22/11(Sun) 7:45pm/AMC FWBuy

24/11(Tue) 7:50pm/IFCBuy

In Swedish with English Subtitles
Sweden / 2008 / Colour / 103min
Director: Ella Lemhagen
Cast: Gustaf Skarsgård, Torkel Petersson, Thomas Ljungman

Swedish couple Goran and Sven have everything they could possibly desire: great jobs and a wonderful new home in the suburbs. Having been approved as adoptive parents their quest to become the perfect family will soon be complete. However, a bureaucratic blunder means that instead of an 18-month old baby, a troubled teen with a history of violence arrives at their door. Adapted from a three-person stage play by director Ella Lemhagen, Patrick Age 1.5 takes a “sit-com”-like premise and develops it into a thoughtful, funny and provocative rumination on tolerance and understanding. The excellent cast deliver moving yet humourous performance, and the accurate portrayal of a gay family makes for a heart-warming story.

25/11(Wed) 9:40pm/IFCBuyTrailer

27/11(Fri) 9:30pm/AMC FWBuy

In Portuguese with English Subtitles
Portugal / 2009 / Colour / 133min
Director: João Pedro Rodrigues
Cast: Alexander David, Fernando Santos, Gonçalo Ferreira De Almeida, Fernando Gomes, Jenni La Rue

At what point can we move on from our gender, even if we are trapped in the wrong body? To Die Like a Man follows Tonia, a transsexual grand dame of the Lisbon drag scene, who is resisting pressure from her junkie boyfriend Rosário to undergo a full sex change operation that will remove the last vestiges of her manhood. As she struggles with her decision, Tonia faces challenges to her position from young upstarts and journeys to the remote home of fellow drag queen Maria. The flamboyance of the actors is matched by the stylistic approach of award winning director João Pedro Rodrigues. He frames the action with an expert eye, making To Die Like a Man an enthralling cinematic experience.

Patrik, Age 1.5

22/11(Sun) 9:45pm/IFCBuyTrailer

24/11(Tue) 8:05pm/BCBuy

27/11(Fri) 9:50pm/BCBuy

In English
United Kingdom / 2009 / Colour / 88min
Director: Simon Pearce
Cast: Wayne Virgo, Tom Bott, Alice Payne, Marc Laurent

Cal is a scally kid from the wrong side of the tracks, who spends his days drinking and committing random acts of violence with his gang mates Nessa and Jonna. But Cal has a secret, he likes men. When his gang rob and beat Olivier, an effeminate French student, Cal intervenes to save him. The act is his first in a road to discovering a softer side and coming to terms with his sexuality, but how will his friends react when they find out he is gay? Director Simon Pearce walked away from the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film festival with the “Emerging Talent in Queer Cinema” award for this harsh but true-to-life portrayal of the UK’s underclass.

28/11(Sat) 7:45pm/BCBuyTrailer

In Hebrew and Yiddish with English subtitles
Israel / 2009 / Colour / 92min
Director: Haim Tabakman
Cast: Zohar Shtrauss, Ran Danker, Tinkerbell, Tzahi Grad

Co-presented with HONG KONG JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

Set in Jerusalem’s Orthodox community, Eyes Wide Open follows a passionate affair between butcher Aaron and his young apprentice Ezri. Following his father’s death, respectably married Aaron hires the nomadic and handsome Ezri as help for his butcher shop. But as their master and student relationship develops into something much stronger, they must cope with the suffocating and claustrophobic community in which they live. When the behaviour of an unmarried female neighbour causes controversy, Aaron is forced to assume a judging role in the community, one that conflicts directly with his own actions. First-time feature director Haim Tabakman explores the moral limits of religion and responsibility, and the struggle between desire, responsibility and the need to conform in this haunting and poignant feature.

21/11(Sat) 2:00pm/AMC FWBuyTrailer

23/11(Mon) 7:50pm/IFCBuy

01/12(Tue) 9:50pm/BCBuy

In French with Chinese and English subtitles
Belgium and France / 2008 / Color / 105min
Director: Joachim Lafosse
Cast: Jonas Bloquet, Jonathan Zaccaï, Claire Bodson

Not only does aspiring tennis player Jonas find out that he will never become a professional, but his lackluster academic performance means he is at risk of bring expelled from school. Ignored and abandoned by his divorced parents, Jonas begins to turn his back on his life, becoming estranged from his friends, school and family. But he finds solace in older friends Pierre, Didier and Nathalie. Their help enables Jonas to overcome the challenges of both romance and study as he learns how to cope with both his examinations and the trials of love.

21/11(Sat) 4:00pm/AMC FWBuyTrailer

27/11(Fri) 8:00pm/AMC FWBuy

In French with English Subtitles
France / 2008 / Color / 86min
Director: Pascal-Alex Vincent
Cast: Alexandre Carril, Victor Carril, Anais Demoustier

Co-presented by Consulat General de France
Sultry, brooding and beautiful. Terms that refer to both the way this film is shot and the extraordinarily attractive lead actors in this sensual and sometimes savage road move. Identical 18-year twins Antoine and Quentin leave their home in France on a journey to attend their estranged mother’s funeral in Spain. Hitching, walking and jumping onto moving trains, the two encounter a variety of absorbing characters on their odyssey. From free and easy girls to a farm boy fling, these interactions provoke fraternal jealousy and rivalry, with often violent results. Showcasing the stunning French countryside, director Pascal Alex-Vincent’s eye for beauty also extends to his young and gorgeous cast. A film of few words, it is Give Me Your Hand’s imagery that speaks the loudest.