In English
USA / 2008 / 彩色 Colour / 86min
Director: Kimberly Reed

Filmmaker Kimberly Reed returns home for her high school reunion, ready to reintroduce herself to the small town as a transgender woman and hoping for reconciliation with her long-estranged adopted brother Marc. Things are complicated by the shocking revelation that Marc may be the grandson of Orson Wells and Rita Hayworth, forcing Kim and her family to explore questions of sexual orientation, identity, severe trauma and love. Prodigal Sons offers a raw, provocative and moving examination of one family’s struggle to come to terms with its past and present.

In English
Canada / 2009 / Colour / 104min
Director: John Greyson
Special Selection in World AIDS Movies Day (29/11)

At the center of this playfully perverse video opera are AIDS activists Tim McCaskell, the Canadian founder of AIDS Action Now!, and Zackie Achmat, whose drug strike in South Africa made international headlines. Documentary footage of their political battles is intercut with a fictional plot about Gertrude Stein and Virgil Thomson, who, having finished their play Four Saints in Three Acts, have created a sequel portraying the activists as modern-day saints. Dark humor abounds in this surreal production. Masterfully constructed and visually riveting, Fig Trees is an entertaining yet searing indictment of government negligence and the greed of pharmaceutical companies. It is also a poignant memorial for the untold lives of many AIDS activists and one of the most provocative films to emerge from queer cinema in recent years.

In English
USA / 2009 / Color / 78min
Director: Daryl Wein
Special Selection in World AIDS Movies Day (29/11)

The outbreak of AIDS in the early and mid 1980’s devastated an entire generation of gay men in the major US cities, and changed the entire gay lifestyle across the globe. Sex Positive looks at the fascinating journey of an unsung hero, from his journalism-activism in the late 70s through to his struggle for recognition and survival today. While most of us have never heard of Richard Berkowitz, he played an instrumental part in persuading the gay community to use condoms to reduce the transmission of HIV. His personal journey, as a S&M sex-worker and outcast, is just intriguing. With unprotected sex and infection rates amongst young men on the rise, Sex Positive is chilling historical lesson for all and a documentary that every gay man should watch.

25/11(Wed) 8:10pm/BCBuy

In English
USA / 2009 / Colour / 80min
Director: E.E. Cassidy
Cast: Melia Renee, Najarra Townsend, Mary Elise Hayden, Lance Drake

Sadie is a flannel shirt wearing photography nut in her last year of high school, the kind of nerdy arty kid who gets good grades and lives with her nice family in a nice house. Nico and Treg are a hot hipster couple infatuated with recreating the mod lifestyle of “Band of Outsiders”, wearing vintage clothing and riding around town on Lambretta scooters. Soon Sadie is drawn into their world, opening up and exploring a whole new side to life, from snorting coke at fancy clubs to menage a trois scenarios in hot tubs. Director E.E. Cassidy’s knowledge of the retro-hipster mod scene comes to the fore in this quirky, dramatic and off-beat film.

24/11(Tue) 9:50pm/BCBuy

In English
USA / 2007 / Colour / 81min
Director: Spencer Schilly
Cast: Nick May, Tom Merlino, Brian Patacca, Blake Young-Fountain

Opening with three men together in bed, the Houseboy is director and writer Spencer Schilly’s take on polyamorous relationships. The movie follows a week in the life of Ricky, a 21 year old guy who has become embroiled in a three-way relationship with an Simon and DJ, an older couple. However, while Simon has feelings for Ricky, to DJ he is nothing more than a toy. When his lovers leave him at home to visit their family at Christmas he embarks upon a series of casual hook-ups, each more empty and unfulfilling then the last. As he falls into inner turmoil, he begins tells his lovers that he will kill himself. But will he find redemption in the arms of somebody who treats him as an equal?

23/11(Mon) 9:50pm/IFCBuy

14/12(Mon) 8:10pm/BCBuy

In English
USA / 2009 / Colour / 80min
Director: Glenn Gaylord
Cast: Daniel Skelton, Rebekah Kochan, Chris Salvatore, Michael E.R. Walker

All gay men care about is hot, fit and muscular bodies, right? Casey is a skinny boy in a new town, working for crazy faghag Tiffani in her salon “Nail me” when he meets hunky Zach at the local gay community centre. He finds his new crush online and creates a fake profile with hilarious consequences in this queer comedy of men, manners, threesomes and more. At the end, it turns out that there’s a lot more more to love than just having perfect abs. The script crackles with in-jokes and double entendres, and the young, fit and beautiful cast are not afraid to get their rocks off in this sexy and funny satire of modern gay life.

26/11(Thu) 8:10pm/BCBuy

In English
USA / 2009 / Colour / 82min
Director: David Lewis
Cast: Brendan Bradley, Matthew Montgomery, Simon Burzynski, Elinor Bell

Trapped in a stable but stale relationship with his partner and their child, accountant Everett is looking forward to some time alone when his partner Miles takes their son to Seattle to spend some time with his folks. However, his peace and calm is interrupted by the arrival of the dark and handsome writer Chase in his quiet town. Chase has come to redwood country to finish his novel, but he and Everett soon develop a rapport that leads to a passionate romance. Redwoods is the second feature from writer-director David Lewis, who adeptly handles the themes of responsibility, love and family while capturing the majesty of the giant redwood trees that provide the backdrop to this scenic romantic drama.

30/11(Mon) 9:45pm/BCBuy

In English
USA / 2009 / Colour / 90min
Director: Adam Salky
Cast: Zach Gilford, Emmy Rossum, Ashley Springer

Alexa, a high school student who aspires to shine as an actress, lands the dream role as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire, but is devastated when she is told that she lacks the edge to succeed. Desperate to prove she is more than a dull “good girl”, she sets out to seduce the handsome and popular Johnny. Her closeted best friend Ben is none too pleased with Alexa abandoning him and becoming an item with Johnny. When Ben begins to pursue Johnny, it sends an already confusing situation further out of control. Based on their award-winning short film, writer David Brind and director Adam Salky have developed this complex tale of lust, love and confusion into a highly entertaining feature.

28/11(Sat) 5:55pm/BCBuy

In Spanish with English subtitles
Argentina / 2009 / Colour / 95min
Director: Lucia Puenzo
Cast: Inés Efron, Mariela Vitale, Carlos Bardem

The barriers of class, status and fate seem insurmountable for the beautiful Lala, the entitled daughter of a high court judge and her stunning lover (and family’s domestic helper) La Guayi. When Lala’s father is found murdered, she flees to La Guayi’s home town, reliving their relationship in flashback as we discover that all was not as it seems. Written and directed by up-and-coming young Argentinian film-maker Lucía Puenzo, The Fish Child won best cinematography and the Jury special award at the Malaga Spanish Film Festival. With excellent performances from lead actors Ines Efron and Mariela Vitale, a twisting plotline and dramatically violent climax, it manages to entertain and engage in equal measure.

25/11(Wed) 7:50pm/IFCBuy

In French & German with English Subtitles
USA / 2009 / B&W and Colour / 97min
Director: Jason Bushman
Cast: Eric Debets, Chad Allen, Jonathan Blanc, Michael Airington

We’ve all dreamt of moving to Hollywood and becoming a big star, but for Jerome this becomes a reality in this whimsical comedy. Struggling with a break-up from his ingénue boyfriend Gilles, Jerome departs on a spur of the moment Christmas break to glitzy Hollywood with the dream of becoming a star of the silver screen. Upon his arrival however, all is not as glamorous as he had hoped. He soon meets a cast of weird, wacky and wonderful LA characters and discovers there’s more to life than fame and fortune. Written and directed by Jason Bushman, and featuring a hunky cast led by French hottie Eric Debets, Hollywood Je T’Aime will bring a ray of California sunshine into your day.