ImageOut, the Rochester Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival will celebrate its 13th anniversary between Oct. 7 and 16, as it showcases 41 films and videos during its 10-day span.
This year, ImageOut will present for the first time the ImageMaker Award to “recognize a unique individual’s courageous artistic vision and overall contribution to the arts, through his or her life and work.” The award will be received by Charles Busch, who has proven his dedication to the arts as a playwright, screenwriter, film director, actor, novelist and drag artist. He has also been nominated for a Tony Award and is a Sundance Film Festival Award Winner. He will receive his award on Oct. 8 following the screening of “The Lady in Question is Charles Busch,” in which he stars.
Below are brief descriptions of four movies playing at ImageOut, which may be of interest to you – “WTC View,” “Left Lane,” “Desperate Homos” and “Summer Storm.”
“WTC View”
“WTC View” follows the plight of a young gay man who places an ad in the Village Voice on Sept. 10, 2001 for a roommate with whom he can share his SoHo apartment. The film depicts his emotions and search for stability following the September 11 attacks, while also featuring the respondents to his ad. Writer, director and producer Brian Sloan will attend the film screening at the Little Theatre.
“Left Lane”
“Left Lane” is a documentary featuring the work of self-proclaimed “lesbian, feminist, atheist and socialist” Alex Olson on one of her recent tours, in which she preaches her social beliefs. The film traces her appearances at poetry workshops, music festivals and at high schools, while also providing a glimpse into her personal life between these performances. Olson will be performing on the River Campus on Oct. 6 prior to the Oct. 15 screening of “Left Lane” at the Little Theatre.
“Desperate Homos”
“Desperate Homos” takes a different direction in revealing the plight of the homosexual by piecing together different short movies. Curated by Michael Gamilla, the film lasts about an hour and a half and proves that “gay boys lead very complicated lives.”
The films -“Lonely 15,” “The Homolulu Show,” “Starcrossed,” “Postmortem,” “dare,” “The Last Night,” “Mostly Willing” and “Bikini” – range in origin from Norway, the United States, Canada and France. Both “The Last Night” and “Mostly Willing” are in French with English subtitles. The different films give respective insights into dating, coming out, sexual escapades and the mnage trios.
If you have a hard time following one film for too long and are looking for a different way of watching a story develop, I recommend you check out “Desperate Homos.”
“Summer Storm”
“Summer Storm” is a German drama that traces the friendship between two male best friends who attend summer camp together. When a young gay rowing team arrives at camp, they are forced to face their prejudices and perhaps their sexual feelings for one another. It is a sensitive coming- of-age story, but lacks the clich devices illustrated in most films of this genre.
You can catch the above films and others at the Dryden Theatre, the Little Theatre and the Cinema Theatre. Visit http://www.imageout.org for show times and locations.
Katz can be reached at jkatz@campustimes.org.
