When I arrived in the rainy late afternoon to see PLGFF’s premiere of the German film, and first from Director Sabine Bernardi Romeos, to be released later this year it was not to a packed house. Organizer Gabriel Mendoza didn’t consider it one of the fest’s blockbusters, though he loved the film. Indeed, compared to the line around the block when I left for 7pm’s Weekend, it wasn’t. But it was a triumph. Small it may seem, but every review I’ve read thus far of the film following a young trans man struggling with life and attractions through his transition, has been celebratory, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Another common sentiment I share about the film is that the well-written story is carried off flawlessly by lead actor Rick Okon. Okon plays the 20-year-old Lukas who is “accidentally” put into the female form during his year of German service. He wants desperately to get out and just be one of the guys, even though it is here that he has a Ine (Liv Lisa Fries) an old best friend (former lover?), who is also an out lesbian. In her sexually fluid, but not necessarily trans-inclusive, group of friends, Lukas falls for alpha hottie Fabio (Maximilian Befort).
Coming home from a stint in prison Enrique comes home to a very different life with his wife and son. The son is gay and Enrique grapples with accepting him for who he is or risk losing him. Sundance jury nominee.
It’s hard to figure out where to start when meditating on the importance of We Were Here, a documentary by David Weissman. It was the premier movie of the Portland Gay and Lesbian Film Festival which was not only a bold move but an great start to a necessary conversation. Weismann’s film illuminates the social, personal, political and cultural issues of the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco. The film itself has a small scope and because of that scope- it is able to highlight the broader issues of this epidemic. Its characters: Ed Wolf- an AIDS activist and caregiver; Paul Boneberg- executive director of the GLBT Historical Society; Daniel Goldstein- a visual artist and founding President of Under One Roof; Guy Clark- a local queer florist based out of SF’s Castro District; and Eileen Glutzer- a nurse in the height of the crisis and feminist health care activist. Weismann’s focus on these characters and their personal experience allow the film a lot of depth that captures the profound personal stories that highlight a larger collective experience.
In our second FTM-related tale, 10-year-old Laura moves to a new town and tells everyone her name is Michael. This works fine all summer long in the French countryside but things change and secrets begin to emerge as the school year approaches.
Two co-dependent best friends struggle through an imminent parting as one prepares to follow her dream of being a Broadway actress. The other, not-so-secretly in love with her BFF works through it by sleeping with a string of other ladies. Romantic and dramatic.
Hot ladies of rock…yes! Trigger follows the life of 2 besties who start a band together and become rock stars in the vein of the Go-Gos, Patti Smith or Souxsie and the Banshees. After the usual rock’n’roll melt down and band split they reunite 10 years later in a benefit for women in rock. Then stories are revealed and the true nature of their relationship emerges.
Get those boots that are made for walking out because this weekend has some great ways to enjoy downtown Portland outdoors with a gay spin.
Saturday will see the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest (GLAPN) getting together with the Oregon Safe Schools and Communities Coalition for a Queer History Walking Tours to be held as a benefit for OSSCC. The tour begins at 1:30pm in front of Hobo’s (120 NW Third Ave), an area known as the “vice neighborhood.” (Not much has changed, except this has now become the entirety of the city.) This is also where we have ghost tours, Shanghai Tunnels where sailors were kidnapped to serve. It was also at the center of he 1912 Portland Vice Clique Scandal. Think Gangs of New York crossed with Tipping the Velvet?
Twenty year old Lukas is a transitioning FTM spending his summer in Cologne. He falls for the masculine Fabio whom it both wants and wants to be. A coming of age story for a second puberty.
An interesting collection of love by bicycle, first times, cool kid music, depressing diseases and a coming of age motion storybook. But I’m particularly excited by the look at lesbian (anti?)fashion icon, the wallet chain, a clothing article for which I fought wholeheartedly in 8th grade and won the right to wear in middle school. Also local Director of two of the films, Casey Parks, will be in attendance, along with Ellie Krnich.
Twin brothers embark on a journey to track down Dolly Parton for their perfect movie part, traveling in a camper named Jolene. Think an American Priscilla Queen of the Desert with southern charm?
Cafteria‘s Saved By the Bell edition – It’s time to bust out the cuffed acid wash jeans and use that aerosol to make those bangs into a wave. I’ll even lend you my scrunchie if you meet me at the Peach Pit. Ok, so it’s a special moment of fun nostalgia made right for my exact generation. So let’s all recreate the junior high experience we never had k?
