Over Christmas vacation in 1980, Nicolas (Michaël Cohen) meets Bruno (Nicolas Gob, Un amour à taire), his sister Isabelle’s current squeeze – and realizes he would “do anything for this guy.” Thus begins a ... [+]

Over Christmas vacation in 1980, Nicolas (Michaël Cohen) meets Bruno (Nicolas Gob, Un amour à taire), his sister Isabelle’s current squeeze – and realizes he would “do anything for this guy.” Thus begins a saga spanning two tumultuous decades where a mysterious disease unleashes mayhem in the age of Mitterrand. A daring and unusual family must come together to redefine the boundaries of family and friendship, while surmounting the barriers of class, race and sexual orientation. Sa raison d’être is relative unknown Renaud Betrand’s loving recreation of an era dominated by homophobic Vichy-era laws, intransigent governments, Line Renaud, Sidaction, tainted blood scandals and terrorism. Lush and starstudded, Betrand’s television masterpiece is as timely and urgent as the drug-resistant strains of HIV challenging today’s message-resistant LGBT youth. Hailed as the French version of Angels in America for the text generation, Sa raison d’être is essential viewing in this intergenerational struggle with a devastating affliction. [-]

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Abandoned churches, rural religious festivals and sleazy tourist-oriented strip joints are the backdrop for this tale about the enduring bonds of friendship and label-free love. Enzo finds respite from his brutal, homophobic father in ... [+]

Abandoned churches, rural religious festivals and sleazy tourist-oriented strip joints are the backdrop for this tale about the enduring bonds of friendship and label-free love. Enzo finds respite from his brutal, homophobic father in his fast friendship with neighbour and schoolmate, Adong. However, can a friendship that survives circumcision also weather Adong’s romance with the winsome Melay, and his eventual move to Manila? A five-year separation ensues after which Adong and Enzo are reunited in Manila’s thriving sex trade. As Adong battles unscrupulous clients, landlords and pimpresarios, both Enzo and he form a fragile new family… An impressive debut, Bertubin’s reserved direction weaves extended flashbacks and naturalistic performances into a compelling homage to Lino Brocka’s ground-breaking Macho Dancer. Peppered with Pinoy pin-up boys, Sikil continues a fine Filipino tradition of exploring straight men in distinctly gay situations. Newcomers Ken Escudero and Wil Sadejas are simply mesmerising as the doe-eyed macho dancers in this film about unconditional love. [-]

After Lucie (inadvertently) announces her wish to have a baby, her partner Marion, reluctantly relents. France, like Italy, restricts artificial insemination to heterosexual couples, so Lucie and Marion begin interviewing potential donors. All seems hopeless, ... [+]

After Lucie (inadvertently) announces her wish to have a baby, her partner Marion, reluctantly relents. France, like Italy, restricts artificial insemination to heterosexual couples, so Lucie and Marion begin interviewing potential donors. All seems hopeless, when Hugo of Montreal suddenly reappears, delighted to deliver the raw materials – only. Meanwhile Lucie’s parents, aging 68ers, bemoan her bourgeois aspirations, while Marion’s church-lady mother is Hail Mary full of Homophobia. As Lucie becomes caught up in pregnancy and prospective motherhood, Marion feels redundant as the “non-carrying” partner, a situation compounded by the return of the hitherto indifferent Hugo… Étienne Dhaene’s trademark humour and quirky perspective freshens up the same-sex parenting genre in his big-screen debut. A fizzy borderline farce about the importance of families of choice and turkey basters, it features a biting script tempered with warm and wry performances. Le nouveau monde is a knockout film about pregnancy, pride – and the New Yalta Accords. Le nouveau monde is this year’s Spinnin’ filmed in LesboScope. [-]

Ungrateful children, a turkey dinner and one feisty matriarch. Watch out! ... [+]

Ungrateful children, a turkey dinner and one feisty matriarch. Watch out! [-]

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Being straight is a lot harder than it used to be for John (director and star, Jesse Rosen), who’s recently moved to L.A. for a change of pace. He’s crashing on his friend’s ... [+]

Being straight is a lot harder than it used to be for John (director and star, Jesse Rosen), who’s recently moved to L.A. for a change of pace. He’s crashing on his friend’s couch and working as a gopher at an ad agency. No sooner has he made his first mail delivery at the office does his predatory boss Paul make an aggressive move for John’s pants. Shocked but curious, John surprises himself by giving in to Paul’s advances. This sets off a sexual identity crisis for the reserved John that lands him at the doorstep of lesbian college buddy Maddy (Rachel Castillo), who’s pondering a reverse-coming out of sorts. She’s fantasizing about jumping the guy next door at the same time as John wonders if he’s gay. Maddy’s flaky, endearing approach is a change from the alphamale culture of John’s home life, where the word gay is synonymous with lame and bandied about by John’s new crew like kids on a schoolyard. Soul-searching abounds in this charming coming out story that proves being straight is sometimes just as tricky as being gay. [-]

Monsters don’t live under the bed. ... [+]

Monsters don’t live under the bed. [-]

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At the beginning of U People, a disclaimer reads, “When you view this film, do not make assumptions about anyone’s sexuality” – and you’d best put aside all your notions about gender identity, too. ... [+]

At the beginning of U People, a disclaimer reads, “When you view this film, do not make assumptions about anyone’s sexuality” – and you’d best put aside all your notions about gender identity, too. Bold, beautiful, black and brown, the “accidental documentary” U People shows what happens when 30 hot and sharp women and transmen of colour convene in a Brooklyn brownstone, revealing a blend of experiences and perspectives rarely voiced. Shot over the course of two days on the set of a music video, its subjects span sexualities and genders, stepping out of a boxed-in society and showing their beauty in a world that has too often cast them as invisible. U People touches on the relationships between mothers and daughters, and civil rights and prejudice, while challenging the ignorance that often lies behind the designation “you people.” Directors Olive Demetrius and Hanifah Walidah – partners in both real life and in work – have created a powerful and engaging romp that enters a world seldom represented – and you’re invited to the party! [-]

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A bizarre love triangle involving two bereaved men and their mutual friend, Mark. A car accident leaves Jeff (Adam Neal Smith) informing Mark’s friends of his untimely passing. As Mark’s best friend and confidant, ... [+]

A bizarre love triangle involving two bereaved men and their mutual friend, Mark. A car accident leaves Jeff (Adam Neal Smith) informing Mark’s friends of his untimely passing. As Mark’s best friend and confidant, Jeff is astonished to discover his intimate friendship with Andrea (cowriter, Alessandro Calza) – and of his impending visit to meet Mark face-to-face for the first time! Although despondent to learn of Mark’s demise, Andrea accepts Jeff’s invitation to visit before returning to Italy. As they explore their common mystery and tragedy, a fledgling relationship begins to emerge… Malaysian director Yen Tan (Happy Birthday) delivers a queer homage to Louis Malle’s My Dinner with Andre in his sophomore outing. Air-tight framing, elegant sets and understated performances amplify the erotic tensions quietly overtaking Andrea and Jeff. A refreshing cinematic reflection on bereavement, friendship and unrequited love, Ciao is an unapologetically sexy 84 Charing Cross Road for the Blackberry and Twitter generation. Bring a date (or three!) to this year’s poignant and profoundly romantic gem. [-]