| Outfest Wednesdays:
The American Cinematheque at
the Egyptian Theatre and Outfest collaborate to present gay and lesbian programming
on Wednesdays at the Egyptian. Outfest Wednesdays is the only gay and
lesbian-themed weekly screening series in the country. Founded in 1999, the programming
features favorites from past festivals, Hollywood revivals, filmmaker retrospectives and
sneak preview and word of mouth screenings of upcoming releases. For more information
about Outfest see www.outfest.org.
Some evenings are in the 78 seat Steven Spielberg
Theatre. Those films will screen twice the same night.
January
Wednesday, January 12 – 7:30 PM
IN THE CITY (EN LA CIUDAD),
2003, Wolfe, 100 min. Dir. Cesc Gay (NICO AND DANI)'s wryly observed feature is a sharp
chronicle of intersecting lives and loves where nothing is quite as it seems and easy
answers are never forthcoming. This prickly screenplay is matched by a terrific ensemble
cast.
Wednesday, January 19 – 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM
[Spielberg Theatre]
SEX, POLITICS AND COCKTAILS,
2003, 90 min. Dir. Julian Hernandez. Called "the gay BRIDGET JONES" but
with more margaritas, nicotine, neuroses and sex, a fresh coming out story that pokes fun
at a host of gay stereotypes -- from Mr. Bang Bang (the name says it all), to the quirky
Michael whose only long-term relationships are with his Armani suits.
Wednesday, January 26 – 7:30 PM
HARRY AND MAX, 2004, 74 min.
They’re cute, famous, in love - and brothers. Director Christopher Münch (THE
HOURS AND TIMES) offers an incisive view of the intertwining struggles for freedom and
love in this edgy feature about two pop star brothers exploring the boundaries of their
relationship. Discussion following with director
Christopher Münch.
February
Wednesday, February 2 – 7:30 PM
INSIDE DEEP THROAT, 2004, 90 min.
Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer (A BEAUTIFUL MIND, 8 MILE) teams with
acclaimed directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (PARTY MONSTER) on this new
motion-picture documentary. The lasting cultural impact generated by DEEP THROAT, the
sexually explicit film first shown in 1972 that quickly became a flashpoint for an
unprecedented social and political firestorm, is examined with astonishing, fascinating
clarity. [Note: INSIDE DEEP THROAT contains scenes of graphic
sexuality. No one under 17 will be admitted to the screening.] Introduction
with Producer Brian Grazer and Directors Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato. Discussion
following with the directors.
Wednesday, February 9 – 7:00 & 9:00 PM
[Spielberg Theatre] COLONEL
JIN XING 2001, 52 min. Dir. Sylvie Levey, Pascal Vasselin & Arnaud Hamelin.
Shanghai’s principal dancer, 33-year-old Jin Xing, is a huge star and the first
choreographer to have received official recognition in more than 50 years of national
communism. Equally remarkable, until a few years ago she was a colonel in the
People’s Liberation Army - and a man! Despite her transcendence in dance, Jin Xing
still fights against the prejudices and manipulations of the communist regime in an effort
to achieve personal and artistic freedom. Plus Short: "Dreaming Awake" directed by John R. Killacky.
Wednesday, February 16 – 7:30 PM
FAVORITE GIRLS’ SHORTS These
audience favorites from Outfest 2004 are well-executed, highly entertaining tales of
lesbian love and friendship. "A Woman Reported..." (Dir. Chris J. Russo);
"Little Black Boot" (Dir. Colette Burson); "Hummer"
(Dir. Guinevere Turner); "Squeeze Play" (Dir. Chiedu Egbuniwe); "Saint
Henry" (Dir. Abigail Severance); "Gift For The Living" (Dir.
Tamika Miller).
Wednesday, February 23 – 7:00 & 9:00 PM
[Spielberg Theatre] STICKY BONDS Shorts program curated by Kevin McCarty and
José Esteban Muñoz. Queer intimacies are often messy ones. While mainstream pop
continues to ³Disneyfy² the pervert through representations of gay make-over handmaidens
and happy-go-lucky fags with their hags, this program is interested in rendering our
complex bonds to both each other and queerness itself. This program is an antidote to the
onslaught of media images that portray the joys of gay marriage and transnational
adoption. Instead we offer different accounts of queers and their intimacies. (Warning:
Explicit Sex) "Wo Ist Manfred?" (Dir. Vaginal Davis & Cyril Kuhn,
2004, 10 min.) Davis and Kuhn spin a tail of pornographic delights featuring John Wayne
Bobbit and his infamy; "Raison d’Etre" (Dir. Coco Frio, 2003, 10
min.) This mockumentary features the addled and delusional queer art collective¹s
prattling about the pains of collaboration; "Lifestyles" (Dir. Nao
Bustamente, 2003, 7 min.) Performance art guru Nao Bustamente¹s shares a horny fantasy of
polymorphous perversity; "The Pool" (Dir. Sara Jordeno, 2004, 22 min.)
Jordeno¹s video is sung to the tune of Dolly Parton¹s ³I Will Always Love You² and
features the ribald tale of lesbian cruising among monuments and ruins. "LikeSomeone
In Love" (Dir. Toxic Titties, 2002, 6 min.) Los Angeles¹s favorite Lesbo
performance terrorists, Toxic Titties, reflect on the trials and tribulations of love and
art making; "Forward Hand" (Dir. Jenn Kolmel, 2003, 4 min.) Kolmel¹s
video is a tribute to the pleasures of inappropriate public touching; "Pyt"
(Dir. Tara Mateik, 2004, 7 min.) This music video charts a perverse transsexual
identification between Peter Pan and Michael Jackson; "I Love You" (Dir.
Haruko Tanaka, 2003, 2 min.) The short video is a tribute to deep narcissism. An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
March
Wednesday, March 2 – 7:30 PM
GAY REPUBLICANS, Dir. Wash
West, 2004, 90 min. After years of relative obscurity, Log Cabin -- the gay Republican
club -- has found itself in the National spotlight. George Bush's unequivocal opposition
to gay marriage put them at the forefront of one of the most hotly contested elections in
years. But it also opened schisms that challenged the very identity of the Log Cabin
itself. Whether to support the President distilled into a stark choice between civil
rights and loyalty to their party. 2004 forced many gay Republicans into a corner: what
was more important, being gay or being Republican? GAY REPUBLICANS follows four
often-thoughtful, always colorful Log Cabin members on their different paths to Decision
2004, painting a moving, disturbing and often hilarious portrait of an organization in
turmoil. Print Courtesy of World of Wonder. In collaboration with Out in Television and
Film
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
Wednesday, March 9 – 7:00 & 9:00 PM
[Spielberg Theatre] ROUND TRIP (AL H¹KAV) Dir. Shahar Rozen, 2003, 95 min. Fed up
with her life, 40 year-old bus driver Nurit packs up her two children, ditches her no-good
husband, and moves to Tel Aviv. Her impressive driving skills easily land her work in the
city, but being a single working mother soon becomes more than she can handle. Enter
Mushidi - a Nigerian woman looking for bed and board in exchange for nanny services - who
unexpectedly provides the emotional and sexual pieces missing from Nurit¹s life. ROUND
TRIP boasts strong, subtle lead performances of two fully realized female characters. The
urban sights and sounds of Tel Aviv echo the longing and struggle in Shahar Rozen¹s deep,
beautiful film about a woman who admirably redefines her life. Print Courtesy of: Wolfe.
Series compiled by Andrew P. Crane
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
Wednesday, March 16 – 7:00 & 9:00 PM
Free Event!
QUEER HOME MOVIE NIGHT Don't miss your chance
to see family and friends on a big Hollywood screen! Rifle through your attic, dig through
your closets, call up Grandma and search out your old (or not-so-old) home movies. Will
you find that priceless "Christmas 1959" footage? A video of Gay Pride 1975?
Your own version of BOYS IN THE BAND or a sequel to BOUND? Maybe you just want to see your
first trip to San Francisco again but don't have an old film projector anymore or just
haven't bothered to replace the broken VCR. Bring your VHS, 8mm, Super8mm, or 16mm home
movies, and film archivists Lynne Kirste and John Kirk will project them for you and an
audience of fellow queer home movie enthusiasts. They'll also tell us what we can do to
preserve our collections to make sure we don't lose them. Even if you don't have movies to
bring, join the fun. It's free! Sponsored By:
Triage Motion Picture Services.
Wednesday, March 23 – 7:30 PM
Outfest 25th Anniversary Screening!
In Collaboration With The Trevor Project:
9 TO 5, 1980, 20th Century Fox, 110 min. This
over-the-top camp classic from gay director Colin Higgins (writer/producer of
HAROLD AND MAUDE and director of FOUL PLAY and THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS)
brilliantly brings together three of Hollywood’s favorite female stars - lesbian icon
Lily Tomlin, unstoppable Jane Fonda and endlessly gifted Dolly Parton
- in an uproarious office farce. At Consolidated, the office manager (Tomlin), the vice
president’s secretary (Parton) and the newest employee (Fonda) plot revenge against
their sexist, egotistical and hypocritical boss Frank Hart (Dabney Colman.) The
scheme spins wildly out of control, forcing them to keep Hart tied up as they take over
the company and run it their own way. Full of witty one-liners, great 80’s outfits
and an unforgettable sound track (including Parton’s Oscar-nominated title song),
this delightful, insightful comedy is so much fun it’ll drive you crazy if you let
it.
Post-screening open bar reception hosted by: Absolut.
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
April
Wednesday, April 6 – 7.30 PM
THE SERVANT, 1963, 112 min.
Director Joseph Losey and screenwriter Harold Pinter masterfully adapt Robin
Maugham's novel into an unnerving and darkly humorous look at the dissolution of
Britain’s upper class. A rich young playboy, Tony (James Fox, in a starmaking
role) decides he can’t get along without a valet when he strikes out on his own and
makes the mistake of hiring Barret (Dirk Bogarde) a seemingly obsequious
"gentleman’s gentleman". But Tony gets more than he bargains for when
Barret slowly starts to exert his decadent, sinister influence, installing first his
"sister" Vera (Sarah Miles) in an upstairs bedroom, then gradually
usurping mastery of the household. With Wendy Craig. "…Bogarde, Losey and
Pinter each stamp their personalities on this deliciously nasty film…decades on from
its release, THE SERVANT has lost none of its strangeness, nor its capacity to
startle." – Channel 4 Film
Matthew Bourne, the award-winning director and
choreographer of the ground-breaking production of "Swan Lake," will host a
post-screening Q&A to discuss Joseph Losey's classic 1960s British film "The
Servant," and it's influence on "Play Without Words," Bourne's latest
dance/theatre piece at the Ahmanson Theatre April 8-May 29. (For tickets to a
special LGBT "Play Without Words" Evening OUT April 9 at 2:00, call (213)
972-7513).
Wednesday, April 13 – 7:00 & 9:00 PM OUTFEST
[Spielberg Theatre] GLITTER GIRLS, 2004, 47 min. Dir.
Hedda Muskat. Welcome to the private world of Latina transsexual life in West Hollywood.
Each year transsexuals in Los Angeles compete for the whopping sum of $500 to be crowned
Miss "Glitter Girl." We meet their families, the men who love them and witness
their struggles as they doggedly compete for the crown. While the hectic preparations for
the beauty pageant are at the heart of GLITTER GIRLS, this bold yet heartfelt documentary
reveals itself as an absorbing treatise on gender and race politics, transphobia and the
often harsh reality of transgendered life in the U.S. GLITTTER GIRLS holds the mirror up
and rewards us with a rare and honest peek at a fearless and proud segment of our GLBT
community.
Plus Short: "Rosa
Negra" Dir. Viva Ruiz (2003, 14 min.) Love is a big mess in this fabulously
queer telenovela. Discussion following the screening with
director Hedda Muskat.
Wednesday, April 27 – 7:30 PM OUTFEST
Newly Restored!
DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS (ANDERS ALS DIE
ANDERN), 1919, 50 min. A long-lost masterpiece of the silent era from acclaimed
director Richard Oswald, DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS was the first film to positively depict
homosexual relations. Released in Germany in 1919, fifty years before the onset of the gay
liberation movement in the U.S. Oswald’s film is a direct condemnation of the German
penal code’s Paragraph 175, which imprisoned those who were guilty of "unnatural
vice between men." Paul Korner, a successful gay concert pianist, is blackmailed by
the malicious Franz Bolleck, who threatens to expose Korner’s homosexuality. Korner
finally musters the gumption to go to the courts but his act of courage ultimately costs
him his career. Many thousands of homosexual men in Germany were sentenced to prison terms
of up to five years under Paragraph 175. Enacted in 1871, with the creation of the modern
German nation, this law was toughened in the Nazi era and later liberalized in East and
West Germany, but not fully repealed until 1994. The law was challenged as early as 1897
by the German homosexual emancipation movement, the first such initiative worldwide. Its
leader, Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld (1868-1935), held that homosexuals constituted a biological
"third sex," a social minority unjustly subjected to discrimination. Hirschfeld
argued that Paragraph 175 did far less to prevent the victimless crime of homosexuality
than to promote the crime of extortion. For each homosexual prosecuted under the law,
another 100 were victimized by blackmailers. During World War I, director Richard Oswald
(1880-1963) began collaborating with Hirschfeld and other sexologists to produce a series
of widely hailed "enlightenment films" aiming at sex education. Oswald’s
films dealt with such issues as venereal disease, abortion, and prostitution, embedded in
a storyline that included counseling by a sage physician. Following the war, censorship
was temporarily lifted in all German media, opening a window of opportunity for
filmmakers. Early in 1919, Hirschfeld and Oswald collaborated on DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS
(PARAGRAPH 175), the world's first film to deal explicitly with homosexuality. Within a
year, German studios had released some 150 feature films with sexual themes. Many of these
"enlightenment films" were lurid and exploitative, but also commercially
successful. The outcry they provoked led to the reintroduction of film censorship. At the
center of the controversy was DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS, which was banned in 1920 and
survives today only as a fragment.
Our enormous thanks to Stefan Drössler of the Munich Film
Museum, who digitally restored the film from the only existing materials which survived in
the Ukraine. Mr. Drössler will introduce the screening to discuss the rescue of this lost
and pioneering classic of gay cinema. [Note: No print exists of the restored
version; it will be screened via video projection with a pre-recorded piano score prepared
exclusively for this restoration.]
May
Wednesday, May 4 -- 7:00 & 9:00 PM OUTFEST
[Spielberg Theatre] IN GOOD
CONSCIENCE: SISTER JEANNINE GRAMICK'S JOURNEY OF FAITH, 2004, 82 min. IN
GOOD CONSCIENCE brings together award-winning journalist/filmmaker Barbara Rick and
legendary documentarian Albert Maysles (GREY GARDENS) to recount the courageous
story of Sister Jeannine Gramick, an American nun who has defied a Vatican edict to shut
down her compassionate ministry to gay and lesbian Catholics. Refusing to remain silent at
tremendous risk to her calling, Sister Jeannine protests the Church's discrimination and
hypocrisy, taking her case all the way to Rome to seek an audience with Vatican officials.
Discussion following with director Barbara Rick. (not
confirmed)
Wednesday, May 11 - 7:30 PM OUTFEST
SAVING FACE, 2004, Sony Picture Classics, 90 min. Dir.
Alice Wu. For 28-year old New Yorker Wilhelmina "Wil" Pang (Michelle Krusiec),
life is a juggling act between a promising career as a surgeon and her responsibilities as
a dutiful daughter. Like the #7 train she takes to visit her Chinese family on a weekly
basis, Wil is perpetually in transit between two worlds. Wil struggles to keep her budding
relationship with gorgeous dancer Vivian (Lynn Chen) a secret while her widowed mother
(Joan Chen) sets her up with eligible Chinese-American boys at the Friday Chinese socials.
But everything changes when Wil comes home one night to find Mom on her doorstep –
pregnant. Disgraced by the Chinese community, and with nowhere else to go, Mom moves in
with her daughter. SAVING FACE is a romantic comedy about a daughter struggling to
understand her mother’s heart and her own -- it is the story of unspoken loves,
contemporary and cultural taboos and the journey of two women towards living their lives
honestly. Discussion following screening with director Alice
Wu. (not confirmed)
Tuesday, May 17 – 7:30 PM
Outfest Wednesdays
MY SUMMER OF LOVE, 2004, Focus
Features, 84 min. Dir. Pawel Pawlikowski. Mona (Nathalie Press) and Tamsin (Emily Blunt)
couldn’t be more different, but when they meet one summer they form a bond that is
passionate, intoxicating and a bit dangerous. Hiding behind Mona’s spikey exterior is
an untapped intelligence and a yearning for something beyond the emptiness of her small
town life. Tamsin, on the other hand, is well-traveled, well-educated, spoiled and
cynical. They are initially wary of each other’s differences but soon they join
forces to rebel against their dysfunctional families and retreat into a world of secrecy
and blossoming sexual attraction. Similar in tone to HEAVENLY CREATURES, this passionate,
entertaining and mysterious drama features striking performances from its two lead
actresses and exceptional music from cult-favorite electronica band Goldfrapp. Winner of
the top prize at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and a BAFTA Award for
Outstanding British Film of the Year.
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
Thursday, May 26 – 7:30 PM
Outfest Wednesdays
5TH ANNUAL QUEER SHORTS PROGRAM: Ranging from
the thrills of first love to the humor of mistaken identity, from innocent crushes to
taboo affairs, this selection of shorts has something for everyone and is intelligent,
entertaining and not to be missed! Paula Durette’s "Booty Dance" (4
min., USA). Imaginative, funny animated short that explores how lesbians and gay men can
co-exist on the dance floor. Buboo Kakati’s "The Nearly Unadventurous Life of
Zoe Cadwaulder" (12 min., USA). Lightning strikes in the form of a girl named
Red. Mathieu Guez’s "The Last Night" ("L’ Ultima Notte, 19
min., Canada). A male/female couple hire a prostitute as a means to an end. Jonny McGovern’s
"Gay Pimp Daddy" (4 min., USA). A funny spoof on the cliches of the rap
video genre. L.A. Premiere! Aron Kantor’s "dirty glitter"
(14 min., USA). An intoxicated hustler searches clubs and sex clubs for something
in this stylish mix of animation and live-action. J.J. Sedelmaier’s "The
Ambiguosly Gay Duo #10 – The Third Leg of Justice" (4 min., USA). Our heroes
AND Jack Welch battle the forces of evil and bad décor. David Planell’s "Charisma"
("Carisma" 10 min., Spain). Female news junkies blissfully share headlines in
this very dry comedy. P.A. Weite’s "Katia’s Husband’s Fridge"
("Le Frigo Du Mari De Katia, 16 min., France). A madcap group of Parisians get their
wires crossed while delivering a dilapidated refrigerator. Neasa Hardiman’s "Olive"
(11 min., Ireland). A shy 15-year-old is eased out of her shell in this sweet, funny
coming of age story. Discussion following with director Aaron
Kantor.
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
JUNE
Wednesday, June 1 – 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM
[Spielberg Theatre]
INFLATED: The Blow Up Doll Films of Steve Hall and Cathee Wilkins. Sleazy
Angelenos Steve Hall and Cathee Wilkins have spent a decade making this collection of
high-8 porn parodies starring a cast of inflatable blow-up dolls! The naughty adventures
of the horny characters Candy and Summer are the sick by-product of homemade filmmakers
obsessed with the back side of pop culture. Favorites of underground film festivals around
the world, these shocking shorts feature bestiality, underage sex, devil worship, plushies
and tube tops. It’s all here, lovingly pumped up and larger than life! Includes the
shorts: DEEP AFRICA, SCOUT’S HONOR, TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT, I TOUCH MYSELF, LICK MY
PUSSY DOG! and HAMBONE. Due to scenes of
graphic blow-up doll sexuality and adult subject matter, no one under 17 will be admitted
to this screening.
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
Wednesday, June 8 – 7:30 PM
Outfest Wednesdays
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? 1962, Warner Bros., 134
min. Move over Freddie and Jason! Cinema's greatest battling monsters are back in
black-and-white, and their battle royale is twice as terrifying, and five times as
fabulous. Cinema legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford shine ... well,
flicker, as washed-up showbiz sisters, living in a spooky old house in director Robert
Aldrich's savage camp classic. Wizened old child-star "Baby" Jane Hudson
(Bette), beyond bitter about her lost career, "cares" for invalid ex-actress
sister Blanche (Joan) whom she blames for all her misfortunes. Their repartee is to die
for, and Jane's special diet and exercise programs become more and more ... extreme as the
twisted sisters quickly spiral downward in a high-pitched drama of dysfunction, madness
and bitchery. An unforgettable valentine to faded glamour, tawdry Hollywood and one-liners
that hit home like a kick in the ribs. Not to be missed!
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
Wednesday, June 15 – 7:30 PM
Outfest Wednesdays
JE T’AIME MOI NON PLUS (I LOVE YOU NO
MORE), 1976, Connaisance Du Cinema, 90 min. Director/singer/actor Serge Gainsbourg
and his wife, actress Jane Birkin were the prime proponents of a bohemian,
hedonistic lifestyle in Europe during the seventies, extolling the virtues of everything
from free love and bi-sexuality to bacchanalian drinking and drugging. Here Gainsbourg
helms one of his most infamous pictures, relating the funny, irreverent, sometimes tender,
sometimes brutal tale of two free-wheeling gay garbagemen in the French countryside and
what happens when one of them falls for a boyish-looking truck stop waitress. Krassky (Joe
Dallesandro) finding himself suddenly obsessed with the androgynous waif, Johnny (Jane
Birkin), alienates his lover/co-worker, Padovan (Hugues Quester) and love triangle
pyrotechnics as well as scorching eroticism follows. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for
Gerard Depardieu in a cameo as a very odd country bumpkin with a thing for his horse. One
of the legendary touchstones of transgressive seventies Euro-cinema! An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
Discussion Following with Actor Joe
Dallesandro.
Join us after the film (9:30 PM to midnight) at the
Erotic Museum (6741 Hollywood Blvd.) for a tour with Curator Eric Singley, wine, music and
mingling. www.theeroticmuseum.com Bring your
ticket stub. Suggested donation $10.
Wednesday, June 22 – 7:30 PM
OutFest Wednesdays
STR8 TALK. From a young man’s
sexual awakening to chance meetings and fleeting encounters, these winning shorts expose
the loads of romantic trouble a str8 boy can get you into! Sidney Karger’s "Between
9 & 12" (USA, 6 min.) Phone sex while on-call gets out of hand for one
harried, married man. Lori Munz & Andreas Munz’s "Eddie & Bert" (Germany,
subtitled, 9 min.) A gay man pulls out all the stops in order to persuade the straight man
he adores to give him just one dance; Larry Kenner’s "Spokane" (USA,
28 min.) Two men's chance encounter at a straight wedding reception brings about an
unforgettably hot evening; Jonathan Wald’s "What Grown-Up’s Know" (Australia,
30 min.) Traveling with his clingy mother, a young man pursues the manager of an RV camp. An
Egyptian Exclusive!
Wednesday, June 29 – 7:00 & 9:00 PM
Outfest Wednesdays
[Spielberg Theatre] JUCHITÁN QUEER
PARADISE, 2003, 64 min. In this remarkable town in Oaxaca, Mexico, gays are accepted
as simply a third sex. If a boy appears to be gay, his family considers it a joyful
blessing; a man wanting to be a woman need only dress like a woman to be treated as such.
This is not a modern social achievement, but an acceptance that has existed for
generations. According to local legend, God gave Juchitán’s patron saint a bag full
of homosexuals so he could leave one in each Latin American town. However, when the saint
arrived there, all the homosexuals spilled out, creating this unique queer paradise.
Director Patricio Henriquez’s extraordinary documentary presents a vivid
portrait of a society where diversity is accepted and integrated into the community.
Plus Short: Director Alejandra Novoa’s "Mexican Lesbian March 2003" (Mexico, 2003,
33 min.) Women march on Mexico City to speak out about lesbian visibility and rights.
Presented in collaboration with: GLAAD’S
People Of Color Media Program & Bienestar
An Egyptian Exclusive!
In August OutFest Wednesdays presents
to the Best of Outfest 2005. For the schedule click here.
Wednesday, August 24 – 7:30 PM
Outfest Wednesdays
MARGARET CHO:
ASSASSIN, (2005, USA, Video, 85 min.), Directed by Kerry Asmussen. The
incomparable Margaret Cho roars back onto the screen with her latest concert, The Assassin
Tour, recorded live in May of 2005 at the Warner Theater in Washington D.C. Uproariously
funny, poignant and scathing, this is one event movie you won’t want to miss!
ASSASSIN features fresh doses of Cho’s always groundbreaking, controversial and
hilarious brand of humor from her critically acclaimed, State of Emergency tour. Discussion afterwards with Margaret Cho.
Post-screening reception hosted by Absolut.
Wednesday, August 31 - 7:30 pm
UNVEILED (2005, Germany,
35mm, Subtitled, 97 min.) is a stunningly beautiful, deeply moving and ultimately
universal story about an Iranian refugee struggling between survival in small-town Germany
and her love for a local woman. Fariba, persecuted in Iran because of a lesbian
relationship, flees to Germany and in order to survive assumes the identity of her male
bunkmate. Striking cinematography and remarkable performances work together to tell a
captivating story that reveals the struggles of refugees, the confines of gender and the
power of love. Directed by Angelina Maccarone and written by Angelina Maccarone, Judith
Kaufmann.
SEPTEMBER
Wednesday, September 14 - 7:30 pm
MY HUSTLER Not the classic
Andy Warhol film, but a collection of shorts about hustlers that we can (or might want to)
claim as our own. Highlighting men for hire from around the world - Canada, New Zealand,
France and the U.S. - these are the gritty, visually stunning stories of rent boys with
depth, beauty and that irresistible hustler mystique.
"Room Service," directed by Daniel Reitz, (2004, USA,
Video, 20 min.)
"Build," directed by Greg Atkins, (2004, Canada, Video, 23
min.)
"Boy," directed by Welby Ings, (2004, New Zealand, Video,
15 min.)
"Gigolo," directed by Bastian Schweitzer, (2004, Germany,
35mm, Subtitled, 15 min.)
"Gold," directed by Armen Kazazian, (2005, Canada, 35mm,
16 min.)
Monday, September 19 - 7:30 pm
Special Sneak Preview
PRIZE WINNER OF
DEFIANCE OHIO, (2005, USA, 35mm, 99 min.) Written and directed by Jane
Anderson. Based on a true story, THE PRIZE WINNER OF DEFIANCE OHIO stars four-time Academy
Award nominee Julianne Moore, Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson and Oscar nominee Laura Dern
in the story of a woman who defies the odds to keep a roof over her familyís heads.
Evelyn Ryan (Julianne Moore) applies her remarkable resourcefulness and uncommon wit, to
win the profitable jingle contests popular in the 1950s and ‘60s.
Thursday, September 22 - 7:00 pm & 9:00 pm
Winner: Outfest 2005 Grand Jury Award,
Outstanding Actor
[Spielberg Theatre] THE RECEPTION
(2005, USA, 80 min.) directed by John G. Young. During a frosty family gathering, a mother
and daughter struggle to reconcile and overcome past bitterness, while a smoldering sexual
attraction develops between the men they have chosen as partners. A superbly executed and
fascinating study of family love, and love between black men.
OCTOBER
Wednesday, October 5 - 7:00 pm & 9:15 pm
Winner: Outfest 2005 Grand Jury Award,
Outstanding American Narrative Feature [Spielberg Theatre] LOGGERHEADS (2005, USA, 94 min.) Outfest veteran
Tim Kirkman (DEAR JESSE, THE NIGHT LARRY KRAMER KISSED ME) returns with this poignant tale
beautifully interweaving three stories - each in a different year on Mother’s Day
weekend in North Carolina. Mark (hunky and stunning Kip Pardue) is the gay drifter at the
center of this triad. With a powerhouse cast that also includes Bonnie Hunt, Michael
Learned, Tess Harper, Michael Kelly and Chris Sarandon, this Sundance favorite is sure to
touch your heart.
Wednesday, October 12 - 7:30 pm
HARD PILL (2005, USA,
Video, 95 min.) Written and directed by John Baumgarter. If a pill could make a gay person
straight, would it ever be worth taking? When a lonely, frustrated gay man is given the
opportunity to test such a pill, he sees a possible escape from the dead ends of his life.
But can his friendships, his individuality and his very personhood survive this test?
Fueled by a gifted cast and a deeply moving script, this suspenseful, provocative and
imaginative film is guaranteed to spark conversation.
Wednesday, October 19 – 7:00 PM
BOOM!, 1968, Universal, 110 min. Director Joseph
Losey's (THE SERVANT) adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play "The Milk Train
Doesn't Stop Here Anymore" positively defines the word ‘phantasmagorical.’ Elizabeth
Taylor and Richard Burton star in perhaps their strangest roles, that of
super-rich recluse Sissy Goforth and wandering harbinger of death, Chris Flanders,
sequestered in Goforth's exotic Mediterranean island home. Mindblowing monologues on life,
love, death, youth and growing old punctuated by eloquent purple prose adorn this campy
legend, a thoroughly intoxicating carnival ride of the senses. Reportedly one of John
Waters' favorite films. With Joanna Shimkus, Romolo Valli and a very queeny Noel Coward
as 'The Witch of Capri.'
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
Wednesday, October 19 - 9:30 PM
Outfest
NOAH’S ARC, 2005, Logo.
Director Patrick Ian Polk's TV series, produced by the new gay cable channel Logo,
explores the lives of four gay black men in LA as they navigate complex romantic and
professional relationships. The original Noah's Arc was an independently produced pilot,
but the new version here has been re-cast and reshot with new actors. We are proud to present the season premiere of a fresh new series
produced by Logo, based on the NOAH'S ARC pilot from Outfest 2004. NOAH'S ARC explores the
lives of four black gay men in Los Angeles - Noah, Alex, Ricky and Chance - as they
navigate complex romantic and professional relationships. Noah is a struggling
screenwriter embarking on a relationship with a newly 'out' man; Alex is an HIV/AIDS
counselor struggling to overcome the seven-year relationship itch; Ricky is a trendy
Melrose boutique owner who shuns commitment in favor of casual flings; and Chance is a
college professor reluctant to commit to his new boyfriend, perhaps with good reason.
Often described as a black gay 'Sex in the City,' NOAH'S ARC offers a refreshing look at
gay life in the City of Angels- with a uniquely diverse twist.
IN COLLABORATION WITH: Human Rights Campaign
PRE-SCREENING RECEPTION HOSTED BY: LOGO and ABSOLUT
Preceded by a reception in the Egyptian
Theatre courtyard at 7:30 pm.
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
NOVEMBER
Wednesday, November 2 – 7:30 PM
Outfest
THE GANG’S ALL HERE, 1943,
20th Century Fox, 103 min. Dir. Busby Berkeley. Alice Faye may get top
billing, but this insane Busby Berkeley musical is famous for the chorines holding up
giant bananas while Carmen Miranda sings "Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat".
As a bonus, Edward Everett Horton, one of Hollywood’s greatest
‘sissies’ is featured. This is the kind of camp hoot enjoyed by our gay
ancestors, but certain types of nuttiness never go out of style. Alonso
Duralde, the arts and entertainment editor of the national gay and lesbian newsmagazine
The Advocate, will be presenting and signing his new book, 101 Must-See Movies for Gay
Men (Advocate Books, November 2005) after the screening.
IN COLLABORATION WITH: The Hollywood Entertainment Museum’s
"Gay Hollywood" exhibit currently showing until December 4th. www.hollywoodmuseum.com
Wednesday, November 9 – 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM [SPIELBERG
THEATRE]
Winner: Outfest 2005 Grand Jury Award,
Outstanding Documentary Feature
THREE OF HEARTS: A POST-MODERN LOVE
STORY, 2004, 95 min. Steven, Sam and Samantha are three young, idealistic people in
love...with each other. They think they have found the key to happiness in their
polyamorous trio, but soon learn that their unconventional marriage is susceptible to very
conventional heartaches. Filmmaker Susan Kaplan precisely and subtly documents over
eight years of their 13-year journey revealing what each of them is learning that their
happiness does not always come from the three of them being together, but from within
their individual selves.
Friday, November 11 – 7:30 PM
Opening Night Gala!
Outfest’s Fusion is a
consciously multi-ethnic, gender inclusive People of Color film festival. A collaboration
between Outfest and dozens of local community-based organizations that serve LGBT People
of Color communities, Fusion is a forum for films/videos, panel discussions, spoken word
performances and community networking. (Part of Fusion: The 3rd
Los Angeles LGBT People of Color Film Festival, November 11th-13th).
Wednesday November 23 - 7:30 PM
TRANSAMERICA,
2005, USA, 35mm, 103 min. DIR. DUNCAN TUCKER. Desperate Housewife Felicity Huffman
delivers a tour de force performance in Duncan Tucker's audaciously entertaining,
award-winning first feature. Bree, a highly educated, highly proper transsexual woman, is
days away from her life's dream, the final round of gender-reassignment surgery. Her plans
come to a screeching halt when she receives a surprising call about a troubled teenage son
she didn't even know she'd fathered years ago. On the insistence of her therapist, Bree
flys to New York to bail cute, profane, streetwise hustler Toby (Kevin Zegers) out of
jail. Terrified of telling him who she really is, Bree impulsively poses as an earnest
Christian missionary, which only prompts Toby to insist Bree take him to California to
find his father. Thus, this wildly mismatched pair embarks on a cross-country road trip
that inevitably transforms them both in this rollicking, smart, deeply moving debut film.
SPECIAL GUESTS: Calpernia Addams and Andrea Jones. COMMUNITY
COLLABORATOR: Bienestar. PRINT COURTESY OF: Weinstein Company.
Wednesday November 30 - 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM
OUTFEST - QUEER YOUTH NATION
This accomplished program curated by QYN Youth Collective/REACH LA
represents some of the best work made by queer youth today. Hector Flores and REACH
LA’s "Riot Faggots" (2005, 10 min.) Three gay men move to fight
machismo, starting a new breed of femmes - Revolution Faggot Style. Michael Andrews &
Boston Glass’s "Two Sides, One Familiar Story" (2005, 6 min.) A
video diary connects the L.A. and Boston LGBT youth scenes. Kristin Wygal & Sunset
Neighborhood Beacon Center’s "Skate Her" (2005, 6 min.) Explores the
joys and challenges of a queer woman of color skateboarder. Isabel Ramirez & REACH
LA’s "Boy Wonder" (2005, 6 min.) A young man struggles as a straight
male provider by day and a transsexual prostitute by night. George Thomas & Boston
Glass’s "The Re-enactment" (2005, 9 min.). A dramatic re-enactment
of George’s ‘coming out’ to his family;. Harjant Gill & Sunset
Neighborhood Beacon Center’s "Everything" (2005, 7 min.) A young,
gay South Asian man negotiates culture, prejudice and identity. Hector Flores & REACH
LA’s "Blue Torn Petals" (2005, 3 min.) A visually poetic expression
of frustration through a clouded window. Raquel Garcia & REACH LA’s "Miss-Understanding"
(2005, 2 min.) A woman grows to understand her sexuality in this experimental video poem.
Maria Cruz & Catey McSweeny & REACH LA’s "Queer Mexicana" (2005,
2 min.) Through spoken word a Mexican American woman accepts herself in an atmosphere of
opposition. Linda OíCampo & REACH LA’s "A Lo Mejor" (2005, 5
min.) A transgender Mexican immigrant ventures through harsh, unpromising Los Angeles.
Cassie & Ive Taylor-Crib & Boston Glass’s "Family Beginnings"
(2005, 7 min.) With the birth of their daughter Kailani, two young parents learn lessons
in patience. Alfredo Garcia & REACH LA’s "He Did It" (2005, 5
min.) Overcoming domestic violence and drug abuse, a boy takes control of his life. Daniel
Flores & REACH LA’s "Perceptions Of Liberation" (2005, 5 min.)
Challenging accepted notions of self, how do we allow ourselves to inhale life and exhale
death? Winner: Outfest 2005 Audience Award, Outstanding Documentary Short :
Christopher Harris & REACH LA’s "This Is How I Love You" (2005,
15 min.) A young man from South Los Angeles explores what its like to be black and gay.
DECEMBER
Wednesday, December 7 - 7:30 PM
Outfest
AUNTIE MAME, 1958, Warner Bros., 143
min. Dir. Morton DaCosta. We’re thrilled to ring out yet another year with an Outfest
holiday tradition, the AUNTIE MAME extravaganza! Beloved comedienne and camp icon Rosalind
Russell (GYPSY) commands center stage as eccentric socialite Mame Dennis, who throws the
best parties and throws back the stiffest martinis you’ve ever seen. America’s
favorite rich and eccentric relative, acting as a protector to a lonely young nephew,
bravely faces the ravages of poverty, snobby stuffed shirts and romantic rivalry to emerge
like a phoenix from her own ashes. Join a high-spirited audience of Mame-lovers as we
celebrate the glory of Rosalind Russell and a magnificent supporting cast in this raucous,
riotous, interactive screening of a movie masterpiece. This evergreen portrait of
fabulousness is a queer classic to end all queer classics! Pre-Screening
Reception Hosted by: Absolut
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive!
Thursday, December 15 -- 7:00pm & 9:00pm OUTFEST
[Spielberg Theatre]
WTC VIEW, 2005, 102 min. Director Brian
Sloan (Outfest ‘97 opener I THINK I DO) returns with this warm, moving human
drama about friends and neighbors rebuilding a shattered world. Eric is a cute young man
who, until September 11, 2001, enjoyed a reasonably happy life in New York, in a nice
apartment with a glorious view of the World Trade Center. Since that date, he has been
hiding out in his apartment, processing the tragedy -- as well as the recent losses of a
boyfriend and a roommate. Encouraged by his friend Josie to shake it off and get back into
life, his real chance for renewal comes as he meets with potential new roommates, who
bring the craziness of urban life, and even the possibility of tenderness and love, back
into his life.
An Egyptian Theatre Exclusive! |
