A contemporary romantic drama starring Laia Costa and Josh O’Connor, from first-time filmmaker Harry Wootliff. ‘Only You’ was shown as part of the London Film Festival’s First Feature Competition.
Elena (Laia Costa), 35, and Jake (Josh O’Connor, from the gay-must-watch film, God’s Own Country), 26, meet by chance on New Year’s Eve, fighting for the same taxi. But, instead of going their separate ways after a shared ride, they start a passionate relationship. Within weeks they are living together, and not long after they talk about starting a family. But, as the seasons pass, reality catches up with them. Falling in love was the easy part, but can they remain in love when life doesn’t give them everything they hoped for? It’s as realistic a love story as you can get – and both Costa and O’Connor are electrifying.
‘ONLY YOU’ is now in Cinemas and On Demand by Curzon
The 4th MIB movie coming 7 years after the last one and 22 years after we first met the super agents with no Will Smith, no Tommy Lee Jones but the welcome addition of sex god Chris Hemsworth.
Nutshell – The secret well-dressed sunglass wearing organisation that exists to protect the earth from aliens and the scum of the universe are back in a loud CGI action-heavy film that in theory sits alongside the original trilogy rather than being a sequel. Almost all new characters and this time with a lot of globetrotting to Europe and Morocco as they try to stop another alien villain and protect yet another artefact hidden on earth but the bigger problem is that there is a mole in the Men In Black hierarchy – our money is on the Pug dog.
Running Time – 114 Minutes – Cert 12A.
Tagline – The World’s Not Going To Save Itself
The Gay UK Factor – Chris Hemsworth is one of the world’s best-looking men. Of course, Hemsworth in a tight designer suit showing every inch of his massive firm buttocks is something right from the top end of the wank fantasies – the ones we reserve in the back of our brain for the intense vinegar strokes. Not enough for ya? Well, you get a two-minute extended topless scene at the start of the film… We have seen this movie six times so far and counting for that alone.
Cast – Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Rafe Small, Kayvan Novak and the only major returning cast member Emma Thompson… no Will Smith or Tommy Lee Jones and boy do we miss their chemistry here as the two leads mix about as well as Madonna’s music does with the current charts.
Key Player – For the first time ever we cannot spot one. The directors, writers, cast etc are all retreading a tried and tested formula for ever diminishing results. The new CG chess piece character gets all the best lines though and our marriage proposal to Hemsworth is not rescinded by this but he just cannot carry a comedy on his own as he is better as the straight man to a comedians foil – now Will and him that could have been one-liner heaven but Will wanted to be Aladdin‘s genie instead.
Budget – $110 Million – Thank goodness they kept this budget down as it is just not flying like the previous films in the trilogy. The first week it took the entire world box office to break even so now it can start making some profit which it will do but don’t expect any sequels as you file this under slightly disappointing.
Best Bit – 0.48 mins; We get a very thrilling fight with the invaders in a studio set London street which has great action and well-placed comedy beats and it works well. Shame this balance couldn’t be kept up elsewhere – an action comedy needs both to be effective and this is often lacking in either one or the other at most points and often both.
Worst Bit – 1.15 mins; Lots of little bits here don’t come off including a by the numbers hoverbike chase not as good as in MIB 3 but none more so obvious than the flying car in a secret organisation. Harry Potter and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang did this better. It underlines an attempt to make everything bigger than we have seen before but too much smaller returns. So much possibility ends in something not bad but just average and is that not condemnation enough for a blockbuster.
Little Secret – Believe it or not the MIB universe also includes the 21/22 Jump Street movies. The film was originally going to be a Jump Street / Men in Black crossover with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill reprising their roles from that franchise when Smith and Jones refused to do another MIB. However, plans fell apart, so it became a spin-off with Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Chris Hemsworth announced shortly after the release of this film that he would take a break from acting (not because of this film we should add more to do with the end of the Avengers’ saga) to; a) stand for US President, b Join the Jonas Brothers, c) Start his much in demand gay porn career or d) be with his family… only one of these is correct.
Further Viewing –Men In Black – 1-3, Ghostbusters 1-3, Austin Powers 1-3, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1-3, Detective Pikachu, Pixels, Evolution, Space Jam and the king of sci-fi action comedies Galaxy Quest.
Any Good – Not as good as the sum of its parts. There are two major problems. Firstly the original MIB was a breath of fresh air with great ideas from its wonderful characters in both the fore and background through to the classic number one hit single but then unlike a lot of other franchises instead of taking the best bits and improving on them they have gone the opposite way with every new addition to the set.
Secondly whoever cast Hemsworth and Thomson as the leads here (They were together in the Thor films) has made a fatal error. We need a comedian of Will Smith’s character bouncing of a straight man like Tommy Lee Jones instead here we get two straight men/women delivering all the punch lines. You will enjoy the film but don’t expect a laugh a minute maybe one every 30 mins is closer and is that good enough for an action comedy?
AFTER 82 is a new documentary about the AIDS crisis and the people who were affected by it most, is now available on VoD.
These men tell their stories of what they went through, what it felt like to receive a death sentence, and why they can’t really understand why they are still here after having lost so many friends and lovers in the 1980s and 1990s. We also hear from some of the women who were also in the front lines of the early days of the epidemic.
Narrated by Dominic West, Ben Lord and Steve Keeble’s compelling documentary looks back to the very early days of the pandemic when there were no medications available and a positive HIV test meant almost certain death.
The documentary features interviews with the actor Jonathan Blake (portrayed by Dominic West in the BAFTA-winning film Pride) who has lived with the virus for over 30 years. Dr Rupert Whitaker, who was still a teenager when he fell in love with Terrence Higgins, recounts their relationship, and Higgins’ subsequent death.
Lord Norman Fowler describes, with actual footage, of his visit to AIDS wards in San Francisco and sees for himself how the US was not dealing with the disease very well. He was part of Margaret Thatcher’s government and is the only man to have changed her mind about the then escalating crisis in the UK.
Thanks to his persistence and massive campaign surrounding HIV/AIDS during the 1980s HIV infections started to decline. Lisa Power OBE, who co-founded Stonewall, provides testimonies and insight to an era where hysteria from fear spread across the world through lack of knowledge and understanding. And Gary Brough, so eloquently and movingly tells his own personal story of having the disease in his 20’s and how now, in his 50’s, he has a mortgage, is in a civil partnership, and is thinking about retiring after having lived so long with the disease.
AFTER 82 is a moving documentary about stories that need to be told, and the ones told in this documentary are just a few of thousands of stories that have yet to be told.
Taron Egerton as Elton John in Rocketman from Paramount Pictures.
The story of Elton John, Is it a musical definitely, is it a biopic partly is it sanitised? No damn way – 25 years of his life from 17-42 years-old, warts and all with added chems and gay relationships.
Nutshell – Not really a chronological life story nor with chronological music but a celebration of our favourite ivory tickler with the many up’s and just as many down’s. The songs are not sung by Elton but by Taron and the cast which makes it a bit more interesting than the straight Queen lip-syncing in Bo Rhap for example. We get his early none fame days, his breakthrough worldwide and all the drugs, rock n roll and gay sex you could want largely featuring the long relationship with Manager John Reid plus his straight marriage. The story goes up until he finally checks in to rehab in the early ’90s and gets clean for life so no Lion King, David Furnish, Billy Elliott, Princess Di or AIDS campaigning.
Running Time – 121 Minutes – Cert 15.
The Gay UK Factor – The costumes, the endless music with many songs turned into ready for the stage musical versions and not skimping on his voyage of sexual discovery including gay kissing so a huge gay appeal indeed. The legendary two bare man ass sex scene has not made the final cut though fingers crossed for the extended or outtake DVDs for fans of Egerton and Madden’s asses. Maybe just as well as the kissing and hugging are enough to get the movie banned in some backward thinking countries alone. Taron Egerton is one great looking guy for anyone’s wank bank and he is fully supported here by the lush Richard Madden and a Jamie Bell looking much hotter than we have ever seen before. A new gay icon has arrived and it is Billy Elliott himself all grown up and as masculine and f**kable as a striking coal miner.
Cast – Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas-Howard, Gemma Jones, Stephen Graham fresh from a good throat slitting in Line Of Duty and even unbelievably a low key Keith lemon himself.
Key Player – A three-way split between the director Dexter Fletcher fresh from his three week stint saving the Oscar sponge Bohemian Rhapsody and doing a better job here. Taron is sensational and he has a great singing voice and most importantly he does his own thing than rather doing an impersonation which was Elton’s request. Finally of course Sir Elton himself whose endless superb songbook could fill four movies and some. There are many favourites here but just as many missing and it truly helps the movie fly by surely demanding repeated viewings.
Budget – $40 Million – Yet this has already made six figures and is heading for 200K fast. Maybe it won’t make the 800K that the Queen film made last year (and this is the better film) but it is a bona fide hit and Taron’s stock has gone up as fast as Elton’s greatest hits sales have. So get ready for the George Michael film, the Bon Jovi biopic, the Steps & Vengaboys films, How the Weather Girls became big, the biopic of Shakin Stevens and the Chesney Hawks story probably all being green lit as we speak.
Best Bit – 0.44 mins; When Elt makes his big American breakthrough at the Troubadour club in LA, the singer, band and the entire audience all levitate to ‘Crocodile Rock’ as someone’s star goes stratospheric in one short night and things will never quite be the same again along the ‘Yellow Brick Road’.
Worst Bit – 1.39 mins; There is nothing that out of step here but ‘Bennie And The Jets’ as a live performance is the weakest link in a very strong chain… maybe because we don’t really like that song in Europe (A number 1 in the US though). ‘Border Song’ goes nowhere but not helped by coming after an incredible version of ‘I want Love’ and do we really need ‘Tiny Dancer’ again when there are so many other hits that could jump straight in (Although frustratingly it’s lyric fits the movie like a glove).
Little Secret – Over the years in development James McAvoy, Daniel Ratcliffe and Tom Hardy were to play Elton, the singer himself was originally very keen on Justin Trousersnake until he met Taron Egerton. Besides there filming together in the Kingsman sequel Taron also did a lengthy version of ‘I’m Still standing’ in the hit cartoon animal film ‘Sing’ as a giant Gorilla! The film suggests that Elton Hercules John took his first name from a band mate and the last name from John Lennon, in fact, it was inspired by the other sixties singer Long John Baldry… He took the name Hercules from Steptoe And Son’s rag and bone cart horse.
Further Viewing – Bohemian Rhapsody, A Star Is Born, The Greatest Showman, Mamma Mia’s 1 & 2,Moulin Rouge, Mary Poppins Returns (with a few more ‘fks’ here’), Les Mis, Walk the Line and all Elton’s movie appearances from Pinball Wizard in Tommy through to him co-starring with a certain sexy as fk suited and booted Taron Egerton in Kingsman: The Golden Circle.
Any Good – Yes, if you are not an Elton fan (what’s wrong with you!) and YESSSS if you like the John Lewis ad botherer from Pinner like a true gay music aficionado. This is great fun and it flies by as you count the hits off and wait in anticipation for ‘Your Song’ the title track or ‘I’m Still Standing’. You will learn a lot about the great man and really enjoy his and Bernie’s company for two happy hours.
There could even be a sequel in our view there are enough quality tunes that is for sure. In the meanwhile let’s have the soundtrack, the sing-a-long cinema and DVD version and most importantly the hit stage show as this is ready to go with or without Ben Elton’s interference. Of course we all have fave Elton John tracks that we would love to have seen included ours would be ‘Lucy in The Sky With Diamonds’, ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Nikita’ but there are 25 hits to be going on with here including a brand new song over the end credits which is as good as anything he has done.
A great night out at the movies with what feels like an old friend – kudos to all involved.
Julianne Moore is simply fabulous as a middle-aged woman going through the motions in the new film Gloria Bell.
Moore, who excels in every role she plays, is particularly good here in a film that is a remake of the 2013 film Gloria. With the same director, Sebastian Lelio, this Gloria is more nuanced and, with Moore as it’s lead (Paulina Garcia played Gloria in the original film, and won lots of awards), takes this version to another level.
Gloria is a 53-year old divorced woman living in Los Angeles. She’s an insurance broker with two adult children, one son who just had a baby with a wife who has gone away to ‘find herself’, and a daughter who is getting ready to move to Sweden to be with her boyfriend.
Gloria willingly attends singles events in the hopes of finding a new man; she’s very attractive and stable, so it should be easy for her to find a quality man.
She meets Arnold (John Turturro), who appears to be 100% available at the beginning of their relationship but somehow is tied to an umbilical cord to his two adult daughters, and leaves Gloria, literally, in situations she never thought she would find herself in. But nothing else much happens in Gloria Bell. We see her driving around and singing along to the radio, a cat that somehow keeps finding it’s way into her apartment, and an upstairs neighbor who is a bit schizophrenic. But it’s the grace and allure in which Moore plays Gloria that is both mesmerizing and alluring. Moore is very good in these types of small roles (see ‘Still Alice,’ ‘What Maisie Knew,’ and ‘Freeheld’).
She literally guides us through this film in one of her best ever performances. But it’s at the end of the film, where the camera is squarely focused on Gloria, who is a guest at a wedding. She gets up and dances with herself, a bit sad that she’s alone, but content, and dancing to the tune of Laura Branigans’ 1992 song ‘Gloria.’ It’s an image that lingers with you long after you’ve left the cinema.
Probably the most anticipated film of all time is now the most successful film in cinema history. The immediate sequel to Avengers Infinity War and the climax to the hugely successful decade of Marvel Comics 22 film marathon. After the shocking climax of the last movie with the Avengers losing big time, what next? Who lives and dies this time? And how do they send off the most beloved characters in film history?
Answer with the best superhero film ever made that’s how!
Nutshell – The ultimate superhero villain Thanos succeeded in gathering together all six infinity stones which have been spread across all of the decades’ superhero films and with a click of his fingers kills half of the universe including favourites such as Black Panther, Spiderman and almost all of The Guardians Of The Galaxy. How does the world, the universe and the remaining Avenger superheroes cope with the loss and go forward? All seems lost as this is set 5 years depressingly in the future but then…
This film will make you laugh out loud, cheer, cry and give you loads to talk about through repeated viewings. Simply spine-tingling and incredible at a number of key moments. Believe the hype for once.
Running Time – 181 Minutes – Cert 12A. A very very long movie but there are 10 years of loose ends and story arcs to tie up and they succeed with each one with pure class.
The Gay UK Factor – Gay cosplay heaven. Chris’s Hemsworth, Pratt & Evans lead the wank bank possibilities here plus Black Panther, Hawkeye and a superb buff looking Bucky Barnes The Winter Soldier will all make your hole twitch. Chris Evans, unfortunately, shaves his beard off from Infinity ward which is a big shame but at least he does it shirtless. Another jerk-off negative is Chris Hemsworth’s Thor for reasons that become apparent when you see the film but there is a tonne of male flesh squeezing into tight latex for three very happy hours plus more than one reference to Captain America’s ass being the ‘ass of America’ to enjoy too… and it sure is.
Cast – For the first time ever there are 25 names above the movie title. This is very very star heavy. Robert Downey Jnr has the top slot but with 16 other movie headliners of their own and an army of cameos including Robert Redford, Michael Douglas, William Hurt & Michelle Pfeiffer plus all the usual Marvel suspects you won’t be shortchanged in star power for your hard earned.
Key Player – This is the new dictionary definition of the word ensemble so no point singling out anyone except Thor and Rocket racoon get all the best funny lines and Hawkeye the best action beats. The real key players are the directors here Joe and Anthony Russo who pull off whichever way you look at it – the fourth Avenger sequel or the 22nd Marvel Universe sequel and make it the best yet. Giving every member of the massive cast something worthwhile to do and tying up so many stories so satisfactorily. The other key player is the God at Marvel/Disney Kevin Feige who oversees all and is the one who decided to make so many different movies linked with each other over so many years and three chapters of the Marvel Universe which comes to a close here so onto Chapter Four in a couple of months with the next Tom Holland Spidey film.
Budget – $400,000,000 plus – Yes, the most expensive film in history but after four days it had made $1.2 Billion dollars so this was no gamble. Bonus’s all round as it climbs the All-Time Box Office Charts with gusto leaping over Frozen, Fast & Furious and Toy Story by the hour. Marvel now move on to stage four of their universe so expect even bigger budgets and profits to come.
Best Bit – 2 hr 12 mins; A big turning point in the movie which we will not spoil for you but you won’t miss it just ensure you are not holding any popcorn at the time.
Worst Bit – 1 hr 49 mins; When you are now bursting for the toilet but there is so much going on you cannot decide when to make a run for it. By the way unusual for a Marvel film but there are no scenes in the credits at all so no need to sit through 10 minutes of CGI and stunt men’s names this time… go to the bar and start the lengthy discussion about what you have just seen instead.
Little Secret – The film held previews on a Thursday night and two websites crashed and all seats in America were sold in SIX hours flat. Three Cinema chains decided for the first time ever to open right through the night and continue 24/7 to deal with demand.
It made $60 Million at its previews breaking all records and next day it broke more than the biggest weekend box office ever and so it goes clearing $1 Billion dollars on the 4th day (which only 3 films have done in history). Demand was so high that two tickets in New Jersey were sold for $15,000 for an IMAX showing of the 15 buck movie. This review took a day to write and in that time Endgame made more than any non-Marvel release of 2018 did in its entire run.
Further Viewing – Really? Well, you need to buff up on all 22 films in the Marvel Universe starting with Iron Man in 2008. Then move on to the DC Universe back through Nolan’s Dark Knights and onto Tim Burton’s Batman’s & Christopher Reeves first two Superman films. Add The Crow and Blade and then ignore all other superhero films like the plague especially anything with the words Fantastic and Four in them.
Any Good – This is a masterpiece with one jaw-dropping air punching moment after another. Probably the biggest superstar cast ever assembled each with their own moment in the most expensive movie in history and a last hour that will not be beaten this year or possibly for many years.
Bye, bye Avatar, so long Titanic, Au Revoir Star Wars, Pirates, Bond and Potter the world has a new all-time box office champ and we have no hesitation in giving it five huge stars to boot.
You hoped it would be great but it is 10 times better than you ever expected. There was the movie world before Endgame and a completely different and better one after. Everything is wrapped up perfectly making an instant classic. Just incredible!
Famous Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta plays himself in a beautiful drama/documentary about his life as a ballet star as well as his life growing up poor in Cuba.
‘Yuli’ – the nickname given to him by his father Pedro – is very unique in its storytelling. It not only goes into detail about his struggle to become a ballet dancer, but the film also deals with his relationship with his family, his home country of Cuba, as well as the troubled relationship he had with his father. Scenes of the adult Acosta are interspersed with scenes of his childhood, with Edilson Manuel Olbera more than ably playing Acosta as a young boy in a poor area of Havana with his family and separated parents who still live together.
Cuba is also a star of the film. There are beautiful shots of the Malecon (a broad road esplanade hugging the coastline in Havana), old yet beautiful architecture in Havana, long shots of the city streets, and a stunning finale shot of the famous Great Theatre of Havana, where a young Acosta learned ballet.
Members of Acosta’s family ended up fleeing Cuba for the United States. Yet Yuli’s parents continued to urge him to dance, and they, along with ballet teachers, saw something special in him. He gets chances to go to the best ballet schools, ending up in both the U.S. and then in London, where he became a permanent member of The Royal Ballet for 17 years. Keyvin Martinez plays Acosta as a young man, a man who misses home and almost decides to give it up all just so he can return to his beloved Cuba (and mom).
There are lots and lots of beautiful dance scenes that impact the viewer on what a beautiful, stunning and amazing are that ballet is. The dance scenes are transitional – these dance scenes guide us from one scene to the next, and this works beautifully. And Acosta, as an actor, is very good at playing himself.
Yuli is such a beautiful film – it’s an event film that is beautifully directed by Icíar Bollaín, but this is Acosta’s film.What Yuli doesn’t do is to convey how famous Acosta was during his heyday. Sure he is world-renowned for his dance work, but the film doesn’t really convey this, nor does it show much of Acosta interacting socially with fellow dancers, most of whom are gay (Acosta is straight). But these are just minor blips. ‘Yuli’ is a film that can be enjoyed whether you love ballet or not.
BFI Flare, London’s LGBT+ Film Festival, had a successful 33rd year with over 50 features and more than 80 shorts, with special events, guest appearances, club nights – it was a very busy 9 days!
It is hard to compile a ‘best of’ list as myself, and everyone I know, did not actually watch ALL the films – but herewith are the best films that I saw at Flare, some of which will soon be at a theatre near you.
‘Mapplethorpe’ – the controversial American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe’s life is given a dramatic re-telling, and it’s just as sensational as it’s subject matter. Matt Smith gives it his all, and then some, for a movie that is just about perfect – a film that was lucky enough to get permission to use all of the sexy and dirty images that Mapplethorpe created in his lifetime. This film is already in limited release in the U.S., however, no UK release date has been announced, but this is a must see film for THE GAY UK readers.
Also a must for GAY UK readers is ‘Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life’ – a documentary about sexy Israeli gay porn star of the same name. We are taken on a ride, and whatta a ride it is, in a documentary that’s emotional (we loved his mother), sexy (lots of gay sex is shown) and hard-hitting (drugs). Directed by Tomer Heyman, the man who brought us the excellent ‘Whose Gonna Love Me Now’ in 2016, ‘Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life’ is both erotic yet car crash cinema.
‘Consequences,’ starring the very sexy Matej Zemljič, who plays a teenager with behavorial problems. When his parents send him to a juvenile correctional facility, he bonds with a group of men who are violent yet fluid in their sexuality. He falls for the ring leader, who instructs Matej’ character to rob and steal, but consequences ensue until one final incident that changes everyone’s lives.
I am really glad that I saw ‘Transmilitary,’ a documentary about the lives of four soldiers who risk dismissal or demotion to fight for Transgender rights in the U.S. Armed Forces. Very very current – this documentary takes us up to early 2018 – it’s also very timely in light of President 45’s ruling to ban certain Transgender people from the military. And I guarantee you will fall for Senior Airman Logan Ireland; he’s sexy, muscular and with the most amazing smile and eyes. And he used to be a woman.
Another military-based documentary that also deals with discrimination – The Fruit Machine – is an historical account which exposes decades of governmental criminalisation of LGBTQ+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Yet many many years later, many of these members say that after being kicked out, disgraced, and, according to the Canadian Government at that time, criminalistic, they all agreed that they would proudly go back and serve their country.
‘Jose’ is a cute and light story of a young Guatemalan man who lives with his struggling mother all the while looking for love in, literally, all the wrong places. Kudos go to filmmakers Li Cheng and George F. Roberson for immersing themselves in Guatemalan culture and hiring locals for the film, which was all shot in Guatemala.
Another great documentary was ‘Light in the Water,’ a look at the West Hollywood Swim Team. Of course we get to see many men and women in tight swimming costumes, but it’s the people in the swimming costumes that we really get to know and bond with, including a man in his late 40’s who was previously married with kids, then divorced, came out as gay, joined the swim team and met friends for life. Footage of previous Gay Games, as well as lots of shots in the California Sunshine, are an extra bonus. An overall feel good film.
‘Papi Chulo,’ starring Matt Bomer, is a sentimental film about a television weatherman who has a breakdown after the end of a relationship with an older Latino boyfriend. He instantly falls in love with the older migrant worker he hires to paint his deck. It’s a bit silly and sentimental, but the migrant worker, played by Alejandro Patino, is excellent.
‘The Heiresses’ was just delicious. An older Lesbian couple are separated due to the actions of one of them, which gives the other one time to explore new experiences and venture into new territory, and this includes meeting a younger attractive woman who lights a spark in her. Both leads Ana Brun and Margarita Irun are superb.
This is just a small taste of what was on offer at Flare this year. And now only 6 more weeks until the Cannes Film Festival!
BFI Flare, London’s LGBT+ Film Festival, is back in its 33rd year and will take place from 21st – 31 March 2019.
It will be ten days of films and events for our community, a celebration of all things LGBT that promises to offer a vibrant space for all of us who are able to attend. Flare will also be ten days of seeing people you only see during this festival – and a time to meet up and grab a drink or a cup of coffee in between screenings. It will also be a great opportunity to meet new friends and some of the filmmakers and actors.
BFI Flare will present over 50 features, more than 80 shorts, and a wide range of special events, guest appearances, club nights and much much more. Here is a very brief summary of some of the highlights:
Flare will open with the period drama Vita & Virginia, charting the passionate relationship between Virginia Woolf (played by Elizabeth Debicki) and aristocrat Vita Sackville-West (Gemma Arterton).
A must-see for the gay male crowd will most definitely be Mapplethorpe, which stars sexy Matt Smith as the legendary photographer in this no-holds-barred exploration of the controversial and one of the most feted photographers. Another one for the boys is Papi Chulo which stars Matt Bomer as a heartbroken gay television weatherman who forms an unlikely friendship with an older straight migrant worker.
Another must-see will be the closing night gala screening of JT Leroy. Starring Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart, the film tells the story of how Savannah Knoop (adapted from her memoir) became JT Leroy – a fictional character who came true to life and bedazzled New York’s downtown scene for years.
The UK premiere of Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life takes place during the festival and paints a portrait of one of the world’s most successful gay porn stars – Agassi – in a life of highs and lows.
Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger portray two women who fall in love in 1950’s Scotland in the film Tell it to the Bees, while in Rafiki two young Kenyan women attempt a relationship despite it being illegal in their country.
On the documentary front, a queer Lucha libre wrestler is profiled in Cassandro, The Exotico, while Halston is a portrait of the American Fashion legend, complete with rare archive footage. Another legend, Montgomery Clift, is profiled in the self-titled film in the search to discover who was the real Clift. Tongues Untied features the work of black gay filmmaker Marlon Riggs, while in Transmilitary, four soldiers risk dismissal to fight for transgender fights in the U.S. armed forces.
Events/debates include: Trans Creative at the Movies: a discussion that will feature transgender moments in film; At Lethal Lesbians will be a talk about how queer females are deadlier than the male species. In Operation Spanner: Then and Now – 16 men were prosecuted in the late 1980s for their participation in consensual S&M sex sessions, will be explored in two short films and in a discussion.
The Big Gay Film Quiz is back as well as the very popular Club Nights that take place in the BFI Southbank’s Benugo Bar & Kitchen – great weekend nights out to let your hair down and boogie the night way.
Also, don’t miss The 25th-anniversary screening of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert which will take place during the festival.
Full details, and to buy tickets, please go to this link:
Comedian Simon Amstell has directed and written his first film – it’s called Benjamin.
He actually also could’ve called it Simon. Benjamin follows the life of filmmaker Benjamin (played by the charming Colin Morgan). He is a frustrated, self-doubting filmmaker, and is not very optimistic about his latest film – ‘no self.’ He is also not very optimistic about his love life – an ex is very angry at him for writing negatively about him in a film. Benjamin’s best friend is comedian Stephen (Joel Fry), who after ten years on the stand-up scene is almost ready to throw in the towel.
But one day Benjamin’s publicist/friend Billie (Jessica Raine) takes him to a chair opening party (yes, that is what it is called) where Benjamin meets the adorable French Noah (Phénix Brossard). Noah is younger than Benjamin but over time their relationship blossoms. But as Benjamin’s insecurities about relationships, and life, get worse, will he be able to confidently promote his new film while at the same time keep up his crumbling relationship with Noah?
Anstell wrotes scenes for this film from almost every relationship he has ever been in. And lead actor Morgan can actually pass for his younger brother, while Stephen, a comedian, was perhaps modelled on Anstel’s early career.
Benjamin is a great date movie – for both gay and straight couples. It’s charming and original.’ And while it won’t change your world, it’s a great first effort from Anstell – hopefully, he can continue to make more charming movies such as this.
Girl is the story of a 15-year old trans child who feels like she was born in the wrong body.
In an amazing turn by newcomer Victor Polster who plays the lead Lara, Girl takes us on a journey of a young child, assigned male at birth desperately wanting to rush hormone treatment to become a girl. But Lara also has a yearning to be a ballerina, and the pressures of being born in the wrong body to be able to fulfil her dream is the challenge that Lara may or not make it through.
She lives in a apartment with her taxi-driving father and much younger brother and suffers with the usuals pressures of school, including not being able to disrobe in the locker room. But first-time director Lukas Dhont draws us into Lara’s life by focusing the entire movie on her – we see and feel her emotions, the anxiety, fear, and at times happiness about the huge change that is going to take place in her life. And Polster is just simply amazing as Lara.
Girl has won lots of awards, including the Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes last year, along with an award for Best Performance for Polster. Girl also won Best Feature Film at the London Film Festival.
Girl is not a perfect movie. There are lots of scenes of Lara while she is in ballet practice, and we are shown Lara’s bloodied toes from the rigorous training way too many times, and the ending comes as a bit of a shock and is quite controversial. But see Girl for the story (written by Dhont and Angelo Tijssens) and the amazing performance by Polster.
