Thursday, June 14, 2018

Homegrown (2018 shorts program)

Homegrown” (2018 shorts program)
Thursday, June 21, 9:15 p.m. Victoria
  1. Dyke Bars Never Last, dir. Stacy McKenzie, 2018 USA, 6 minutes 👏 (also screened as part of the “Fun in Girls Shorts” program) WORLD PREMIERE
  2. Dropping Penny, dir. Jed Bell, 2017 USA, 8 minutes 👍 (also screened as part of the “Transtastic” shorts program) WORLD PREMIERE
  3. Fig Tree, dir. Ana Quintanilla, 2018 USA, 5 minutes 👎🏼😕 WORLD PREMIERE
  4. Don’t Judge Me, It’s Rude, dir. Taylor Whitehouse, 2018 USA, 5 minutes 👎🏼🤮 WORLD PREMIERE
  5. I Live Here, dir. Shane Watson, 2017 USA, 18 minutes 👏 WEST COAST PREMIERE
  6. The PrEP Project, dir. Chris Tipton-King & Robyn Kopp, 2017 USA, 19 min. 💖
  7. A Great Ride, dir. Deborah Craig & Veronica Deliz, 2018 USA, 28 minutes ❓

Dyke Bars Never LastWORLD PREMIERE

Dyke Bars Never Last
Local band Sapphic Lasers made a music video homage to dyke bars, with lots of footage of settings the audience will likely recognize. The song itself is a personal eulogy to dyke bars long gone and a paean to the ones that remain. Well made, highly recommended. (also screened in the “Fun in Girls Shorts” program)

• watch it on YouTube

Dropping PennyWORLD PREMIERE

Dropping Penny
If you get the feeling in “Dropping Penny” that you’re watching a film school project, you’re right; go Gators! It’s a comedy about a couple of trans professional dog walkers in San Fran­cisco and their wacky clients. It tries a little too hard to be funny, but there are a few good lines and the dogs are cute, and what it lacks in polished professionalism it makes up in heartfelt commitment. Recommended. (also screened in the “Transtastic” shorts program)

IMDb • filmmaker Jed Bell

Fig TreeWORLD PREMIERE
Fig Tree

A woman (filmmaker Ana Quintanilla) has visions of her ex-lover in moments of solitude, feeling the loss of the intimacy, passion, and tenderness. Trouble is, if it weren’t for the blurb in the program, I’d have no idea that was what was going on. Not recommended.

IMDb

Don’t Judge Me, It’s RudeWORLD PREMIERE

Don’t Judge Me, It’s Rude
Two women meet at a tree stump in a park for a little ciga­rettes, booze, and small talk. Then they retire to an apartment for a little vomiting and small talk. Somewhere in the unspoken apparently there was supposed to be a point to all this. Not recommended.

IMDb

I Live Here • WEST COAST PREMIERE

I Live Here
The story revolves around three housemates: an African Amer­ican stand-up comedian whose name is on the lease, his white housemate and their new African American house­mate. We see a bit of friction in the house over the usual issues about bathroom time, cleaning up after your­self, etc., and the comedy performance by one with the other two in the audience, squirming a bit about some pointed jokes at their expense. It all comes to a head when they get home afterwards, the new guy is locked out, and the police arrive. It’s uncom­fort­able to watch the setup and especially the conclusion, but the social commentary is timely and incisive, and the audience discomfort is part of the point, as is the fact that none of the characters are either completely sympathetic or completely unsympathetic. Worth seeing, highly recommended.

IMDbtrailer (IMDb) •

The PrEP Project

The PrEP Project
Combination documentary, sex-ed film, and advocacy for the inclusion of PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis; i.e., taking Truvada to prevent, rather than treat, infection with HIV). The main narrator, Eric Paul Leue, takes us through some of his own personal history, including his dislike for condoms, and also some of the broader historical context of the fear-based ad campaigns started in the late 20th century to encourage condom use among gay men to the emergence of PrEP and the controversies around it. He presents some solid research findings about the effectiveness of condoms and the effectiveness of PrEP, but the bottom line is that PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV, but condoms still have a place in the discussion, especially since (unlike PrEP/Truvada) they reduce the risk of a much broader range of infections. Neither strategy alone is 100% effective, but PrEP can dramatically reduce the spread of HIV, working towards the ultimate goal of no new infections. The film mixes in some sexy tidbits for almost any taste as well as a good dose of humor in providing important information. Well done, MUST SEE.

IMDbWhat is PrEP? •

A Great Ride
A Great Ride

(this short film was not available for advance review)

Frameline blurb •

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