Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2009

Winning awards at the Melbourne, Miami, Zurich, and Vancouver gay film fests, I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT is the queer Romeo—or rather, Juliet—and Juliet of our time. Tala (Lisa Ray), a beautiful, brash Christian Palestinian in London, is engaged—again—to be married in an ostentatious Jordanian wedding, as her wealthy, conservative family expects. Leyla (Sheetal Sheth), a shy, sensitive, middle-class Muslim from a traditional Indian family, is likewise on a trajectory toward eventual matrimony. When they meet through friends, they form a strong friendship and soon fall hard for each other. Tala, for all her outspokenness, has trouble accepting her feelings; for Leyla, however, the experience is transformative, and there is no going back. Family expectations, duty, and self-truth vie for the upper hand, with true love in the balance. A cross-cultural exploration of religion and freedom, love and loss, and tradition and change, I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT is also disarmingly charming and funny. The pulsating chemistry between on-screen lovers, however, is central. Director Shamim Sarif brings back the stars of the SLGFF 2008 sellout, THE WORLD UNSEEN, as well as a light touch to serious issues, in this winning feature, based on her book of the same name. Copresented by Tasveer

From the director who brought you the LAUGHING MATTERS series (SLGFF 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008) comes the very first all-drag version of Logo's hit comedy series "One Night Stand Up." Filmed live just a month ago in Santa Monica and emceed by the amazing gender-bending Ongina (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”), this flaming show spotlights three fabulous, fierce, and funny performers. For over ten years, drag superstar Jackie Beat has been entertaining audiences live across the country and on Comedy Central, VH-1, and MTV with her razor-sharp comedy and hysterical song parodies. Miss Coco Peru has created and starred in award-winning one-person shows for nearly two decades; she’s been on-screen in TO WONG FOO and TRICK, and on TV’s "Will and Grace," "Arrested Development," and her own Logo comedy special. Varla Jean Merman (Mary Sunshine in the Broadway revival of “Chicago”) has filled concert halls and cabarets around the world; you may have also seen her on Bravo’s “Project Runway” and in the hilarious GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS. Three stellar entertainers, one stage, one night only, and one spectacular show. This uncensored world premiere features footage that you won't see on TV! Guest in attendance