Hainsworth, Shawn

1996

Sunflowers is a portrait of a group of gay men in a small rural town in the Philippines who perform a Christian festival in drag.

Sunflowers is a portrait of a community of gay men in a rural town in the Philippines who perform a Christian festival in drag. The acceptance of these men by the local townspeople is at the heart of a surprising and moving portrait of gay life in this small, farming community. Sunflowers has a truly unique take on cultural perceptions of homosexuality and sexual identity.

Ozon, Francois

1996

French director François Ozon, whose latest features CRIMINAL LOVERS and WATER DROPS ON BURNING ROCKS premiere in this year's Festival, was previously known for his daring and inventive shorts. In Ozon's 1995 LA PETITE MORT, a young gay photographer is tormented by a photo of himself as a baby. After the death of his father a box of family photos reveals a startling truth. A SUMMER DRESS (SFILGFF 1997) is the story of Frederick and his holiday encounter with a stranger on the beach, which further complicates his already ambivalent teenage sexuality. Also set in a holiday locale, SEE THE SEA tells the dark and provocative story of Sasha, a young mother awaiting the return of her husband. Her solitude is broken by the appearance of Tatiana, a brooding backpacker who asks to camp outside her cottage. Sasha grows increasingly fascinated with her mysterious visitor whose demeanor gradually becomes more ominous as she insinuates herself into Sasha’s home.

Chan, Isabella V.

1996

About the friendship, misunderstanding and breaking up of two girls growing up in a convent school. Two girls reminisce about their days in a convent schoo.

Johnstone, Cathy

1996

The dream-like atmosphere of Elizabeth's fragile world is upset when her partner Jo invades her space.

Fisher, Lisa

1996

Public service announcement for safe sapphic sex.

Hindley, Emma

1996

Produced for broadcast in conjunction with the Channel Four co-production The Celluloid Closet, these four works examine the special relationships between two Hollywood stars, a collection of soulful singers and a British soap. BLACK DIVAS looks at how such singers as Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Lena Horne and others reflect the gay experience. THE STREET looks at the quintessential English soap Coronation Street and tries to explain its huge gay fan base. A tribute to River Phoenix, THIS ROAD WILL NEVER END features interviews with some of the key characters in the young star's life. Lastly, since she first hit cinema screens in a series of unconventional teenage roles, Jodie Foster has been adored by lesbians who identify with her tomboy traits and admire her consistently powerful portrayals. Pratibha Parmar's JODIE illuminates the Jodie phenomenon with interviews and a wonderful selection of scenes from Foster’s film career.

Leder, Evie

1996

A charged voyeristic dynamic develops as two couples wait for a train to take them to some unknown destination. The Travel in question turns out to be along the axis of sexuality and gender, the seen and the unseen, the desired and the feared.

Solley, Ph.D., Robert

1996

Documentary profiling 18-25 year-olds who have HIV and are in the process of recovery from drug addictions.

There are 1.4 million homeless youth on the streets of America; about a third of them are gay, lesbian, bi or transgender. They are runaways, and some are "throw-aways," abandoned or forcefully exiled from their family homes. These young people endure familial abuse, drugs and alcohol, prostitution, and life on the streets; many attempt suicide. In 1992, seventy homeless youth — of various racial, cultural and sexual identities — registered for a theater project in the Hollywood shelter where they lived. This project encouraged them to share their stories. Of the original seventy, ten completed the project and became performers, playing roles from each others’ lives. Surviving Friendly Fire documents the creative process they went through to create the 1993 play, Friendly Fire, which was the centerpiece of the prestigious Los Angeles Festival before it played to great acclaim in high schools throughout the city. Also showing is Straight-Up Life: HIV and Addiction, which profiles 18-25 year-olds who have HIV and are in the process of recovery from drug addictions with the help of Walden House

Frockele, Jorg

1996

Central Park and a Manhattan roof top are setting for gay romance.

Corzine, Georgina

1996

The Source is a surf adventure docu-drama about hot surfer chicks, mermaids and the courageous women of the Bay Area who relentlessly pursue that perfect curl. An ode to those daring ladies of the waves