La Villa, Marco

1998

Dance music in all its forms has swept the pop scene over the last few years, becoming one of the most influential (and profitable) segments of the music industry. But as mainstream music lovers have embraced the music – hip-hop, trip-hop, techno, house, hard house, big beat, jungle, acid jazz or whatever – they have tended to ignore or dismiss its roots in gay discos and clubs. Now the SFILGFF brings this powerful social phenomenon home to the queer world with Hang The DJ – a stunning feature-length documentary profile of the people who keep us shaking our butts. Filmmakers Marco and Mauro La Villa (Italian/Canadian twins with a prolific career making short films and music videos) have assembled an impressive cast for their riotous and insightful dance party of a film. International DJ superstars Junior Vasquez, Q-Bert, Roger Sanchez, A-Trak, Roc Raida, Jellybean Benitez, Cut Killer, The X-Men and the legendary Larry Levan (who has been called the most influential DJ ever) all spin their stuff on camera, and tell of life in their world of fame, fortune and conflict. According to The Toronto Star, Hang The DJ packs "the sensory overloading rush that goes with being at the midst of a massive party." In other words, a perfect beginning for a night on the town.

Torrealba, José M.

1998

A Documentary story about different aspects of the Gay Circuit Party phenomenon.

Are they fundraisers vital to the survival of AIDS service institutions, or hedonistic extravaganzas which glamorize superficial body worship and drug use and ultimately speed rather than slow the spread of AIDS? Got 2B There examines Circuit Parties, from their beginnings to the current furor which surrounds them. As the AIDS crisis reached epidemic proportions in the mid-eighties, the institutions that treated those affected by the disease became more and more pressed for funds. These non-profits turned for income to Circuit Parties, an annual series of dance events held in cities across the world. By the late eighties, they had taken hold, giving rise to a gay sub-culture of beautiful and wealthy men who travelled from party to party, raising millions of dollars annually for AIDS organizations – but also raising sharp criticism for promoting irresponsible behavior under the guise of fundraising. Jose Torrealba’s provocative documentary, which includes footage of parties and interviews with a who’s who of A-list gays, is required viewing for anyone who has been, or who wants to be, there.

Little, Robert

1998

A chance encounter between two teenage boys leads to an unexpected and unsettling revelation. Joseph just wants to please his family in A Good Son, but an incident on the rooftop leaves him feeling ashamed and confused.

Bradley, Maureen

1998

Subversion of familiar pop imagery and everyday signifiers.

Johnson, Liza

1998

A young doormat-like woman deals with her desire for an older motorcycle girl.

Cristofer, Michael

1998

Meyer, Armgard

1998

A girl goes on an adventure to discover what turns her on.

Berry, Scott

1998

A room full of radical queers reject the commercialization of gay pride and celebrate and organize toward building alternatives.

Wynne, Stephanie

1998

A Gay Black Female searches personal ads for love, but instead finds drama and a one night stand.

In Stephanie Wynne’s farcical Gay Black Female, Jadah tries to find love and a Toni Braxton lookalike in the personals, but ends up on the bad side of a female Gangsta, while Train Station, set in Chicago in the ’50s, tells of the romance between a butch and a femme.

1998