Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2008

Juxtaposing interviews of German gay men who lived through World War II but have since died with those of contemporary German lesbians, influential independent director Rosa von Praunheim creates a striking portrait contrasting men who spent their lives in silence with women whose voices are now at the forefront of today’s queer culture in Germany. DEAD GAY MEN & LIVING LESBIANS allows each story to stand on its own. Imprisoned and made to endure many indignities during WWII, Walter Schwartze states, “The way I am has always made me suffer.” Manuela Kay has confidently evolved from lesbian porn producer to the publisher of Germany’s first lesbian magazine. Ninety-year old Albrecht Becker became an extreme masochist, both enduring and enjoying his time in prison. Berlin-based Turkish DJ Ipec moves assuredly through the club scene and forges a cross-cultural relationship with her German partner. Following this engaging and impressive pastiche of Germany’s queer past and present will be a panel discussion of current LGBT issues in Germany featuring Karsten Tietz, Consul for Cultural Affairs, German Consulate General. ASL Interpreted.

Tilda Swinton narrates this moving tribute and love letter to her friend, British filmmaker Derek Jarman, a pioneer of queer cinema. Jarman died of AIDS in 1994, but not before he left the world a collection of cinematic gems, from his 1976 film SEBASTIANE to EDWARD II (with Swinton) to BLUE, his last film, which consists of a single image of a blue screen. At once an elegy, documentary, and meditation about an artistic legacy of enduring importance, DEREK eschews the usual “talking heads” of documentaries. Instead, Tilda Swinton, Jarman’s muse and constant collaborator, narrates the film by reading from a letter, while director Isaac Julien weaves together archival footage, home movies, and interviews with Jarman’s friends (including David Hockney and the Pet Shop Boys) to create a remarkable portrait of Jarman’s life and work. Derek Jarman himself discusses his youth, life, loves, and work. This is an original film for a truly original artist.

DIRECTED BY DOROTHY ARZNER is the story of Hollywood’s most accomplished, groundbreaking, and forgotten female director. Arzner was a star-making director of more studio features than any female in history and also inventor of the boom microphone. Although she was discreet, there was no mistaking Dorothy’s sexual orientation or the coded references to a world of strong women in films starring Katharine Hepburn, Rosalind Russell, Lucille Ball, Joan Crawford, and, in her first “talkie,” Clara Bow. Driven out of Hollywood in the early 1940s by a changing studio regime, Dorothy and her remarkable legacy went largely forgotten until now. Written by Chris J. Russo and Glenn Gaylord, DIRECTED BY DOROTHY ARZNER was accepted into Film Independent’s prestigious Screenwriters Lab and their Directors Lab. Russo’s A WOMAN REPORTED screened at Sundance, and STRAIGHT DOWN THE AISLE: CONFESSIONS OF LESBIAN BRIDESMAIDS won Best Short Documentary at Outfest. Gaylord’s short, BOYCHICK won an award at SIFF, LOST CAUSE played Slamdance; and he is currently directing EATING OUT 3. This program includes a staged reading of the screenplay with local actors, a Q&A with the screenwriters, and a special screening of the scenes from Film Independent’s Directors Lab.

At Médéric’s birthday party, his mother meets his boyfriend William for the first time. She seems accepting, saying “teenagers have to make their own experiences.” But she doesn’t really mean it, and soon an argument ends the party. Jump to an idyllic riverside cabin where William’s former boyfriend Nicolas is spending the summer with boyfriend Maxime. William and Médéric join them for a couple of days, and as the film progresses, relationships among the boys are poised to shift. Fortunately, William’s video journals of his adventures with Médéric offer us an intimate opportunity to visit their world. LONELY CHILD qualified for certification by the Dogme ’95 Collective: extraneous elements such as artificial lighting, makeup, and music produced apart from the action were eliminated, allowing the talented, photogenic actors to flesh out their improvised roles with a sense of spontaneity and casual authenticity, creating a perfect environment for this film’s story.

Director Damion Dietz (FAG HAG) returns with a thoughtful look at two young men— not boys but also not yet fully grown—who go in search of the meaning of fatherhood. One is seeking the father who left. The other is struggling to become the father he needs to be. After the death of his partner, Andy flees LA and takes to the road. Car trouble and an encounter with an eager pornographer cause him to cross paths with Nate, a hypnotically handsome marine on leave in Palm Springs. The two men are drawn deeper into each other’s domestic conflicts and create an intimacy that shifts the nature of their relationship into something neither of them expects. Strong principal performances are energized by a talented supporting cast including Candy Clark (AMERICAN GRAFFITI), William Belli (Nip/Tuck), and Diane Davisson (Dante’s Cove).

Two cocky lesbians in a Texas diner are gonna get served.

DOTTIE’S MAGIC POCKETS is the first kids’ show that features gay and lesbian families—and it’s fun for everyone! Each zany episode is filled with catchy songs and cute cartoons, like the purplish-pink Princess and her two dads. Dottie helps all children understand and appreciate nontraditional families.

From the director of SPIDER LILIES (SLGFF 2007), the quietly affecting DRIFTING FLOWERS tells the interconnected stories of three Taiwanese women living in different times, weaving a multidimensional portrait of age (young and old), commitment (maintained and broken), and love (returned and denied) between friends, family, acquaintances and lovers. In the first segment, eight-year-old May discovers the bitter taste of first love when she accidentally sees her blind sister Jing kissing their band’s tomboy accordionist Diego. In another time and place, Lily struggles with Alzheimer’s and her fragile memory of youth. When her old friend Yen comes to visit, he brings more bad news—he’s been infected with HIV and is giving up on life. As their health collapses, the two form an unexpected bond and rediscover the meaning of life and love. Finally, there is Diego. Years before, she left her hometown and joined the band. The confused teenager binds her growing breasts despite being called “boy girl” by her traditional family. An impromptu performance changes her destiny, as Diego faces her unknown future with courage and hope. ASL Interpreting before the film. co-presented by Asian Counseling and Referral Service

Faux German television hausfrau Edith (think Dame Edna and Martha Stewart’s love child) gives sex advice.