NIGHT – Director, Karimah Zakia Issa

INTERNATIONAL JURIED AWARD

The jurors for the 2023 International jury Them Editor Michael Cuby, actor Izaiah Dockery, and filmmaker Kait Schuster.

Best First Feature – Sponsored by NBC Universal

ALMAMULA – Director, Juan Sebastián Torales

Honourable Mention for Best First Feature

SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT – Director, Luis De Filippis

Leadership Circle Prize for Outstanding Performance – sponsored by Daydream

Payman Maadi in OPPONENT (MOTSTÅNDAREN)

AUDIENCE AWARDS – sponsored by eOne

Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature

I USED TO BE FUNNY – Director, Ally Pankiw

Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature

LEILANI’S FORTUNE – Director, Loveleen Kaur

Audience Award for Best Short Film

APAYAUQ – Director, Zeppelin Zerrip

“PITCH, PLEASE!” – sponsored by Netflix

THERE IS LIGHT – Director Judith Schuyler

(Photo credit: levelFILM)

#INTERVIEW: THE CAST OF “GLITTER & DOOM” AT INSIDE OUT 2023

Touted as a film celebrating all types of Queerness, Tom Gustafson‘s GLITTER & DOOM closes-out the 2023 Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival – presented by RBC – after kicking-off May 25th in-person and online. The Jukebox Musical, set to the catalog of Indigo Girls, is a Rom-Com which centers on a musician and a carefree kid who fall in love and only have a small window to decide if they are right for one another. The Film stars Canadian-Filipino actor Alex Diaz and the UK’s Alan Cammish as Glitter and Doom, respectively. They are supported by a stellar and season Cast that includes the likes of Lea DeLaria, Tig Notaro, Ming-Na Wen and Missi Pyle.

We had the absolute honour of interviewing this talented Cast at the Film’s Premiere at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Our George Kozera and I ask the Cast about their characters, their experience working on GLITTER & DOOM, in addition to their affinity for Toronto and more.

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Don’t forget to follow the Film’s official Instagram account here for updates including when and where you can see it!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#INSIDEOUTTO: 2023 INSIDE OUT 2SLGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW

Taking place between May 25 to June 4, 2023, the INSIDE OUT 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival is back in Toronto both in-person and online! The Festival kicks-off this year with PASSAGES from Director Ira Sachs and closes with Tom Gustafson‘s GLITTER & DOOM, and is packed with several quality films including Toronto-filmed I USED TO BE FUNNY, which premiered at SXSW ’23 and also Sundance Next Audience Award winner KOKOMO CITY. BLUE JEAN also is coming to the Festival with huge accolades and award wins as well.

Our George Kozera had a chance to preview some of the Festival’s marquee titles and he shares his thoughts below.

RUNS IN THE FAMILY

Set in modern day South Africa, we first meet Varum (Ace Bhatti) as he makes finishing touches on a tailored suit jacket for his friend Stan (Rob van Vuuren), a casino owner with whom he shares a nefarious history with. Varum is now a reformed con artist, struggling to make ends meet, and when leaving the casino he gets a phone call from his estranged wife Monica, asking him to rescue her from rehab. Meanwhile, his son River (Gabe Gabriel), a trans male, is practicing alongside Ollie (Cleo Wesley) his drag queen BFF to win prize money at an upcoming drag competition to pay for his gender-affirming surgery. Despite Monica having abandoned River when he was only months old, Varum convinces his son to join him on the most entertaining and jaunty cinematic road trip to hit the screens since “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”.

RUNS IN THE FAMILY is directed by Ian Gabriel with a Script by his real-life son and star of the Movie, Gabe in his first role as a trans actor. Using their relationship as a template, this is a heartfelt and very funny movie that captivates and elevates, with one of the best cinematic drag shows since the aforementioned “Priscilla”. Witty lines are fast and furious: Varum who is of Indian descent slayed me when he said, “sacred cows make the best burgers”. Then, the final act of RUNS IN THE FAMILY takes a dramatic tonal shift where secrets are revealed, old wounds resurface and previous bad habits reoccur. It is a stunning achievement, handled with finesse and made me even more invested with all the characters.

I urge all to see the World Premiere of RUNS IN THE FAMILY. It’s an astonishing piece of work that grabs you like a pit-bull and never lets you loose. In a good way!!

Date: Thurs. June 1, 9:15p Venue: TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 1

GOLDEN DELICIOUS

Jake (Cardi Wong) cannot wait to start his senior year in high school alongside his sexually curious and voracious girlfriend Valerie (Parmiss Sehat). Furthermore, his father George (Ryan Mah) is putting pressure on him to no longer be a seat warmer but an active basketball team player (a sport that George was a star athlete when attending the same school). Whereas they practice daily, Jake seems more preoccupied with Aleks (Chris Carson), the openly-gay teenager and accomplished basketball player living across the alley of his family home where he surreptitiously takes photos of him from his bedroom window than shooting hoops with his dad. Despite his funny and engaging personality, life at home is also no picnic: his father is unyielding, his mother Andrea (Leeah Wong) hates working at the family Chinese restaurant and his sister Janet (Claudia Kai) wants to pursue a culinary career much to her mother’s chagrin. The shining light in Jake’s world is his newfound and close friendship with Aleks, despite questioning these new feelings he is experiencing.

Whereas it appears that Screenwriter Gorrman Lee hasn’t met a cinematic cliché that he won’t use (the Jake/Aleks “meets-cute” at school, the super serious and angry Chinese parents, the school’s Team Captain bully, the shallow excuses and so on), Director Jason Karman skillfully avoids the landmines in GOLDEN DELICIOUS and with great dexterity and glorious Cinematography gives the audience a rewarding movie. He magnificently manoeuvres all the possible pitfalls and the story’s potentially melodramatic undertones and fashioned a wonderful and entertaining movie experience. I truly appreciated the coming out process from an Asian-Canadian perspective and embraced the exceptional chemistry between Cardi Wong and Chris Carson, with a strong shout out to Claudia Kai, criminally-underused in an undeveloped character role. With some minor reservations, I strongly recommend GOLDEN DELICIOUS.

Date: Sat. June 3, 11:45a Venue: TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 1

I USED TO BE FUNNY

Positioned as a Special Presentation at this year’s Festival, Writer/Director Ally Pankiw’s feature film debut, I USED TO BE FUNNY, is a bravura accomplishment that MUST be savoured. Emerging star Rachel Sennott plays Sam was once a stand-up Comedian of substance and acclaim and fast tracked on the road to stardom. But we first meet her as she struggles with PTSD, where just taking a shower feels like an accomplishment and noises make her skittish. Fortuitously, her two roommates, Paige (Sabrina Jalees) and Philip (Caleb Hearon) are extremely supportive; even more so after the very drunk 14-year-old Brooke (Olga Petsa) – a young girl Sam used to nanny – breaks a window in their house and is then reported missing. This event pushes Sam over the brink.

As I USED TO BE FUNNY takes us on a journey between the present (where Sam continues to try to cope and overcome her condition) and the past (where we learn more about the relationship between Sam and Brooke), Pankiw brilliantly tackles delicate subject matters as mental health and sexual violence with candor, humour, and intelligence.

After Brooke’s mother passed away, her father Cameron (played by the real-life husband of Samantha Bee, Jason Jones) hired Sam to look after his daughter as he is a police officer who works extended hours and also has no idea how to deal with a young girl. Overcoming the initial resistance from Brooke, she and Sam ultimately bond and their relationship flourishes until something horrible happens which changes the dynamics and both their lives.

What makes I USED TO BE FUNNY shine is that every single performance by everyone in this Movie is letter-perfect. Rachel Sennott (obscenely ignored during the awards season for her performance in “Shiva Baby”) shows the audience her remarkable dramatic range alongside her pitch-perfect comedic timing. Jalees and Hearon (both real-life stand-up Comedians) shine as they skillfully traverse between delivering wickedly funny one-liners and genuine compassion and empathy. Jones registers with a performance that incorporates confusion, compassion, and menace. In the role of Sam’s boyfriend Nathan, Ennis Esmer genuinely surprised me as he disappears completely into the character. The standout performance comes from Olga Petsa as Brooke. Her range is exceptional and belies the age of this young soon-to-be megastar.

This Telefilm Canada in association with Crave production is scheduled to be released theatrically in 2024 and I predict it will receive accolades and awards during next year’s Canadian Screen Awards. But why wait? See I USED TO BE FUNNY now!

Date: Fri. May 26, 9:15p Venue: TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 1

MUTT

MUTT takes place over a very intense 24-hour period, set in New York City, where trans male Feña (Lio Mehiel) reconnects with his 13-year-old half-sister, ex-boyfriend and father arriving from Chile as he lost contact with them while transitioning. When first introduced to Feña, my initial reaction was that he was just a surly bitch, and I could not shake that impression throughout the Movie’s running time. Near the end of the Movie, when a character tells him satisfyingly that “People don’t hate you because you’re trans. They hate you because you’re an a**hole”, I literally applauded. But this is not to diminish the impact of Writer/Director Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s Movie, which has won awards at Sundance and Berlin. The performances from Cole Doman as the ex-boyfriend, MiMi Ryder as the half-sister and Alejandro Goic (who has serious Pedro Pascal vibes!) as the father, are all compelling. Though riddled with cliché, MUTT offers a unique Latinx perspective rarely seen on screen and that is to be admired.

Date: Wed. May 31, 6:45pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 3

BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND

1987. Rural Alberta. Robin (Vaughan Murrae), recently transplanted from the States, is having a rough first day at his new school. It seems that everyone in school in unsure of Robin’s gender. He is either ignored, bullied, or beat up. When he finally makes friends with his chief tormentor and local troublemaker Carter (Dominic Lippa) at a school trip to the recently-opened West Edmonton Mall, all gets better until both of them develop a crush on Izzy (Lacey Oake). BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND goes downhill from there.

Canada is world-renowned for its sense of humour, yet there is little in this Movie that would support that. Particularly, what I take offence to is its treatment of teachers: a noble, undervalued, underpaid, and underappreciated profession. On what universe is a teacher showing 11-12 year-olds how to properly put on a condom on a peeled banana funny? In the Film’s landscape, there are no repercussions to physical violent attacks on youngsters, amongst other horrors and this is problematic.

In a positive vein, the attention to detail when it comes to the Art Direction is exceptional, as they truly captured the look of the late ’80s. And I am definitely a fan of young Vaughan Murrae as his performance here is not only admirable, embodying some much-needed humanity.

Check out the Schedule and offerings this year here.

#INSIDEOUTTO: 2023 INSIDE OUT TORONTO 2SLGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING ACCOUNCEMENT

The 33rd annual Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, which proudly champions innovative 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers from across the globe, has revealed its full film lineup. Showcasing 107 films from 30 countries, including 33 feature films, and 7 world premieres. The festival will take place both in-person and virtually from May 25th to June 4th, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. The announcement was made today by Inside Out’s Co-Head & Executive Director, Elie Chivi, and Co-Head & Artistic Director, Andrew Murphy.

The festival’s opening night film this year will be the Canadian Premiere of acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs’ French romantic drama PASSAGES, which premiered earlier this year at Sundance to rave reviews. The drama about three people caught in a love triangle marked by passion, jealousy, and narcissism stars Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, and Adele Exarchopoulos. Closing the festival will be the World Premiere of a fantastical summer romance with a big musical heart, GLITTER & DOOM by Tom Gustafson, which is a love story told through the song lyrics by the Indigo Girls and features Alex Diaz, Missy Pyle, Tig Notaro, Alan Cammish and Lea DeLaria, along with the Indigo Girls themselves.

This year’s RE:Focus Gala selection is the Sundance Next Audience Award and Berlin Panorama Audience Award winner, KOKOMO CITY by Grammy-nominated artist, D. Smith. Through laughter and conversation, D. Smith captures an unapologetic and unfiltered look into the lives of four Black transgender sex workers. The documentary also features a unique and exhilarating soundtrack that matches the film’s striking black and white visuals.

Inside Out’s Centerpiece Gala will host the World Premiere of Canadian documentary, SUPPORTING OUR SELVES, directed by Lulu Wei. The documentary is a moving exploration of more than four decades of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation, which continues to support the needs of the 2SLGTBQ+ communities.

Highlights from the Special Presentations lineup include the Canadian premieres of Ally Pankiw’s I USED TO BE FUNNY and Georgia Oakley’s BLUE JEAN. Fresh from its SXSW Grand Jury Nomination, I USED TO BE FUNNY features Rachel Sennott (SHIVA BABY), Olga Petsa, Jason Jones, Dani Kind, and Ennis Esmer. The Canadian writer-director’s debut feature is about an au pair and aspiring stand-up comic, struggling with PTSD, who must decide if she wants to join the search for a missing teen she used to nanny. BLUE JEAN is a story about a gym teacher living a double life in Thatcher’s England. It comes to Inside Out after winning Venice’s Giornate Degli Autori’s People’s Choice, Best Lead Performance for star Rosy McEwen at the British Independent Film Awards, as well as multiple BAFTA nominations, including Outstanding Debut for Oakley.

Other notable festival titles include the World Premieres of Loveleen Kaur’s music documentary LEILANI’S FORTUNE, which follows queer, immigrant Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry; and Ian Gabriel’s RUNS IN THE FAMILY, a heartfelt dramedy about a father-son road trip across South Africa. Inside Out will also host the Canadian premiere of MUTT, which played at the Berlin and Sundance festivals earlier this year to critical acclaim, and focuses on a trans character as they adjust into their new life and identity.

Additional festival highlights include the Canadian premieres of 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren. The Berlin Guild Film Prize winner is the story of a young child and her path to discover her identity alongside her mother and the women in her family; and ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE, the Teddy Award winner by Nigeria’s Babtunde Apalowo about a delivery driver in Lagos whose quiet life is disrupted by a friendly, easy-going photographer.

Inside Out will also host a special 20th Anniversary screening of Richard Linklater’s SCHOOL OF ROCK, starring Jack Black, with cast member Rivkah Reyes in attendance (who also has a film they wrote, GIANNA, playing at the festival).

“We are thrilled to welcome audiences to the 33rd annual Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival. We are incredibly grateful to our members, donors, sponsors and stakeholders as well as our queer filmmaking family, for their continued loyalty and support, and without whom, this festival would not be possible,” said Elie Chivi, Co-Head and Executive Director.

“2023 is the year of Inside Out! Further solidifying our place in the spring pre-pride calendar, the Inside Out family has been hard at work to unveil today the best and most crucial cinematic voices from the 2SLGBTQ+ community.” said Andrew Murphy, Co-Head and Artistic Director. “Built around the heart of our cinematic experiences, we continue to strive to build experiences of connection, industry and professional development, and at the end of the night, a dance floor, because joy comes in many forms,” commented Andrew Murphy, Co-Head & Artistic Director.

“This year’s program offers an eclectic and captivating lineup of films, showcasing the rich and multifaceted experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ communities globally and right here in our own backyard. From the bold and innovative works of local talent Luis De Filippis, VT Nayani, and Ally Pankiw to the world premieres and festival favorites from 30 countries, we are excited for our audience to join us and explore the complex and joyful nuances of queer life,” added Jenna Dufton, Director of Festival Programming.

Inside Out, in addition to being a major resource for 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers and showcasing their work through the flagship festival, is one the world’s leading 2SLGBTQ+ film organizations, having founded the world’s only 2SLGBTQ+ Feature Finance Forum. The selected participants and mentors for the 8th edition International Financing Forum, will be announced in the coming weeks. Finance Forum success stories screening in this year’s festival are BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND (Trevor Anderson), BLUE JEAN (Georgia Oakley), GLITTER & DOOM (Tom Gustafson), GOLDEN DELICIOUS (Jason Karman), MUTT (Vuk Lungulov-Klotz), and SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT (Luis De Filippis).

The programming team is led by Director of Festival Programming Jenna Dufton, and is comprised of Lucia Linares (Programming Coordinator), and programmers Ferdosa Abdi, Rasheed Bailey, Ashley Bodika, Katherine Connell, Jacob Crepeault, Ferrin Evans, Ahlam Hassan, Claire Jarvis, Allia McLeod, Emma Pitters-Fisher, Nik Redman, and Scott Smart.

All in-person screenings at the festival will take place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto, and all industry events, including the opening and closing night parties, as well as the activities for the LGBTQ International Financing Forum, will take place at Artscape Sandbox. Many films will also be available virtually and available in Ontario.

Individual tickets for screenings (in person and digital), ticket packages, and all-access passes are on sale as of today at insideout.ca.

The full 2023 festival selections include:

OPENING GALA

PASSAGES, directed by Ira Sachs (France/Narrative)
The latest work by acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs starring Ben Whishaw, Franz Rogowski and Adele Excharpouplo, is a tale about two men who wonder if their crumbling marriage can survive when one of them has an affair with a woman.

CLOSING GALA

GLITTER & DOOM, director by Tom Gustafson (USA/Narrative)
When carefree Glitter and aspiring musician Doom meet it is love at first sight but they have only 29 days to discover if their love will last. Told through song lyrics by the Indigo Girls, the romance features some of their greatest hits, including the iconic anthem “Closer to Fine.” The film stars Alex Diaz, Alan Cammish, Lea DeLaria, Missi Pyle, Tig Notaro, and the Indigo Girls themselves.

RE:FOCUS GALA

KOKOMO CITY, directed by D. Smith (USA/Documentary)
Through conversation and laughter, Grammy nominated artist D. Smith presents a vibrant portrait of four black transgender sex workers in New York and Georgia who reflect on belonging and identity within the Black community and beyond.

CENTREPIECE GALA

SUPPORTING OUR SELVES, directed by Lulu Wei (Canada/Documentary)
A moving exploration of more than four decades of activism, told through the lens of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation. What started as a predominantly white, middle-class collective redefined itself during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and ’90s and continues to adapt today to better meet the needs of our Toronto communities.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

I USED TO BE FUNNY, directed by Ally Pankiw (Canada/Narrative)
An au pair and aspiring stand-up comedian, struggling with PTSD, must decide to join the search for a missing teenage girl she used to nanny as she tries to recover from her trauma and get back on stage.

BLUE JEAN, directed by Georgia Oakley (UK/Narrative)
Jean, a gym teacher, struggling to live her life openly under Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government faces a crisis with the arrival of a new student that challenges Jean to her core.

PREMIERES

20,000 SPECIES OF BEES (20.000 ESPECIES DE ABEJAS), directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (Spain / Narrative)
An eight-year-old child struggles with identity, her birth name feels very wrong, and her nickname Cocó doesn’t feel quite right either. During a summer among the beehives, she explores her name and identity alongside her mother and the women of her family.

OPPONENT (MOTSTANDAREN), directed by Milad Alami (Sweden/Narrative)
Iman and his family were forced to flee Iran and end up in northern Sweden. To protect his family he joins a local wrestling club. However, one sparring partner in particular ignites old feelings and Iman must choose between his own desires and the safety of his family.

RUNS IN THE FAMILY, directed by Ian Gabriel (South Africa/Narrative)
Former scam artist Varun and his trans drag performer son, River, embark on a road trip across South Africa. As River worries about missing Her Majesty’s Drag Competition and the opportunity to win the prize money to pay for his top surgery, secrets bubble to the surface and the duo’s relationship will be tested like never before.

SISI & I (SIS & ICH), directed by Frauke Finsterwalder (Germany, Switzerland, Austria/ Narrative)
Countess Irma finds Empress Sisi in Greece, away from the etiquette of the court. They live in freedom, but no matter how much Irma and Sisi resist, in the end they are left with only one fatal path that will bind them together forever.

ICONS

COMMITMENT TO LIFE, directed by Jeffrey Schwarz (USA / Documentary)
Hollywood played a critical role in the battle against HIV/AIDS as doctors, movie stars, studio moguls and activists came together to change the path of the epidemic and how the world saw it.

HUMMINGBIRDS, directed by Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefania ‘Beba” Contreras (USA/ Documentary)
Filmmakers and activists Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefanía “Beba” Contreras are coming of age in Laredo, Texas. Stuck in an immigration process with the threat of deportation for their families, they boldly refuse to be scared into submission and spend their days planning protest actions while expressing themselves with music, poetry, and art, creating magic in everyday moments.

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?, directed by Ella Glendining (UK/Documentary)
Filmmaker Ella Glendining was born with a very rare disability. Using intimate video diary entries, conversations with similarly bodied people and doctors treating her condition, Ella explored what it takes to love oneself fiercely despite the pervasiveness of ableism.

IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL, directed by Alexandria Bambach (USA/Documentary)
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began performing together in high school as queer friends who never expected to make it big. Against all odds, they broke through in the 1980s, maintaining musical careers on their own terms with an unwavering commitment to progressive politics and queer rights.

LEILANI’S FORTUNE, directed by Loveleen Kaur (Canada/Documentary)
An intimate journey with queer, immigrant, Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet, as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry. After a decade of making music she is now receiving critical acclaim and nominations, finally getting the validation and support she needs to embark on the creation of the album of her prophecies.

SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA

A QUEER’S GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL LIVING, directed by Ari Conrad Birch and Michal Heuston (Canada/Documentary)
The lives of four queer folks from various religions meet at the intersection of faith and queerness – Summeiya, the genderfluid founder of Queer Muslim Network Toronto, Juliana, a bisexual teacher and former Baptist Christian, Vaibhav, a gay Hindu dancer, and Ari, a trans Coptic Orthodox drag artist.

BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND, directed by Trevor Anderson (Canada/Narrative)
Robin’s arrival at a small-town Alberta middle-school causes a stir because the students aren’t sure of Robin’s gender. When Robin becomes friends with Trevor, the school bully, their friendship is put to the test when they are both attracted to Izzy.

BLOOM ROOM, directed by Tristen Sutherland, Yasmijn Nicolle, Christian Anderson, Sochima Nwakaeze, Ajahnis Charley (Canada/Series)
This six-episode series follows a group of Black millennials in an online community who love plants. As the group becomes entangled in each other’s lives, they find purpose in caretaking for their plants and their budding relationships.

GOLDEN DELICIOUS, directed by Jason Karman (Canada/Narrative)
Everyone wants something from high school senior Jake. But it’s not until Aleks, an openly gay teen with a love for basketball, moves in across the street that Jake begins to struggle with his own desires. To get closer to Aleks, Jake devotes himself to making the basketball team – only to realize it’s not basketball he really wants.

SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT, directed by Luis de Filippis (Canada, Switzerland/Narrative)
Ren reluctantly accompanies her very Italian family on a beach resort holiday. As Ren navigates a resort not suited to her trans identity and coped with her parents’ loving yet overbearing nature, she tries to balance the yearning for independence and the need to rely even more on her family’s support.

THIS PLACE, directed by V.T. Nayani (Canada/Narrative)
Kawenniióhstha leaves her community of Kahnawà:ke for Toronto and to find her Iranian father, who she has never met. Malai is a Tamil woman dealing with her father’s terminal illness and trying to decide what her future should look like. The women meet by chance but form an intense attraction and bond as they navigate complex issues of identity and family.

INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE

A PLACE OF OUR OWN (EK JAGAH APNI), directed by Ektara Collective (India/Narrative)
Trans women Laila and Roshni are looking for housing after they are evicted from their rental. As their search continues, it transcends physical spaces and biological bonds, and as new friendships blossom, help arrives from unexpected places.

ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE, directed by Babatunde Apalowo (Nigeria/Narrative)
Bambino is a delivery driver in Lagos, living a quiet life but when he meets Bawa, a friendly and easygoing photographer, something clicks. But in a country where homosexuality is illegal and taboo, Bambino doesn’t know what to do with their connection; judging by the life choices of his friend Ifeyinwa, the options seem limited.

ALMAMULA, directed by Juan Sebastian Torales (France, Argentina, Italy/Narrative)
After being gay bashed by local boys, Nino’s family moves to their country home. Nino is forced to attend confirmation class and is warned not to enter a nearby forest or risk being captured by the Almamula, a mythic creature that takes away those who commit carnal sins. But he is pulled to explore the forest and find out if the Almamula is real.

BIG BOYS, directed by Corey Sherman (USA/Narrative)
Jamie’s dream camping trip is ruined before it even begins when he finds out that his beloved cousin is bringing her new boyfriend. Jamie’s initial jealousy of the competent and confident Dan quickly turns into a friendship as the weekend progresses, and Jamie comes to terms with who he is.

MUTT, directed by Vuk Lungulov-Klotz (USA/Narrative
Over the course of a single hectic day in New York City, three people from Feña’s past are thrust back into his life after he lost since transitioning – his relationships with his father, his younger half-sister, and his ex-boyfriend – all while tackling the day-to-day challenges of living life in-between.

NARROW PATH TO HAPPINESS, directed by Kata Olah (Hungary, USA/Narrative)
A young Romani couple living in a remote village in Hungary have a very big dream: to make a musical based on their lives so they go to Budapest where they can live more openly. But, they must return to their village for one final reckoning, hoping to finally find the inspiration to write their own happy ending.

NORWEGIAN DREAMS, directed by Levi Igor Devold (Norway, Poland, Germany/Narrative)
Robert travels from Poland to begin work in a salmon processing plant off the Trøndelag coast in Norway. He begins spending time with colleague, and aspiring drag queen, Ivar. When a strike breaks out, his loyalty to his fellow workers is tested.

QUEENDOM, directed by Agniia Galdanova (USA/Documentary)
Gena, an artist from a small town in Russia, dresses in otherworldly costumes and protests on the streets of Moscow. She stages radical performances in public, which becomes a new form of art and activism and puts her life in danger.

SPECIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY SCREENING: SCHOOL OF ROCK, directed by Richard Linklater (USA/Narrative)
Fired from his band, down and out rockstar Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is desperate for work and takes a job as a substitute music teacher at an uptight private school where his attitude and hijinks have a powerful effect on his students.
Special guest, Rivkah Reyes (Katie), will be in attendance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mike White and Richard Linklater’s classic comedy.

THE VENUS EFFECT (VENUSEFFEKTEN), directed by Anna Emma Haudal (Denmark/Narrative)
Responsible and level-headed Liv believes she has her whole life figured out but cracks begin to show in her stable and simple life the arrival of eccentric artist Andrea. As the two women grow closer Liv’s life is thrown off course and she must contend with a breakup, a divorce, and an identity crisis that jeopardizes her shot at a happy life with the woman she loves.

WOLF AND DOG (LOBO E CAO), directed by Claudia Varejao (Portugal, France/Narrative)
Friends Ana and Luis were born on the island of São Miguel. Both have been expected to fit into the lives that have been laid out for them. But watching Luis push back against his father’s expectations, Ana begins to question the world around her.

SHORTS PROGRAM

The full shorts lineup can be found here.

#INSIDEOUTTO: 2022 INSIDE OUT FESTIVAL PREVIEW

The 2022 INSIDE OUT Festival brought to us by Lead Sponsor RBC, takes place May 26-June 5, 2022 in-person and online in Ontario. The Festival is comprised of 128 films from 28 countries, including 38 feature films, 3 episodic series, and 7 world premieres.

Now in its 32nd year, the Festival celebrating LGBTQ2S+ Film and Television, is highlighted by some high-profile programming, including Prime Video Series, THE LAKE starring Jordan Gavaris and Julia Stiles, plus also Opening Night Film MARS ONE, a Family Drama directed by Gabriel Martin! 

Upcoming Disney+ release FIRE ISLAND starring Bowen Yang and Margaret Cho also will be screening at the Festival!

Our George Kozera had the pleasure of previewing a few of the Festival’s key titles in-advance of this year’s Festival! Here’s his thoughts!

UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS

What sounds suspiciously like a bad joke set-up…a scatterbrained sex worker and a bitter gay Little Person meet and go on a road trip from New York to Labrador in a shockingly pink vehicle so that she can reconnect with the aliens that abducted her when she was 15 years old…UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS is a captivating comedy/drama/sci-fi hybrid that will have you invested from the very first scene. Acclaimed for his winning short movies, this is multi-hyphenate Juan Felipe Zuleta’s first feature-length film and there is nary a false move, from the stunning cinematography and to the haunting score from Sebastian Zuleta. Much like Rom-Coms, road trip movies tend to fall into predictable patterns which this film obliterates with finesse and originality.

As Winona, Sarah Hay gives a fully rounded performance in a difficult role that could have been a cliched mess in a less talented hands. Beautifully-nuanced and impressively balancing the quirky humour or pathos required, I hope to see more of her in the future. Matthew August Jeffers, who many will recognize from his recurring role on TV’s “New Amsterdam,” dominates every scene as Peter. He portrays loneliness, rage, sarcasm, grief, insecurities, intelligence and fear with superior assurance and grace, and I will not be at all surprised if he is nominated for Best Actor at next year’s Independent Spirit Awards.

Hold onto your hats as UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS soars to stratospheric heights.

Fri May 27, 7:15 pm
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BEYOND ED BUCK

I was drawn to the Documentary BEYOND ED BUCK as the story of a rich political insider arrested of drugging and killing two Black men was fictionalized in a recent episode of “Law and Order”. What I watched instead was a by-the-books “talking heads” feature that inexplicitly switched gears one third into the Movie. The first portion held my attention, albeit with many reservations, as I found the case against Ed Buck interesting, and the storyline incorporated sexual fetishes into the equation with aplomb. Then it completely switched gears and turned into a Documentary about Black Trans Lives (neither of Buck’s victims were Trans) with testimonials of those who survived prostitution, violence, and drug addiction. This is fine, but not what we were led to think the Documentary is about.

Documentarians Jayce Baron and Hailie Sahar sadly have taken on many topics that they are passionate about and tried to present too many things in a scant 91 minutes. There’s an unfinished, somewhat unsubstantiated and an incredibly angry one-sided vision presented in BEYOND ED BUCK. There are many stories to be told here and you can’t throw everything into one pot and call it Fusion.

Sat Jun 04, 2:15 pm
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NANA’S BOYS

NANA’S BOYS opens with Q (Jared Wayne Gladly) finding nothing in the fridge and sneaking out a beautifully-furnished Manhattan apartment to buy a birthday breakfast for his, still asleep in bed, life partner Amari (David J. Cook) who is celebrating his “Dirty 30” that day. We quickly ascertain that Q, a successful Lawyer, is a bit of a control freak and Amari is unemployed and shiftless. They bicker in a way that only those in a long-standing relationship do culminating with Amari being overwhelmed by his gift of a wedding ring. When an explosion in Times Square forces the city into lockdown, the two men go into “The Boys in the Band” route and play a truth-seeking game using Polaroids of their life together. Shattering secrets are revealed.

NANA’S BOYS expertly portrays the dynamics of a relationship that changes and evolves much to the blind eye of a partner. Cracks in the foundation appear upon each new revelation. Writer/Director Ashton Pina confidently and concisely makes this very theatrical piece engrossing and elicits earnest performances and a believable chemistry between the two actors. The movie is an emotional roller coaster with gratifying results.

Tue May 31, 9:30 pm
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TRAMPS!

London in the ’60s may have been the epicenter of music and fashion and trends but it was short-lived, and it took 20 years for that city to regain that mantle once again. “It is the duty of every generation to reject the old” says one of many interviewees in the Inside Out Centerpiece Gala, TRAMPS!, a wildly-entertaining and vibrant Documentary about the birth of The New Romantics movement. Adapting from its Punk Rock roots and eschewing the grunge of the Sex Pistols and The Clash, The New Romantics were more theatrical in fashion and melodic in their music which captivated the world. Whereas I personally am a bit of an expert about the New York City Alternative scene of that era, I was transfixed by how it came to be across the pond and relished the Filmmakers use of archival filmed footage and recent interviews with the artistic pioneers of those days. The creatively flamboyant gay roots, exemplified by Boy George, were a crucial factor in the New Romantics success as it spawned new musical identities, informative magazines and genuinely original fashion and jewelry. It also respectfully honours those lost to AIDS (including maverick Filmmaker Derek Jarman and Performance Artist extraordinaire Leigh Bowery) or heroin addiction.

TRAMPS! reminded me of my favourite Grade School Teacher; he taught me new things, expanded my narrow environments, and made it all fun to boot! Highly-recommended.

Tue May 31, 7:00 pm
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FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE

Making a nod to the 1992 song by The Cure, FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE is Documentary Filmmaker Marcus Pontello’s love letter to Numbers, a nightclub in Houston Texas. Bullied as a teenager in and out of high school for being out and proud, Pontello found solace in the Alternative music scene and dancing the night away at the gay watering hole. Originally a GayDisco in the late ’70s, Numbers went through many iterations until it found success as a venue that catered to fans of musical acts that include Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan and Grace Jones (shown minimally performing on the club’s stage). One of the co-owners of the bar during its heyday years was also the owner of Houston’s most successful record stores and worked tirelessly to promote new bands and music.

I wish FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE was as bouncy and compelling as the song remains to be. It is a rather sophomoric Documentary with endless interviews and little refreshing insights. Record stores have gone the route of the dinosaurs and nightclubs are not jammed to the rafters as they used to be everywhere currently, so the revelations here are not unique as this documentary wishes it could be. The Movie works as an unabashedly paean to a place that forever changed the Filmmaker. Other than that, I see a limited appeal to anyone outside of the Houston area and of a certain age.

Sun May 29, 2:15 pm
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OUT IN THE RING

First-time Filmmaker Ryan Bruce Levey explores the world of professional wrestling and its impact on the LGBTQ2S+ community in the Documentary OUT OF THE RING with passion and insight. Using archival footage alongside recent testimonies from Journalists, Historians and Wrestlers, Levey paints a fascinating and, at times, infuriating portrait of this incredibly unique form of entertainment. The rampant Homophobia and Racism that existed in the past is revelatory, but what profoundly disturbed me is the hypocrisy and greed from current Promoters as they exploit these Entertainers for financial gain. Whereas I could have done without some of the armchair psychological rhetoric presented, the interviews with current LGBTQ2S+ Professional Wrestlers were enlightening and inspiring as they strive for true and honest representation.

OUT IN THE RING introduced me to a world I had no interest in and I am now an informed and less judgmental about this unusual Sport and its Entertainers.

Fri Jun 03, 4:45 pm
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MONEYBOYS

In 1993, the Movie “Strawberry and Chocolate” made an international impact as it depicted gay life in Cuba. Though filmed in Taiwan and coming here after a successful screening at the Cannes Film Festival last year, MONEYBOYS may be the first film that addresses gay life in China. Despite a somewhat morose aura that permeates throughout, this is an accomplished piece of work that deserves attention.

When we first meet Fei (Kai Ko), he is a gay hustler working the rounds somewhere in South China and living with Xiaolai (J.C. Lin) with whom he has an intimate relationship with. After a brutally-violent incident, the story continues five years later when Fei returns to his small hometown village to see his dying grandfather. Despite a joyful reunion with his childhood friend Long (Yufan Bai), Fei’s family members treat him with disgust as, whereas they eagerly accept the money he sends, the method of how he makes his living is anathema to this patriarchal and homophobic environment. Fei leaves the village for good, followed by Long a few days later.

Much of Chinese Cinema has its own unique rhythm and style which may be discerned as over-the-top and soap opera-like by Western audiences. Everyone has their own story of love, be it requited or not. Seeing how Fei’s quest to find his heart’s soulmate falter often had me rivetted. With glorious Cinematography and heartfelt performances, MONEYBOYS is worth searching to experience.

Thu Jun 02, 9:15 pm
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Visit here for more on scheduling and tickets!

#INSIDEOUT: 2022 INSIDE OUT FESTIVAL TO RETURN IN-PERSON

The 2022 INSIDE OUT 2SLGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL takes place in-person May 26th to June 5th in Toronto, showcasing 128 films from 28 countries, including 38 feature films, 3 episodic series, and 7 world premieres. Now in its 32nd year, the Festival is highlighted by a Premiere of upcoming Prime Video Series THE LAKE starring Jordan Gavaris and Julia Stiles, plus also Opening Night Film MARS ONE, a Family Drama directed by Gabriel Martin! Upcoming Disney+ release FIRE ISLAND starring Bowen Yang and Margaret Cho also will be screening at the Festival!

Trailer here for the Festival.

The full 2022 festival selections include:

OPENING NIGHT

MARS ONE, directed by Gabriel Martins. (Brazil / Narrative)

With keen affection and an understanding of its characters, Mars One explores the hopes and expectations, the anxieties and foibles, of a Brazilian family against the backdrop of the 2018 election of Brazil’s far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro.

CLOSING NIGHT

“THE LAKE” – Episode 1 & 2, created by Julian Doucet and directed by Jordan Canning, Paul Fox. (Canada / Series)Set in cottage country, the Canadian Amazon Original The Lake, follows Justin (Jordan Gavaris, “Orphan Black”) as he returns from living abroad, after a break-up with his long-term partner, with the hope of reconnecting with the biological daughter at the idyllic lake from his childhood.

“The Lake” is produced by AMAZE, with Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence serving as executive producers for AMAZE (Carter, Call Me Fitz), and is written and executive produced by Julian Doucet (“Killjoys”, “St Nickel”). “The Lake” will launch exclusively on Prime Video on June 17 in 240 countries and territories worldwide.

GALAS AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

SO DAMN EASY GOING, directed by Christoffer Sandler. (Sweden, Norway / Narrative).

So Damn Easy Going explores the absolute mess of love and relationships through the eyes of Joanna, an 18-year-old diagnosed with ADHD.

TRAMPS!, directed by Kevin Hegge. (Canada / Documentary).
TRAMPS! is a feature-length documentary focusing on London’s iconic fashion and musical movement, The New Romantics.

UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS, directed by Juan Felipe Zuleta. (USA / Narrative).
In Unidentified Objects a misanthropic gay dwarf and a plucky sex worker go on a road trip to Canada in search of aliens, but what sounds like a wacky premise is actually a heartfelt story about finding your people.

WE WILL NEVER BELONG, directed by Amelia Eloisa. (Mexico / Narrative).
Adolescence can be tough, especially for young queer people who haven’t quite figured it out. We Will Never Belong charts one teenager’s quest for the truth with style and grace.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

FIRE ISLAND, directed by Andrew Ahn. (USA / Narrative).
A pair of best friends set out to have a legendary week-long summer vacation with the help of cheap rosé and a group of eclectic friends.

PREMIERES

CAMILLA COMES OUT TONIGHT, directed by Inés Barrionuevo. (Argentina / Narrative).
From the hallways of a conservative school to streets filled with demonstrators, Camila Comes Out Tonight is a coming-of-age film inspired by the impact of an Argentine generation that grew up fighting for women’s rights.

COMPULSUS, directed by Tara Thorne. (Canada / Narrative)
A staggering two-thirds of all Canadians know a woman who has experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Compulsus asks the question: what if women took matters into their own hands?

IN FROM THE SIDE, directed by Matt Carter. (UK / Narrative)
Come for the beefy guys and sweaty scrums, stay for the nuanced relationship drama unfolding among the players of a gay rugby club in South London

PHANTOM PROJECT, directed by Roberto Doveris. (Chile / Narrative)
A charmingly gay urban ghost story, The Phantom Project follows meandering millennial Pablo as he attempts to get his life together.

THE FIRST FALLEN, directed by Rodrigo De Oliveira. (Brazil / Narrative)
The First Fallen offers a sensitive look back at the early days of the AIDS epidemic in Brazil through the eyes of three friends: Suzano, a biologist; Rose, a trans singer; and Humberto, a student filmmaker.

WE DON’T DANCE FOR NOTHING, directed by Stefanos Tai. (USA / Narrative)

Captured amid the Hong Kong protests, We Don’t Dance for Nothing is a photo-montage love letter to the Filipina domestic workers of Hong Kong and their passion for dance.

ICONS

FIONA CLARK: UNAFRAID, directed by Lula Cucchiara. (New Zealand / Documentary).

Artist Fiona Clark, a misfit in society and a fearless storyteller, has spent a lifetime championing the unseen—fighting for individuals, hidden communities and the land she inhabits.

FRAMING AGNES, directed by Chase Joynt. (Canada, USA / Documentary).
Director Chase Joynt and an all-star cast of transgender artists and performers use re-enactment and genre-blurring storytelling techniques to breathe new life into the previously untold stories of the mid-century trailblazers who redefined gender.

FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE, directed by Marcus Pontello. (USA / Documentary).
Bars and nightclubs have long been an essential gathering place for queer communities and Numbers nightclub was one such place for LGBTQ patrons in Houston, Texas.

JEANNETTE, directed by Maris Curran. (USA / Documentary).
“I will never, ever, forget seeing the barrel of the gun,” says Jeannette Feliciano, a survivor of the Pulse Nightclub massacre, in the opening moments of this emotional tribute to one woman’s astounding resilience.

SIRENS, directed by Rita Baghdadi. (USA, Lebanon / Documentary).
Growing up in the shadow of their parents during the war in Lebanon, guitarist Lilas Mayassi and her bandmates, Shery, Maya, Alma, and Tatiana (Slave to Sirens) have big dreams but few opportunities.

INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE

BEYOND ED BUCK, directed by Jayce Baron, Hailie Sahar. (USA / Documentary).
From Jayce Baron and Hailie Sahar, Beyond Ed Buck follows the tragic murders that took place at the hands of a well-known Democratic political donor. This film comes with a content advisory please click here for more details.

BLOOMING ON THE ASPHALT, directed by Coraci Ruiz, Julio Matos. (Brazil / Documentary).
Blooming on the asphalt offers a unique perspective on Jack, a young Brazilian trans man whose life is dramatically changing as his country faces a global pandemic and an intolerant government.

DEATH AND BOWLING, directed by Lyle Kash. (USA / Narrative).
In a fractured, dream-like world, a transgender actor struggles with the death of the much-beloved captain of a lesbian bowling team.

GATEWAYS GRIND, directed by Jacquie Lawrence. (UK / Documentary).
The memory of so many lesbian bars, whose stories are integral to lesbian history, is in danger of slipping away. But filmmaker Jacquie Lawrence is determined to not let that happen to one of Britain’s most storied meeting places.

GIRL PICTURE, directed by Alli Haapasalo. (Finland / Narrative).
Over three consecutive Fridays, best friends Mimmi and Rönkkö’s friendship is put to the test as each embarks on an individual journey to ask the hard questions about who they are.

HOMEBODY, directed by Joseph Sackettt. (USA / Narrative).

Johnny loves his babysitter Melanie but, upon further reflection, is he really in love with her or does he just want to be her? There’s only one way to find out.

LA QUEENCIAÑERA, directed by Pedro Peira. (Mexico / Documentary).
As Los Angeles-based Latina trans activist Bamby Salcedo points out, the average life expectancy of a trans woman is a mere 35 years. In LA Queenciañera, this sobering statistic makes Bamby’s life and her impending 50th birthday something to truly celebrate.

LONESOME, directed by Craig Boreham. (Australia / Narrative).
In this sexually explicit drama, a scandal drives a young gay man from his small Australian town to Sydney.

MONEYBOYS, directed by C.B. Yi. (Austria, France, Belgium, Taiwan/ Narrative).
Moneyboys follows a Chinese hustler as he struggles to cope with the disapproval of his rural family.

NANA’S BOYS, directed by Ashton Pina. (USA / Narrative).
With subtle, vulnerable performances, Nana’s Boys focuses on the intimate life of a couple who are confronted with the fact that their relationship is not as solid as they thought.

NEPTUNE FROST, directed by Anisia Uzeyman, Saul Williams. (Rwanda, USA / Narrative).
Neptune Frost, one of the most visually striking films of the last several years, is an unmistakably queer, anti-capitalist, sci-fi musical created by Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman.

OUT IN THE RING, directed by Ry Levey. (Canada / Documentary).
Out in the Ring explores the rise and history of LGBTQ+ professional wrestlers and representation in the sport.

PRIVATE DESERT, directed by Aly Mritiba. (Brazil / Narrative).
Brazil’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film is a canny act of defiance against the homophobic jingoistic nastiness of the country’s current government and, unlike President Jair Bolsonaro, the film is thoughtful, nuanced, sensuous and affirming.

SUBLIME, directed by Mariano Biasin. (Argentina / Narrative).
Being a teenager in love can be hard. But being a teenager in love with your lifelong best friend is definitely harder. Sublime takes a look at a friendship that is facing the test of longevity.

THE DIVIDE, directed by Catherine Corsini. (France / Narrative).
The astounding Valeria Bruni Tedeschi delivers a tour-de-force performance as the high-strung half of a couple coming apart at the seams amid the anti-Macron “yellow vest” protests.

WAKE UP, LEONARD, directed by Kat Mills Martin. (USA / Narrative).
Part comedy, part self-help nightmare, Wake Up, Leonard follows one man’s quest for wellness while failing miserably to stay on his vibe.

SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA

PAT ROCCO DARED, directed by Morris Chapdelaine, Bob Christie. (Canada / Documentary).
Whose movies include a naked man dancing on a freeway, a gay couple at Disneyland, and the world’s first Pride march? Pat Rocco, a trailblazing gay independent filmmaker who is given well-deserved recognition in the charming documentary, Pat Rocco Dared.

STUPID FOR YOU, directed by Jude Klassen. (Canada / Narrative).
Jude Klassen’s musical feature, Stupid for You, asks the knotty question: what’s a shy, awkward queer teen to do when the opportunity to be noticed by her crush presents itself? The answer? Whatever it takes.

THE EMPRESS OF VANCOUVER, directed by Dave Rodden Shortt. (Canada / Documentary).
She may not be a household name outside of her tight-knit Vancouver community, but make no mistake, maverick drag diva and performance artist Oliv Howe is a star.

WITH WONDER, directed by Sharon Lewis. (Canada / Documentary).
With Wonder takes an intimate look at members of the queer, Christian community of colour and their attempts to answer the question: Can you be both Christian and queer?

EPISODIC

BRIDESMAN, directed by Julian Buchan, John Onieal (USA / Series).
The first-ever series produced by Grindr, Bridesman follows a self-absorbed bridesman on his quest to steal his best friend’s husband-to-be.

MY TRIP TO SPAIN, directed by Theda Hammel (USA / Series).
Alexis, a successful trans woman, is heading to Spain for cosmetic surgery. Her embittered old friend Charlie arrives to house sit while she’s away. During the handoff, he tries his best to convince her to cancel, while simultaneously pursuing a sexual liaison with her brooding gardener Bruno.

More on this, the Shorts Program and tickets at insideout.ca.

#INSIDEOUTTO: INSIDE OUT ANNOUNCED 2021 SUMMER OUTDOOR FILM SERIES

In case you missed some of these fan favourites that did the Festival circuit this year, now’s your chance to see some compelling films this Summer outdoors, brought to you by INSIDE OUT, the world’s premiere 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival.

Playing this Summer as part of the Series in around Ontario:

July 23
FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK (in co-presentation with Hot Docs)
Directed by: Bobbi Jo Hart
Fanny: The Right to Rock tells the story of one of the best bands—Filipina-American and LBGTQ+ bandmates included—that you have likely never heard.

July 24
SWAN SONG
Directed by: Todd Stephens
An aging hairdresser escapes his nursing home and embarks on an odyssey across his small town to style a dead woman’s hair for her funeral, rediscovering his sparkle along the way.

*Preceded by short film: I AM GAY
Directed by: Ajahnis Charley
After working abroad for five years, filmmaker Ajahnis Charley returns home to Oshawa, Ontario, in the age of quarantine.

*Includes pre-show musical performance by Tafari Anthony

July 25
SUMMERTIME
Directed by: Carlos López Estrada
Inspired by a showcase featuring diverse high school performers, Carlos López Estrada collaborates with young poets, many of whom are LGBTQ, to develop their work into an inspiring narrative and love letter to the youth of Los Angeles.

*Preceded by short film: NOOR & LAYLA
Directed by: Fawzia Mirza
Noor and Layla are breaking up. It’s the end of the road for these two Muslim women…or is it just the beginning? Five life-changing moments in their relationship are marked by the Muslim call to prayer.

*Includes pre-show musical performance by TÖME

MUSTANG DRIVE-IN (LONDON)

Address: 2551 Wilton Grove Rd, London, ON N6N 1M7
Doors Open: 7PM
Program Start: 8PM

July 28
DOUBLE FEATURE: SWEETHEART & BEYTO

SWEETHEART
Directed by Marley Morrison
As sun-soaked as one can get at a caravan park in Dorset, Sweetheart follows A.J. as she attempts to balance an embarrassing family vacation with the terrifying adventure of first love.

BEYTO
Directed by Gitta Gsell
Adapted from a novel by Swiss-Kurdish writer Yusuf Yesilöz, Beyto, which won the Prix du Public audience award at Switzerland’s Solothurn Film Festival, wrestles with the tension between cultures, and between a family’s sense of honour and a person’s need to be true to themselves.

*Preceded by short film: NOOR & LAYLA
Directed by: Fawzia Mirza
Noor and Layla are breaking up. It’s the end of the road for these two Muslim women…or is it just the beginning? Five life-changing moments in their relationship are marked by the Muslim call to prayer.

TORONTO OUTDOOR PICTURE SHOW (TORONTO)

Address: “Walled Fort” of Fort York National Historic Site – entry at west gates of 100 Garrison Road
Doors Open: 7:00PM
Program Start: Sundown
*This is an outdoor screening, not a drive-in

August 20
CHUTNEY POPCORN
Directed by: Nisha Ganatra
As a struggling artist and Honda-riding out-lesbian, Reena (Nisha Ganatra) feels she has nothing on her older married do-perfect sister Sarita (Sakina Jaffrey) – except her ovaries, that is. When Sarita and her husband discover that they cannot have children, Reena offers to serve as a surrogate mother. All that stands in the way is convincing her sister, mother, friends, and commitment-phobic girlfriend, Lisa (Jill Hennessey,) to go along with it.

*Preceded by short film: NOOR & LAYLA
Directed by: Fawzia Mirza
Noor and Layla are breaking up. It’s the end of the road for these two Muslim women…or is it just the beginning? Five life-changing moments in their relationship are marked by the Muslim call to prayer.

MUSTANG DRIVE-IN PICTON (PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY)

Address: 1521 Prince Edward County Rd 1, Bloomfield, ON K0K 1G0
Doors Open: 7PM
Program Start: 8PM

August 24
DOUBLE FEATURE: SWEETHEART & BEYTO

SWEETHEART
Directed by Marley Morrison
As sun-soaked as one can get at a caravan park in Dorset, Sweetheart follows A.J. as she attempts to balance an embarrassing family vacation with the terrifying adventure of first love.

BEYTO
Directed by Gitta Gsell
Adapted from a novel by Swiss-Kurdish writer Yusuf Yesilöz, Beyto, which won the Prix du Public audience award at Switzerland’s Solothurn Film Festival, wrestles with the tension between cultures, and between a family’s sense of honour and a person’s need to be true to themselves.

*Preceded by short film: PITOC E ICINAKOSIAN
Directed by: Gerry Ottawa, Jos-Onimskiw Ottawa-Dubé
Gerry and their big brother Jos show us that there is more to being different than bullying, discrimination, and harassment.

THE DRIVE-IN EXPERIENCE OTTAWA WEST (OTTAWA)

Address: RBC Festival Field – Wesley Clover Parks, 401 Corkstown Road, Nepean, ON K2H 8G2
Doors Open: 7PM
Program Start: 8PM

August 27
FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK (in co-presentation with Hot Docs)
Directed by: Bobbi Jo Hart
Fanny: The Right to Rock tells the story of one of the best bands—Filipina-American and LBGTQ+ bandmates included—that you have likely never heard.

*Preceded by short film: I AM GAY
Directed by: Ajahnis Charley
After working abroad for five years, filmmaker Ajahnis Charley returns home to Oshawa, Ontario, in the age of quarantine.

August 28
BEYTO
Directed by Gitta Gsell
Adapted from a novel by Swiss-Kurdish writer Yusuf Yesilöz, Beyto, which won the Prix du Public audience award at Switzerland’s Solothurn Film Festival, wrestles with the tension between cultures, and between a family’s sense of honour and a person’s need to be true to themselves.

*Preceded by short film: PITOC E ICINAKOSIAN
Directed by: Gerry Ottawa, Jos-Onimskiw Ottawa-Dubé
Gerry and their big brother Jos show us that there is more to being different than bullying, discrimination, and harassment.

Click here for more and tickets.

(Photo credit: Inside Out)

#INSIDEOUT21: FULL PROGRAMMING LINE-UP ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 INSIDE OUT FESTIVAL

The full programming line-up for the 2021 INSIDE OUT 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival has been unveiled and it includes some hits that came out of SXSW even like Potato Dreams of America, Alone Together (Charli XCX Documentary), Ma Belle, My Beauty and Opening Night Selection. Language Lessons starring Natalie Morales (who directs also) and Mark Duplass. Hot Docs hit FANNY: RIGHT TO ROCK also surfaces here giving us a chance to see it again! The Festival runs Ontario-wide online May 27-June 6, 2021.

Check-out the line-up below:

OPENING NIGHT

LANGUAGE LESSONS, directed by Natalie Morales. (USA / Narrative)
Natalie Morales explores platonic love masterfully in Language Lessons, demonstrating that no matter how hopeless, isolated or distant we are, finding love and friendship is always possible. 

CLOSING NIGHT

ALONE TOGETHER, directed by Bradley Bell, Pablo Jones-Soler. (USA / Documentary)
Alone Together goes in depth with Charli XCX as she faces mental health issues, rekindles her relationship, and connects with vulnerable LGBTQ+ fans in need.

PREMIERES

A DISTANT PLACE, directed by Park Kun-Young. (South Korea  / Narrative). 
A Distant Place is a wistful drama about love and family, set in the dazzling countryside of Hwacheon County in South Korea.

KNOCKING, directed by Frida Kempff. (Sweden / Narrative). 
When Molly moves into a new apartment after a tragic accident, a strange noise from upstairs begins to unnerve her.

MA BELLE, MY BEAUTY, directed by Marion Hill. (USA, France / Narrative). 
The buzz about this Sundance Audience Award winner suggests that Ma Belle, My Beauty primarily explores a polyamorous relationship. In fact, what the film more poignantly explores are the yearnings and complexities of characters who happen to be, among other things, polyamorous.

POTATO DREAMS OF AMERICA, directed by Wes Hurley. (USA / Narrative). 
Potato Dreams of America is an unlikely autobiographical fantasia that uses magical realism and plenty of humor to honour mothers, immigrants and dreamers everywhere.

SEE YOU THEN, directed by Mari Walker. (USA / Narrative). 
A decade after abruptly breaking up with Naomi, Kris invites her to dinner to catch up on their complicated lives, relationships, and Kris’s transition.

ICONS

CAN YOU BRING IT, directed by Tom Hurwitz, Rosalynde LeBlanc. (USA / Documentary). 
Can You Bring It resurrects one of the most essential works of art to come out of the AIDS era and celebrates the people who brought the masterpiece to life.

FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK, directed by Bobbi Jo Hart. (Canada / Documentary). 
Fanny: The Right to Rock tells the story of one of the best bands—Filipina-American and LBGTQ+ bandmates included—that you have likely never heard.

MAMA GLORIA, directed by Luchina Fisher. (USA / Documentary). 
Mama Gloria invites you into the world of role model, charm school founder and powerful trans activist, Gloria Allen.

YES I AM – THE RIC WEILAND STORY, directed by Aaron Bear. (USA / Documentary). 
Ric Weiland is a name you’re probably not familiar with, especially in association with a tech giant like Microsoft. This captivating documentary explores Weiland’s life and work as an out and proud computer genius.

INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE

A SEXPLANATION, directed by Alexander Liu. (USA / Documentary).
From neuroscience labs to church pews, A Sexplanation features provocative conversations in the pursuit of sexual truth and knowledge.   

BEING THUNDER, directed by Stephanie Lamorre. (France / Documentary). 
Sherente Harris, a two-spirit genderqueer teenager from the Narragansett tribe in Rhode Island, boldly challenges the status quo of what it means to be a queer Indigenous person in a world bound by binary gender roles.

BEYTO, directed by Gitta Gsell. (Switzerland / Narrative). 
Adapted from a novel by Swiss-Kurdish writer Yusuf Yesilöz, Beyto, which won the Prix du Public audience award at Switzerland’s Solothurn Film Festival, wrestles with the tension between cultures, and between a family’s sense of honour and a person’s need to be true to themselves.

BOY MEETS BOY, directed by Daniel Sánchez López. (Germany / Narrative). 
Taking inspiration from the mumblecore genre, Boy Meets Boy is a brief but romantic encounter between two young men who fall for each other over the course of a single day.

DRAG INVASION, directed by Alberto Castro. (Peru / Documentary). 
Drag Invasion tells the story of a surprising phenomenon that mobilized, energized and empowered LGBTQ Peruvians.

EVERYTHING AT ONCE, directed by Alberto Fuguet. (Chile , Spain / Documentary). 
Blurring the lines between traditional documentary and film essay, Everything at Once observes the work of two Catalan photographers and their vision of emphasizing the sex appeal of the working class.

GENDERATION, directed by Monika Treut. (Germany / Documentary). 
In 1999, Monika Treut made one of the first documentaries—Gendernauts—about trans people living in San Francisco. Twenty years later, Monika reunites with some of the film’s subjects to see how their lives have evolved in the intervening years. Screens with a newly restored version of Gendernauts. 

I CARRY YOU WITH ME, directed by Heidi Ewing. (USA, Mexico / Narrative). 
Acclaimed filmmaker Heidi Ewing makes her narrative feature debut with I Carry You with Me, a bittersweet true story of an aspiring chef’s dreams and romantic encounters.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SURVIVAL, directed by Yana Ugrekhelidze. (Germany / Documentary). 
Instructions for Survival, one of the most striking documentaries to come out of this year’s Berlinale, elegantly navigates the story of a couple fighting for freedom against terrifying threats in their homeland.

KAPANA, directed by Philippe Talavera. (Namibia / Narrative). 
Kapana takes a familiar narrative and gives it new life in the first Namibian film featuring a gay love story, supported by breakout performances and a promising message for queer African rights.

LEADING LADIES, directed by Ruth Caudeli. (Colombia / Narrative). 
Ruth Caudeli (Second Star on the Right) returns to Inside Out with Leading Ladies, a reflection on how different perspectives and memories affect one group of queer women.

LOVE, SPELLS AND ALL THAT, directed by Ümit Ünal. (Turkey / Narrative). 
United by a twenty-year-old spell, two women journey through the neglected corners of their memories as they explore the island of Büyükada, Istanbul, in Love, Spells and All That.

MOFFIE, directed by Oliver Hermanus. (South Africa, UK / Narrative).
South African auteur Oliver Hermanus delivers a brutal but radiant story of young gay desire on the Angolan war front.

MY FIRST SUMMER, directed by Katie Found. (Australia / Narrative). 
Nestled in the delicate interactions of two teenage girls, My First Summer offers viewers the distant, pastel colours of a first childhood romance.

POPPY FIELD, directed by Eugen Jebeleanu. (Romania / Narrative). 
In Poppy Field, it is not only misguided zealots shouting “Abomination!” that create the problem; it’s the machismo that holds the thin blue line together, and the anger that simmers underneath.

SUMMERTIME, directed by Carlos López Estrada. (USA / Narrative).
Inspired by a showcase featuring diverse high school performers, Carlos López Estrada collaborates with young poets, many of whom are LGBTQ, to develop their work into an inspiring narrative and love letter to the youth of Los Angeles.

SWEETHEART, directed by Marley Morrison. (UK / Narrative). 
As sun-soaked as one can get at a caravan park in Dorset, Sweetheart follows A.J. as she attempts to balance an embarrassing family vacation with the terrifying adventure of first love.

TWO, directed by Astar Elkayam. (Israel / Narrative). 
Two follows a couple as they set out on the long road to conception and realize their dream of having a baby.

WALK WITH ME, directed by Isabel Del Rosal. (USA / Narrative). 
Walk With Me follows a young mother who must take some personal risks to find the happiness she has been seeking.

SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA

BLOODTHIRSTY, directed by Amelia Moses. (Canada / Narrative). 
Bloodthirsty, the latest astonishing film from Canadian director Amelia Moses, is guaranteed to make your skin crawl with its vivid imagery and eerie sound design.

DAWN, HER DAD & THE TRACTOR, directed by Shelley Thompson. (Canada / Narrative). 
When a young woman with a startling resemblance to her mother arrives home for her mother’s funeral, one family begins an odyssey toward understanding.

HOW TO FIX RADIOS, directed by Casper Leonard, Emily Russell. (Canada / Narrative). 
In Casper Leonard and Emily Russell’s stunning first feature, young queers carve out their own destiny in a rural community in Southern Ontario.

EPISODIC

#TMI, directed by Ashlei Shyne. (USA / Series). 
#TMI is a comedy series that follows Aaliyah Jones, a bisexual woman who recently became single when her ex-girlfriend Simone moved to Berlin.

DINETTE SEASON 2, directed by Shaina Feinberg. (USA / Series). 
The staff and regulars at a Brooklyn-based diner scramble to keep their favourite hangout afloat after the sudden death of its owner.

ENBY, directed by Morgan Strug. (Canada / Series). 
Enby, a 20-something human living in East Van has finally found the words that match their identity.

QUERENCIA, directed by Mary Galloway. (Canada / Series). 
Querencia is a love story that follows two Indigenous queer women from divergent backgrounds as they navigate and explore their complex Indigiqueer identities and their differing cultural upbringings.

TRANS IN TRUMPLAND, directed by Tony Zosherafatain. (USA / Series). 
Trans in Trumpland takes an intricate, inspiring road trip from State to State into the lives of four remarkable, resilient trans people.

SHORTS

The shorts lineup can be found here.

More here on the Festival.

#INSIDEOUT: INSIDE OUT FESTIVAL 2020 PREVIEW

The 30th annual INSIDE OUT FILM FESTIVAL kicks-off this week, running October 1-11, 2020. Showcasing 150 films and 9 episodic series. The Festival will go by a digital platform this year as we navigate the Pandemic. Programming will be made available via insideout.ca and also via Inside Out’s new AppleTV and Roku apps. This will allow INSIDE OUT patrons to customize their own schedules from home for the first time ever.

Headlining the Festival this year is a special conversation with talent from Netflix‘s upcoming Series BOYS IN THE BAND, adapted from the popular Broadway Play. The Series premieres on Netflix September 30, 2020.

Also Gabriel Range‘s David Bowie Biopic STARDUST, filmed in Toronto, will open the Festival with a special Drive-In Premiere at Ontario Place. The Premiere will feature Drag Queen and Drag King performances by: Drag Queens:
–Allysin Chaynes
–Bonbon Bontemps
–Tiffany Boxx
–Shada Jada Hudson
–Manny Dingo

Acclaimed Festival favourites also will surface at INSIDE OUT this year including THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON, COWBOYS, NO ORDINARY MAN and TIFF ’20 fan favourite, SHIVA BABY.

Our George Kozera (@PartyG) had the pleasure of previewing some of the key titles at the Festival and here are some of his thoughts:

NO HARD FEELINGS

Parvis (Benny Radjaipour) has been sentenced to 120 hours of community service at a Red Cross refugee centre located in Hannover, Germany to be a Farsi translator. Though born in Germany to Iranian parents, he struggles with the various dialects, which affects him emotionally. As a happily-open young gay teenager, partying late nights at local bars and using apps for sexual hook-ups, he tones his image and mannerisms down somewhat when at the refugee camp as to not bring unwanted attention to himself from glaring homophobic eyes. After one frustrating translation session, Parvis sits on a stoop, wiping away tears, and is approached by the handsome, curly haired Amon (Eidin Jalali), with whom he shared furtive glances with up to this point, who offers a sympathetic ear (much to the chagrin of his fellow soccer playing buds). Amon is at the camp alongside his sister Bana (Banafshe Hourmazdi), both awaiting word on their immigration status. The three young people become great friends and Parvis and Amon fall in love with each other.

It is easy to see why NO HARD FEELINGS won the Teddy Award for Best LGBTQ film at this year’s Berlin Film Festival. The performances by the three leads are refreshing as they go about their daily lives chanting their mantra: “the future is ours”. Their optimism is intoxicating to watch, despite their feelings of not really belonging anywhere and coping with the racism and homophobia they frequently encounter.There are powerful scenes of many young adults in the refugee centre with looks of despair on their faces as they await their fates that was heartbreaking to see. But whatever the future has in store for the three main characters, we root for them as they approach their lives with hope and dreams to fulfill. NO HARD FEELINGS deserves to be seen.

BREAKING FAST

BREAKING FAST fills a void that is sorely lacking: a charming, funny Rom-Com first date movie for gay men. It has it all…the two very attractive leads, the campy (but all knowing) gay best friend, the gorgeous exteriors (this time, it’s West Hollywood), fabulously decorated homes. Throw-in witty banters, a love of Musical Theatre, a Soundtrack that include songs from Lizzy, Sarah Vaughn and TLC, plates upon plates of sensually-photographed food as well as deep dark secrets and you have a classic movie for the ages!

Mo (Haaz Sleiman) is a gay Muslim doctor, out to his family, who gets dumped by his boyfriend Hassan (Patrick Sabongui, best known for his recurring role on TV’s “The Flash”) on the first day of IFTAR (the meal after sunset during the holy month of Ramadan) for fear of being outed by a family member. Fast-forward a year later, same time of the year. Mo is still aching the loss but grudgingly accepts the invitation to celebrate the nth anniversary of his best friend Sam’s 21^st birthday. As Sam, Amin el Gamal illuminates the screen with panache, style and bitchiness! At the party, Mo meets Kal (Michael Cassidy) and the attraction is instant and eventually theirs is a relationship of sweeping romantic gestures as they celebrate Iftar together. Minus any intimacy between the two as those are verboten during Ramadan and Mo is a devout Muslim. After a contentious accidental meeting with Kal’s mother (Veronica Cartwright) that ultimately brings out secrets Kal has and with Hassan trying to reconnect with Mo, the relationship has hit an impasse.

Writer/Director Mike Mosallam has a deft hand, eye and ear and he navigates through the turbulent waters of being gay and Muslim with valid opinions on both ends of the spectrum with intelligence. I also admired how he portrays an interracial relationship without that being an issue. The chemistry between Sleiman and Cassidy is authentic and the Cinematography is sensual.

And, if you’re like me, the “Climb Every Mountain” scene at a karaoke bar will leave you all goosepimply and teary-eyed. BREAKING FAST is priority viewing.

CICADA

Have you ever seen an undiscovered star miraculously burst through the galaxy and light up the heavens? Let me introduce you to one by the name of Matt Fifer, the Writer/Director/Producer/Editor of CICADA, a movie consummate on so many levels that it continues to resonate with me days after seeing it and will undoubtedly make my list of the best in 2020.

As this Movie opens with a “based on true events” disclaimer, it should come with no surprise that Fifer also plays the lead role of Ben. Once engaged to a woman, this mopey, handsome bisexual man having meaningless sex with anyone and everyone is portrayed provocatively and humorously in a series of vignettes.  Then he meets an attractive black man in front of a used book store. Sam (Sheldon D. Brown) is easily charmed by Ben’s flirtatiousness and quick wit and the two hook-up. Set against a backdrop of a never more beautiful looking Manhattan and Greenwich Village, their relationship blooms and as they blossom together, they slowly reveal their inner fears and demons which range from the insecurities of admitting who they are to their family members to much more shocking revelations of sexual and physical violence, racism and homophobia. Their relationship has hit numerous stumbling blocks and we watch and hope they can survive as a couple. I know I am being deliberately vague about their many obstacles, but one of the powers of CICADA is the sense of discovery that sucker punches you in the heart. Like a great Documentary, Fifer and Brown (who also contributed to the Screenplay) expertly navigate the topics with finesse.

While on the topic of experts, Cobie Smulders (from the recently cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns TV series “Stumptown”) dominates the screen in her role as Ben’s psychiatrist and Neil Patrick Harris’ real-life husband David Burtka shines subtly in his role as a DILF who hires Ben as a House Painter.

Fifer is a powerhouse hyphenate. Taking his incredible acting chops talents aside, his vision is a fully realized accomplishment; from sweepingly-romantic scenes replete with too many laugh out loud one-liners to heartbreaking circumstances, CICADA must be seen. It’s cinematic gold.

SHIVA BABY

A monster breakout hit at this year’s TIFF and already written about on this site by my talented colleague, Amanda Gilmore, I just want to quickly add how much I loved SHIVA BABY and I hope this Movie resurges Polly Draper’s career. Her comic timing is brilliant. I literally almost fell-off my chair when she accuses her daughter of being too thin by saying “You look like Gwyneth Paltrow on food stamps”. Hollywood Casting Agents: can’t get Oscar and Emmy winner Allison Janney? Hire the Divine Ms. Draper.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE

AHEAD OF THE CURVE is a Documentary Feature about Franco Stevens who, with grit and determination, printed the first lesbian lifestyle glossy Magazine. “Curve” was the first of its kind as the many talking heads in this Film (that include Melissa Etheridge and SAG and Obie winner, Lea DeLaria) expound what a significant impact it made on their lives. The Movie opens with the fear that the print edition of this iconic Magazine may be heading towards extinction and how an online version could successfully compete in an already over-saturated environment. I was fascinated with all aspects of starting and maintaining the many successes that was Curve magazine and the constant battles initiated by the readers over the use of the lesbian on the cover versus words like gay, dyke, queer, etc.

Where AHEAD OF THE CURVE falters with me is that it spends considerable screen time on many topics and issues that, though very important (homophobia, transphobia, legal inequities…the list goes on), had little to do with the Magazine itself or the life of Franco Stevens. Whereas earlier in the Movie, there are many theories, humorously depicted, as to why the magazine was first called “Deneuve”, these same women express shock and indignation when the magazine is sued by Catherine Deneuve for infringement. Much of Stevens’ personal life is glossed over. She married a man at 19 and after one class realized she was gay…that was a head scratching revelation. I found many aspects of AHEAD OF THE CURVE informative and interesting but, all in all, for me, it’s a noble misstep.

THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON

Written by then 19-year-old Stanley Kalu (now 23) then having its world premiere at TIFF ’19, THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON is, sadly, as timely today as when it was first conceived. The Movie opens with its Narrator saying “Tunde Johnson departed this life 9:30pm, May 28th, 2020 at the hands of police officers in Los Angeles, California”, the day he came out as gay to his wealthy Nigerian-born parents. His crime? Being black while driving. Using “Groundhog Day” as a template, we relive Tunde’s school day and his tragic fate over and over again, though the reasons for the death change as the story takes us along different paths. Nevertheless, death for sitting in an expensive car or walking alone in a prosperous neighbourhood or standing in front of a store smoking a cigarette is heinous and difficult to watch. Steven Silver (Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why”) gives a multi-faceted, intense performance in the lead role and is complimented greatly by all the Supporting Actors, which include David James Elliott. Director Ali LeRoi succinctly and eloquently depicts the movies many issues as racism, police brutality, LGBTQ acceptance, drugs and mental health. It is a searing commentary on the consequences of being black in America, made even scarier if you’re young and gay. THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON is a towering and powerful achievement.

NO ORDINARY MAN

NO ORDINARY MAN is a fascinating documentary that focuses on the life of Billy Tipton, a popular Jazz Musician in the ’40s and ’50s whose Trans identity was not publicly revealed until after his death in 1989. In a male-dominated Jazz scene from which women musicians were excluded, the talented Tipton found work and fame dressed as a man; he married a woman and together they adopted 3 children (from whom he continued to keep his gender a secret). After his death, the tabloid newspapers and TV shows (including Oprah and Geraldo) fixated on the salacious and a posthumous Biography, titled “Suits Me” added flames to the horribly-misinformed fire. I found NO ORDINARY MAN absolutely engrossing and illuminating as Trans men are sadly under-represented in the arts. TV shows like “Pose” and multiple Emmy nominated Laverne Cox shed positive portraits of Trans women but who gets more media attention: Chaz Bono or Caitlyn Jenner? Not only do Directors Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt employ Tipton’s photographs, music and personal tape recordings, the “talking heads” interviews shed insights into a world of Transmasculinity and gender versus sexuality. I particularly enjoyed sequences where Trans men were reading from a Script about a proposed Tipton Biopic and their unique and individual interpretations of how Tipton would react, intermingling with their own thoughts and experiences. NO ORDINARY MAN is groundbreaking and triumphant.

MONSOON

The handsome, charismatic and talented Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) is the centerpiece in the introspective, languidly-paced MONSOON from writer/director Hong Khaou. Playing Kit, he returns to the country of his birth, Vietnam, to scatter the ashes of his late parents. While there, he reunites with his childhood friend, Lee (David Tran), meets an Art Curator, Linh (Molly Harris) and has an online hook-up with Lewis (Parker Sawyers), the son of a troubled Vietnam War vet. The lush Cinematography of modern day Vietnam only accentuates the rich heartfelt performances by everyone in MONSOON.

DATING AMBER

When you’re a closeted gay teen attending high school in picturesque rural Ireland, life would be so much easier if everyone just thought you were in a relationship with someone of the opposite sex. Which is exactly what Eddie (Fionn O’Shea) and Amber (Lola Petticrew) do; they become each other’s’ beard. DATING AMBER takes us on their journey filled with uncomfortable hugs and kisses in public and awkward meetings with their parents as they individually deal with their own coming out processes.

Like Garbo, I rarely laugh but could not help myself guffawing throughout. The two leads are as supremely talented as they are photogenic. Writer/Director David Freyne infuses the screen with authenticity and charm, with letter perfect performances from all the supporting characters. DATING AMBER is a richly composed and executed movie and a must-see!

COWBOYS

Troy kidnaps his child, Joe from his estranged wife Sally and the two travel on horseback through the wilds on Montana towards Canada. Flashbacks show us 11 year old Joe’s discomfort wearing a dress at a family picnic and the exceptionally close bond with Troy. When Joe tells Troy that she is not a Tomboy, but a boy trapped in a girl’s body, his total and complete acceptance of the news contrasts dramatically from how Sally reacts.

COWBOYS is a powerful and complex movie, tackling the subject matter of being a transgender child with grace and eloquence. Not only is this Steve Zahn’s (as Troy) best screen performance ever, young trans actor Sasha Knight’s accomplishment belies his age. As the police officer in charge of finding the two outcasts safely, the always great Ann Dowd adds another feather to her accomplished cap. Against the majestic backdrop of the Montana forests, COWBOYS resonates with compassion.  

Visit insideout.ca for more details and tickets!

(Photo credit: Inside Out/Netflix/Obscured Pictures)

#FIRSTLOOK: 2020 INSIDE OUT FILM FESTIVAL TO GO DIGITAL THIS YEAR

All is not awash in 2020. INSIDE OUT, North America’s largest LGBTQ Film Festival has announced earlier this week it will be going digital, effectively merging their Toronto and Ottawa editions of the Festival. The Festival, now it its 30 edition runs October 1-11, 2020.

In converting to a digital format this year, the Festival will be hosted on the Cinesend platform incorporating films with live events, Q&As, and exclusive conversations with LGBTQ talent.

The full lineup of short films below, many grouped by Carly Rae Jepsen song names! Feature films to come.

BOLD

POMPEII (United Kingdom) – Marco Alessi / Harry Lighton / Matthew Jacobs Morgan      
Wearing only a crop-top and high-waisted jeans, Tam feels conspicuous. So he plugs in his earphones and begins reliving his messy Halloween night via social media.

2 DOLLARS (United States) – Robin Cloud    
As a black queer artist, Syd deals with daily challenges from ignorant co-workers and a killer workload. When they enter the office lotto pool, everything changes.

ACROSS, BEYOND, AND OVER (United States) – Brit Fryer / Noah Schamus    
Two trans men who used to date in middle school reconnect over a long weekend and develop a hybrid documentary about their past.

ADELINE, THE GREAT (United States) – Jessica Siqueiros          
A woke boarding school student questions her commitment to activism when she finds herself with no friends, countless enemies, and facing some very serious accusations that threaten to get her expelled.

ZANMI (Martinique) – Nadia Charlery
A New Year’s Eve party in Martinique with friends and champagne leads to an innocent game with unexpected consequences.

BODY SO FLUORESCENT (Canada) – David Di Giovanni 
Desiree and Shenice go out for a fun night of dancing, but when Shenice takes things a step too far, Desiree is confronted with who Shenice really is and how Desiree may be the one responsible for her insidious transformation.

POSTMARKED (United States) – Malakai    
With the help of an eccentric woman, some gas station snacks, and a torch of bright burning hope, Scooter sets out to find his estranged trans sister.

Boy Problems

BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE (Brazil) – Leandro Goddinho       
It is the first week of 2019 in Brazil and a new president takes office. Locked in a hotel room, two teenagers decide to change the course of their lives.

HOW TO SAY I LOVE YOU AT NIGHT (United States) – Andree Ljutica 
A single-take film explores notions of male-on-male intimacy, sexuality and violence,during one romantic encounter gone wrong.

HAVANA (United States) – Faith Strongheart        
Antonio, an immigration officer by day, sells exit visas illegally by night. His secrets go beyond his work, though: he is also hiding his relationship with Jian.

EN MI ALMA (United States) – Sara Pinar Onder     
Power dynamics shift between an asylum officer and an asylum seeker when they run into each other at a bar.

WE’RE NOT HERE (Australia) – Bonnie Moir           
Anton, a closeted right-wing Finnish politician, meets his secret lover, Ryan, for a weekend getaway in the Mediterranean.

POMPEII (United Kingdom) – Marco Alessi / Harry Lighton / Matthew Jacobs Morgan      
Wearing only a crop-top and high-waisted jeans, Tam feels conspicuous. So he plugs in his earphones and begins reliving his messy Halloween night via social media.

BUCK (United States) – Elegance Bratton / Jovan James   
Caught in the midst of a depressive fugue, Lynn turns to debauchery to ease his troubled soul only to discover that achieving happiness is complicated.

I WANT TO SEE GELLIVARE BURN (Sweden) – André Vaara      
Teenage misfits Amandus and Johan find solace in an unconventional friendship, challenging the norms of their provincial Swedish town.

Call Me Maybe

CINDY (Australia) – Rosanagh Griffiths        
Cindy’s first time performing in drag might be camp and outrageous, but is it a success?
 
QUEST FOR JASMINE (United States) – Amanda Hawkes / Jackie MacLean       
Amara tries to make a love potion in hopes of finding romance.

LADYLIKE (United States) – Rachel Bickert / Emily Tapanes          
A queer woman in the American South shatters deep-rooted religious beliefs and cultural stereotypes within her conservative community.

THROUPLE (United States) – Chrissie De Guzman 
Hungover from a bad breakup, a not-so-great stripper makes a house call to a progressive married couple.

ORIGAMI (Iran) – Marjan Hashemi   
A young woman makes an origami bracelet for her crush but when it’s intercepted by her teacher, she must go to great lengths to retrieve it.

SQUARE ONE (United Kingdom) – Emily Jo Sargent          
A semi-autobiographical film demonstrates fishing as a way to avoid sex.

I KNOW HER (United States) – Fawzia Mirza           
In the afterglow of a seemingly fated hookup, two women realize that perhaps they have a little too much in common.

SUPER ZEE (Canada) – Nathalie Younglai  
A queer Black superhero swoops in to save her woman crush from the microaggressions at the office.

Cut to the Feeling

DIRTY (United States) – Matthew Puccini    
Marco cuts class to spend the afternoon with his boyfriend. Things do not go as planned.

ARE WE HERE YET? (United States) – S. Chidi Amadiume
A couple moving in together discover they don’t know as much about each other as they thought.

SUNDAY (India) – Arun Fulara          
When Kamble makes his weekly visit to the neighbourhood barber shop, it’s not just for a shave.

BLACK HAT (United States) – Sarah Smith  
Shmuel is a pious Hasidic man but, when his family leave town for a few days, he will step out of his simple life and into a more complex world.

BOLDLY GO (Australia) – Christopher Cosgrove     
A young gay man is hiding an embarrassing secret about his body but when a long-term crush begins seducing him at a party, he is forced to confront his shame.

SEE YOU SOON (United States) – Tyler Rabinowitz
A gay man travels across the country to spend the weekend with someone he’s been talking to for months on a dating app.

ACUITZERAMO (United States) – Miguel Angel Caballero  
Salvador, a gay Mexican elder who has lost his partner of 15 years, calls his partner’s estranged son, Anthony, to tell him of his father’s passing.

DUNGAREES (United Kingdom) – Abel Rubinstein 
Transgender Blake and cisgender Cane hang out, play video games and grapple with their insecurities. This is their love story.

E•MO•TION

TAPE (United States) – Jojo Ernholtz
A high school hockey team is preparing for the most important game in their season. However, sixteen-year-old Rooney is more focused on her teammate Alex.

THE BUTTERFLY (Japan) – Shiho Fukada  
Kota Ishijima spent most of her life hiding from who she is. After finding the strength to live that truth, her life comes full circle as she awaits the birth of her first grandchild.

REHEARSAL (United Kingdom) – Valentina Gordeeva       
Anna and Emma have decided to marry but first they must come out to Anna’s conservative mother.

LA GLORIA (United States) – Mary Evangelista       
In the days following her suicide attempt, a queer lovelorn teen finds connection and solace with her abuela through the secret language of dreams.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER (Taiwan) – Siew Hong Leong    
On the day Taiwan passes its same-sex marriage law, Wen-de’s daughter is at home, celebrating her new engagement to her girlfriend.

THE MISTRESS (Puerto Rico) – Pati Cruz   
During her husband’s funeral, Maritere receives an unexpected visit.

MOMSTER (United States) – Drew Denny   
When notorious bank robber “the Momster” catches her daughter Angel mid-gunfight, Angel thinks she’s being rescued — until she realizes she has to do the saving.

I Didn’t Just Come Here to Dance

THE WOODPECKER (United States) – Courtney Bush / Will Carington / Jake Goicoechea
On his way to Brad’s animal-themed housewarming party, Richard stops at a pharmacy and calls a close friend for advice about his costume.

ISLAND QUEEN (United States) – Zackary Grady / Jenn Harris     
On the day a teenage hockey player secretly plans to try out for the figure skating team, he gets trapped on a ferry boat.

MUY GAY TOO MEXICANO (United States) – Lorena Lourenco    
As he prepares for a date, J.D. seeks advice from two dissimilar people.

ACRIMONIOUS (United Kingdom) – Olivia Emden  
Set against the backdrop of multicultural, leave-voting West London, Acrimonious follows Emeka, a gay British Nigerian who is newly divorced.

PETE CAN’T PLAY BASKETBALL (United States) – Nick Borenstein         
In a world where all that matters is basketball, Pete can’t play basketball.

AFTER THAT PARTY (Brazil) – Caio Scot   
Leo never imagined he would see his dad kissing another man in the middle of a party…until it happened.

DECEASED ONES (United States) – Kate Hopkins 
When two friends get involved in the niche service of role playing the dead, they’re forced to help heal grieving strangers through a surreal game of make-believe.

LAZY (SUNDAY) (United States) – Cameron Miller-Desart  
Tired of their friends trying to set them up, two friends turn errands into a fake date, only to find it might not be fake at all.

Icons

PERFECTLY FRANK (United States) – Dan Hunt    
Perfectly Frank is a short documentary chronicling the life of Frank Vilardi, a retired accountant from Long Island who, in his late sixties and after forty years of marriage, comes out.

LIVING OUT LOUD: LBTQI MOVEMENT BUILDING AND FEMINISM IN GEORGIA (United States) – Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy          
While officially a secular nation, church and state are far from separate in Georgia, where homophobia is common. Eka Aghdgomelashvili, a Georgian feminist activist and trailblazer, is on the front lines of the fight against homophobia.

KEYBOARD FANTASIES: THE BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND STORY (United Kingdom) – Posy Dixon          
Capturing five decades of relentless musical output and shifting manifestations of gender and sexual identity, and set against a backdrop of profound social change, the film celebrates the life of Beverly Glenn Copeland who, at 75, is embarking on his first international tour.

Local Heroes

LIAR (Canada) – Wayne Burns         
Two young men meet for a hookup on a church rooftop.

THEY LOOKED AT ME AND I SMILED (Canada) – Ben Edelberg  
Artists use their bodies as a medium and canvas while existing in their natural environments. Are they performing?

SWIMMERS (Canada) – Chris Ross 
Swimmers follows two strangers—Gloria and Sarah—after they meet one summer evening when Sarah pool hops through Gloria’s backyard.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNICORN (Canada) – Mina Sewell Mancuso
A young girl argues with her parents and her Catholic school, demanding that her confirmation sponsor be her transgender aunt.

THE WAY WE ARE (Canada) – Amanda Ann-Min Wong    
The stories of four queer Asian women are presented within an immersive experience of past and present, revealing the real-lives of a different generation.

GHOST (Canada) – M. H. Murray     
Benjamin is ghosted by his lover.

BING! BANG! BI! (Canada) – Jessica Huras
At an inopportune moment, a struggling actor takes a stance on her bisexuality.

Mixed Episodic

MY TRANS JOURNEY (Canada) – Elizabeth Trojian           
Transgender icon Dr. Carys Massarella helps patients work to overcome personal challenges and thrive in their transitions.

BANANAS (Australia) – Rachel Anderson    
Bananas takes a curious, playful look at two awkward, honest, and warm Australian-born Asian friends who are growing up between two cultures in Australia’s Sunshine State, Queensland.

THE OTHERSIDE (Nigeria / Côte d’Ivoire) – Adesua Okosun         
This story follows three people in the LGBTQ community, one queer woman, one trans man, and one trans woman, living in Abidjan. Each character takes us into their world and changes the narrative of West Africa.

MISEDUCATED (United States) – Kevin Pinckney   
In this coming-of-age story, Anton finds himself in his first love triangle –which happens to involve his “straight” best friend Dillion.

CRAZY (United States) – Rachel Leyco        
Crazy follows two queer Asian-American frenemies in their early twenties who are battling mental health conditions that teach them they are more alike than they realize.

APRICOT (United States) – Sam Icklow / Jake G Thompson          
A queer Romy and Michele for the 21st century, Apricot is your fruity summer obsession packed into ten dreamy episodes.

BUTCH PAL FOR THE STRAIGHT GAL (United States) – Assaad Yacoub          
This reality-based comedy about five women, known as the Fierce5, empowers straight women to throw away societal gender norms and fearlessly harness their unique inner voice.

Now That I Found You

BREAK IN (United States) – Alyssa Lerner   
When Nousha accidentally texts erotic fiction to her crush, she enlists best friend Oliver to set out on a mission to delete the text.

CANDIS FOR PRESIDENT (United States) – Michelle Peerali        
Candis Cayne sets out to become the President of the United States with the help of her sarcastic television producer sidekick, Andrea.

DON’T FORGET TO GO HOME (Australia) – Victoria Singh-Thompson     
Two Indo-Fijian sisters miss their cousin’s wedding to go on a drug-fuelled bender.

TOMOKO (France) – Margaux Esclapez       
After losing her eyesight, Tomoko meets a young stripper named Amber who allows her to explore her fantasies and liberate herself.

A POSTCARD TO NINA (United States) – Ronald Baez      
Longtime Instagram pen pals Jean and Nina meet in person for the first time and stumble through a well-meaning dinner with Nina’s ultra-conservative father.

HYPED (Greece) – Alkis Papastathopoulos  
Vera and Lola are anxious about their first big night out together, and struggle to connect.

FRIENDS LIKE THAT (United States) – Francesca De Fusco         
After getting dumped, Maia seeks solace by crashing with her best ex Alex.

HUSH (United States) – Tin Lee        
A teenage girl sets out to discreetly master her burgeoning sexuality with the help of a new friend.

Real Love

WHERE MY GIRLS (United States) – Mads Engel   
Three queer women reflect on the creativity, community, and hustle required to make it in a culture that has left them to their own devices.

A WIDER SCREEN (United Kingdom) – Joe Hunting           
Shot within VRChat, A Wider Screen takes an intimate, insightful look into how virtual reality is affecting people’s social lives for the better.
 
BREAKWATER (Brazil) – Cris Lyra   
A group of young lesbians from São Paulo go on a trip to a remote beach for the new year’s celebration.

JESSE JAMS (Canada) – Trevor Anderson  
A young Indigenous musician and his rock band bring mumblepunk to the Interstellar Rodeo. Jesse Jams is a rock ‘n’ roll survival story of a different stripe.

THE SUCK (United States) – Austin Bunn    
A collector finally decides to give up his strange collection.

DRESS UP LIKE MRS. DOUBTFIRE (United States) – Will Zang   
This throwback looks at the 1993 film, Mrs. Doubtfire, and its cultural impact on drag culture in Hollywood films.

Thrive

DARLING (Pakistan / United States) – Saim Sadiq  
An erotic dance theater in Lahore prepares for a new show just as a sacrificial goat disappears.

MEMORIES REVEALED (France) – Quentin Worthington   
Over the course of 10 months, a camera travels to Buenos Aires, Argentina and Hanover, Germany to meet the founding members of the Archivo De La Memoria Trans Argentina, the first existing Trans Archive in the world.

WELCOME BACK, LENNY (United States) – Vuk Lungulov-Klotz   
Lenny is back in NYC and crashing at her cousin’s place. As a thank you, she cooks dinner for her and some friends, but the night takes a turn.

ACROSS, BEYOND, AND OVER (United States) – Brit Fryer / Noah Schamus     
Two trans men who used to date in middle school reconnect over a long weekend and develop a hybrid documentary about their past.

THE CHANGE UP (United States) – Jordan Auten  
When Tatum and Harley go out for drinks, Tatum becomes distracted by memories of his troubled childhood.

THE ROGERS (United States) – Dean Hamer / Joe Wilson
An intimate glimpse of the Rogers of Samoa, the first visible group of transgender men in the Pacific.

FRATELLO (United States) – Jamie DiNicola           
Fratello explores the ways in which gender warps and infiltrates intimacy.
 
HERE WITH YOU (United States) – Noah Schamus
When Imani goes to her friend’s housewarming party, she meets a man who piques her interest.

Tug of War

VERT (United Kingdom) – Kate Cox 
When Jeff and Emelia are gifted a virtual reality set that reveals a person’s “ideal self,” they discover a secret that could shift their relationship indelibly.

IN ORBIT (France) – Soham Chakraborty / Hanxu Chen / Meton Joffily / Justin Polley / Julia Trouvé       
In a far future, Sonia is about to be transferred from her space station to a newer one, but isn’t ready to let go.

THIS IS A TEENAGE LOVE LETTER (Canada) – Tessa Hall         
A young woman writes a letter to her past love and to what the future might hold.

SAFE AMONG STARS (United States) – Jess X. Snow      
A queer Chinese-American woman struggles to tell her immigrant mother and her partner the reason why she left school.

FIFTH FLOOR ON THE LEFT (Croatia) – Renata Lucic     
When Maja’s parents come to Zagreb to visit their daughter, she must hide the truth about her relationship with her roommate, Nika.

RIDE OR DIE (United States) – Josalynn Smith       
Paula and Jamie are on their way to Thebes—Thebes, Kentucky that is. As they drive through the Midwest, they make a few stops along the way that deepen their relationship.

SWIPE UP, VIVIAN! (United States) – Hannah Welever      
Two agoraphobic women find love via a virtual dating app.

TENDER (United States) – Felicia Pride       
After an unexpected one night stand, two women at very different stages of their lives, share an even more intimate morning after.

FEELING FLUSH (United States) – Erin Brown Thomas     
Vicki idolizes her new girlfriend Samantha but draws the line when it comes to her time on the porcelain throne.

Want You in My Room

SUCKMEOFF, PRINCESS! (United States) – Tristan Scott-Behrends        
Enjoy this menagerie of colourful Busby Berkeley dicks and heartbreaking autobiographical anecdotes.

MOTTA (Netherlands / United Kingdom) – Nish Gera          
Motta follows Brazilian artist Fabio da Motta as he questions the boundaries between fantasy, power, provocation and art.

PLANTONIC (Canada) – Krit Komkrichwarakool      
A unique relationship flourishes between an aspiring artist and the plant man who is growing in his garden.

KIKO’S SAINTS (France) – Manuel Marmier
Kiko, a Japanese illustrator on assignment in France, is suddenly overwhelmed with inspiration while spying on a gay couple on the beach.

FLOSS (China) – Popo Fan   
Ting finds it difficult to commit to his relationship because he has a secret that is difficult to reveal: he has a tooth fetish.

FREE FUN (Turkey) – Fehmi Öztürk 
When Kika enters a virtual reality world looking for fun, she encounters something she never expected.

THE FATHERS PROJECT: CHAPTER 4 (United States) – Leo Herrera     
Fathers is a sci-fi short docuseries that imagines the world if AIDS had never happened and a generation had lived to change the world.

DEEP CLEAN (United Kingdom) – David Wilson      
Cleanliness is next to godliness, as illustrated in this celebration of objectophilia and self-pleasure.

Warm Blood

CONNECTIVE TISSUE (United States) – Oliver Bernsen    
Over the course of one night, six people are bound together by one thing: a 7-year-old girl’s severed leg.
 
SOMETHING IN THE CLOSET (United Kingdom) – Nosa Eke       
A queer teenager struggles with her sexuality, as desires manifest their way from the depths of her eerie closet into reality.

FAMILY (Canada) – Mark Pariselli    
Partners Cal and Jamal embark on an autumn road trip to the cottage. A roadside flirtation turns ominous and the creeping sense of dread intensifies at a deserted farm.

BLACK PILL (United States) – Jessi Gaston 
Set in a near-future techno-dystopia, a suicidal shut-in orders pills from a mysterious online company in a last-ditch attempt to fulfill their wildest fantasies.

CLEANSE (United States) – Magdalene Burger       
A lonely energy healer continues to push her body and her spiritual health to the brink when she is confronted with an especially horrific healing session.

HAND OF POWER (Canada) – Dara Gellman          
Interrogating both present-day and retrospective cultural narratives about gender, this video work examines the gestures of the filmic hand.

THE QUIETING (Canada) – Ali Liebert         
On the night before an important date, Maggie, 33 and newly queer, confronts her crushing anxiety and internalized homophobia.

THE OFFICE IS MINE (United States) – Michael Varrati     
Fuelled by paranoia that he’s being replaced by a new gay at work, Zac sets off on a collision course, ready to prove the office isn’t big enough for them both.

Youth Day

POLLY AND THE POCKETS (Canada) – Gabriella Arno     
Lead singer of the band Polly and the Pockets, Polly must face her fears when her crush arrives at the school dance where her band is performing.

MY BROTHER IS A MERMAID (United Kingdom) – Alfie Dale        
My Brother is a Mermaid is a social realist fairy tale about a transfeminine teenager, as seen through the eyes of their 7-year-old brother.

WERE YOU GAY IN HIGH SCHOOL? (United States) – Niki Ang   
Two queer women recall their awkward, closeted high school days of kissing boys and experiencing straight-girl crushes.

LIT (United Kingdom) – Emma Miranda Moore         
Tension and excitement run high as a clandestine game of Spin the Bottle has unexpected consequences.

S.A.M. (United Kingdom) – Neil Ely / Lloyd Eyre-Morgan     
Two teenage boys, both named Sam, meet at the swings each week to escape their dysfunctional home lives, while slowly falling in love.

WONDER (United States) – Javier Molina    
An 11-year-old kid growing up in the hood secretly dreams of trick-or-treating as Wonder Woman for Halloween.
 
NANCY FROM NOW ON (New Zealand) – Keely Meechan
Nancy From Now On is a coming-of-age film about a young Maori boy who has a burning desire to become a drag queen.
 

The full Festival line-up to be announced in coming weeks, in addition to how to purchase tickets.

More here.

(Photo credit: Inside Out)