These days, living in our post pandemic world and with the way cultural participation has evolved, it often seems challenging to convince friends and acquaintances to step out for a big night of fun. Sometimes it seems practically impossible to convince friends to barely step foot outside of their door!
If ever there was a reason, Charlotte Pride’s upcoming Reel Out Film Festival sounds like the perfect time and place. Set for the Independent Picture House at 4237 Raleigh Street in Charlotte May 15-19, opening night kicks off with an early evening party of film trivia, hosted by some of the region’s popular drag entertainers. The trivia party will be followed by a screening of film shorts.
Among those playing for this night are:
“Catboy” is a 2016 Australian short film written and directed by French Canadian actress and director Genèvieve Bujold. The film tells the story of a young man named Max who meets a mysterious stranger, Theo, at a Halloween party. As the night progresses, Max becomes drawn to Theo’s charismatic and androgynous presence, leading to a romantic connection that challenges Max’s traditional notions of masculinity and sexuality.
“It’s a Match” is a documentary that tells the story of Alana and Lori — two LGBT 20-somethings looking for love, when an internet encounter makes a match that will leave them forever connected. Shortly after their meeting, Lori learns Alana has been on a wait list to receive a kidney transplant. Much to her surprise, Lori learns she is a match and decides to donate one of our kidneys to Alana .
“Lee Baby” is a short-film that invites you into the intimate private moments of a trans man and his wife as they journey to create a family. At a time where the safety, bodily autonomy, and livelihood of trans people and their loved ones are under constant threat and attack, the film is recognized as a declaration of trans dignity.
“One Story at a Time” is a documentary short that explores the experiences of Celeste Lecesne, who tells the story of how he escaped the oppression of homophobia and found the courage to share his story. In a fateful chain of events, an Off-Broadway solo show becomes an academy award-winning film and ultimately inspires the Trevor Project, the largest suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth.
“Safety State” is described as a “near future dystopian road trip” comedy that explores the experiences of a lesbian couple and a gay couple – interpreted as an uncomfortable pairing in this film – who flee from an oppressive anti-LGBTQ state to a progressive and accepting state that will provide safety and a better quality of life.
“Stone” tells the story of a young woman’s discovery that her father was a transgender woman, and how that impacts her thoughts of childhood.
“Unnamed” is a Persian film that delves into the experiences of a young trans and non-binary basketball player who struggles with their desire to play the game and live their authentic life in a culture that is far less than accepting.
Among the list of currently confirmed main features for the event are:
“20,000 Species of Bees”
From Spain comes this documentary that explores the intersection of indigeneity, queerness, and environmentalism through the story of an Indigenous beekeeper. The film delves into themes of identity, community and the importance of preserving biodiversity.
“The Judgement”
A horror film from Egypt follows the experiences of an Egyptian gay couple who return from the U.S. for a family emergency and fall prey to purported witchcraft as “punishment for their homosexual sins.”
“F.L.Y.”
This is the story of two ex-boyfriends (Max and Rafael), who haven’t seen each other in five years, reunite – the COVID pandemic hits, and they’re forced to quarantine together. In the years that have passed since they last saw each other in New York, Max has built a new life in Los Angeles working as a freelance editor and spent most of his free time with his new boyfriend Hunter,a fitness instructor. Rafael has been rebuilding his identity as a non-binary human who’s excited to explore the art of drag with hopes of becoming a drag superstar.
“Riley”
The life of a disciplined athlete unravels when his queer identity competes against his career in sports. A coming of age story about a closeted football player grappling with his sexuality during his senior year of high school, the film was written and directed by Benjamin Howard who drew from his own experiences as a young man.
“Egoist”
A dramatic LGBTQ Japanese feature that follows Kosuke, a successful magazine editor, and Ryuta, a gym trainer who is hesitant to commit to a relationship with Kosuke because he performs sex work, in addition to his gym training job. Eventually Kosuke persuades Ryuta to begin a relationship, but there remains an undercurrent of financial disparity.
Special Double Feature
One evening boasts a Double Feature that includes the film “Turtles,” a Belgian-Canadian production that focuses on the lives of an older gay couple drifting apart as they attempt to save what they have. The additional film for the double feature evening is “Old Lesbians.” Created by Arden Eversmeyer, the documentary short shares the collected stories of several senior lesbians.
At press time, exact days, dates and times were unconfirmed by film festival producers. Additional titles and information will be made available in the online version of the story and through the organization’s website and social media as the opening night event approaches.
Sponsors and other involved parties for the Reel Out Film Festival include K&L Gates, Gilead, Lending Tree, Charlotte Gaymers and the Hispanic Federation. Additionally, five of the film screenings are free to the public, and made possible by a grant from Culture Blocks and the Arts and Science Council of Mecklenburg County. ::