LGBT Films at Raindance Film Festival

Here are the films that are must-see for us at the Raindance Film Festival, currently on until October 7, 2018:

GEORGE MICHAEL: FREEDOM – THE DIRECTORS CUT

“On Christmas Day 2016 we heard with shock and disbelief that our dear friend George Michael had passed away.” Kate Moss’s tribute to the legendary British pop star opens GEORGE MICHAEL: FREEDOM, Kate is the first of many stars telling their story of how they knew George as a musician and person. George Michael co-directed this documentary which, after his death, was completed by his close friend David Austin. Although spanning most of his life, it focuses on the formative years of the late Grammy Award-winner’s life that led to the making of his acclaimed album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. The film tackles George’s dilemmas with stardom and navigates how his personal and professional life became so intertwined that he had to fight to remain true to himself whilst at the centre of so much attention. This is shown by his High Court battle with Sony Music that led to his controversial decision to end his recording contract with them, believing they restricted his artistic independence. The Director’s Cut version of the film shows never-before-seen footage giving an intimate first-person account of the musician’s successes, losses, and his lasting impact on the music industry.

Fri 5th Oct 20:30

3 SIBLINGS

Three siblings with different gender identities and sexual orientations bring us into their world during São Paulo’s LGBT Pride Month. We learn about their relationships with each other, and how they work to overcome the rampant homophobia and transphobia that exists in Brazil.

Sunday 7th Oct 12:45

I HATE NEW YORK

Comprised of handheld footage shot over a decade by director Gustavo Sanchez, I HATE NEW YORK is a vibrant and personal portrait of four of New York City’s underground artists and trans activists – Amanda Lepore, Chloe Dzubilo, Sophia Lamar, and T De Long. The film is made up of conversations filmed while applying sharpie for eyeliner in dressing rooms, riding in taxis, walking through the park, discussing art, gender identity, activism, and personal history, and as the film builds we begin to see how the lives of these individuals intersect. This intimate structure is the film’s greatest strength, along with an excellently curated soundtrack of artists including ARCA, Sharon Needles, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. A decade is long enough for major change to happen, but short enough that everything day-to-day is still recognisable. This is both personal and political, and not always positive – since 2011 gay marriage has been legalised in New York, but the lack of affordable housing and the pressure that puts on young artists and queer people has become more relevant than ever. I HATE NEW YORK highlights this change and leaves in its wake the question – what will it mean to be a young, trans artist in 2028?

Mon 1st Oct 15:00

RUMINATIONS

A wander around the counterculture of the 1960’s and 70’s American west coast, in the company of raconteur, wit, and dedicated performer Rumi Missabu. Along the way, Missabu performed with Tina Turner, worked with Andy Warhol, and got to know Allen Ginsberg rather intimately. Even in physical decline, Missabu’s desire to entertain an audience is paramount. Robert Jackson’s feature debut is a generous, funny and joyful documentary about a larger-than-life subject. It serves two disparate purposes, showcasing the life’s work of a consummate performance artist, but also digging underneath the mischievous anecdotes and playful personas to get at the person behind these performances, James Bartlett. The film is also about the role of the archivist and archivism in extending the life of the kind of fleeting pursuits that the psychedelic theatre troupe The Cockettes were engaged with. Still busy in his dotage, Missabu has become dedicated to documenting the work and ethos of the counterculture. Jackson’s delightful documentary is a suitable postscript.

Fri 5th Oct 15:10

Sat 6th Oct 20:15

DYKES, CAMERA, ACTION!

This documentary presents the history of lesbian cinema from the 80s, 90s, and beyond, as told by the women who were there, interviewing pioneering filmmakers such as Barbara Hammer, Janet Baus, and Cheryl Dunye, to get to the bottom of what is so important and meaningful about queer films made for queer women by queer women. DYKES CAMERA ACTION! introduces and explores different facets of lesbian cinema, from arthouse to mainstream, discussing the importance of films such as BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER… and HIGH ART to the representation of queer women onscreen. DYKES, CAMERA, ACTION! is essentially the sapphic THE CELLULOID CLOSET, and it works perfectly as an introduction as well as an examination of American queer cinema through the female lens.

Wed 3rd Oct 15:15

Fri 5th Oct 20:15

SHORTS PROGRAMME: QUEER

An eclectic mix of short films exploring the lives of members of the LGBTQ+ community across the globe. We are taken on a journey from a theme park in Beirut to the gorgeously shot landscapes of Cork, and just about everywhere else in between.

Sun 7th Oct 12:45

KILL THE MONSTERS

KILL THE MONSTERS glimpses into the life of three men in a polyamorous relationship. When Patrick begins to show signs of illness and drug addiction, their small heaven begins to crumble. Majestically bizarre, KILL THE MONSTERS defies norms of narrative storytelling. The story is woven in an impressionistic mosaic of moments: cutting rapidly between romantic squabbles, sex, vomiting and impromptu singing, the film presents a montage of the small, yet deeply relatable fragments of romantic relationships. Artful black and white cinematography sets this unconventional story in a framework outside of gender politics, and simply invites the viewer to witness the three protagonists’ most intimate moments. Money problems, staged interventions, and minor breakdowns ensue – in sickness and in health, they face the same issues as any couple. At times the film is charmingly self-aware, poking fun not only at its own characters, but equally at the little prejudices and archetypes among the LGBTQ* community at large. KILL THE MONSTERS bridges a crucial gap in cinema: it is a queer film that for queer and straight communities alike is a must-see.