What to Watch: Wednesday
December 31, 2008 by Sarah
Kick off your New Year’s Eve festivities with a re-airing of the two-hour season opener of Bones, featuring Angela, a bisexual lab worker. The fun starts at 8 PM on Fox.
Touch of Antarctica in Israel
December 30, 2008 by Damon
Israeli filmmaker Yair Hochner is in the news as his sexy new film Antarctica breaks from the film festival circuit and moves into limited U.S. theaters. The 33-year-old gay director has made a film where the characters unabashedly have sex on their minds—an issue that may have have kept the film from finding a larger audience in Hochner’s home country.
Though embraced in metropolitan Tel Aviv where it ran late-night for four months at the Cinematheque, Hochner says Antarctica was shunned by Israeli distributors who could have increased the film’s visibilty. Compared with Israel’s best-known gay filmmaker, Eytan Fox, whose movies (Walk on Water, Yossi & Jagger) are screened throughout Israel and the West, Hochner calls himself “more underground.” There’s no talk of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Antarctica. Fox’s movies “deal with very big issues like the Palestinians and the Holocaust, and I deal with prostitutes in Tel Aviv.”
Hochner is happy with the success his “underground” films have brought him, he told the San Francisco Chronicle, but he does admit that even his own mother “wants me to do more commercial stuff.”
England’s Soccer Stars Kick Homophobia Out
December 30, 2008 by Ted Rybka, GLAAD's Director of Sports Media
David Beckham
NASCAR, football, baseball and basketball could all vie for most popular professional sport in America. But there’s no arguing that in England, soccer (or football as it’s known there) reigns as number one (with cricket and rugby a close second/third).
That’s why it’s highly encouraging that The Football Association, the governing body of soccer in England, is working on a promotional video starring high-profile players speaking out against homophobia.
According to The Guardian, the FA is teaming up with the Professional Footballers’ Association, the players’ union, Kick It Out, the sport’s diversity and inclusion campaign, and Peter Tatchell, of gay rights group Outrage! to create the video. Details haven’t emerged yet but organizers hope to get soccer sensations David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, David James, Wayne Rooney, Ashley Cole and Cristiano Ronaldo to take part.
Danny Lynch of Kick It Out said, “When we were set up 15 years ago, monkey chanting and banana throwing was commonplace, but football has changed and you just don’t see that kind of behavior any more. But in the absence of traditional racist abuse, we have seen this sharp rise in homophobic abuse and dealing with it is now a key part of our remit.”
This is the second major professional sport in Great Britain to support LGBT equality. Recently the United Kingdom’s Rugby Football League announced that it would start pro-LGBT advertisements on rugby grounds and in programs and fanzines. It will also conduct a forum for staff and players when the season begins in March.
Let’s hope these groundbreaking campaigns cross the pond to professional sporting leagues here in the States. Paging David Stern.
What to Watch: Tuesday
December 30, 2008 by Sarah
Still lots of repeats on TV in this holiday season, but two new episodes pop up tonight — and unfortunately they happen to be on at the same time! One bright shining light, guaranteed to bring you out of any food coma you may be experiencing: MTV’s A Double Shot at Love. It is the gift that keeps on giving.
> 8:00 PM House, Fox (1 hr) REPEAT
House’s father dies, but he still has the wherewithal to lash out at everyone, including bisexual doctor Thirteen.
> 9:00 PM Food Detectives, Food Network (30 min) NEW
Queer Eye’s Ted Allen hosts a series looking at common food myths. Just in time for New Year’s: Are you having troubles drinking your frozen margaritas too fast? Well, tune in and learn why the dreaded brain freeze happens!
> 9:00 PM Privileged, The CW (1 hr) REPEAT
A live-in tutor deals with two spoiled twin sisters in Palm Beach. Their personal chef, Marco, is gay. Tonight, he prepares a dinner for two, to help reunite Megan and her estranged father, but the plan is thwarted when a ton of uninvited guests show up.
> 10:00 PM Eli Stone, ABC (1 hr) NEW
Eli defends a transgender minister (actor Dallas Malloy) against job discrimination after he is fired from the pulpit. Will be available for viewing online beginning Wednesday at ABC.com.
> 10:00 PM A Double Shot at Love, MTV (1 hr) NEW
Rikki and Vikki, the bisexual identical twins, continue on their journey to find true love among a bunch of drunken, camera-hogging guys and gals.
New Year’s Nuke for As the World Turns
December 30, 2008 by Damon
Noah and Luke, aka Nuke, have had quite a roller-coaster relationship on As the World Turns. Anyone who watches daytime TV knows that’s actually a good thing because a “happy” romance means the end of the line for a soap couple.
It was just one year ago that daytime’s first same-sex male couple was in the spotlight for what appeared to be producers’ or CBS’ hesitation to show simple acts of intimacy between the two men. The public outcry was deafening and brought some much-needed attention to the dying soap opera genre.
It wasn’t long before the two characters were kissing onscreen just like any of the soap’s straight couples. They now kiss and kiss often, according to Van Hansis, the Emmy-nominated actor who has brought Luke to life with sensitivity. “They have had a peck at least, if not a kiss, in any episode they were in together, unless they were fighting and hating each other,” says the actor. “When things are good, they are kissing.”
An interview with Van is featured in the new issue of IN Los Angeles Magazine, a must-read if you want a teaser to what is to come for the super couple in 2009. Van also says some pretty nice things about GLAAD (thanks Van!):
“The GLAAD Awards are fantastic! We have done it three years in a row. I remember last year, it was the first year Luke and Noah had blown up and become bigger than just soap opera characters. It’s great when you have a role that means something to people and that you are doing something for the good of what is happening in this country. I really applaud GLAAD for what they are doing, and I am very excited to help their cause on daytime.”
The fan reaction to this couple has been incredible as witnessed by the many video mashups online. My favorite part of this one may just be the montage of images after the song is over. Check it out.
What to Watch: Monday
December 29, 2008 by Sarah
Not much on the tube tonight, save for a genius Gossip Girl episode from October where we get to meet Eric’s cute new boyfriend, Jonathan. (Over brunch on the Upper East Side, no less.) XOXO! The show airs tonight at 8 PM on The CW.
PS Film Fest Features Exciting LGBT Lineup
December 29, 2008 by cineQueer
Before Sundance kicks off, the 20th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival gets underway Jan 8-19 with a stellar lineup of fare: 209 films considered to be the best in international and American cinema. At least 18 of the films feature strong LGBT content.
The festival has become known for giving audiences access to foreign films submitted for Oscar consideration and this year they will not disappoint by showing 50 of the 67 films submitted in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
In addition, both Sean Penn and Gus Van Sant are being honored for their work in Milk during the festival’s opening night gala on Tuesday, January 6. Also being honored are Ron Howard, Clint Eastwood, Anne Hathaway, Amy Adams and Dakota Fanning.
Between Sundance and Palm Springs (and Berlin hot on their heels!) how will you ever plan all your LGBT viewing, you ask? Here’s a snapshot of the LGBT-inclusive film schedule happening in Palm Springs. Fortunately, all movies screen twice!
Friday, January 09
7:00 PM Eugene
7:00 PM Patrik, Age 1.5
Saturday, January 10
10:00 AM Eugene
10:00 AM Patrik, Age 1.5
6:30 PM Suddenly, Last Winter
7:00 PM American Primitive
Sunday, January 11
12:30 PM Suddenly, Last Winter
7:30 PM Prodigal Sons
Monday, January 12
10:00 AM Of Time and the City
7:30 PM Ready? OK!
Tuesday, January 13
10:00 AM Prodigal Sons
1:30 PM American Primitive
3:30 PM Clapham Junction
4:00 PM Of Time and the City
7:30 PM Baby Love
Wednesday, January 14
9:30 AM Born in 68
1:30 PM Ready? OK!
3:30 PM Be Like Others
4:30 PM I Can’t Think Straight
7:30 PM Chef’s Special
Thursday, January 15
9:30 AM Be Like Others
1:30 PM Chef’s Special
3:30 PM For My Wife
6:30 PM Showgirls, Provincetown, MA
Friday, January 16
9:30 AM Clapham Junction
10:30 AM Baby Love
12:30 PM For My Wife
4:00 PM Valentino: The Last Emporer
6:00 PM Pedro
7:30 PM Woman’s Hearts
Saturday, January 17
9:30 AM Pedro
10:30 AM I Can’t Think Straight
12:00 PM Valentino: The Last Emporer
12:30 PM Showgirls, Provincetown, MA
2:30 PM Woman’s Hearts
Sunday, January 18
6:30 PM Born in 68
American Primitive
December 28, 2008 by cineQueer
LGBT Content: Gay
Genre: Drama, 93 min.
Rating: NR
Director: Gwen Wynne
Writer: Gwen Wynne, Mary Beth Fielder
Starring: Tate Donovan,Danielle Savre, Skye McCole Bartusiak, Adam Pascal, Anne Ramsey
Distributor: TBA
Release Date: USA, 2009
Synopsis: Alternately funny and heartbreaking, American Primitive tells the story of the havoc that surrounds a teenaged girl’s life when she discovers her widowed father is gay. Inspired by true events, the film is set in small-town America against the backdrop of suspicion, traditional family values, and the rapidly changing sexual identity of the ’70s.
Official Website: AmericanPrimitiveMovie.com
Screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Saturday, January 10, 7:00 PM
Annenberg Auditorium
Tuesday, January 13, 1:30 PM
Camelot Theatres
Baby Love
December 28, 2008 by cineQueer
aka: Commes les autres
LGBT Content: Gay
Genre: Comedy/Drama, 93 min.
Language: French English Sub-Titles
Rating: NR
Director: Vincent Garenq
Writer: Vincent Garenq
Starring: Lambert Wilson, Pascal Elbé, Pilar López de Ayala, Anne Brochet, Andrée Damant
Distributor: Films Distribution
Release Date: France, 2008
Synopsis: A lively and frothy portrait of one gay man’s quest to become a father against all odds. This romantic dramedy explores the ironic twist of French law in which gay adoptions remain illegal while same-sex unions are readily sanctioned. With a stellar cast including Lambert Wilson as the pediatrician who desperately wants to have a son.
Screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Tuesday, January 13, 7:30 PM
Camelot Theatres
Friday, January 16, 10:30 AM
Camelot Theatres
Be Like Others
December 28, 2008 by cineQueer
LGBT Content: Gay, Transgender
Genre: Documentary, 74 min.
Language: Farsi English Sub-Titles
Rating: NR
Director: Tanaz Eshaghian
Writer: Tanaz Eshaghian
Distributor: TBA
Release Date: Canada, 2008
Synopsis: Be Like Others is a fascinating look at gender reassignment in a country where homosexuality is punishable by death. Unable to be open about their love, many gay individuals in fundamentalist Iran choose to undergo the painful surgery that allows them to be part of a socially sanctioned couple.
Official Website: BeLikeOthers.com
Screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Wednesday, January 14, 3:30 PM
Palm Springs Regal 9
Thursday, January 15, 9:30 AM
Palm Springs Regal 9
Born in 68
December 28, 2008 by cineQueer
aka: Nés en 68
LGBT Content: Gay
Genre: Drama, 173 min.
Language: French English Sub-Titles
Rating: NR
Director: Olivier Duscastel, Jacques Martineau
Writer: Catherine Corsini, Olivier Ducastel, Guillaume Le Trouze, Jacques Martineau
Starring: Laetitia Casta, Yannick Renier, Yann Trégouët, Christine Citti, Marc Citta
Distributor: Pyramide International
Release Date: France, 2008
Synopsis: It’s 1968, and three flower children are putting their ideals into action by starting a commune in the French countryside. Twenty years later, they’ve raised their own children on the farm. But born into a world where communism is collapsing and AIDS is exploding, the children too find themselves wishing for a world different from the one they were born into.
Screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Wednesday, January 14, 9:30 AM
Palm Springs Regal 9
Sunday, January 18, 6:30 PM
Palm Springs Regal 9
Chef’s Special
December 28, 2008 by cineQueer
aka: Fuere de carta
LGBT Content: Gay
Genre: Comedy, 111 min.
Language: Spanish English Sub-Titles
Rating: NR
Director: Nacho Velilla
Writer: Nacho Velilla, Oriol Capel, Antonio Sánchez, David Sánchez
Starring: Javier Cámara, Lola Dueñas, Fernando Tejero, Benjamin Vicuña
Distributor: TBA
Release Date: Spain, 2008
Synopsis: In his quest for Michelin stardom, Maxi’s stress level is taking a toll on him — and his kitchen staff. So close to success he can taste it, Maxi’s dreams are thwarted by the arrival of his estranged teenage children — and the dishy Argentinean ex-soccer star who moves in next door.
Official Website: FueraDeCarta.com
Screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Wednesday, January 14, 7:30 PM
Camelot Theatres
Thursday, January 15, 1:30 PM
Camelot Theatres
Clapham Junction
December 27, 2008 by cineQueer
LGBT Content: Gay
Genre: Drama, 120 min.
Rating: NR
Director: Adrian Shergold
Writer: Kevin Elyot
Starring: Tom Beard, James Bellamy, Robin Berry, Rachael Blake, Samantha Bond
Distributor: TBA
Release Date: UK, 2007
Synopsis: Certainly not a happy picture, but one that is notable for its deft filmmaking and outstanding performances, Clapham Junction follows the overlapping stories of a number of gay men whose lives intersect through a senseless act of brutality over the course of one late summer weekend in London.
Screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Tuesday, January 13, 3:30 PM
Palm Springs Regal 9
Friday, January 16, 9:30 AM
Palm Springs Regal 9
Eugene
December 27, 2008 by cineQueer
LGBT Content: Gay
Genre: Drama, 85 min.
Rating: NR
Director: Jake Barsha
Writer: Jake Barsha
Starring: Stuart Bennett, Megan Ethridge, Ryan Reyes, David M. Hoch, Michele Matheson
Distributor: TBA
Release Date: USA, 2009
Synopsis: Jake Barsha’s feature debut is a disturbing psychological thriller about a lonely bachelor who befriends a young hustler and his girlfriend, with disastrous results for all involved. Strong performances — Stuart Bennett in the lead role is particularly fine — support Eugene’s taut script and beautiful camerawork.
Official Website: EugeneTheMovie.com
Screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Friday, January 09, 7:00 PM
Camelot Theatres
Saturday, January 10, 10:00 AM
Camelot Theatres
For My Wife
December 27, 2008 by cineQueer
LGBT Content: Lesbian, Gay
Genre: Documentary, 75 min.
Rating: NR
Director: David Rothmiller
Starring: Narrated by Charlene Strong, Scott Brick
Distributor: TBA
Release Date: USA, 2009
Synopsis: David Rothmiller’s unique documentary humanizes the struggle for full LGBT marriage equality through the story of Kate Fleming and Charlene Strong. After Kate’s death, Charlene was instrumental in getting Washington state to pass equality legislation. This is a universal story about love, dignity and fighting for what is right.
Official Website: ForMyWife.info
Screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Thursday, January 15, 3:30 PM
Palm Springs Regal 9
Friday, January 16, 12:30 PM
Palm Springs Regal 9
