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Going Down in La-La Land (Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011) – movie review

Raul — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 08:45:39 +0000

THIS.

Seriously, THIS. Such a great movie. Casper Andreas (whom I met last year at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2010, he came to the premiere of Violet Tendencies) does it again. With Going Down in La-La Land (Casper Andreas/USA/2011/EN/Total time: 101 min), Andreas demonstrates again why he is one of the directorial forces to be reckoned with not only in the queer film world, but cinematically speaking overall, in the indie circuit.

Let me give you first the YouTube trailer and a synopsis from the VQFF 2011 site (and by the way, this year’s programming has been rock solid).

Last year director Casper Andreas brought his charming “fag-hag” comedy, Violet Tendencies, to the Vancouver Queer Film Festival, selling out two screenings and making news on CityTV’s Breakfast Television. This year Casper is back with an impressive foray into dramatic filmmaking.

Based on the novel by Andy Zeffer, Going Down in LA-LA Land is a no-holds-barred look at Hollywood. Adam, a baby-faced New Yorker, moves to Los Angeles to—you guessed it—try to break into acting. He and his theatre school chum Candy move in together, but their non-existent careers don’t pay the rent. Candy seeks older, wealthier bachelors, while Adam slips into gay porn and escorting. New to and naïve about the gritty world of sex work, Adam is lucky enough to find a steady trick who also happens to be a famous television dad on a family sitcom. It isn’t long before their affair is swept up in whirlwind of Hollywood gossip that puts Adam in a spotlight he never bargained for.

Going Down in La-La Land is the story of your everyday, wholesome, beautiful young boy (typical surfer look with perfect physique, gorgeous blue eyes and awesome blonde hair), Adam (the impossibly beautiful Adam Ludwinski, who shacks up with his best friend Candy (Allison Lane. also flawlessly perfect in her role) to save money while he attempts to “make it as an actor in Los Angeles” (the goal of just about every other individual who moves to Los Angeles).

Adam, flawed as he is, can’t find a steady job until he finds a p0rn store that will give him a job as a production assistant. Casper Andreas in the role of Nick is your typical p0rn director who does his job powered by crystal meth and goes on sex-crazed binges for days at a time. Andreas does an amazing job in his directorial role and makes all of us hate him in his role as Nick, the even-more-flawed-p0rn-inducing new boyfriend of Adam.

Adam turns to, well, “turning tricks” (aka escorting) to make a living, until he finds John (Michael Medico in a performance that really melts hearts as the closeted high-end actor who falls madly in love for rent-boy Adam). I would give away the ending if I spoke more about the movie, and unfortunately I saw the SECOND performance so I’m not sure you’ll be able to catch any more showings at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 but if you can, and if by some miracle, VQFF opens one more showing, you should TOTALLY see it.

Casper Andreas, you’ve made me addicted to your movies. Well done, buddy.

August (Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011) – movie review

Raul — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 06:31:12 +0000

Oh dear God. Who doesn’t know the trouble boy? The handsome, charming heartbreaker who comes to your house knocking after 3 years of not talking to you, after breaking your heart, after abandoning you and leaving you for an adventure? We all do, let’s admit it. I have known one many Troys (the name of the main character in August) who have wanted to come back to my life after being the heartbreakers. Coincidentally the boyfriend of Heartbroken Boy (Jonathan) is also named Raul. Oh, the ironies.

August (showcased tonight at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011) presents you with a strange cinematic approach (back-and-forth-without-really-knowing-much-about-where-the-heck-this-movie-started-or-finished) to telling stories of deception, “sex with the ex”, lies, threeway relationships where the ex always interferes in the idyllic life of the “supposed-to-have-grown-up” heartbroken boy and his Latino charming, loyal and a-tad-too-understanding boyfriend.

While the end will catch you COMPLETELY by surprise, the complex and twisted storyline of inextricably intertwined lives of Troy, Raul and Jonathan is very nicely told in August. My only complaint is that much of the movie’s development happens at Jonathan’s 30th birthday party and the setup to get to that point was WAY TOO LONG. But the movie itself is totally worth watching. And I’d love to hear from you as to what you think was the meaning of the ending of the movie. Totally open to interpretation.

You should also read the synopsis from the Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011:

Is there anything more tempting and troublesome than “ex sex”? Israeli-American writer/director Eldar Rapaport unflinchingly probes this question in his new romantic drama. Jonathan and Raul are on the brink of moving in together when Jonathan’s ex-boyfriend, Troy, returns to LA. Their well-meaning attempt to all become friends quickly turns into a triangle of desire, jealousy and old memories. While this might sound like the making of a melodrama, Rapaport’s thoughtful direction reveals the precarious quandary of discerning lust from love.

August also offers lots of eye candy. For cinephiles who appreciate beautifully framed shots, Rapaport puts his European filmmaking sensibility to good use. And for those who appreciate beautiful men, the three lead characters—Troy, Jonathan and Raul—will not disappoint. To top off this visual delight, the film is set in LA’s Venice Beach during a heat wave (hello, glistening abs!).

Eldar Rapaport / USA / 2011 / EN / Total time: 100 min

Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 – film review: Judas Kiss

Raul — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:00:52 +0000

I did not expect to like Judas Kiss as much as I did, quite honestly. I knew that it was written by my Twitter friend Carlos Pedraza, that it had at least 2 of my favorite actors (Charlie David and Shawn Lockhart aka Brent Corrigan, in a former life). The premise, however, was kind of strange. And it was at points hard to follow the logic of the film. But despite the intricate elements and overall eye and brain candy, I think Judas Kiss succeeds at doing what Pedraza and JT Tepnapa (the director) wanted it to do.

I attended the Canadian premiere party at the Edgewater Casino and had a chance to talk to several members of the cast. My friend Patrick Levesque (Homorazzi) hosted the Q&A as Homorazzi was a presenting sponsor for the night. It was great to meet Carlos Pedraza in the flesh after so many years of being only Twitter friends.

You can still catch Judas Kiss once more, on Thursday August 18th at 9:30pm. A quick summary (focused on Canadian star Charlie David) is shown below. You should judge for yourself this cinematic analysis of past mistakes and lives turned upside down. I think the main question that Judas Kiss tries to answer is what if I hadn’t made the mistakes I made before and how could I solve them?.

Charlie David takes on the lead role of Zachary Wells, a failed filmmaker who returns to his alma mater to judge the annual student short film contest. During his first night on campus, an anonymous hook up with a student triggers an emotional, and rather metaphysical, journey into the past. Charlie David is aptly teamed up with 20-year-old Vancouverite Richard Harmon and gay porn star-turned-actor Brent Corrigan (aka Fox Ryder).

Directed by JT Tepnapa / USA / 2011 / EN / Total time: 107 min

Disclosure: I attended Judas Kiss with my Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 media pass. I am neither obligated nor expected to write a review, but wanted to do so anyway. At any time, I retain editorial control of what is published on my site.

Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 Film Review: To Faro (Mein Freund Aus Faro)

jessica — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:55:17 +0000

To Faro (Mein Freund Aus Faro)
2008, Germany
Queer Film Festival 2011

I was very excited to get to attend this year’s Queer Film Festival! I had absolutely no idea what I was in for since I had never really even seen a queer film (besides the major blockbusters) let alone been to a festival gala.

Whatever I might have expected in terms of quality, acting, and even storyline / content were pretty much blown out of the water. This German film, To Faro, is definitely worth seeing. Not only was it beautifully shot, but the charming little German town and ways were very dear to me. Tomboy Mel (Anjorka Strechel) fakes a relationship with an attractive man to please her family, while falling for a girl who thinks Mel is Miguel, and ends up caught in a web of lies. As teenaged-drama as this may sound, the film is actually hilarious and clever. It’s a classic story of a first crush, sexual confusion, and living up to others standards, but told in a very endearing way. The crowd definitely went through an emotional whirlwind, laughing at reoccurring jokes of Portugal, yet cringing at awful lies two minutes later. The indie style is totally natural and realistic, which serves to make it that much more heart warming and heart breaking.

To Faro plays next on August 19^th at Empire Granville 7 Cinemas at 5PM.

This post was contributed by Jessica, attending the Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 on media passes for Hummingbird604.com. We are neither obligated nor were we paid to review the film. As always, I (Raul) maintain editorial control at all times. You can read more of Jessica’s writing on her blog.

Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 (preview and giveaway)

Raul — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:21:32 +0000

Every year, for the past 4 or 5 years, I’ve been covering the Vancouver Queer Film Festival. From what I recall, this wonderful festival that celebrates and educates folks on queer life and queer cinema is the second largest film festival (just behind the Vancouver International Film Festival, which is happening next month). This year an excellent series of event we’ve had are the Celebrate Queer Vancouver 2011.

Celebrate Queer Vancouver is part of the Vancouver 125 festivities. You can buy Festival Passes here and tickets here. I must admit that the lineup of films looks really amazing. Doing something really innovative and fun, making use of ScribbleLive technology, my good friend Mark Robins is capturing on GayVancouver in real time everything related to VQFF. Check his post here.

I will be covering the VQFF this year again and providing you with reviews of several of the movies, from August 11th to August 21st. Hope you have a chance to enjoy! This is a most wonderful festival and you should totally check it out. For coverage of previous years, check my VQFF tagged posts.

GIVEAWAY:
One lucky winner will get a cool Six Pack with two tickets to three different films:

The String – Aug 17
When Malik, 30 and gay, returns home to Tunisia after life in Paris, childhood anxiety and cultural tensions quickly surface.

Going Down to LA-LA Land – Aug 19
After turning to sex work to supplement his non-existent acting career, Adam is swept up in a whirlwind of Hollywood gossip with his TV star trick. Director in attendance.

The Wise Kids – Aug 20
In a Baptist church community Tim, the open-hearted son of a single father, confronts his homosexuality for the first time. Winner of two top awards at Outfest.

To enter my giveaway all you need to do is check the lineup of films and tell me which one you’d like to check the most. Post your choice here and for an additional entry, post the following text on Twitter. As usual I will draw a winner from all randomized entries. I will leave my contest open until August 15th, Monday, at 2pm. The winner will have to pick up the tickets from my office at The Network Hub (we can make arrangements).

Told @hummingbird604 which @queerfilmfest films I want to check out to enter to win a Six Pack pass http://is.gd/N74uP3 You can enter too!

Celebrate Queer Vancouver 2011 and launch of Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011

Raul — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:45:36 +0000

I had the chance to attend the launch of Celebrate Queer Vancouver and the Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 (as you may remember, I usually cover VQFF every year, and for the past couple of years, I’ve given away tickets and passes to the festival).

Paul from Out In Schools, Jay the official VQFF Twitter Scribe and Mark from GayVancouver.net

It was great to see folks from the City of Vancouver supporting VQFF and the queer community, especially the Mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson, Councillors Andrea Reimer and Ellen Woodsworth and Parks Commissioner Constance Barnes, in addition to a number of other VIP folks and allies of the queer community (including Jay Minter and Brian Webb).

You should totally check out the lineup of events for Celebrate Queer Vancouver and for the Vancouver Queer Film Festival. I was planning to take a holiday in August but given the relevance of Celebrate Queer Vancouver and the fact that from the 11th to the 21st of August we have Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 I think I won’t be taking holidays. Hope you can join us in this celebration of acceptance and equality.

We were also treated to a performance by the Vancouver Men’s Choir, where my friend Jay sings. You can check a brief clip tomorrow, singing Material Girl by Madonna.

Watercolours #VQFF (@queerfilmfest)

Raul — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:18:52 +0000

My heart broke along with Danny Wheeler’s (Tye Olson). In a well-crafted story of coming of age, Watercolours (David Oliveras, USA, 2008) shows an often-told story of nerdy/geeky boy (Danny, Tye Olson in a super sweet depiction of an artistic geek) who falls in love with bad boy, jock type (Carter, Kyle Clare in a portrayal that annoys the heck out of me – a testament to his good acting). Why did I like a movie about a story that has been told many times over? I liked it because it doesn’t have the usual Hollywood boy-falls-in-love-with-boy, boy-loses-boy, boy-gets-boy-back way.

The story is told flashback style, as the movie starts with older Danny’s art exhibition. Back to the younger days (16 years ago), Carter is a jock who swims competitively an lives with a dominant father. Danny is an artistic kid who lives with his doting mother. Their lives entangle thanks to Carter’s bad grades and Danny’s brainiac capabilities. As expected, romance blossoms (Carter is uncertain of his sexuality but throughout the movie he shows definite love for Danny). Danny has never been in love and is at the same time surprised and joyous of the awakening of his own sexuality.

The love scenes are very well done, subtle (though fair warning, there’s full nudity) and really contribute to the story telling. Though at times I felt that the plot was disjointed (it looked as though the relationship evolved very slowly at times and super fast at times), Sullivan makes a good job of making us witness to a complicated relationship that (from Carter’s perspective) perhaps never should have started in the first place.

The casting for Danny and older Danny (Tye Olson and Ian Rhodes) was amazing. The resemblance is uncanny. Of all actors, I was particularly taken with Olson’s acting, and when his heart broke, mine broke along with his. There is a rather painful scene of gay bashing that I didn’t take well. While it complements the story and leads the way to part of the plot resolution, it was hard to take in given the recent gay bashings in Vancouver. I squirmed throughout the whole scene and covered my eyes more than once, I’ll admit.

I enjoyed the movie and left the theatre satisfied with how the story was told and how it resolved. It was a bit painful to watch (as it often happens to me when I see these “coming of age” movies) but very, very enjoyable. The VQFF selection committee did a fantastic job of choosing the films this year, most definitely.

The official VQFF summary and trailer follows:

On the opening night of his first New York art exhibit, Danny reflects on the inspiration of his paintings. Memories of his first love, Carter, are triggered and through a series of flashbacks a bumpy coming-of-age story is told. Danny’s mother takes in Carter, a high school athlete with golden-boy looks and a troubled home life. Danny-a nerdy type- helps Carter with his homework and before long these tutorials turn into mutual attraction. Their blossoming relationship brings Danny out of his shell, awakening both his sexuality and creativity. But it is heartache that drives Danny to paint as he discovers the hard way that only art can turn pain into beauty. Fifteen years later, Danny is faced with the reality that he has never truly moved on and let go.

Violet Tendencies #VQFF @queerfilmfest

Raul — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:45:12 +0000

It’s amazing what an outstanding movie can do to your emotional health. I knew coming into Violet Tendencies (Casper Andreas, 2010, IMDB) that it would be a fun and campy movie. What I did not expect at all was to absolutely adore it. Andreas does what many people fail to do in GLBT movies: he resoundingly succeeds at interweaving three story lines around a central axis, in this case adorable and amazing actress Mindy Cohn.

We have Marcus (Casper Andreas) and Riley (Samuel Whitten, in a role that wins the heart of everyone in the movie theatre), the writer/blogger and the fashion boutique PR manager, pondering the never-easy-to-answer question: “are we ready to have children?”. We have Darian (Adrian Armas) and Luke (Jesse Archer), exploring the question of how to be monogamous. We have an exotic dancer (Marcus Patrick) and his hidden past. And as the centerpiece to this puzzle we have our beloved-throughout-the-movie Violet (Cohn), who is best-friend-forever (BFF) to all of the above gay men (Violet is, in the GLBT lingo, a “fag hag”).

Violet is sick and tired of being single so she sets out on a quest to find her “fag stag” (aka a straight man who can hang out with gay men). Yes, by all accounts you *could* think that Violet Tendencies hits the mark on every single cliché and stereotype. Yet it does it with such an honest, candid, be-true-to-your-heart fashion that it is IMPOSSIBLE to hate any of the characters.

Yet, if there is a storyline that hits home and made me fall in love with them simultaneously is Riley and Marcus’s. Being a parent is never easy, and what happens when your partner has this crazy idea of being a father (Marcus) when you think you need to get ahead in the corporate world (Riley). How do you reconcile these apparently opposing goals, and learn to deal with loving someone unless you learn to love their goals and work together towards them? Explored in an honest, funny and fast-paced way, the stories of these gay boys who don’t want to give up their fag hag, are incredibly refreshing.

While Violet is the central axis, and her story is very well told, I think each and every one of the intertwined story lines are told equally in-depth and with enthusiasm, energy and veracity. I can’t praise Casper Andreas and his team enough. For a $200,000 budget for this movie, Andreas does amazing things. Casper was on site for a Q/A session hosted by Patrick Levesque from Homorazzi right after the showing and I absolutely loved his candor in answering our questions.

There is a second showing of Violet Tendencies and I would STRONGLY recommend that you make an effort to go and see it. By and large, this movie captivated my heart and that of many people who attended the screening. Thanks, Vancouver Queer Film Festival. This was an AMAZING choice.

The VQFF writeup for Violet Tendencies is included below.

Ever wonder what happened to teen star Mindy Cohn aka Natalie in the 1980s hit TV show the Facts of Life? Leave it to homo rom com director Casper Andreas to cast Cohn as the lead in his new hit, Violet Tendencies. Violet is Manhattan’s most fabulous fruit fly, but at age forty she’s ready to put down the martini glass and start a serious relationship. Without any straight people in her life to fix her up, Violet scours online dating sites only to be stood up and sadly disappointed. Her roommate Riley suggests she seek out the straight male version of herself: the mythical “Fag Stag.” Her modelesque co-worker Salome gives her conflicting advice, warning Violet that her gay friends are preventing her from nabbing a man. As Violet’s romantic quest becomes increasingly disastrous, hilarious and consuming, she overlooks the potential for love right under her own nose.

The Coast is Queer #VQFF @queerfilmfest

Raul — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:56:42 +0000

The thing that attracted me to The Coast is Queer at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival was the fact that all filmmakers were from Vancouver. The thing that I got out of it was a big sense of pride, and a lot of laughs with some of the films. The Coast is Queer is a compilation of short films produced, acted in or directed by GLBT folks.

I found Andrew Jack’s “The Heist” (Canada, 2010) an amazing piece of hip-hop dance that does a great job of storytelling. And yes, the theme is indeed a heist. Aaron Chan’s Stay (Canada, 2010) with Russell Wong as the protagonist who has not come out of the closet is endearing. Waiting 4 Goliath, where two ex-lovers (Florian and Hassan) bump into each other at a café where Florian is waiting for a blind date, was incredibly frustrating and endearing at the same time (Carl Garingan, Canada, 2010).The campy Super Queer (produced by Sakino Sepúlveda) is a satire that combines Wonder Woman, gay bashing and superpowers. Incredibly funny.

I left Tinseltown feeling really good about what I had just seen: a great showcase of local GLBT talent. Good times.

The Butch Factor #VQFF @queerfilmfest

Raul — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:54:59 +0000

I left the Tinseltown theatre last night enraged with The Butch Factor (showing at the Vancouver Queer Film Fest). When I entered the theatre, I was expecting a documentary exploring the question of masculinity. I was hoping that the eternal myth of “gay men are all effeminate” would be dispelled (in keeping in line with the theme of the film, the ‘butch’ factor). And as the movie went on, I got more and more confused. Sure, there is a series of (somewhat un-threaded and at times, convoluted) conversations with men who could be identified (again, through the lenses of stereotypes) as “butch”. But there is no actual encompassing analytical thread. I wasn’t really sure what the message of the movie was.

A rugby player who plays in both straight and gay leagues, an African-American baseball player, a rodeo man, a couple of cowboys who have their ranch, you name it. They all appear in the movie, and they all talk about their experiences. But in the end, there is no real in-depth examination – while trying to interweave expert subject interviews with scholars who study masculinity with the physical demonstrations of “macho” attitude by the “butch” interviewees leaves us with an un-stitched, loosely threaded film. Did it hit all the stereotypes? Yes. Did it explain WHY we continue to hold those stereotypes? Um, no. Definitely not.

In the end, as I walked out of the theatre, I noted to my friends David, Mark and Nicolas, that I thought that whatever the message of that movie was, it was all contained in the last 60 seconds of the film, and that those were 1.5 hours of my life that I would appreciate having back. And then I learned on Twitter that VQFF was planning on having an extra screening of The Butch Factor. Seeing as I missed Pornography: The Thriller and The People I’ve Slept With, I would definitely want to make a case to VQFF to show an extra screening of these two movies instead of The Butch Factor.

All due respect to the film director, crew and interviewees, but I really didn’t like this movie. At all. It didn’t answer any questions and it showcased the stereotype of “being butch” without actually debunking the myths around what masculinity means.

The VQFF official description for The Butch Factor is below:

Is there a gay man out there who hasn’t pondered the meaning of masculinity?

Director Christopher Hines asks this poignant question. The result: eighty-seven minutes of hard bodies and hard answers. Heralded as a must-see movie for all gay men, this documentary gets up-close and personal with a strapping slate of interviewees. Bears, jocks, sissy boys and muscle queens tackle loaded topics from internalized homophobia to metrosexuality—each revealing what it means to be a gay man today in their own personal, unique way. Hines’ ambitious and broadly comprehensive documentary also introduces us to the men who are rarely seen at the forefront of gay masculine culture, including a newly out rodeo rider, a rugged female-to-male transsexual and a self-identified sissy who embraces effeminacy. The forthright commentary is aptly mixed with humour, sex appeal and undeniable heart—making it an audience favourite at queer film festivals around the world.

Mr. Right #VQFF @queerfilmfest

Raul — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:00:48 +0000

My schedule in August has been nothing short of insane, thus despite having media accreditation for the Vancouver Queer Film Festival, I really hadn’t had the opportunity to view any of the VQFF films. Until this past Sunday, when I watched “Mr. Right”, a British dramedy that focuses on the eternal quest for “Mr. Right”. The VQFF description below summarizes part, but not all of what Mr. Right is.

Mr Right features a cast of the “usual suspects” seen in gay romantic films: the perfect boyfriend, the artsy queen, the hunky and arrogant slut, etc. Similarly, the central plotline is familiar: boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy wins boy back. While this classic rom com is easy to sit back and enjoy, there are also many things that set it apart. The actors are an attractive bunch (with adorable Brit accents to boot), however, Mr Right does not rely on glistening abs and bubble butts to win over audiences. Instead, the brother/sister filmmaking team—Jacqueline and David Morris—have made a refreshingly authentic script and a cast of talented actors the film’s strengths. The quintessential question “Is Mr Right really out there?” is explored in depth without sugar-coating or cheesy happy endings. Set in London’s gay SoHo neighbourhood, Mr Right is a real slice of gay life.

While I enjoyed the film, and it made me laugh in so many ways, it left me with a weird mouth aftertaste. The movie does a good job of exploring a number of gay clichés and stereotypes, from women being fag hags who fear that their boyfriend will end up being gay to the perceived apparent belief that gay men can’t be monogamous. And that stereotype, I find in particular quite annoying. But what left me quite saddened was the losses that just about everyone experienced throughout the movie.

The thick London accents were really hard on me as far as the dialogue goes, and many of the jokes flew (not surprisingly) well over my head. Despite having lived in England, I don’t get British humour, let alone gay British humour. The acting is really solid, and in particular, the actor who plays Lawrence (Leon Ockenden) was incredibly charming in his role of a relatively famous actor who is in love with an antique dealer (Rocky Marshall) who is struggling to raise a disapproving 9 year old daughter.

The first half of the movie felt to me slow, and at times I felt as though story lines resolved themselves over and over and over again. The ending is surprising, in some ways! I won’t reveal what happens, though. I would recommend you go and see it, it’s playing again on August 19th.

Win tickets to @queerfilmfest “Off World”

Raul — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:24:33 +0000

I’m a big supporter of the Vancouver Queer Film Festival and as you may know, I have a press pass to attend and cover the Festival. I am also lucky that I will be able to offer a lucky reader a pair of tickets to Off World, the winner of the Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2010 ReelWorld International Film Festival. Summary of the movie plot below:

Lucky, a Filipino adoptee, makes the emotionally laden journey from his home in Toronto to the Philippines to discover his birthplace: Smokey Mountain. Once known as the Kingdom of Tondo, Smokey Mountain is now a vast urban slum surrounding a mountain of garbage, named for the methane gases that visibly leak from refuse accumulated over the course of more than half a century. Guided by Julia, a worker at a local NGO, Lucky discovers he has a gay, genderqueer brother and grapples not only with the glaring poverty, but with the ramifications of queer life in the Phillippines. In order to define himself and connect with his roots, Lucky immerses himself in the culture of Smokey Mountain and his brother’s life, uncovering still more tangible links to his past.

To enter this contest, drop a comment on this blog post and tell me what your impression of the recent Vancouver Pride Parade was. Which float did you like the most? You have until August 19th at 3pm to tell me. You can gain an additional entry by tweeting the following:

I entered to win tickets to @queerfilmfest from @hummingbird604. Learn more about VQFF http://is.gd/ecD5T

So, to recap – you can enter the contest by dropping a comment on this post mentioning the float you liked the most at the recent Vancouver Pride 2010, and you can gain an additional entry into the contest by tweeting the above (you can just cut and paste). Good luck!

Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2010 (@queerfilmfest)

Raul — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:33:54 +0000

Wow, it’s pretty much August. It’s that time of the year when I try to cover GLBT in more in-depth, and particularly as Vancouver Pride Week 2010 is approaching. The Vancouver Queer Film Festival is one of those events I try really hard to cover, for all sorts of reasons.

One of the most important is that Vancouver is a great city where the public support for the GLBT community can be felt more intensely. And moreover, the VQFF usually showcases excellent films. Taking place from August 12th to 22nd, 2010, the Vancouver Queer Film Festival has a great variety of GLBT-themed movies for all audiences. I have covered VQFF before on my blog, and some of the best movies I’ve ever seen have been at the VQFF.

The kind folks of the VQFF have given me some tickets to give away. Stay tuned! Check the VQFF website for more information, including the lineup of films and prices. You can also buy a festival pass (it’s not really expensive, like $125 for all the films, etc.)

Below is the trailer for Violet Tendencies, a film about “fag hags”. It had me laughing out loud! Video NSFW (coarse language, shirtless men).

On the Other Hand, Death: A Donald Strachey Mystery (Review) – VQFF

Raul — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:57:30 +0000

The start to my coverage of the Vancouver Queer Film Festival was phenomenal. I had a chance to see On the Other Hand, Death: A Donald Strachey Mystery. A fantastic film starring Chad Allen, Sebastian Spence, Margot Kidder, Gabrielle Rose, Nelson Wong, Daryl Shuttleworth, Damon Runyan, Lori Taiolo, and directed by Ron Oliver, this movie was fully filmed in Vancouver (more accurately, Langley).

From the film’s summary

When Dorothy Fisher is suspended from her job as a high school counsellor it seems that homophobic parents are to blame. But when her suspension is followed by a home invasion, blackmail and murder, detective Donald Strachey (Chad Allen) takes the case.

I found the film not only very entertaining and campy but a great experiment in convoluted plotting. There were A LOT of laughs (of course, sometimes the jokes were very much queer-themed, not surprisingly). But even more profound, Oliver was capable of intertwining themes of coming of age, coming out, acceptance of homosexuality and queer love and equality of rights with an entertaining mystery story. There were moments where I almost shed tears, and moments when I was at the absolute edge of my seat, paying very close attention so that I wouldn’t lose any details from the complicated plot.

Allen is spot-on as Detective Strachey, definitely gay but more than anything, definitely human. This is not the story of a super-detective. It’s the tale of continuous struggles to maintain a solid long-term relationship while working as a private investigator. I wish I had been able to stay for the second movie and for the party, but that was not possible. I do hope that both movies end up being released either in theatrical form or on DVD. If you have a chance, you should take in some of the fantastic movies that the VQFF is offering. The line-up is fantastic.

On a side note, I really wish that the film festivals were more like the theatre productions I’ve been able to attend, where you can go in with your media pass and bring with you a +1. Sharing these movies with a friend or a loved one definitely makes the experience much nicer.

Vancouver Queer Film Festival ’09

Raul — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:04:58 +0000

For various circumstances (one of them the fact that I wasn’t in Vancouver last year during Vancouver Queer Film Festival and in 2007 my site wasn’t really all that popular) I’ve actually never had media accreditation for the VQFF. This year, I did apply for accreditation, though (and I’m negotiating with the organizers to see if I can give away some tickets as part of a contest on my site). I have attended the VQFF in the past, both times with two of my very best friends.

I’m a big supporter of GLBT rights and I’ve covered queer issues and events on my site quite frequently (recently, Pride In Fashion, the launch of Qmunity, the LOUD Awards, just for starters). The last time I reviewed a VQFF I checked out Super Amigos and The Picture of Dorian Gray (by the way, Peter Gallagher in Dorian Gray was absolutely sublime). Super Amigos was a Mexican-Canadian co-production and a very entertaining film too.

I haven’t explored the guide in detail, but I can tell you right now that I’m really looking forward to checking out some films, like Ciao, and Cure For Love. The latter film seems to follow a similar approach to “Save Me”, a movie I checked out recently about the ex-gay movement (review forthcoming). Also, I’m really looking forward to checking both Strachey’s movies (with openly gay actor Chad Allen, who by the way also stars in Save Me).

Tickets to the VQFF (most shows are $ 10 or $ 7 for students/underemployed) are available in various locations and also online.

Upcoming events in Vancouver – early Aug to early Sep 2008

Raul — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:02:38 +0000

Even though I’m not in Vancouver right now, I always try to provide link love for friends of mine’s causes. Actually, when people let me know about what’s going on, I feel much more connected (because let’s face it, I do miss Vancouver). Anyhow, without further ado.

CHARITABLE CAUSES

- Karen Parker is doing the Bicycle Trek for Life and Breath, and you can sponsor her here. I am not sure if you can still participate in a draw she was having, but trust me – 4 hours of her geeky tech support is equivalent to gold, so sponsor her and get a chance to get some tech help from Karen!

- Barbara Doduk and Keira-Anne Mellis are doing the SPCA Paws for a Cause on September 14th (the day that my flight back is scheduled, though not sure if I’m actually going to be back in Vancouver then) and you can donate to their causes here (Barbara) and here (Keira-Anne).

- Tanya Davis (aka NetChick) is joining Team Diabetes, and you can pledge her here.

LOCAL EVENTS

- The Vancouver Queer Film Festival takes place from August 14th to … Unfortunately, I am in Mexico and won’t be able to attend, but if you do attend and want to do a movie review on my blog, you can be Hummingbird604.com’s official correspondent Actually I kinda need an official correspondent. I could even find something to throw as a reward… how about a free beginners’ salsa lesson? Even if you think you have two left feet, I’ll teach you how to dance at least the very basic 2 steps, how’s that? Or one or two hours of conversational Spanish/Italian/Portuguese?

- VinoCamp is taking place on August 16th, 2008. I am not able to participate but you really should attend. Wine and geekery, what else do you need?

- Travis Smith just sent me an email about an upcoming event (the ExpressionEngine Road Show) that you can check out here.

VANCOUVER MEETUPS

- I am a big supporter of Vancouver meetups, particularly since I frequently organize them (Vancouver Bloggers Meetup), live-blog or recap them (Vancouver Young Professionals Meetup, Sales Performance Meetup and Real Estate Tech Meetup). And since I missed this month’s Vancouver Real Estate Tech Meetup (where Steve Jagger gave a presentation), I was feeling bummed. Fear not, Steve himself uploaded a recap!

- I will be missing the Third Tuesday and Net Tuesday meetups, but I’ll be linking to them as soon as I get any scoop. I am particularly bummed about Net Tuesday as I am a total non-Drupal geek, but I want to learn.

- Jordan Behan has been organizing impromptu, informal Tweetups sorta regularly (I hope you keep doing it at least until I can make it to one!) around the Gastown area. You may want to check on Twitter what’s going on (or search Summize for #GastownTweetup)

NOT SO LOCAL EVENTS, BUT STILL…

- WordCamp San Francisco 2008 is taking place this weekend too. Two of my Vancouver friends, Andy and Duane are going down. Andy is presenting on the status of his project BuddyPress and Duane is attending the whole Camp, although given that Duane and Dale’s BraveNewCode project, WPTouch 2.0 for the iPhone was just released, I would have thought that Matt would have invited Duane to speak. Next year, I’m sure. I will link to Andy’s talk if he (or anyone else) uploads video. Heck, who knows. If I become really proficient with WordPress, maybe I will be presenting at WordCamp!

IF YOU MADE IT THIS FAR…

And somehow I didn’t highlight your event, fear not – drop me a comment or send me an email or a tweet. And while I am sure that most of my readers follow her blog, Rebecca usually has the comings-and-goings in Vancouver, so if I missed something about an event here, I could almost bet she has it there