QFest - St. Louis' LGBTQ Film Festival
presented by TLA Releasing and here! Films
QFest is sponsored by Cinema St. Louis, Metropolis' Out & Urban Committee, The Vital Voice, Sally and George Nikolajevich, Sally and Tom Cohn, Bill Donius and Jay Perez, Growing American Youth, and The LGBT Community Center of Metropolitan St. Louis
Ticket Prices
All screenings will be held at the Tivoli Theatre, 6350 Delmar Blvd. in the University City Loop. Individual tickets are $10 each or $8 for students and Cinema St. Louis members with valid and current photo id's. Advance tickets for programs at this venue are for sale at the Tivoli box office beginning February 14th. Box-office hours are 5-10 p.m. Monday-Friday and 2-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. No phone sales. For tickets online, visit www.landmarktheatres.com/tickets. When ordering tickets online through the Landmark Theatres website, click on the TIME and not the movie title in order to purchase. There is a $1 per-ticket service charge. Pick up your tickets at the box-office window at the Tivoli.
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MARCH 15, 2009
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For My Wife
David Rothmiller, 75 min., 2008, U.S.
Sunday, Mar. 15, 1 p.m.
On December 14, 2006, a torrential rainstorm hit Seattle. Water flooded into the home of Kate Fleming and Charlene Strong. Kate, an award-winning audio book narrator, tried to retrieve equipment from her small basement studio but became trapped by the rising waters. When a rescue team finally freed Kate, she was unconscious and rushed to the hospital. It was there that Charlene was denied access to Kate by a social worker - because they weren't married. Kate's sister had to be called to give Charlene the necessary permission to be with Kate in her final moments. The humiliation and discrimination Charlene faced at the hospital and the funeral home, compelled her to testify to the Washington legislature, an act that became influential in passing the state's historic Domestic Partnership Registration Bill. This powerful documentary humanizes the struggle for full marriage equality. It also chronicles the making of an activist - Charlene has become a powerful voice for the equal rights of same-sex couples.
Sponsored by The Vital Voice
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A Jihad For Love
Parvez Sharma, 81 min., 2007, U.S
Sunday, Mar. 15, 2:45 p.m.
"A Jihad for Love" is the first-ever feature-length documentary to explore the complex global intersections of Islam and homosexuality. In a time when Islam is under tremendous attack from within and without, this daring documentary was filmed in 12 countries and nine languages. With unprecedented access, Muslim gay filmmaker Parvez Sharma has gone where the silence is strongest, filming with great risk in nations where government permission to make this film was not an option, bringing to light the hidden, lonely and often dangerous lives of gay and lesbian Muslims. In many nations with a Muslim majority, laws based on Quranic interpretations are enforced by authorities to monitor, entrap, imprison, torture and even execute homosexuals. As a result, many gay and lesbian Muslims end up renouncing their religion. But the real-life characters of "A Jihad for Love" aren't willing to abandon a faith they cherish despite its flaws. Instead, they struggle to reconcile their ardent belief with the innate reality of their being. They don't seek to vilify or reject Islam, but rather negotiate a new relationship to it. It was a difficult decision for the subjects to tell their stories because of the violence they could face, but they felt the film's message was too important for them to say no.
Shown with: "James" (Connor Clements, 17 min., 2008, Northern Ireland): When James realizes long-buried secrets can lead to poor family relations, he decides it's time to confide in his only friend.
Sponsored by Sally and George Nikolajevich and Sally and Tom Cohn********
I Can't Think Straight
Shamim Sarif, 80 min., 2007, U.K.
Sunday, Mar. 15, 5 p.m.
Tala, a London-based Jordanian of Palestinian origin, prepares for an elaborate wedding with her Jordanian fiance when she encounters Leyla, a young British Indian woman who is dating her best friend, Ali. Spirited Christian Tala and shy Muslim Leyla could not be more different from each other, but the attraction is immediate. Tala's feisty nature provokes Leyla out of her shell, and soon both women reveal their feelings for each other. But Tala is not ready to accept the implications of the choice her heart has made and escapes back to Jordan, where her chain-smoking, highbrow mother finishes preparations for an ostentatious wedding. As family members descend and the wedding day approaches, simmering family tensions come to the boiling point and the pressure mounts for Tala to be true to herself. Meanwhile, heartbroken Leyla relishes her newly found sense of identity and self-respect and moves on with her new life - much to the shock of her tradition-loving Indian parents. Single again, Tala flies back to London - but it will take more than just a date set up by Ali and Leyla's sister to win Leyla back.
Shown with: "Say That You Love Me" (Dina Jacobsen, 8 min., 2008, U.K.): Love and coincidence is all around Alison. As she waits for her girlfriend, she bumps into her first love, who wants her back.
Sponsored by Girl Friday********
Chef's Special
Nacho Velilla, 111 min., 2008, Spain
Sunday, Mar. 15, 7 p.m.
Love, family, jealousy and fatherhood are just some of the comic mishaps that Maxi will now learn how to deal with in this comic romp. Maxi (Javier Camara of "Talk to Her") is a happily single gay guy who is one of the top chefs in Madrid. He owns a chic restaurant in the fashionable neighborhood of Chuecatown, and it's about to receive a Michelin star for his haute cuisine. His colorful staff, which includes his best gal pal, Alex (Lola Duenas of "20 Centimeters"), keeps him on his toes, and his life looks to be on the path to success. But Maxi's plans begin to change with the appearance of his children, the result of a sham marriage. Maxi had to abandon Edu and Alba after openly declaring his sexuality, but he now must take care of his kids after the untimely death of their mother. Add a new, handsome ex-Argentine footballer neighbor to Maxi's life, and let the fun begin.
Shown with: "Diva" (Josephine Mackerras, France, 2008, 7 min.): Escaping his home-town that has completely rejected him and alone, Vincent goes to Paris to be entirely herself, but life is never that simple.
Sponsored by Mark Utterback********
Finding Me
Roger S. Omeus, Jr., 120 min. 2007, U.S.
Sunday, Mar. 15, 9:30 p.m.
In this fresh, new indie film about a young gay black man's journey of self-discovery, affirmation and love, Faybien Allen (RayMartell Moore) sorely lacks direction in life. His overbearing, homophobic father (Ronald DeSuze) certainly doesn't help his self-esteem, but life takes a sharp turn when Faybien is hit on by Lonnie (Derrick L. Briggs), the hunky, self-assured guy he keeps encountering at the bus stop. This is great news to close friends Greg (Eugene Turner), a down-to-earth and upbeat bisexual, and Amera (J'Nara Corbin), a sassy "honorary gay man." Not everyone is such a good influence, however. Greg's new roommate, Jay (Maurice Murrell), is downright shady and could be the type of person Faybien becomes if he makes the wrong decisions now. Can Faybien finally come to peace with his relationships with his father and the uber-flirtatious (and hot) Lonnie? A true labor of love shot over the course of a dozen weekends, "Finding Me" marks the discovery of a promising and humanistic new talent, first-time Haitian-American filmmaker Roger Omeus Jr.
Shown with: "Sombrero" (Nathaniel Atcheson, 12 min., 2008, U.S.): Nervous James and calm Raymond meet for a blind date in a Mexican restaurant.
Sponsored by St. Louis Black Pride********
MARCH 16, 2009
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Between Love & Goodbye
Casper Andreas, 97 min., 2008, U.S.
Monday, Mar. 16, 7 p.m.
Love makes the world go round. At least that's what Marcel and Kyle believe, until they suddenly discover that love can alternatively flip the world upside-down. Marcel and Kyle fall in love at first sight, and even though they can't legally marry, they will find a way to make it work. French Marcel marries their lesbian friend, Sarah, so he can stay in the U.S. with Kyle. Enter Kyle's sister April, a former prostitute and transsexual. She needs a place to crash, but for how long? Taking a quick dislike to Marcel, April methodically drips poison into their happiness. But where Marcel sees a conniving woman with a not-so-hidden agenda, Kyle only sees a sister in need. And how do you choose between family and the love of your life? Love isn't pure after it's been tainted, and the perfect couple falls headlong into possessiveness, jealousy and rage, trapped in the tangled emotions found in that space between love and goodbye. From the director of "Love is a 4-Letter Word."
Shown with: "Bloom" (Lance Larson, 13 min., 2007, U.S.): Love's labor is lost on a used-car lot when misplaced affections lead to self-discovery and tragedy.
Sponsored by Coffee Cartel********
Wrangler: Anatomy Of An Icon
Jeffrey Schwarz, 82 min., 2008, U.S.
Monday, Mar. 16, 9:30 p.m.
Before Jeff Stryker and Michael Lucas, Jack Wrangler was the No. 1 name in gay porn, and his wild, unpredictable career and life is recounted in this can't-miss documentary. With piercing blue eyes, unruly blond hair, a chiseled physique and cocky swagger, Wrangler was the king of '70s gay porn. Forging a gay sexual revolution, he wasn't the typical object of homoerotic desire but an intelligent, full-bodied, self-confident stud. Although best known for his 80-plus adult films, the openly gay superstar even conquered the straight adult world and legitimate theater. Offscreen, his life was equally sensational - at 33, he married 55-year-old songstress Margaret Whiting. Packed with rare footage, celebrity interviews and witty commentary by Wrangler himself, this is an unfiltered portrait of an iconoclast who broke all the rules.
Shown with: "Tranny McGuyver" (Vaughn Verdi, 2008, 16 min., U.S.): Three rookie cops try to make the world, like, a totally better place.
Sponsored by St. Louis Show Me Bears********
MARCH 17, 2009
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Queer Shorts
103 min.
Tuesday, Mar. 17, 5 p.m.
"Bloom" (Lance Larson, 13 min., 2007, U.S.): Love's labor is lost on a used-car lot when misplaced affections lead to self-discovery and tragedy.
"A Day at the Beach" (Veronique Courtois, 3 min., 2008, U.S.): An animated look at the complexity of modern love.
"Diva" (Josephine Mackerras, 7 min., 2008, France): Escaping a hometown that has completely rejected him, Vincent goes to Paris to be entirely herself, but life is never that simple.
"James" (Connor Clements, 17 min., 2008, Northern Ireland): When James realizes long-buried secrets can lead to poor family relations, he decides it's time to confide in his only friend.
"A Mate (Kaveria)" (Teemu Nikki, 7 min., 2007, Finland): An absurd and very funny story of a homophobe who cannot imagine what it is like to have sex with a man.
"The Perfect Match" (Tom Diamond, 5 min., 2008, Canada,): A yarn about two lonely sock puppets from opposite worlds who find their lives changed forever by a chance encounter in the park.
"Queerantine" (Kerry O'Quinn, 5 min., 2009, U.S.): All hell breaks loose in a school when students are infected with "THE GAY!"
"Say That You Love Me" (Dina Jacobsen, 8 min., 2008, U.K.): Love and coincidence is all around Alison. As she waits for her girlfriend, she bumps into her first love who wants her back.
"Sombrero" (Nathaniel Atcheson, U.S., 12 min., 2008, U.S.,): Nervous James and calm Raymond meet for a blind date in a Mexican restaurant.
"Second Guessing Grandma" (Bob Giraldi, 10 min., 2008, U.S.): Set in 1982, this true-life story chronicles an important week in the life of a twentysomething gay man who finally comes out to his beloved grandmother.
"Tranny McGuyver" (Vaughn Verdi, 16 min., 2008, U.S.): Three rookie cops try to make the world, like, a totally better place.
Sponsored by The LGBT Community Center of Metropolitan St. Louis********
The New World (Le Nouveau Monde)
Etienne Dhaene, 95 min., 2007, France
Tuesday, Mar. 17, 7:15 p.m.
When Lucie decides the ticking biological clock means she has to have a baby, she announces it, accidentally, to her lover, Marion, through the sound system of a karaoke bar. From there, the two lovers, who are used to a fast-paced Parisian life, wade through all the problems of gay pregnancy and parenting in this delightful French comedy. All of the potential pitfalls of motherhood descend on these two. Lucie's hippie parents worry that parenthood means their lesbian daughter has become too middle class. Marion's fundamentalist mother worries that Marion can't be a mother if she isn't the one giving birth. A series of ever more disastrous potential sperm donors make clear how complicated something as seemingly simple as sperm can be. And as the birth draws nearer, the problems grow, including Marion's fears that she isn't ready for motherhood and the endless and conflicting advice everyone gives to two soon-to-be-moms. Talented director Etienne Dhaene skillfully crafts a wry and heartwarming tale that breaks the old conventional idea of family.
Shown with: "A Day at the Beach" (Veronique Courtois, 3 min., 2008, U.S.): An animated look at the complexity of modern love.
Sponsored by Deb Salls
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Schoolboy Crush
Kohtaro Terauchi, 88 min., 2007, Japan
Tuesday, Mar. 17, 9:30 p.m.
"Gossip Girl" collides with "Fatal Attraction" in "Schoolboy Crush," an erotic cat-and-mouse game set in an all-boys' prep school that features plenty of nubile flesh. Aoi, a young teacher with striking good looks, has just learned that his newest student, Sora, is the alluring teen prostitute he once hired. Panicky because his cell number is in Sora's cell phone and worried that he's going to be blackmailed, Aoi is a mess as Sora settles into school life with the help of his roommate, the instantly infatuated Ichiyu. For his part, Sora is anything but a conniving hustler. Easygoing, optimistic and downright dreamy, he's happy to be a schoolboy by day as long as he can sneak back into town to be a hustler by night. As the walls of the prestigious academy become a percolating hotbed of sexual intrigue, prostitution and blackmail, other students, including Sora's nerdy roommate and the sinister campus bully Riku, are pulled down the same torrid path of unquenchable desire toward the inevitable moment when obsession turns deadly.
Shown with: "A Mate (Kaveria)" (Teemu Nikki, 7 min., 2007, Finland): An absurd and very funny story of a homophobe who cannot imagine what it is like to have sex with a man.
Sponsored by Cinema St. Louis********
MARCH 18, 2009
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What Happened To New Queer Cinema?
* FREE seminar *
Wednesday, Mar. 18, 5 p.m.
Local film critic David Noble Dandridge presents "What Happened to New Queer Cinema?" This seminar will discuss the films and filmmakers of the New Queer Cinema and discuss role of Gay and Lesbian depictions on film from Go Fish to Brokeback Mountain. This presentation and discussion are free and open to the public.
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Breakfast With Scot
Laurie Lynd, 95 min., 2007, Canada
Wednesday, Mar. 18, 7 p.m.
Adapted from the novel by Michael Downing, "Breakfast With Scot" is a touching comedy that tells the story of a very "straight" gay couple. Eric (Tom Cavanagh of the TV series "Ed" and "Trust Me") lives for all things hockey. Now in his 30s, he's managed to turn his former stint as a Toronto Maple Leaf into a full-time gig as commentator for sports TV. But when Eric's boyfriend, Sam, announces that they're to become temporary guardians of a young boy, Eric's comfortable world shatters. Scot - a recently orphaned, swishy 11-year-old sissy of a boy - is Eric's mirror opposite. Freaked out by the youngster's joie de vivre, Eric and Sam gently nudge Scot away from scented hand cream and all things pink toward a more "acceptable" pastime - hockey. But after Scot's disastrous first game, Eric begins to rethink the compromises he's made in his own life to be "accepted." Officially sanctioned by the NHL and the Toronto Maple Leafs, "Breakfast With Scot" represents the first time a professional sports league has allowed their logo and uniforms to be used in a gay-themed movie.
Shown with: "The Perfect Match" (Tom Diamond, 5 min., 2008, Canada): A yarn about two lonely sock puppets from opposite worlds who find their lives changed forever by a chance encounter in the park.
"Queerantine" (Kerry O'Quinn, 5 min., 2009, U.S.): All hell breaks loose in a school when students are infected with "THE GAY!"
Sponsored by Bill Donius and Jay Perez********
Watercolors
David Oliveras, 106 min., 2008, U.S.
Wednesday, Mar. 18, 9:30 p.m.
You never forget your first love, and "Watercolors" will make you nostalgic for your own teen romance. Shy, closeted and nerdy young artist Danny is befriended by golden-boy swimming champ Carter when family circumstances bring them together for a night. Danny is quickly smitten by the other boy's charms and agrees to help the troubled teen with his schoolwork. The brash and sexy yet troubled Carter works hard to hide his drug problems, history of seizures and the painful relationship he has with his unsympathetic, recovering alcoholic father. Their blossoming relationship brings Danny out of his shell, awakening both his passion for art and his burgeoning sexuality. This hot and heartbreaking adolescent romance is bolstered by strong performances by Tye Olson and Kyle Clare and a poignant script by director David Oliveras. The film also features Olympian Greg Louganis and two-time Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Karen Black.
Shown with: "Second Guessing Grandma" (Bob Giraldi, U.S., 2008, 10 min.): Set in 1982, this true-life story chronicles an important week in the life of a twentysomething gay man who finally comes out to his beloved grandmother.
Sponsored by Growing American Youth ********
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