The 8th Edition of The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival runs from 17th - 18th September 2015 at the Camelot Theaters. It's Opening Night Gala is 'Eisenstein in Gunajuato' a fascinating film from Peter Greenaway about venerated filmmaker who had a tryst with young guide, Jorge Palomino y Cañedo during his 10 escape to Mexico
In four packed days the schedule have an eclectic program of some excellent movies (and a few near misses too) and so here then are our TOP FIVE PICKS of what to see at this Festival in the Desert.
'Those People' a beautiful tale of unrequited love is one of those rare exceptional debut movies from an inspiring new filmmaker Joey Kuhn that seems to be the payback for having to sit through far too many indifferent indie films every day. It is simply that good, and was a sheer joy to discover. From the opening scenes of the two best friends bawling out Gilbert & Sullivan's tongue twister from 'The Pirates of of Penanze' ....an eccentric but brilliant choice of music .... I was hooked. These handsome young men could master the complicated lyrics of 'I Am The Very Model of A Modern Major General' with such ease yet they struggled when it came to just sorting out their own words to each other
with writer/director Joey Kuhn
Drown : Len Smithy is the arrogant captain of the team of young sturdy lifeguards on the same stretch of Australian beach where his father had been before him, and his father before that. He's won the Team's annual challenge race five times now and is used to being the undisputed king of this patch of sand and surf. However, that is all about to change with the arrival of a handsome newcomer Phil who immediately scores a point with the Team's management when he saves a drowning boy on his first day on duty. This is a very powerful homoerotic tale of homophobia set in a surf full of handsome built men in skimpy speedos. Very watchable. Full review HERE
In Guidance, David Gold is a thirty-something year old man who is still trying to cling to his past when he was a successful child actor in a hit TV series. Now he is closeted gay alcoholic in total denial of so much more than his sexuality, including stage 3 skin cancer. The only work he can get these days is doing voice-overs for new age mood enhancing tapes but he gets fired from that job for being drunk and 'sounding too gay'. This rather wonderful oddball comedy is the work of Canadian filmmaker Pat Mills who wrote, directed and starred in it and he is hysterically funny as he charts a path to his take on recovery. Full review HERE.
She's The Best Thing In It is a documentary by Oscar nominated filmmaker Ron Nyswaner on the life of the irrepressible 79 year old Tony Award winning legendary actress Mary Louise Wilson. She starred as Big Edie in the cult musical 'Grey Gardens' alongside Christine Ebersole and is one of the most charmingly disarming stars to ever grace a Broadway stage. This profile on her focuses on her returning to her roots in New Orleans to teach acting after being in NY for sixty years. She is an absolute sheer joy, and the title of the movie is so spot on as she is definitely THE best thing in it. Full review HERE.
The Summer of Sangaile: This second feature from Lithuanian filmmaker Alanté Kavaïté is achingly beautiful with it's lush country landscapes which seems the perfect setting for this gentle coming-of-age story. She captures the sheer innocence of these two young girls who although they come from different sides of the tracks and have opposing personalities, still seem a perfect match. It's helped by the perfect casting of two newbie rather quirky actresses Julija Steponaityte and Aiste Dirziute who turn in such convincingly real performances Full review HERE
