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Previews of the first weekend of PLGFF

'I Killed My Mother'

Saturday Oct 2nd

3:30pm @ Cinema 21 – Shorts series

4 short films kick off the post-party day after, so it’s a good mix to start festing.

My Name is Love follows two men who share the same secret and the dangerous liaison it produces. Titillating.

Gayby follows the straight girl fantasy of having a baby with her gay best friend of college by actually getting to bed him. Good luck with that one.

Go-Go Reject delves into the fantasies of a frozen yogurt slinger who aims to be the naked boy version of Jennifer Beals.

Queer Pet Adventures has got to be the gayest movie ever…

5pm @ Cinema 21 – Assume Nothing

In a most Portlandesque love of gender query Assume Nothing examines what it means to inhabit a gender that is neither or both “male” and “female.” Focusing on the art, photography and performances of five “alternative” gender artists of Maori, Samoan-Japanese, and European descent, AN blurs all kinds of lines while it entertains.

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Portland Lesbian and Gay Film Festival premieres with ‘Howl’

Aaron Tveit as Peter Orlovsky and James Franco as Allen Ginsberg in '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.”

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PLGFF Thursday closing night previews

lola

'And Then Came Lola'

In the rough road this is this nation’s economy small sacrifices abound. One of them is PLGFF’s second weekend. This ending with a whimper instead of a band makes me quite sad. Luckily, the films themselves promise to be interesting and original.

Sexy lesbians constantly running is never a bad thing, and 7pm’s quick 70 minute And Then Came Lola promises to be a run romp through the streets of San Francisco. Apparently the indie flick it is based off of, Run, Lola, Run, is already considered an art house classic, and whether And Then Came Lola, turns out to be closer to homage or parody it is sure to be fun. Anything that calls to mind the ultra-hot Franka Potente is a must see for me.

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PLGFF Wednesday night previews

antarctica200810

'Antarctica'

Drool at 7pm starts out like any other unhappy-married-woman-discovers-her-lesbianism movie. This plot is so overdone even Oprah has real life version.

Luckily Drool has a bit of a twist. When Anora’s abusive husband discovers their secret all hell breaks loose and he ends up dead in a freak accident. So, the ladies pack up the car, the kids, and the body and hit the road. Drool claims to tackle the themes of racism, domestic abuse, sexism and homophobia with dark humor and wit.

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‘Pornography’ and ‘Greek Pete’ at PLGFF, a comparison review

Pornography-thriller

'Pornography'

This weekend saw yours truly at two of the most boytastic movies of the weekend. Both Pornography and Greek Pete held graphic gay male sex as integral to the plot, though the message and approach was vastly different.

I also experienced a much shorter line at the ladies room than I am accustomed to.

I was highly skeptical of both films as the lights dimmed, and I was rather unsure about Pornography until the very end. But though I would not watch it for pleasure, it raises some very interesting questions about the gaze and what really excites about porn.

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PLGFF Tuesday night previews

hannah-free

'Hannah Free'

A May/December romance with Sharon Gless (Queer as Folk and Cagney and Lacey) and 36 hours with a mileu of gay men cannot do your Tuesday wrong at the Portland Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

At 7pm Hannah Free screens to what I can only assume will be quite an interesting audience. Set in a rural nursing home, religious homemaker Rachel is forbidden from seeing her much older lesbian lover, the rough and tumble Hannah Free (Gless).

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PLGFF Monday night previews

'Hollywood je t'aime'

'Hollywood je t'aime'

PLGFF heads into the week with a triumphant weekend, if not in record attendance than at least in fun, quality films. The week looks a bit spottier, but I had my doubts before and I should not have, so make your Monday special.

It starts with a familiar new life tale in 7pm’s Out of the Blue about a middle-aged wife and mother who leaves her husband and finds herself in love with another woman. The high possibility of triteness may be overcome by the cute factor if you’re really feelin’ it. And it’s in French. Might be a decent lezzie date movie…

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PLGFF opening weekend previews

'Patrik, Age 1.5'

'Patrik, Age 1.5'

Today starts the big weekend for Portland’s 13th Annual Lesbian and Gay Film Festival with a whopping 8 films. How that fits into a weekend I’m just not sure.

Tonight begins with Patrick, Age 1.5 at 7:30.  A picturesque gay couple attempt to adopt a baby boy, only to have their white picket fence world upturned when a brooding teenager shows up. A perfect opening night film. I’m sure we’ll all be ready for a drink at the afterparty at Crush (1400 SE Morrison) by the time its over.

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Portland Lesbian and Gay Film Festival starts Friday

program.inddPride may be the gayest time of year but Portland gets another shot at a week of all queer all the time (well, that might be all year truthfully) when the Portland Lesbian and Gay Film Festival rolls into town at the summer’s end.

This year’s fest seems a bit short and sparse but there’s sure to be some gems stuffed in there. I’ll be previewing each night and offering reviews when possible.

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qPDX on gaycation

team-dresch

Team Dresch

I hate to do this to you folks. I’ve been a bit frantic of late in general, my co-editor has become entrenched in the wilds of Reed College and the newbies are most certainly not yet up to speed. And yet, this is the time I choose to leave you, unattended, for 10 whole days. Now behave while I am away, and I will try to post little bits of my gaycation ephemera but who knows when I will see an internet cafe in the wilds of the jungle. So I make no promises.

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