There’s a wealth of LGBT films on tap at SIFF this year, and there’s several good ones to choose from this week. Tonight you can check into Leo’s Room at 9:30pm at Pacific Place Cinema. Leo is a cute, grad student who looks like the love child of Johnny Depp and Rufus Sewell and he’s having some relationship problems. He can’t “rise to the occasion” with his girlfriend and she dumps him, (don’t blame her), and the depressed Leo retreats to his rented room and hours of furtive Internet cruising where he runs into an old friend, Caro. Soon the two men begin a tentative relationship that’s only hampered by Leo’s nervousness in coming out of the closet despite the fact his family and friends are largely supportive of his sexuality. This Uruguayan (still keeping to my vow of not making any silly “U-R-Gay” jokes) romantic comedy/coming out story is the debut of writer/director Enrique Buchichio, and has been acclaimed for its fresh, original take on some very old literary themes…also, the actors in it are adorable. Check it out.
From Beginning to End is a story from north of the border…the Uruguayan border that is. The Brazilian romantic drama concerns two half-brothers who discover that cachaça might be quicker, but incest could be best and while that plot point might make some folks throw up a little bit in their mouths, others might enjoy seeing two hot, nubile Brazilian stud muffin actors PRETEND to be half-brothers in lust and enjoy seeing them roll around in the sheets for 94 minutes. If sexy Latin dramas are your thing, or if you’ve worn out your copy of Kristen Bjorn’s Carnival in Rio, then check this one out at the Egyptian on Wednesday at 4:30pm. Just don’t tell your boss you’re leaving work early to go see a sexy movie…
L’Enfant terrible Xavier Dolan wowed the Cannes Film Festival last year, where his debut film, I Killed My Mother won three prizes in the Director’s Fortnight competition and considerable press attention due to the fact that the director/writer/star of the film was only 20 at the time. The story of 16 year old Hubert, a precocious gay teen and his love/hate relationship with his mother Chantale is both corrosive and touching, the painful to watch fights tempered by genuine human emotion and moments of cathartic humor. This Québécois Canadian film will screen Wednesday, June 2 at 7pm and, Sunday, June 6, also at 7pm at the Egyptian. Check out this award winning film, then head to your favorite Canadian diner for an order of poutine…mmmmmm….POUTINE!
-Michael Strangeways
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
