O’Hare, Christopher

1995

“It hurts me so much to say good-bye. I wish ever so much that I could stay and live a healthy, normal life.” These words were written by 26-year-old Simon Harvey in a farewell letter to his parents. Simon wasn’t ill. He decided to commit suicide, driving to the Sussex countryside where he killed himself with his car’s exhaust fumes while the hymn “To God the Glory” played on the car radio. Simon was a Christian and gay and tormented in his attempts to reconcile these two parts of his life. Treading carefully through sensitive areas, BETTER DEAD THAN GAY reconstructs the background of the tragedy withthe help of Harvey’s diaries and the recollections of his parents and friends and clergymen at whose churches he worshipped. “To discover my son was gay was as sad as losing him,” says Simon’s father. As a gay friend of Simon’s says, “Religion has a lot to answer for.”

In LEGACIES four men tell of their personal experiences in the Mormon Church and the attempts made by the Church to change their sexual orientation through aversion therapy.

Saree Tomes, Kimberly

1995

Re-examine Asian girl on girl porn through desire of a young Asian lesbian.

Litton, Peter

1995

Hosted by two holographic characters, the sexy yet utterly arrogant “HE-MALE” and his outrageous razor-tongued drag alter-ego, “SHE-MALE,” The Art of Cruising Men offers a meandering insight into the length many of us go to in order to make sexual contact with one another. From prehistoric man through forbidden worlds of toilets and darkrooms, this voyeuristic ride ends in the hedonistic and liberated 90’s. Offering advice while poking a bit of shameless fun at the 90’s gay man, our hosts and the men they watch tell us where we go for it and, finally, where we do it.

Christensen, Garth

1995

First-time filmmaker Garth Christenson's The Anniversary is a romantic comedy that will charm your socks off. Set in a typical Manhattan apartment building, two couples get their anniversary dates mixed and tensions build. As their spouses prepare fabulous meals, the nosy new neighbor Nancy is trying to be friendly, but only adds to the confusion.

Seder, Deno

1995

Andy Warhol is a brief look at the family Andy left behind in Pittsburgh.

Monette, Jean-Francois

1995

Starting with Simon LeVay's current hypothalamus theory, Anatomy of Desire examines the role that science has played in shaping society's understanding of homosexuality throughout the 20th century. Using insightful interviews, medical films and photographs, 1950s educational films, and other historical footage, this documentary makes important links between today's rush to find the cause for homosexuality with the biological determinism that has been used throughout time to single out and oppress different segments of society. Most striking is the footage of the Nazis who used biological theories to bolster their racial hygiene propaganda that sent tens of thousands of gays and lesbians to their deaths in Nazi concentration camps. This important film documents society's continued need to have science define and possibly someday control our very existence.

Atkins, Shawn

1995

An animated love story.

Okazaki, Steven

1995

In this poignant documentary, young adults talk about what it is like to be HIV-positive and how it has changed their lives.

Christopher, Mark

1995

Set on an expansive bean farm on the Fourth of July, all-American Jack Gudmanson discovers the reason his father has long since disappeared. Skillfully crafted, this film is one of the most beautiful in this year’s Festival, both cinematically and emotionally.

Nunez, Gloria

1995

Learn how not to behave in a bar in Bar Jeder Frau and find out what an important Spanish business woman does on her lunch breaks.