The annual GLBT film festival Outfest unfolded in LA over the past couple of weeks. There's always much here of appeal to broader audiences. As an aside, the abbreviation "GLBT" always sounds like a sandwich to me. Maybe a BLT with gouda.
I didn't get a chance to check out as much as I'd wished, but one screening of short films by female directors this past Sunday ("Girls' Shorts") contained three gems I wanted to jot down here.
First — the delightful "Casting Pearls," with Calpernia Addams and Andrea James (you might know them from "Transamerica," or "Soldier's Girl"). Link to trailer.
"Pearls" is a sharp, funny comedic short told from the pov of a transgendered actress doing her best to remain human while trying to make a living in Hollywood. Contains the most hilarious use of a plastic sausage biscuit ever captured in a motion picture.
Another standout was "Make a Wish" (Itmanna), about a young Palestinian girl who will do just about anything to buy a chocolate birthday cake for someone she loves very much. Filmed on location in the West Bank by director Cherien Dabis, produced with help from the media center at Al Quds (I've blogged about the work of Daoud Kuttab from that institution before). Link to "Make a Wish" website with trailer.
And another obvious crowd fave was "Pariah," directed by Dee Rees: Link to website with trailer. A lush, beautiful short about a young woman in the Bronx growing up gay in a conservative home. There's so much for non-gay audiences to appreciate in this tale about identity and family. If I understand correctly, Spike Lee provided some form of support in the production, and there are plans to do a feature. Image in this post: detail from "Pariah" promo poster. Seriously, any dramatic short that opens with this song is not fooling around.
Here's a silly snapshot of me saying hi to the "Casting Pearls" filmmakers after Sunday's screening: Link.
Update: "Pearls" director Andrea James tells us,
"FYI, today Outfest added the Girls' Shorts program to their schedule on September 26 at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood (6712 Hollywood Boulevard). We are scheduled to attend. Outfest Wednesdays: Link. And for those who prefer male bonding: Link to the "Boy's Shorts" program. Check their site and ours for more information as it becomes available."
Check it out. Consider it cultural penance for the fact that this is the number one movie in America right now. {gags}. As if a 14% Rotten Tomatoes score were a bad thing.
