Friday 12
7 p.m. Merci Docteur Rey
(short: "Clay Pride")
9:30 p.m. Bulgarian Lovers
(short: "The Visitor")

Saturday 13
1 p.m. You'll Get Over It
(short: "Paradisco")
4 p.m. Group
(short: "D.E.B.S.")
7 p.m. Suddenly
9:30 p.m. The Event
(short: "The Moment After")
Midnight Beyond Vanilla
(short: "Masturbation: Putting the Fun into Self Loving")

Sunday 14
12:30 p.m. Suddenly
2:30 p.m. The Event
(short: "The Moment After")
5 p.m. Karmen Gei
7 p.m. Prey for Rock and Roll
(short: "Breaking Up Sucks")

Merci Docteur Rey

Friday, September 12 7:00pm

France 2002, 93 min 35mm
(In English and French with English subtitles)
Director: Andrew Litvack
Cast: Dianne Wiest, Jane Birkin, Stanislas Merhar, Bulle Ogier, Karim Saleh, Didier Flamand, Roschdy Zem, Nathalie Richard, Dan Herzberg, Jerry Hall, Simon Callow, Vanessa Redgrave

Check-up... we mean, check out this deliciously decadent mix of murder mystery, hot hustlers, zany divas, shirtless French boys, and real-life stars like Vanessa Redgrave!

A cute, young gay Parisian, Thomas (Dry Cleaning’s lanky beauty Stanislas Merhar), is looking for love in all the wrong places--namely telephone personals. When one of those “dates” results in his witnessing a murder, he isn’t sure what to do! Surely not turn to his mother, the demented diva opera singer Elisabeth Beaumont (grandly played with relish by Dianne Wiest), in town to perform Turandot. Thomas stumbles around the city, eventually coming across Dr. Rey's psychotherapy office. Ah--an oasis of sanity and safety! Not quite. Inside, he finds a neurotic actress, Penelope (Jane Birkin) and the good doctor’s dead body! What happens next is equally unconventional and unpredictable, so let’s leave it at that...but hustlers, family secrets, hash brownies, and Vanessa Redgrave figure into the zaniness. Director Andrew Litvack plays with and skewers genres (murder mystery, comedy, romance, farce), divas (Wiest hasn’t been this delightfully indulgent since Bullets Over Broadway), and even his own producers (Merchant and Ivory). One of the wackiest gay films we’ve ever seen, we give "beaucoup mercis" to Litvack and company for this fantastically fun find.
— Lawrence Ferber

Clay Pride
(US, 2002, 5 min., David Karlsberg)
It’s one thing to realize that you are “clay”, but it’s another to find out your family is!

Bulgarian Lovers

Friday, September 12 9:30pm

Spain 2002, 95 min 35mm
( In Spanish and Bulgarian with English subtitles)
Director: Eloy de la Iglesia
Cast: Fernando Guilén Cuervo, Ditrán Biba, Pepón Nieto, Roger Pera, Anita Sinkovic, Fernando Albizu

Noted gay Spanish director Eloy de la Iglesia (El Diputado) returns after a 16-year hiatus with another story of class intrigue. Daniel, a courteous, well-regarded member of Madrid’s aristocracy, puts his career and social standing on the line when he falls for handsome foreigner Kyril whom he meets while cruising at Chueca, Madrid’s gay quarter. Daniel is fully aware that Kyril has a fiancée waiting for him in Bulgaria, but he takes the plunge regardless of the consequences. The whirlwind affair soon becomes entangled into Kyril's world of shady business dealings. Will Daniel continue to fulfill his boy toy’s every whim even when the Bulgarian mob becomes involved? With terrific scenes in gay clubs, at a Bulgarian country wedding and at Daniel’s parent’s spectacular country home, de la Iglesia gives us a truly unique journey involving the Mafia, drug smuggling, radioactive materials and even a tad of magical realism thrown in for good measure. This sexy, dark thriller has ample nudity, comedy, sex and an even hand with its characters. Los Novios Bulgaros is sure to entertain. Winner of the Philadelphia G&L Film Festival's jury award for Best Gay Feature it is a great return of an important early director of gay films.

The Visitor
(US, 2002, 30 min., Dan Castle)
Chronicles an aging writer's relationship with a mysterious visitor, an intriguing young surfer and the misreading of non-verbal communication.

Beyond Vanilla

Saturday, September 13 Midnight

US 2001, 91 min Beta Sp
Director: Claes Lilja
Cast: Featuring Carol Queen, Nina Hartley, Chi Chi La Rue, Mitch Banning, Bud, Celeste, Chloe, Lady Green, Alex Del Rosario and many more!

With something for everyone from bondage and fisting to electro-torture, director Claes Lilja goes where your mother hoped you'd never dare. This is an entertaining how-to guide for fetish and SM sex, with advice from 100 devotees. Guaranteed to make almost anybody squirm with delight, disgust or disbelief, Beyond Vanilla takes you to exactly where it says on the tin. For the curious, the voyeuristic or the enthusiast, this is a fascinating journey into the world of high-performance sexual athletes, where the boundaries of gay, straight, bi or trans seem almost irrelevant. Lilja's subjects are academics, doctors, lawyers, pornographers, porn stars, sex workers and fulfilled, freelance hedonists who offer an insider's view of how to embrace extreme fantasies. Not recommended for those with a sensitive disposition.
WARNING:This film contains sexually graphic material. No one under 18 admitted.

Special thanks to Burning Paradise and the
New Mexico Leather Wolves

Masturbation: Putting the Fun Into Self Loving
(US, 2002, 8 min, J.T. Tepanapa )
Dr. Sigmund Winston along with the help of his trusty sidekick Billy, teaches the students of the ’50s how to put more excitement into self-loving. Boys from the local YMCA and visual aides give the audience a simple step-by-step approach to masturbation.

THE EVENT

Saturday, September 13 9:30pm
Sunday, September 14 2:30pm

Canada 2002, 105 min 35mm
Director: Thom Fitzgerald
Cast: Brent Carver, Olympia Dukakis, Jane Leeves, Don McKellar, Sarah Polley, Parker Posey

Thom Fitzgerald, director of The Hanging Garden, assembles a strong ensemble cast and a controversial subject matter to fuel a drama that is moving and gently funny.

Olympia Dukakis of “Tales of the City” fame, indie-film favorite Parker Posey, Canadian actor/director Don McKellar and Jane Leeves (Daphne on “Frasier”) are just part of the strong ensemble cast in director Thom Fitzgerald’s film which created quite a stir at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. A mystery and human drama with a good dose of humor, The Event focuses on Matt (McKellar) who, sick from AIDS, wants to die — and die on his terms — at home with family and friends present. But choosing to die is illegal and assisting in his death, a crime. All the while Nick (Posey), a hard-nosed detective, investigates a series of unexplained deaths in the Chelsea district of Manhattan. As she interviews family members of the deceased she begins to discover the truth behind each “event” and starts to question her own professional and personal ethics. An intricate, moving tale which poses as many questions as it answers, The Event tackles the controversies surrounding assisted suicide, AIDS, politics and the transcendent power of love.
— Lewis Tice

The Moment After
(US, 2002, 13 min., Gerald McCullouch)
If the man of your dreams showed up would you be ready for him? When he arrives on Tracey's birthday it comes from and with unexpected consequences.

Group

Saturday, September 13 4:00pm

US 2002, 106 min 35mm
Director: Marilyn Freeman
Cast: Carrie Brownstein, Nomy Lam, Lola Rock N’Rolla, Vicki Hollenberg, Tony Wilkerson, Ruby Martin

An intense, involving, and highly emotional experience, Group dramatizes a queer-friendly therapy session for eight very different women who discuss their feelings on sex, religion, family, and loneliness. This riveting mockumentary films each session simultaneously from 6 camera angles giving the viewer the perspectives of the entire group. The effect takes “reality TV” to the next level even though the entire film is brilliantly improvised by a cast of actresses/alternative rockers. The topics of the 20 week sessions range from Grace’s struggle to understand her father’s affair with a 17-year-old student, to Rachel’s unexpected pregnancy. Then there is Pipi, the most controversial member of group, a bisexual, blue-haired, overweight ,disabled woman who survived cancer and rape and is currently dating a pre-op transsexual. While Ruby the therapist offers thoughtful support, Rita, a bored lesbian, provides acerbic, antagonizing comments. The result is mesmerizing. The innovative Group is so absorbing that hearing these outrageous tales of fear, frustration, pain and anger is actually quite therapeutic. Featuring lead performances by Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney, Ladyfest founder Nomy Lamm, Lola Rock N’ Rolla, and a soundtrack comprised of Olympia, Washington indie rock bands, Group is as empowering as it is uncomfortable and unforgettable.
— Gary Kramer

D.E.B.S.
(US 2002, 11 min, Stacey Codikow)
A troupe of siren-like schoolgirls are trained to be dangerous action heroes, but one of the girls is hiding a villainous secret.

Special thanks to Lynn Johnson, Rachel Popowcer and Thon Dup

Karmen Gei

Sunday, September 14 5:00pm

Senegal/ France/Canada 2001, 86 min 35mm
(In French and Wolof with English subtitles)
Director: Joseph Gaï Ramaka
Cast: Djeïnaba Diop Gaï, Magaye Niang, Stephanie Biddle, Thierno Ndiaye Dos, El Hadji Ndiaye, Djeynaba Niang

The drums of passion beat wildly in Karmen Gei, the first-ever bisexual version of the infamous operatic Carmen. In a tour-de-force explosion of color and rhythm, the legend is reincarnated as bold, gorgeous Karmen, played by statuesque Senegalese native Djeïnaba Diop Geï. Incarcerated in a women's prison off the Senegalese coast, Karmen is pure, uninhibited libido and the chains of society cannot contain her. Karmen Gei carries the blazing heat of revolution — like all interpretations of Carmen, it is about a soaring, liberated vision of eros doomed by the reactionary swing of social and human constraints, but Karmen Gei breaks through even the constraints of sexual orientation. The story is told with explosive West African drumming and singing, irresistibly sensuous dancing and a haunting jazz score that weaves the storyline together. Banned in Senegal for its explicit sexuality, this stunning world of music, eroticism, and powerful women will electrify you.

Suddenly

Saturday, September 13 7:00pm
Sunday, September 14 12:30pm

Argentina 2002, 90 min 35mm
Director: Diego Lerman
Cast: Veronica Hassan, Tatiana Saphir, Carla Crespo, Beatriz Thibaudin

Argentina's urban and rural landscapes, captured in all their beauty and desolation, are the real stars of director Diego Lerman's subtle, darkly humorous road movie, a gritty, in-your-face odyssey where appearances are not always what they seem. The story is set in motion when Marcia, an overweight lingerie salesgirl who has recently been dumped by her boyfriend, is taken hostage by two taunting, switchblade-wielding bad girls from the wrong side of the tracks. Nicknamed Lenin and Mao, the abductors insist they're not lesbians, yet they relentlessly try to talk the ostensibly heterosexual Marcia into sleeping with them. Their initial conversations, including a priceless exchange at a fast-food joint, exemplify an engaging culture clash that extends across sexual and social lines. As they leave Buenos Aires for the pampas, the girls begin dropping their defenses, and the kidnappers reveal genuine empathy and vulnerability beneath their aggressive façade. Once they arrive at the home of Lenin's aunt Blanca for an extended visit, Tan de Repente becomes a heartfelt, finely nuanced tale of sexual awakening and getting back in touch with one's roots. As the girls interact with Blanca and her lodgers, the characters turn into a makeshift family whose lives are irrevocably changed by the time they spend together. Enhanced by its lyrical black-and-white photography, Lerman's compassionate, deceptively modest film unfolds with the spontaneous unpredictability of real life.

You’ll Get Over It
(A cause d’un garçon)

Saturday, September 13 1:00pm

France 2002, 90 min Beta SP
Director: Fabrice Cazeneuve
Cast: Julien Baumgartner, Julia Maraval, Francois Comar, Jérémie Elkaim, Patrick Bonnel

For a fleeting moment, 16-year-old Vincent is on top of the world. He's handsome and smart, a champion swimmer with an adorable girlfriend and a fun-loving best pal. Vincent has a secret life that can't stay hidden for long. When he flirts with an openly gay classmate, he’s branded a “fag” and things start to unravel. French director Fabrice Cazeneuve brings us an assured and thoroughly engrossing drama about the heartache of gay adolescence. But the film moves far beyond the typical “coming out tale” thanks to a delicate script and warm performances from a cast of sexy youngsters and seasoned adults. It’s not just a story of Vincent, but a story of the World around him. From the charming befuddlement of his parents and the jealousy of his homophobic brother to the wronged indignation of his girlfriend and the secret terror of a closeted teacher, Cazeneuve gives refreshingly honest voice to all those affected by Vincent's decision. But at the center of this beautiful film is a stand-out performance by Julien Baumgartner as Vincent, whose angst and frustration meld fluidly with buoyant optimism and a randy sex-drive. With gentle humor, tender love scenes and plenty of humanity, You'll Get Over It manages to be both honest about teenage sexuality and inspirational — a truly rare combination.

Paradisco
(France 2002, 18 min, Stephane Ly-Cuong)
When a young stud wakes up in the apartment of his 40-something trick, he gets more than breakfast. Filled with dazzling dance and music numbers, this is a moving and nostalgic celebration of life before AIDS.

Prey For Rock and Roll

Sunday, September 14 7:00pm

US, 2003, 100 min. 35mm
Director: Alex Steyermark
Cast: Gina Gershon, Drea de Matteo, Lori Petty, Shelly Cole, Marc Blucas, Ashley Drane, Eddie Driscoll, Ivan Martin, Joannah Portman, Greg Richard, Sandra Seacat.

Prey for Rock & Roll is the story of Jacki (Gina Gershon) and her all-girl rock and roll band, Clam Dandy, who are trying to make it in the LA club scene of the late '80s. After 10 years of being ignored by record producers, Jacki and the band find hope in one producer who promises to see them play and consider them for a contract. Jacki resolves to play this one last gig and then throw in the towel if she does not find success. Personal tragedies, however, threaten to rip the band apart, rocking the foundation of friendship and trust the women have built together. Ultimately, the band must find its strength in the music that is their passion and the thread that holds them together, inspiring them to prevail. Rocker Cheri Lovedog shares script-writing credits for this story based on her autobiographical play of the same name. Lovedog also shares songwriting credits with Stephen Trask (Hedwig and the Angry Inch). Alex Steyermark (music supervisor Hedwig, The Ice Storm) brings the picture together with an outstanding cast of tender and tough women and then supercharges it with the music. Gina Gershon proves once again why she is one of the sexiest women living and is not held in by classifications. As one moviegoer said, "The music is hot and the women are hotter - but there are no boundaries between the music and the women."

Breaking Up Really Sucks
(US, 2002, 11 min., Jennifer McGlone)
A funny and insightful look at the trials and tribulations of the all too familiar U-haul relationship and love at first sight.