QFest starts unspooling this week, and there are many good films to see. Here are four must-sees.
“Solo” (7:15 p.m. July 13, Ritz at the Bourse, 400 Ranstead St.; 5 p.m. July 14, Ritz East, 125 S. Second St.) is a naughty — as in erotic, as in full of misbehavior — Argentinian film, and arguably one of the fest’s best. Manuel (Patrico Ramos) and Julio (Mario Verón) meet in a chat room and arrange a hook-up. Their initial kissing is hot, and as they get naked, they also expose their anxieties about relationships. They swear not to lie to one another, but little things — a phone call Julio receives, or Manuel’s insistence that his friend Vicky is coming over the next morning — suggest this may just be a one-night stand, and not the start of a full-blown relationship. “Solo” builds inexorably to its stunning conclusion (be sure to watch past the credits) as it addresses issues of intimacy, truth and trust in gay relationships with a very jaundiced eye. The leads are incredibly sexy, and “Solo” is both wickedly smart and wickedly entertaining.
“Four” (9:30 p.m. July 17, East) is an outstanding character study that depicts two couples who meet up for sex on the same Fourth of July. June (Emory Cohen) is a shy, gay teen who arranges a hook-up over the Internet with Joe (Wendell Pierce), a gregarious married man. The small talk between these strangers — who go to a movie before retiring to a hotel room — deftly captures their awkwardness and strained intimacy. Joe tries to coax the visibly uncomfortable June to relax, but their encounter gets increasingly tenser. Meanwhile, Abigayle (Aja Naomi King) reluctantly meets up with Dexter (E.J. Bonilla) and allows him to smooth-talk her. “Four” boasts a quartet of brilliant performances — Pierce in particular is a standout — and a seductive rhythm that will rivet viewers as the characters come to terms with themselves and each other.
Another highlight is “Pit Stop” (7:15 p.m. July 18, Bourse; noon July 20, East), Yen Tan’s absorbing drama that chronicles several lonely people looking for love. What makes “Pit Stop” so absorbing is Tan’s organic style of storytelling that allows viewers to slowly learn about the characters. Gabe (Bill Heck) and Ernesto (the remarkable Marcus DeAnda) lead parallel but unconnected lives. Tan’s focus is to show how things are not easy for Gabe or Ernesto, even when they have distance from their former relationships. His achievement is making audiences want these guys to end up together. Artfully lit and shot, and filmed with long, slow scenes accompanied by thoughtful music, this fine romance chronicles the figurative pit stop in these modest Texans’ lives. Audiences should embrace the opportunity to share this moment in their journey to self-discovery.
“Born This Way” (2:45 p.m. July 21, Bourse) is a powerful human-rights documentary about gays and lesbians in Cameroon, where homosexuality is illegal. The film profiles several brave members of the queer community, from Gertrude, who works at a center to help LGBT individuals, to Cedric, who cannot tell his mother that he’s gay. In addition, Alice Nkom, a lawyer, takes up the case of two women who are put on trial for being lesbians. “Born This Way” makes each of these case studies compelling as Gertrude decides to come out to the Mother Superior who raised her, and Cedric is forced to move after his life is threatened for being gay. What emerges from these individuals’ candor and courage is their refusal to betray their innate sense of self. Gay is not a choice, says Cedric, who, like Gertrude, is inspiring. So is this important, impassioned film.