Frameline San Francisco celebrates its
32nd international gay & lesbian film festival
starting today. The festival offers feature films, shorts and
documentaries over ten days. This year's festival opens with the
feature film Affinity.
In director Tim Fywell's Affinity
power & obsession collide with the supernatural in late 19th
century Britain. Margaret Prior becomes infatuated with Selina
Dawes, an imprisoned medium serving time for murder. Their
relationship blossoms as Selina shares her secrets and passions with
Margaret. Affinity
is a period piece, a romance, and a supernatural thriller.
The
film is based on the Sarah Waters' novel of the same name.
Affinity opens Frameline on June
19th at the Castro Theatre.
XXY is the story of Alex, raised
a girl her entire life she possesses both male and female sets of
reproductive organs. Now at puberty she is being asked to “choose”
her sex by her parents who have invited a plastic surgeon to discuss
the issue with her. Complications arise when Alex develops a crush
on Alvaro the surgeon's teenage son. He also is suffering gender
identity issues. Alex's search for her true identity forces both
families to face their worst fears.
The film's powerful message of love
transcending sexuality is only heightened by its beautiful
backgrounds and dramatic visual style.
XXY screens on Tuesday, June
24th at the Castro Theatre.
Tru Loved is the story of
16-year-old high schooler Tru (Gertrude) whose family is made up of
two lesbian moms and two gay dads. Her boyfriend, Lo, who is the
quarterback of the football team, also loves musical theater. Is it
possible he's also gay?
Writer/director Steward Wade (Coffee
Date) has woven a funny and touching story that dispenses with
traditional roles. In the world of Tru Loved, sexual identity
is never a foregone conclusion. For example, when Tru meets a boy
she likes at a gay-straight alliance meeting, she assumes he's
off-limits. Surprisingly, he turns out to be straight.
Tru is over all the gay-fuss – being
a teenager – yet, passionate about her family.
Tru Loved is set to screen on
Saturday, June 21st and Wednesday, June 25th at
the Castro Theatre.
Canadian filmmaker Laurie Lynd's
Breakfast With Scot is a
touching comedy that tells the story of gay couple Eric and Sam's
trials parenting Scot. Eric and Sam have played it straight to the
world during their four year relationship. Eric is an ex-NHL star
hockey player who has turned his one-time fame into a sportscasting
career; Sam is a corporate lawyer. It is this seemingly perfect
power coupling that is re-examined when Scot enters their lives.
Eric and Sam
take-in recently orphaned 11-year-old Scot, expecting a rambunctious
pre-teen. Instead Scot is a flamboyant boy more comfortable with who
he is than his guardians. Freaked out by Scot's effeminate demeanor,
Eric and Sam nudge Scot to more a more acceptable Canadian pastime –
hockey.
In the
end, Breakfast With Scot
asks us to confront the compromises we have made in our own lives to
be accepted.
Tom
Cavanagh (Ed, Love Monkey)
stars as the amiable ex-NHL player Eric and Ben Shenkman (HBO's
Angels In America, Must Love Dogs)
plays Sam, both lend star power to a strong script.
Breakfast With Scot
closes Frameline on Sunday, June 29th
at the Castro Theatre.
Frameline,
San Francisco's international gay & lesbian film festival, is at
www.frameline.org/festival.
Gay
Entertainment Report is a feature of On Top Magazine and can be
reached at ontopmag@ontopmag.com.