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Other Out Travel StoriesQueer view mirrorBy Mark SlutskyA preview of Canada's gay and lesbian film festivals. With over 150 queer-themed film festivals happening around the world, Canada boasts a diverse crop of its own. And with movie events throughout the year from sea to sea in a country renowned for its queer-friendliness, LGBT festivals spotlight innovative work by new directors and rediscover the classics. The Image+Nation Montreal LGBT Film Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this November in Montréal, a city justly praised for its nightlife, restaurants and relaxed atmosphere. The festival typically programs a wide range of films encompassing the gay and lesbian experience, with various themes from year to year (previous themes have included a salute to the musical, Spanish cinema, and a selection of “homo horror” films), as well as a strong focus on shorts and documentaries. There’s always a selection of special guests who participate in various panels discussions; the 2006 edition featured filmmakers John Greyson (The Law of Enclosures and Proteus) and Patricia Rozema (Mansfield Park and Tell Me You Love Me). Befitting the anniversary theme, this year’s edition will feature a look back at classic LGBT cinema, retrospectives of Québec and Canadian film and a large selection of newer movies. Vancouver’s West Coast location, between the Pacific Ocean and magnificent mountain ranges, make it a picturesque spot for the Vancouver Queer Film Festival. Highlights of the 2007 festival included a spotlight on director and festival guest John Cameron Mitchell (Shortbus), which included a screening of his modern classic Hedwig and the Angry Inch and a conversation with the filmmaker hosted by Montréal writer Matthew Hays (author of The View From Here, his recently-published book of interviews with gay and lesbian directors). This year’s edition featured the launch of the Queer History Project, with the film The Love That Won’t Shut Up, a short documentary about gay seniors. Gala screenings included the Israeli romance The Bubble, from director Eytan Fox, and German drama Vivere, directed by Angelina Maccarone. Metropolitan Toronto’s large, thriving gay community and the city’s festival-friendliness make it a natural fit with a queer film fest. Toronto’s Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival has grown to the point where Variety recently named it the third biggest queer culture film event in the world. The festival’s programming is diverse; in recent years they’ve featured series devoted to LGBT cinema in various parts of the world. A highlight of the 2006 festival was its Latin American focus, and the 2007 event (which ran in May) included a focus on East Asia, with screenings of new films like Tsai Ming-liang’s I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone and classics like Wong Kar-wai’s Happy Together. 2008 will spotlight the cinema of the South Pacific, and though it doesn’t kick off until May, year-round programs include the Queer Youth Digital Video Project, in which half a dozen or so young people make shorts to be presented at the festival. Getting here Image+Nation, www.image-nation.org Mark Slutsky is a Montreal-based writer, filmmaker and photographer. |
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