Portland Lesbian and Gay Film Festival premieres with ‘Howl’

Portland’s celebration of all things queer and filmic, well one of them (don’t you love this town?) is here once again to usher in the season of popcorn and snuggling. This year the Portland Lesbian and Gay Film Festival takes over Cinema 21, Living Room Theaters, and The Hollywood Theater starting with the Allen Ginsberg beat biopic Howl.

Now in its 14th year, PLGFF, has grown out of the struggling film festival that could into a vibrant week and a half long celebration that has already sold out VIP platinum passes.

Artistic Director Gabriel Mendoza says of the progression, “In earlier days, simply finding queer films was a challenge…[Now] the challenge is whittling the selection down to what will work best in Portland.”

Indeed, our queer desires might be slightly different than bigger Gay and Lesbian film festivals and I am particularly excited about Assume Nothing, a documentary exploring the genderqueer ideology and existence. To make it all the more pomo-homo the intimate interviews are interspersed with conceptual animation.

At the same time, blockbusters have become a part of queer cinema and I am just as excited as anyone else to see James Franco play the wildly interesting bisexual beat poet Allen Ginsberg. Although Howl has gotten mixed reviews it seems to exemplify the beat era well with its disjointed storyline. The very thing critics seem to hate may be the best thing about it. The weirdness of mid-century bohemians has finally made it to the mainstream.

I’m sure it will give us all plenty to talk about while we nosh crudites at the after party held at The Art Department (1315 SE 9th Ave). DJ Wan and New Deal vodka will aide both the criticism and the food go down smoothly.

But even if you miss this schmooze opportunity you’ll have another chance to talk it out with those directly involved in some of the films.  Bear Nation‘s director Malcolm Ingram will be in attendance at the Saturday October 2nd screening to answer questions after the show and lead actress Dreya Weber will be at Tuesday’s screening of A Marine Story, about serving in the military during the reign of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Full schedule is below:

Friday. October 1

7:30 Howl Cinema 21

9:30 Opening Night Party Art Dept.

Saturday, October 2

5:00 Assume Nothing Cinema 21

6:30 I Killed My Mother Living Room

7:00 Bloomington Cinema 21

9:00 Bear Nation Cinema 21

Sunday, October 3

4:00 Gen Silent Cinema 21

6:00 Training Rules Cinema 21

6:30 Brotherhood Living Room

7:30 Hideaway Cinema 21

Monday, October 4

6:30 I Killed My Mother Living Room

7:00 We Have to Stop Now Cinema 21

9:00 The Sisters Cinema 21

Tuesday, October 5

6:30 Brotherhood Living Room

7:00 A Marine Story Cinema 21

9:00 Making the Boys Cinema 21

Wednesday, October 6

6:30 I Killed My Mother Living Room

7:00 Elena Undone Cinema 21

9:00 Undertow Cinema 21

Thursday, October 7

6:30 Brotherhood Living Room

7:00 The Four-Faced Liar Cinema 21

9:00 Violet Tendencies Cinema 21

Friday, October 8

9:30 Role/Play Hollywood

Saturday, October 9

7:30 The Secret Diaries of Anne Lister Hollywood