Are you prepared for an epic journey encompassing 405 films from 67 countries over 25 days at venues ranging from Seattle to Everett to Kirkland?
Are you?!?!?!
Yep, the Seattle International Film Festival kicks off tonight with the Gala premiere of The Extra Man at Benaroya Hall with stars and mayors and assorted media types in attendance…I’ve covered this a lot, you can still get tickets and I’ll be there to cover it for you so we’re not going to dwell too much on it right now…I want to get to the films you need to be buying tickets for/planning to see for this weekend!
I mentioned it in my sneak preview last week but it bares mentioning again because it’s one of the first queer films out of the gate…Loose Cannons, the film from noted Turkish/Italian director Ferzan Özpetek screens tomorrow night, Friday the 21st at 8:30pm at the Egyptian. It’s a melodrama about the son and heir to a wealthy pasta making family who comes out of the closet…sounds suspiciously like an episode of Dynasty. It screens again on Saturday at the Egyptian at 2pm then travels to the Admiral in West Seattle on Tuesday the 25th at 7pm to mesmerize all the “husbears” living over that way…
If you like them gay and short, then head to SIFF Cinema Sunday night at 9pm for the short film presentation, From Boys to Men, 80 minutes of shorter, gay themed films from around the world…judging by the title, I’m guessing that Girls will be allowed to ATTEND the film, but you’re not going to see a lot of Girls on screen…
As for the Girlz/Ladies/Womyn who like other Girlz/Ladies/Womyn, you’ll have to wait to Monday for the first opportunity to see a “ladies only” type film. Director Cheryl Dunye’s The Owls will screen on the 24th at 7pm at SIFF Cinema, then again Friday, the 28th at 5pm at The Egyptian. It’s the tale of:
of four middle-aged lesbians who attempt to cover up the murder of a much younger friend. As the film unfolds, Dunye blends meta-commentary into the mix as the actors reflect upon the predicaments of their respective characters, eventually revealing just as much about the narrative as it does about the struggle for acceptance faced by each of the female actresses. Written, directed, produced and starring Cheryl Dunye (The Watermelon Woman, Stranger Inside), and starring Guinivere Turner, Lisa Gornick, and V.S. Brodie, The Owls marks the debut film from The Parliament Film Collective, an association of lesbian and queer activist-artists whose work unflinchingly documents the messy corners and unlit hallways that constitute the whole of our humanity. Working in Dunye’s signature hybrid style (the “Dunyementary”), The Owls explores gender, sexuality and identity like few other movies to date.
All that, plus beloved Lesbian actress/filmmaker Guinivere Turner! What more could you ask for?!?!?
Also of interest to my Lady liking friends, the iconic Tilda Swinton stars in the swoony love story, I Am Love screening on Saturday at 7pm at The Egyptian…Musical loving ‘mos of all ages will want to see the classic MGM version of Leonard Bernstein’s On The Town starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra…we all saw the live show at The 5th Avenue Theatre last month; now you can relive the experience all over again on the big screen in glorious Technicolor! On The Town is one day only, Sunday the 23rd at 1:30pm at the Harvard Exit… And, if you prefer the perverse and the strange and loved Ryan Gosling in Lars and the Real Girl a few years back, then check out a Japanese take on the same situation. Air Doll is about a lonely, middle-aged man and the love doll in his life, only in this version, the doll comes to life! (If this happened on Capitol Hill, an army of male sex dolls would descend on the city and kill/molest us all! ZEXY!) Air Doll screens tomorrow at 4pm and Monday at 9:30pm and both screenings are at The Neptune, (apparently, lots of sex-doll loving types live in the U-District? Can’t those kids get “real” dates?)
That’s all I got for now…I’ll be back tomorrow with a report on the Gala Opening and more stuff you should know about…Ciao for now.
-Michael Strangeways
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
