QFest, the annual Philadelphia LGBT Film Festival, opens July 8 with screenings of both the lesbian romantic feature “Elena Undone” and the gay comedy “You Can’t Have It All. ” The latter is directed and co-written by local resident Jay Arnold and co-written by native Philadelphian Thom Cardwell. QFest also showcases films by several other local natives and locals, including Cheryl Dunye’s “The Owls” (Dunye is receiving an award at the festival), Butch Cordora’s “Straight & Butch” and Robert Gaston’s “Flight of the Cardinal,” which closes out the fest on July 19. In between, there is a celebration of Barbra Streisand and a conversation and clips with adult-film auteur Michael Lucas, as well as 100+ shorts, documentaries and features for every stripe in the rainbow.
Some of the best features this year are the bisexual dramas in the program spotlighting Latin American queer cinema.
In the sexy and highly satisfying Peruvian entry “Undertow,” Miguel (Christian Mercado) tries to balance the security of his marriage with a clandestine romance with a gay photographer. Writer-director Javier Fuentes-León deftly uses magical realism to show why Miguel should accept his sexuality, and the narrative device works beautifully. Every scene is exquisitely shot with an eye for composition, and the two leads are as gorgeous as the magnificent seaside landscape.
“Plan B” is writer-director Marco Berger’s meditative Argentine drama about Bruno (Manuel Vignau), who schemes to seduce his ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend Pablo (Lucas Ferraro) in an attempt to win her back. The plan eventually gets the guys into bed together, and sharing some kisses. These intimate moments ultimately bring them closer together; they each soon question how to handle the strong feelings they have developed for each other. Berger, however, is cocksure. He films “Plan B” in long, leisurely takes that make the sexual tension between the men achingly palpable.
Bisexuality is also featured in one of the best shorts in the festival, “Curious Thing.” Two men — Sam (Matthew Wilkas), who is straight, and Jared (Danny Bernardy), who is a closeted, bi-curious guy — meet and hang out as a bromance develops. Meanwhile, perceptive voiceover narratives chronicle various gay men’s real-life situations. Wilkas also appears in the awkward and hilariously deadpan short “Gayby,” about Jenn (Jenn Harris), a straight woman hoping her gay friend Matt (Wilkas) can get her pregnant — the natural way.
A female bisexual is at the center of the amiable feature “Fiona’s Script.” Fiona (Sonia Montejano) meshes fiction and reality as she tries to finish her screenplay about her life and her break-up with a guy. In the process, Fiona falls for L (Deirdre Renne Draginoff), a sexy lesbian she dubs “the perfect girl.” This involving indie romance showcases a principle cast exclusively comprised of Latina, Asian and African-American women. The acting, script and direction are amateur, but what it lacks in polish, “Fiona’s Script” makes up for in charm.
One surefire highlight at QFest this year is lesbian centerpiece selection “A Marine Story,” written and directed by Ned Farr and starring Dreya Weber. (The pair collaborated on “The Gymnast” a few years back.) This excellent character study has Alexandra (Weber) returning home after an honorable discharge from the Marines. Caught in the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” crossfire, Alexandra is now re-evaluating her life. Her efforts, which include drinking too much and reflecting on her expulsion, also involve exploring a new relationship and training Saffron (Paris Pickard), a troubled girl, for the military. “A Marine Story” is consistently smart and engrossing, and Weber is again outstanding in the title role.
A less-successful low-budget American lesbian feature is the romantic drama “Bloomington,” which chronicles the inappropriate affair between Catherine (Allison McAtee), a bewitching college professor, and Jackie (Sarah Stouffer), an ex-TV star turned freshman. The lovers drink scotch, trade pet names, kiss by the fire and take a bath as viewers wait for their relationship to be discovered. It’s all very pretty looking, but little of it is convincing. The actresses both look good, but the silly screenplay sabotages them.
A lousy script is also the problem with J.C. Calciano’s “Is It Just Me?” In this unfunny and unsexy romantic comedy, Blaine (Nicholas Downs), an attractive writer in Los Angeles, wants to be loved for “who he is, not what he looks like.” He finds a connection online with Xander (David Loren), but complications — not comedy — ensue when Xander believes Blaine is Cameron (Adam Huss), Blaine’s hunky go-go boy roommate. The situations are feeble, the various miscommunications are lame and the characters are one-dimensional.
In contrast, the cute, crowd-pleasing short “Go Go Reject” does a better job addressing the body-image issue in 20 fun minutes. Daniel (Daniel Ferguson) is a thin (read: unmuscular) gay guy who can dance. However, no go-go club owner wants him in a g-string, shaking his ass for money. Getting assistance from the buff and seductive Cesar (the fabulous Korken Alexander), Daniel not only gets himself a hot boyfriend, he finds a solution to his problem.
Looks also form the basis for the gay comedy “BearCity,” co-written by Lawrence Ferber. In this frisky film, Tyler (Joe Conti) is a baby cub new to the bear scene who becomes smitten with Roger (Gerald McCullouch), a daddy type who is as sexy as he is “unattainable.” A subplot involves Michael (Gregory Gunter) considering surgery to lose his ample weight — a procedure that may also cost him his boyfriend. “BearCity” deserves to be applauded for celebrating that species of gay men who do not conform to the typical body type, and there are scenes — both sexy and silly — involving big, hairy, nude men getting it on. Alas, the tone of “BearCity” is uneven throughout, and fun moments often segue into either melodrama or slapstick. While McCullouch is certainly seductive as Roger, Conti is sadly miscast. In support, Gunter is terrific — and terrifically affecting — as Michael.
Family relations are also a key theme at QFest. In “I Killed My Mother,” 20-year-old Xavier Dolan writes, directs and stars as Hubert, a sullen gay 16-year-old who hates his mother, Chantal (Anne Dorval). He pushes his mom’s buttons easily too. If viewers don’t find these characters — who have little more than DNA in common — insufferable, they will be rapt by all of the mama-drama. Dolan’s mostly impressive, semi-autobiographical debut features both nerve and verve as he chronicles this love/hate relationship. Although the film boasts several striking visuals, Dolan appears to be trying too hard to call attention to his style. There are just too many pretentious fantasy sequences and arty black-and-white “confessional” scenes that detract from the central storyline.
Two stepbrothers become lovers(!) in the disappointing Brazilian import “From Beginning to End.” As preteens, Francisco and Thomás form an extraordinarily close bond. Cut to 15 years later, when Francisco (João Gabriel Vasconcellos) and his hunky brother Thomás (Rafael Cardoso) end up naked and in bed together after their mother’s funeral. Although these sexy moments suggest the film will explore this taboo relationship in all its naughty glory, writer-director Aluisio Abranches’ ultimately pointless melodrama goes nowhere slowly before an abrupt ending. This stupid, soapy film never quite delivers on the promise of its possibilities — erotic or otherwise.
Easily, the festival’s best family drama is “La Mission.” Written and directed by Peter Bratt, this gem stars the director’s famous actor-brother Benjamin as Che Rivera, a working-class man who learns his son Jesse (Jeremy Ray Valdez) is gay. Bratt’s winning portrait of a man conflicted with his feelings about family, sexuality and identity is quietly powerful and considerably moving.
Themes of sexuality and identity are the basis for “Children of God,” writer-director Kareem Mortimer’s fine and graceful expansion of his short “Float.” Romeo (Stephen Tyrone Williams) is a handsome, closeted Bahamian who begins an affair with Johnny (Johnny Ferro), a sensitive artist and germaphobe. Meanwhile, Lena (Margaret Laurena Kemp) is a preacher’s wife dedicated to campaigning against gays in the Bahamas. If it’s a bit heavy-handed that Lena has an STD — her stern husband is, not surprisingly, on the down low — her getting of wisdom is nicely contrasted with Romeo’s struggle to come out. Mortimer may rush to tie his stories up and together neatly, but “Children of God” culminates in a nice, transcendent coda, and the film benefits immensely from Williams’ easygoing charm.
Coming out is always a QFest storyline, and the Uruguayan feature “Leo’s Room” sensitively handles this rite of passage. The room of the title doubles as a kind of large closet for handsome Leo (Martín Rodríguez), a 20-something student who is not working especially hard on finishing his studies. Dumped by his girlfriend — who recommended he see a therapist for his sexual dysfunction — Leo’s initial solution is to cruise online for a boyfriend. He finds a great match in Seba (Gerardo Bergerez), who is a great catch, but they never really leave the confines of his room. Leo also forms a bond with a childhood friend, Caro (Cecilia Cosero), a depressed young woman — who might make a suitably undemanding girlfriend. As Leo struggles with his sexuality, his partner options and leaving his room, his conflict is heartfelt. This is because writer-director Enrique Buchichio coaxes a natural performance out of Rodríguez, who makes Leo’s poignant transformation credible. When he sheds a tear, admitting what he has known all along, it is a very tender moment.
“Dogtooth” is the utterly brilliant, queer-tinged entry in the festival-within-a-festival’s “Danger After Dark” program. Here, two Greek parents protect their teenaged children from the outside world. Most of “Dogtooth” takes place on the nameless family’s estate, where vocabulary is changed — e.g., a “phone” is the name of a salt shaker — and sudden, shocking violence occurs. Dad brings Christina (Anna Kalaitzidou), an outsider, in to have sex with the son (Hristos Passalis), although she prefers receiving oral pleasure from the family’s eldest daughter (Aggeliki Papouilia). Much of the film’s action involves inventive game playing that doubles as endurance tests for the characters, such as running around the estate blindfolded — an apt metaphor for their sheltered lives. Watching these scenes, viewers will laugh or cringe, or both, although some folks may feel sitting through “Dogtooth” is itself an endurance test. Yet this wickedly funny and incisive satire is an absolute must-see for adventurous moviegoers.
Unseen — because it wasn’t available for preview — is “Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives,” which raised advocacy group GLAAD’s ire earlier this year. Whether a local screening will please viewers or attract protesters is to be determined, but QFest gives audiences the opportunity for either reaction.
For more information about QFest, including screening times, visit www.qfest.com.