Atlanta's gay film festival will feature more than 50 films, including several world premieres.

Out on Film announces expanded slate

The festival is set for Oct. 1-7 at Midtown Art Cinema and Ansley Park Playhouse. Jim Farmer, Out on Film director, announced additions to the schedule today. Additional parties, special events and guest speakers will be announced as the festival nears.

“You Should Meet My Son” opens the festival on Oct. 1, with “Role/Play: The Movie” closing Out on Film on Oct. 7.

In between are three world premieres, notes Farmer. They include a staged reading of a new film by John Gibson and Anthony Morris, known for their long-running play “Peachtree Battle,” at the pair’s Ansley Park Playhouse on Oct. 3; World Premiere Night follows the next evening at Ansley Park Playhouse with screenings of Brian Pelletier’s “Fishnet” and “Quentin Crisp: Final Encore,” which was filmed here in Atlanta.

Here is the complete Out on Film schedule as of Aug. 24:

Friday, Oct. 1

7:30 p.m. “You Should Meet My Son” (followed by an after party)

Saturday, Oct. 2

11:00 a.m. “Mississippi Queen”

12:15 p.m. “Baby Jane?”

2:00 p.m. “The Four-Faced Liar”

3:30  p.m.  World premiere staged reading of “When Joey Married Bobby” by Anthony Morris and John Gibson (Ansley Park Playhouse)

3:35 p.m. “Riot Acts: Flaunting Gender Deviance in Music Performance”

5:00 p.m. Men’s Shorts (including “Go-Go Reject,” “Bedfellows” and “You Can’t Curry Love)

6:30 p.m. “Leading Ladies”

8:15 p.m. “Violet Tendencies”

10:10 p.m. “Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives”

Sunday, Oct. 3

11:00 a.m. TBD

12:15 p.m. “Is it Just Me”

2:10 p.m. “Oy Vey! My Son is Gay!

4:00 p.m. “The Adonis Factor”

5:45 p.m. “The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister”

7:30 p.m. “Undertow”

9:15 p.m. “Plan B”

Monday, Oct. 4

5:30 p.m. “Sex in an Epidemic”

7:00 p.m. “Elena Undone”

8:55 p.m. “Children of God”

Ansley Park Playhouse

7:15 p.m. “Quentin Crisp: Final Encore”

8:30 p.m. “Fishnet”

Tuesday, Oct. 5

5:30 p.m. “Making the Boys”

7:00 p.m. “A Marine Story”

8:55 p.m. “Howl”

Ansley Park Playhouse

7:10 p.m. TBD

8:55 p.m. “Strapped”

Wednesday, Oct. 6

5:30 p.m. Women’s Shorts (including “Tech Support, “cried suicide,” and “You Move Me”

7:00 p.m. “Bear City”

8:55 p.m. “From Beginning to End”

Ansley Park Playhouse

7:15 p.m. “I Killed My Mother”

8:55 p.m. TBD

Thursday, Oct. 7

5:15 p.m. Mo’ Shorts (including “Fourplay: San Francisco” (produced by Michael Stipe) and “Door Prize” with “Sordid Lives’” Beth Grant)

6:30 p.m. “Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride”

8:20 p.m. “Role/Play: The Movie”

 

Here are descriptions of the films provided by Out on Film.

“The Adonis Factor” (directed by Christopher Hines)

From former Atlantan Christopher Hines,  the director of the critically-acclaimed film “The Butch Factor,” comes an intriguing exploration of gay men’s pursuit of physical perfection, partially filmed in Atlanta and featuring several Atlantans.

“Baby Jane?” (directed by Billy Clift)

Bette and Joan, eat your hearts out! This drag-studded recreation of the 1962 classic “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” drops us back into the depths of sisterly detestation.

“Bear City” (directed by Doug Langway)

A hirsute “Sex and the City,” Bear City follows the funny, romantic, and occasionally dramatic adventures of a group of bears and cubs in New York City leading up to a big bear weekend. From the folks who brought you “Another Gay Movie,” “Bear Cub,” “Raising Heroes,” and the short film “Birthday Time.”

“Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride” (directed by Bob Christie)

Gay Pride marches and festivals are happening all over, sometimes under heavy at the role of these events ever taken. This feature length documentary follows the Vancouver Pride Society’s (VPS) Parade Director Ken Coolen and his VPS colleagues as they travel to places where Pride is still steeped in protest to personally experience the rampant homophobia that still exists.

“Children of God” (directed by Kareem Mortimer)

Two young Bahamian men on the path to out-of-the-closet self-respect are shadowed by a nasty current of outspoken homophobia in this tender, tough and touching drama.

“Elena Undone” (directed by Nicole Conn)

Featuring the longest kiss in cinematic history – clocking in at more than three minutes – “Elena Undone” is a must see. Peyton and Elena are, on the surface, diametrically opposed – one, a well-known lesbian writer, the other a mother and wife of a pastor – but then their paths cross, several times over, they feel compelled to connect. What begins as friendship quickly blossoms into something deeper.

“Fishnet” (directed by Brian Pelletier)

When two burlesque dancers accidentally get involved in a mob hit, they hit the road only to turn a small town upside down. As the clothes come off the bullets fly. Director Brian Pelletier’s feature film debut. Starring Rebekah Kochan, Jillian Easton, Carol Lurie, Meg McLeod and Melanie Devaney.

“The Four-Faced Liar” (directed by Jacob Chase)

“The Four-Faced Liar, “a comedy about drama,” tells the story of a group of New York 20-somethings.  Bridget is a hip, womanizing lesbian who loves Emily Bronte, and who lives with her guy pal Trip. One night, they meet straight-laced New York newbies Greg and Molly at their favorite hangout, The Four-Faced Liar. Molly is a bit appalled by free spirited Bridget – but she’s also attracted to her, and in time, the friends’ lives are hilariously complicated when the two women fall in love.

“From Beginning to End” (directed by Aluisio Abranches)

A Brazilian film filmed in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro deals with the very deep, and passionate relationship amongst two brothers. Thomas and Francisco embark on a life journey that leads them to develop a special connection when they are younger that once they are older becomes an incestuous love affair.

“Howl” (directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman)

A drama centered on the obscenity trial Allen Ginsberg faced after the publication of his poem, Howl. James Franco is electrifying as Ginsberg, abetted by a star-studded supporting cast.

“I Killed My Mother” (directed by Xavier Dolan)

A Cannes favorite, writer-director Xavier Dolan delivers a non-traditional, gay coming-of-age story with I Killed My Mother: a complex, semi-autobiographical drama about a teenager’s love/hate relationship with his mom.

“Is it Just Me?” (directed by J.C. Calciano)

Blaine is a typical young gay man looking for love…without much success. Enter Xander, the man of his dreams. After meeting in an online chat room, they quickly fall for each other and start a virtual relationship. Before long, they decide to meet face-to-face for a coffee date. But in Blaine’s world, nothing comes easy. He discovers he’s been chatting with his new online boyfriend under his roommate Cameron’s profile. The problem is, Cameron is a sexy go-go dancer – and that’s the guy Xander is expecting to see. Blaine persuades his roommate to pose as him during the date until he can win over Xander with his whit and charm. It’s Blaine’s brain versus Cameron’s brawn as love blossoms within this threesome.

“Leading Ladies” (directed by Daniel and Erika Braehm)

The Camparis are a family of women in which everyone knows her place. Sheri is the larger-than-life, overbearing stage mom. Once a young and beautiful ballroom champion, Sheri now lives vicariously through her youngest daughter Tasi, the darling of the local amateur ballroom circuit. Sheri’s oldest daughter, Toni, is Tasi’s practice partner, the wallflower who must quietly support them all. The only consistent man in the life of the Campari women is is Cedric, Tasis dance partner and Toni’s best friend. Find out what happens to each as they reexamine their roles in modern life and on the dance floor.

“Making the Boys” (directed Crayton Robey)

In 1968, a play called “The Boys in the Band” opened off-Broadway. Written by Mart Crowley, the drama centered around a group of homosexual friends who gather for a birthday party that quickly turns ugly. No one could have guessed the impact that the small production would have on the tempestuous social climate of the 1960s. “Making the Boys” traces the history of the play and how its surprising success gave many people struggling with their sexuality the courage to come out of the closet and stand up for their rights.

“A Marine Story” (directed by Ned Farr)

A decorated Marine officer unexpectedly returns home from the war and is quickly recruited to help a troubled teen prepare for boot camp, but when the true reasons for her return become known it threatens the future for both of them. A MARINE STORY highlights the absurdity of the military ban on gays through the personal story of one courageous woman.

“Mississippi Queen” (directed by Paige Williams)

What would Jesus do with a lesbian daughter? Paige Williams really needs to know. Happily married to Amelia with a baby on the way, Paige is troubled by her strained relationship with her devout Southern Baptist parents. They run the only ex-gay ministry in Mississippi. With an open mind and a daughter’s respect, Paige documents her pilgrimage to the crossroads of faith and love.

“Oy Vey! My Son is Gay” (directed by Evgeny Afineevsky)

A wildly funny farce about two Jewish parents who don’t want to believe their son is gay. A great cast headed by the Jewish mother to end all Jewish mothers, Lainie Kazan.

“Plan B” (directed by Marco Berger)

After his girlfriend breaks up with him, Bruno decides he will do anything to get her back — even pretend to have a crush on her new, reportedly bisexual boyfriend. But what if he falls in love for real?

“Riot Acts: Flaunting Gender Deviance in Music Performance (directed by Madsen Minax and Simon Strikeback)

Documentary film about transgender and gender variant musicians, featuring bands and artists such as Trannysaurus Rex, Coyote Grace, The DeGenerettes and many more.

“Quentin Crisp: Final Encore” (directed by Diane Cardea)

A new documentary of the inimitable Quentin Crisp! This never-before-seen film contains one of his last, most extensive, on-camera interviews from July of 1999, 4months before his death on Nov 21. He was 90 years old.

“The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister” (directed by James Kent)

Maxine Peake (“Criminal Justice”) stars in “The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister,” a bold, passionate drama that has enchanted audiences at festivals this year.  Anne Lister, 1791-1840, was a Yorkshire landowner, industrialist, traveller and diarist.  She was a lesbian, who, despite needing to keep her orientation secret from society at large, in private defied the conventions of her times by living with her female lover.  Anne Lister kept a detailed account of her life, her loves and her emotions in a fascinating and painfully honest four million word journal.

“Sex in an Epidemic” (directed by Jean Carlomusto)

Documentary that visits the plight of the early AIDS epidemic, the history of the illness, its impact on society and the growing sense that the disease is behind us.

“Strapped” (directed by Joseph Graham)

A handsome young prostitute learns about life and love during a succession of sex-filled odysseys in an apartment building filled with strange inhabitants in which the hustler cannot get out.

“Ticked Off Trannies With Knives” (directed by Israel Luna)

A group of transgender women are violently beaten by three straight guys and left for dead. After regaining their consciousness, the violated vixens turn deadly divas. With their new found confidence and courage, the ticked-off trannies slice their way to vengeance. An homage to the exploitation/revenge films of the 70’s and 80’s, “Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives” is loaded with titillating dialog, buckets of blood…and extreme violence.

“Undertow” (directed by Javier Fuentes-Leon)

Winner of the Audience Award at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, “Undertow” is one of the most beautiful gay love stories you’re likely to see, a film that has moved audiences across the world, at film festival after festival. In a tiny Peruvian seaside village, where traditions run deep, Miguel (Cristian Mercado), a young fisherman, and his beautiful bride, Mariela (Tatiana Astengo), are about to welcome their first child. But Miguel harbors a scandalous secret. He’s in love with Santiago (Manolo Cardona), a painter, who is ostracized by the town because he’s gay. After a tragic accident occurs, Miguel must choose between sentencing Santiago to eternal torment or doing right by him and, in turn, revealing their relationship to Mariela—and the entire village.

“Violet Tendencies” (directed by Casper Andreas)

She is Manhattan’s most fabulous Fruit Fly! At 40, Violet is the racy, fun-loving belle of the ball. She spends her night as royalty, but when the party ends she always heads home alone. Starring Mindy Cohn of “The Facts of Life,” Casper Andreas (Out on Film’s 2009 entry “The Big Gay Musical”) and Jesse Archer.