THEGAYUK

Day: 17 May 2017

  • Gay films to be shown at the 70th Cannes Film Festival

    The 70th Annual Cannes Film Festival has started today and will show many films from all over the world, including films that will compete for the prestigious Queer Palm Award.

     

    These films are:

    How to Talk to Girls at Parties, by John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), stars Nicole Kidman (who is in four films at the festival), Elle Fanning and Matt Lucas and is about a couple of British 1970’s teen-aged boys who go to a party to meet girls, only to find that the girls are very different from their expectations.

    Coby. A 21-year old Ohio woman changes her gender and becomes a boy in this very intimate movie about Coby’s journey to manhood.


    They – Mass Ornament Films

    They is a coming of age drama where ‘J’ has been diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder and decides to go by the name ‘They’ and then proceeds to take hormone blockers to suspend their puberty. Directed by Iranian Anahita Ghazvini Zadeh.

    Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts. A woman is robbed in her home by a gang but accidentally she kills the leader. She is then haunted by him which in turn completely changes her life. Directed by Indonesian Mouly Surya.

    Nothingwood is a documentary about Salim Shaheen, the most popular and prolific actor-producer of Afghanistan, who makes relentless Z series films in a country at war for more than thirty years. Directed by Sonia Kronlund, who says that Shaheen like a sort of Ed Wood, but on a much grander scale.


    120 beats per Minutes – Les Films de Pierre

    120 beats per Minutes (120 Battlements Par Minute) is a French drama which depicts a group of HIV/AIDS activists associated with the Paris chapter of ACT UP.

    Golden Years premise revolves around newlyweds Paul and Louise as World War I breaks out. Paul, a soldier, maims himself and deserts his post. So Louise dresses him up as a woman called Suzanne, and they hand out in the debauched Paris of the Golden Twenties and he earns quite a reputation for himself. Directed by prestigious French film director André Téchiné.

    Other films to be shown at the festival include:

    -Sofia Coppola’s American Civil War thriller The Beguiled, a remake of Clint Eastwood’s 1971 film, with high wattage stars Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Kirsten Dunst.

    –Okja and The Meyerowitz Stories are two films produced by Netflix. Okja stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Tilda Swinton about a girl who risks everything to prevent a powerful multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend – a massive animal, while The Meyerowitz Stories stars Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman about siblings dealing with an ageing father.

    Amazon is also in the game with:


    Wonderstruck – Amazon Studios
    –Wonderstruck, starring Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams and tells the story of two deaf children living parallel lives in the 1920s and 1970s, and
    –You Were Never Really Here starring Joaquin Phoenix as a war veteran who tries to save a sex-trafficking victim.
    –Good Time. Robert Pattinson plays a bank robber who struggles to evade the police.
    –Happy End. Isabelle Huppert, fresh from her award-winning performance in Elle, is in this family drama that is set against the backdrop of the European refugee crisis.
    –The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Kidman and Farrell (again) star in this tale of a boy attempting to bring a talented surgeon into his family, with disastrous consequences.
    –L’Amant Double (The Double Lover). Popular French Director Francois Ozon’s thriller about a young woman who falls in love with her therapist before realising he’s not who she thinks he is.
    –A Gentle Closure. A Ukrainian film that tells the bleak tale of a woman trying to learn the truth about a prison in remote Russia.

    The year’s film festival includes 49 films from 20 countries, including nine feature debuts. Kidman will also be seen in a screening of Jane Campion’s television series “Top of the Lake.” The Cinéfondation is the short film section of the festival, to be be presided over by Romanian Director Cristian Mungiu. And Italian actress Monica Bellucci will host the open and closing ceremonies.

    Members of this year’s main jury include gay filmmaker Pedro Almodovar who will be joined by American actress Jessica Chastain, among others. One of the prizes to be given out is the Caméra d’or, awarded for best first feature film (which was won by British Director Steve McQueen in 2008 for Hunger). And the town of Cannes will be taken over by the attendees of this film festival which is a must to attend for anyone in the film industry, and even if you are not, it’s just great to soak up and take in the glitz and the glamour, and it will make you feel like you are really part of something special.

  • 10 Signs You’re Falling Out Of Love

    For many, love is a fantastical thing that erupts sweaty palms, butterflies in the stomach and more than a few uncomfortable boners. But

    10 signs you're falling out of love

    Falling in love can be magical. Falling out of love can suck.

    Here are 10 telltale signs to look out for:

    Cute Habits Turn Into Annoying Pet Peeves

    All those sweet enamoured things they used to do, like holding open doors for you or putting their arm around your waist when you walk, slowly but surely become mind-numbingly infuriating. The little things that used to make you swoon now make you groan. More so, you find yourself actually looking out for these little ticks that fuel your anger and frustration rather than turning a blind eye.

     

    You Seek Out Conflict

    Picking fights used to be this grand, scary event that you’d mentally prep yourself up for beforehand. Now? Not so much. Bickering and arguing are practically the bread and butter of your relationship. The slightest of inconvenient occurrences can feel like the heaviest of set-backs. Did he forget to tell you he was seeing his friend tonight? Of course, he did, he’s so inconsiderate. Sound familiar?

     

    Other Couples Highlight Your Insecurities

    Double dates or group hangs just remind you of what’s missing in your relationship. You can feel the palpable envy in the air when a couple who can’t keep their hands off each other begin sucking face in front of you. It’s a gut-wrenching feeling to realise the infamous spark is gone and it feels better to stick your head in the sand than have your nose rubbed in it. Chances are if you’re jealous of another couple, it’s because they have something you don’t.

     

    A Future With Them Is Unrealistic

    Planning stuff together a week in advance makes you iffy. Thinking about a long-term future plan with a picket fence and kids makes you nauseous. It’s just not realistic to daydream about backpacking together or lounging on a matching set of towels together and still have it be fun. Or even tolerable. If that much time away, with only the two of you, makes you shiver then what’s the point in being with someone?

     

    Saying Empty “I Love Yous”

    Once more, with feeling. Three words that tingled your spine the first time you dared to whisper them into his ear. Your friends made such a big deal out of it. Truthfully, when you mumble them into the phone now it’s more out of habit or courtesy than love. They ring hollow, devoid of the fiery passion they once held. If they say it back in the same monotonous tone, odds are they’ve probably fallen out of love too.

     

    A Relationship Just Isn’t What You Need Right Now

    Perhaps other priorities have risen, be it a new career opportunity or needing to take care of a sick relative, and the sad yet honest answer is simply what’s written on the tin. A relationship isn’t your priority or necessarily even what you need. We all know how we love to think we know what’s best for ourselves. But it can be a bitter pill to swallow and admit. Maybe you rushed into things. Maybe you didn’t consider what you wanted out of the relationship. Maybe you don’t need to be in a relationship right now and that’s okay if you communicate it to your partner and not let it fester up and snowball.

     

    You Care About Them… As A Friend

    Attraction is important in a relationship. It’s not everything but it does play a pivotal role. If that attraction were to burn out, what’s supposed to be left is mutual respect and trust… right? So where do the distinct lines of friendship and relationship end? Attraction is a pretty good indicator. If you’re lucky enough to have a partner that ends up feeling like both a friend and a lover, congrats, but if it leans towards platonic (and let’s be honest, you know when it does) rather than romantic then that’s pretty self-explanatory.

     

    The Thought Of Breaking-Up Isn’t Heart-Breaking

    A long time ago, losing your significant other would absolutely crush you. Three to four months of mourning, minimum. Ice cream and tears galore. What springs to mind when you think about it nowadays is… meh. Not only do you find yourself caring less and less if you’re with them or not, seeing them doesn’t make your heart pitter-patter anymore. It wouldn’t shatter if he left for good, either, and if that’s the gospel truth well then that’s a pretty darn good sign.

     

    He Doesn’t Satisfy You Anymore

    There are plenty of things to do to spice up your sex life. Whole books are written on the topic. But if your relationship is suffering its very own mid-life crisis, it’s very likely that what used to be there isn’t anymore. Perhaps that’s where the jealousy of other couple stems from; sex is no longer pleasurable or as exciting or fun as it used to be. Tearing each other’s clothes off used to be common practice. If you’ve scheduled out a mandatory coitus sesh every Sunday night, and the thought of snacking afterwards is the only driving force to your climax, then it’s a pretty clear indication that the love part of your love-making is existentially dead.

     

    You’ve Fallen For Someone Else

    The ultimate sign that you’ve fallen out of love: being in love with someone else. Of course, this last sign only applies to monogamous couples. To have someone’s undivided devotion is wondrous. What can end up stinging the most, however, is finding out the hard way that’s not the case. People don’t like hearing it but there’s no easy way around telling someone you’re in love with someone else. Coming to terms with it yourself is a good starting point.

    If any of these ten signs ring true, maybe you have a few things to consider. If not, cherish your love (or your singlehood!) and let’s all agree that love is simultaneously the biggest mystery and wonder of the world.

  • Piers Morgan condemns LGBT charity Stonewall as bigoted and “Piers-phobic”

    Piers has hit back at the UK’s largest LGBT charity, Stonewall after a spokesperson condemned his interview of a non-binary couple as “deeply damaging and offensive”.

    non-binary couple interview with Piers Morgan

    This morning, Piers interviewed non-binary couple Fox and Owl, who were using the opportunity to explain gender identities to Piers Morgan on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. However, the interview was slammed by many watching the programme for Piers’ approach to the subject.

    Stonewall was asked to comment on the interview.

    Speaking to PinkNews a spokesperson for Stonewall, said that Mr Morgan was ““deeply damaging and offensive”.

    The charity added,

    “No-one has the right to deny another person’s gender identity, and to mock them for trying to live an authentic life is a form of bullying and completely unacceptable.”

    It didn’t take long for Mr Morgan to take a swipe at the charity. He criticised Stonewall, calling them bigoted and “Piers-phobic” after they accused him of bullying on screen.

    During the show, after both Fox and Owl explained their identity and how they define themselves, Piers had a problem with understanding and asked,

    “I’m happy to be persuaded if it makes logical sense – but if you can identify as anything, where does it end?

    “Is anything fine? Can I be an elephant? Can I now go to London Zoo and demand to be put in the elephant enclosure?”

    The interview then turned to the subject of non-binary prisons and where, if Fox or Owl were to break the law, they should be incarcerated. Owl told Piers that a women’s prison would be preferable to the men’s. Piers responded that gender was fine “if it’s convenient”.

    Commenting on the online discussion surrounding the appearance of Fox and Owl on ITV, Stonewall CEO Ruth Hunt tweeted,

    https://twitter.com/ruth_hunt/status/864755896831938561

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Room, Theatre Royal Stratford East, London

    ★★★ | Room, Theatre Royal Stratford East, London

    Theatre review of Room at Theatre Royal Stratford East

    The story of a mother and son held captive in a room was so beautifully and emotionally told in last year’s film Room. There is now a stage adaptation of that Oscar-winning film playing at Theatre Royal Stratford East.

    Emma Donoghue, who wrote the book in which the film was based on, also wrote the stage adaptation, and it’s an interesting one. The stage show mimics the plot of the movie, however, more elements are added to it. First off, there’s a narrator who speaks out loud the thoughts of 5-year old Jake (ably played by Harrison Wilding on the night I saw it); it’s Jack’s perspective this show is told from (as in the book); and surprisingly the show is also told via songs – effective at times but a bit inappropriate at other times.

    Room, in case you missed the film, is about a woman and her son who are being held hostage by a man simply known as Old Nick (Liam McKenna). The mother, Ma (excellently played by Witney White), has been imprisoned by him for seven years. Ma and Jack are unable to leave the room, locked in by the man who is Jack’s father who takes his liberties with Ma whenever he wants. And Ma has to be ever so grateful when he brings her and Jack the staples and necessities they need to live on. But it’s Jack who has adapted to living in the room – it’s all he knows. He also knows to hide in the wardrobe when Old Nick comes to visit – it’s these time that the show takes, to great effect, a dark and eerie tone. It’s complemented by the set – a room in the middle of the stage – that cleverly swings around when Nick is ‘visiting’ – so we see Jack’s frightened viewpoint from the wardrobe – which is also his bed – it’s expertly thought out. Jack’s thoughts come via the narration by Fela Lufadeju – Big Jack – who is Little Jacks’ voice and his conscience. It’s narration that at times is cute and funny and at times very serious, but it also does get in the way of the very dramatic story unfolding on stage.

    Without giving too much away, and as mentioned above, the rest of story plays out in similar parallel with the movie, with the second half taking place in a home (as opposed to a room), where Ma and Jack have to adjust to life outside the room. It’s with the help of Ma’s mother (a good performance by Lucy Tregar) that shifts the second half into another gear, a bit slower and less intense than the first, but dramatic nonetheless.

    Room has elements that work and don’t work. Room’s premise is very theatrical, with the whole story being told inside four walls, which this production excellently shows. In the first room there are the items that Jack has named (plant, TV, etc..), then there’s a hospital room, and then on to Grandma’s house, it’s a set superbly designed by Lily Arnold. And there is also excellent use of lighting and visuals on the walls that are characters and images seen through the eyes of a child. The cast does a very good job and it’s a helluva emotional show to be performing seven times a week (three young actors take turns playing the role of Jack). But the use of Big Jack is a device that doesn’t quite work, and some of the songs (music by Kathryn Joseph) in the second half just don’t quite work with the dark theme of the show. Nonetheless, if you loved the movie and read the book, then this is must-see theatre, and only it’s playing until June 3rd.

    Room plays at Royal Theatre Stratford East until the 3rd June 2017. Other dates include:

    Dundee Rep
    13 June – 17 June 2017
    01382 223530
    www.dundeerep.co.uk

    Abbey Theatre, Dublin
    24 June – 22 July 2017
    +353 (0) 1 87 87 222
    www.abbeytheatre.ie

     

  • What has Tim Farron’s Lib Dem manifesto promised LGBT people

    The Liberal Democrats are the latest political party to unveil their manifesto ahead of June’s snap General Election. We find out what pledges have been made to the UK’s LGBT community.

    The Liberal Democrats manifesto mentions “LGBT” just five times unlike Labour’s which mentioned it 11 times. So what are the promises and pledges should the Lib Dems become our next Government.

    Healthcare

    The Liberal Democrats have promised to ensure that “LGBT+ inclusive mental health services receive funding and support”. They also want to make PrEP available on the NHS.

    Education

    The Lib Dems have promised to review sex education in schools saying that they will include lessons on sexual consent, LGBT+ relationships and issues surrounding explicit images and content.

    Workplace

    The Lib Dems want companies with more than 250 employees to publish data on their employment of BAMEs LGBTs and pay gaps.

    Politics

    The Lib Dems pledge to introduce legislation that will allow for all-BAME and all LGBT+ parliamentary shortlists.

    On the world stage

    The Liberal Democrats pledge a commitment to promoting the “decriminalisation of homosexuality around the world and advancing the cause of LGBT+ rights”.

     

  • Chelsea Manning to walk free after 7 years in prison

    Chelsea Manning has left prison after 7 years incarceration it has been confirmed to the BBC.

    Trans whistleblower, Chelsea Manning has been freed after spending seven years in prison. Manning was imprisoned for one of the largest leaks of classified documents. She was sentenced to 35 years. Her sentence was commuted by President Obama, as one of his last acts as president.

    A US army spokesperson confirmed that Ms Manning had been freed earlier today.

    Two days ago, Ms Manning tweeted “Two more days until the freedom of civilian life ^_^ Now hunting for private #healthcare like millions of Americans =P”

    She was freed 28 years before the end of her sentence.

     

     

     

  • Twitter users are not happy with Piers Morgan after Non Binary interview

    Piers Morgan attracts the ire of Twitter users after a combative interview with a non-binary couple.

    Pier Morgan is being criticised for the way he handled an interview with a couple who identify as non-binary. The couple, Fox and Owl were being interviewed on Good Morning Britain on ITV. You may remember Fox from Channel 4’s My Transsexual Summer.

    “Fox and Owl” has been trending in the UK after a segment called “The Gender Debate” saw host Piers Morgan ask if he could identify as an elephant and London Zoo.

    The interview was dubbed “inanely cruel”, disrespectful and “ill-formed”

    During the show, after both Fox and Owl explained their identity and how they define themselves, Piers had a problem with understanding and asked,

    “I’m happy to be persuaded if it makes logical sense – but if you can identify as anything, where does it end?

    “Is anything fine? Can I be an elephant? Can I now go to London Zoo and demand to be put in the elephant enclosure?”

    The interview then turned to the subject of non-binary prisons and where, if Fox or Owl were to break the law, they should be incarcerated. Owl told Piers that a women’s prison would be preferable to the men’s. Piers responded that gender was fine “if it’s convenient”.

    Owl also pointed out the discussion surrounding non-binary individuals wasn’t about erasing gender.

    Owl said,

    “It’s not about erasing gender, nobody is saying people can’t be men and women – we’re also saying people can be non-binary”.

     

     

     

     

     

  • What has Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour manifesto promised LGBT+ people

    With the release of Labour’s Manifesto for the upcoming General Election, we look to see what Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour government has in store for LGBT people, should they come to power.

    In their new manifesto, the Labour Party has mentioned LGBT 11 times. We see what they have in store for our community, should Labour be elected into Government in June.

    Healthcare

    Labour has pledged that it will work to “reverse the damage done to mental health services under this Tory government, which is particularly hitting services for LGBT and BAME communities”.

    Various charities have gone by the wayside or had massive funding cuts during the latest government. Some of these cuts have affected charities which include much-needed HIV care.

    Labour also pledges that frontline healthcare professionals receive ongoing training to understand and meet the needs of LGBT patients and service users.

    And PrEP? Well, they pledge that “NHS England completes the trial programme to provide PrEP as quickly as possible, and fully roll out the treatment to high-risk groups to help reduce HIV infection”.

    Equality

    Labour has promised to build a society and a world free from”all forms of racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia”. They, however, did not specifically mention homophobic, biphobic or transphobic issues within this pledge.

    However, the did have a page to specifically outline how, in the past, the Labour party had been at the forefront of LGBT equality. They abolished Section 28, equalised the age of consent and were key to ensure that the gay marriage law was successful.

    Trans issues

    They pledge to reform the Gender Recognition Act, which will protect trans people by changing the protected characteristic of ‘gender assignment’ to ‘gender identity’. They also pledge to remove outdated language such as “transexual”.

    Crime

    Labour pledges to bring the law on LGBT hate crimes into line with hate crimes based on race and faith, by making them aggravated offences.

    Bullying

    Teachers will be given training on how to deal with bullying. They’ll also ensure that new guidance is issued on relationships and LGBT-inclusive sex education.

    On the world stage

    Labour have announced that they will “appoint dedicated global ambassadors for women’s rights, LGBT rights and religious freedom to fight discrimination and promote equality globally”

  • Fox about to make Rent into a live TV musical

    Fox has unveiled plans to make Rent into its next live musical.

    rent to made into a TV musical by fox

    Producer Marc Platt has announced that Rent, one of the 90’s most enduring LGBT musicals is to get the Live TV experience. The show was written by Jonathan Larson who died in 1996 the morning of the first preview performance of Rent Off Broadway. His estate and the Mr Platt will produce the show together.

    Rent is a modern take on the Puccini opera La Bohème and is a story of young impoverished artists overcoming adversity and gentrification to save their creative space. In Rent, the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s replaces tuberculosis from La Bohème’s era. The musical has won numerous awards including Tonys, a Pulitzer Prize and a Drama Desk Award.

    The show is planned for broadcast in 2018.

    Marc Platt has also produced Wicked, Into The Woods, and La La Land.