Back in the Saddle (6 minutes, 2009) Local LGBT moviemakers from Dalliance Films won the First Annual Charlotte Film Community 72-Hour Film Challenge and “Best Comedic Moment” with this hilarious short film. The Film Challenge dared filmmakers to create a five-minute film in just three days. Filmmakers will participate in a Q&A! www.dalliancefilms.com
Beauty Before Age – Growing Old In Gay Culture (22 minutes, 2009) Groundbreaking documentary explores the power of youth and beauty in the gay community. A diverse group of gay men, ages 19 to 77, negotiate their fears of becoming old, undesirable and alone. The film critically examines the pressure to look young and attractive, lack of positive older role models, and ways in which AIDS intensifies the fear and process of aging. Beauty Before Age offers a male perspective on a historically female issue, and illuminates the larger societal obsession with physical appearance. Directed by Johnny Symons. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqbnl-d22mQ
Big Gay Musical (90 minutes, 2009) Outrageously funny musical about Eddie and Paul who launch their Off-Broadway musical “Adam and Steve Just the Way God Made ‘Em.” Life begins to imitate art, however, when Eddie comes out to his religious parents who are devastated. As Genesis is retold and backstage drama escalates, campy televangelists clashing with tap-dancing angels make this the Biggest Gay Musical of 2009. Nudity. Directed by Caspar Andreas. http://www.thebiggaymusical.com/
Black./Womyn (90 minutes, 2008) Greenville, South Carolina native Tiona M. brings us a riveting documentary consisting of a set of “Conversations With Lesbians of African Decent.” A project that took five years to complete, Tiona traveled the country interviewing over 50 lesbians for this movie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y4AvmR2txw&feature=related
Chica Busca Chica (Girl Meets Girl) (85 minutes, 2009) Mexico’s answer to “The ‘L’ Word,” Sonia Sebastian’s romantic comedy about a sexy group of Latina lesbians is funny without being slapstick and dramatic without being Telemundo. (Spanish, with English subtitles) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km4RQJ-hJRQ
Daddy & Papa (60 minutes, 2002) Compelling documentary exploring the personal, cultural, and political impact of gay men who make the traditional, yet revolutionary decision to raise children themselves. Taking us inside four gay male families, Daddy & Papa traces the day-to-day challenges and the larger, critical issues that inevitably intersect their private lives including the ambiguous place of interracial families in America, the wonder and precariousness of surrogacy and adoption, the complexities of marriage and divorce within the gay community, and the legality of their own parenthood. Directed by Johnny Symons. http://www.daddyandpapa.com/
Drool (86 minutes 2009) Deadpan, Southern lesbian, gothic romantic comedy about Anora whose racist husband walks all over her. Enter Imogene, the Kathy K. Cosmetics saleswoman who moves in next door selling products for cocoa-skinned women in a neighborhood not too keen on cocoa-skinned anything. Imogene takes Anora and her kids on a radical road trip, and romantic sparks fly between Anora and her new-found friend. Stars sexy Laura Harring (who played alluring amnesiac Rita in Mulholland Drive). Directed by Nancy Kissam. http://www.uploadfilms.com/drool/
Itty Bitty Titty Committee (90 minutes 2008) Filmmaker Jamie Babbit (But I’m a Cheerleader, The ‘L’ Word) and POWER-UP bring an all-star cast to lesbian audiences in this high-paced romantic comedy featuring some of The ‘L’ Word’s most popular actors. Anna, a college-aged lesbian working at a plastic surgery clinic for breast augmentation, meets up with a rollicking group of female activists fighting female exploitation. With Daniela Sea, Guinevere Turner, Melonie Diaz, Melanie Mayron, and Jenny Shimizu. http://www.power-up.net/ittybitty/
Little Ashes (112 minutes 2009) Festival Opening Night Gala feature where “Twilight’s” hot, vampire star Robert Pattinson plays Salvador Dali from his college years through to adulthood. Part of a trio of young party animal sexaholics, including communist Spanish Civil War poet and martyr Garcia Lorca (Javier Beltran) and famed filmmaker Luis Bunel (Matthew McNulty), Pattinson and pals frolic full time in a Spanish college that resembles an antique vesion of Animal House. Elegant cinematography makes this movie as visually-stunning as Salvador Dali’s art. Note: the reservation-only Opening Night Gala tickets are $25 per person/$45 per couple Valentine’s special. Gala includes Spanish Tapas dinner, Spanish musical entertainment, and door prizes. Directed by Paul Morrison. http://www.littleashes-themovie.com/
Long Term Relationship (97 minutes 2008) Considered one of the best gay-guy romantic comedies of all time, Glenn gets tired of one night stands, and answers an ad placed by Adam, who is looking for an LTR. Glenn & Adam are perfect for each other, except for one, or two, or many things including their friends. Can they achieve a Long Term Relationship?? Directed by Rob Williams. Nudity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKdyYPd6tE0
Mississippi Queen (60 minutes 2009) Superb documentary about lesbian filmmaker Paige Williams who visits her hometown and confronts her parents about the conversion program they operate which attempts to turn gays and lesbians straight. http://www.msqueenmovie.com/
Miss Nizhoni (15 minutes 2010) Hot, lesbian drama about Navaho lesbians who struggle over whether to become activists or to maintain peace within their community. Beautifully shot by film student Corey Tully.
No Asians (Just a Preference) (30 minutes 2010) Hot out of the film camera, this short, gay drama by local filmmaker Scott Eriksson, currently in film school at UCLA, is still being edited, but its hot actors will make GayCharlotte sizzle! When a gay, Latino man, who’s trying to get over a brutal split-up, meets up with a mysterious Asian gay guy, he lets down his guard and fireworks explode. Nudity. Filmmaker, cast, and crew will provide Q&A at the movie’s conclusion.
Oy Vey My Son Is Gay (90 minutes 2009) Rollicking comedy with a star-studded cast including Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys), Carmen Electra, Jai Rodgriguez (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy), and Bruce Vilanch. When Shirley and Martin Hirsch find out their son is dating another man, they blame each other, seek therapy, and even conduct research to understand homosexuality. As they finally grow to accept their son’s sexuality, they meet the parents of their son’s boyfriend, and the entire group have to rally together when the two men adopt a child which makes headline news. Director Evgeny Afineevsky will participate in a Q&A. http://www.OyVeyMySonIsGay.com
She Wasn’t Last Night (90 minutes 2009) Beautiful activist Shantel Crockett is slammed by drama as her relationship with Reyna, 10 years her junior, begins to crumble. Young Reyna's dance career goes nowhere, and to make matters worse, charming player Jack (Jaqueline) is determined to make Reyna hers - if only for one night. Reyna struggles to maintain her relationship with Shantel while remaining open to her attraction to Jack, and a community of friends and mentors rally around the women to teach them lessons they’ll never forget. Filmmaker Darice Jones will participate in a Q&A. http://shewasntlastnight.ning.com/
Tru Loved (104 minutes 2008) In this romantic comedy, Tru’s Moms are lesbians, her Dads are gay, and her best friend, an African American teen who is star of the high school football team, is in the closet. She dates him to help cover up his sexuality, but things get messy when she starts a high school gay/straight alliance. Jane Lynch, Alex Mapa, Nichelle Nichols, and Jasmine Guy (Whitley in A Different World) co-star. This charming movie is as great for straight allies as it is for LGBT folks. Directed by Stewart Wade.