Reel Affirmations 20 Program Guide

official festival program

presented by one in ten

October 13-22, 2011 festival sponsors

www.reelaffirmations.org

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Contents H H

H H H Publishers Sean Bugg, Randy Shulman

Welcome to RA20

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Festival Highlights

13

VIP Pass Info

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Festival Blurbs Editor Sarah Kellogg

Ticket Purchasing Info

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Contributing Writer Larry Guillemette

Venue Addresses and Info

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Production Assistants Julian Vankim, Aram Vartian

Sponsors & Community Partners

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A History of Reel Affirmations

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Cultural Literacy Project

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Women’s & Filmmakers Brunch

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The Embassy Series

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Opening Night: Dirty Girl

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Day-by-Day Guide to the Festival

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Pull-Out Film Schedule

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Closing Night: Loose Cannons

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Festival Staff & Volunteers

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Acknowledgments

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One In Ten 1920 N Street, NW Suite 20a0 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202-349-7358 info@oneinten.org www.reelaffirmations.org www.oneinten.org

Film Index

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c 2011 Jansi LLC and One In Ten. All Rights Reserved.

Art Director Tony Frye

Special thanks to Brent Almond, Joe Bilancio Dennis Havrilla, Larry Guillemette, Mark Heckathorn, Sarah Kellogg, Lisa King, Will O’Bryan, David Uy Cover & RA20 Logo Design Brent Almond, Design Nut Patron Saint Vito Russo Produced for One In Ten by Jansi LLC 1012 14th Street NW, Ste. 209 Washington, D.C. 20005 Tel: 202-638-6830 editor@metroweekly.com www.metroweekly.com

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Reel Affirmations

Welcome to

Reel Affirmations is Back! And we love the prospect of having you join us from October 13 through 22 as we celebrate a major milestone — the 20th Anniversary of the Reel Affirmations Film Festival.

As you know, it’s been a long, hard and winding road to get here, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of you and so many others in the LGBT community and our allies here in the nation’s capital.

Our 20th Anniversary is not the culmination of great things for Reel Affirmations, but rather is the beginning of a new era for us as we celebrate the vision of our founders and embrace our core competencies and look forward. We’re proud that the festival is among the top LGBT film festivals in the USA, and the largest, multi-day LGBT event held in the nation’s capital.

We’ve searched the world over for the absolute best in LGBT film this year and we’re very proud of the films that made the cut and have been selected for screening in this year’s festival. We have over 55 film programs for your viewing pleasure. That’s over 85 films from more than 23 countries.

There have been a few changes since RA19 and we’re thrilled to welcome several new Venue Partners this year, including Lisner Auditorium, the GWU Amphitheater and the Documentary Center at George Washington University, as well as the Globe Theatre (formerly Visions Cinema Lounge), the U.S. Navy Memorial Theatre, the Atlas Arts Center and the West End Cinema. As you can see from that list, just as our community is everywhere and all over the city, we’ll be presenting the best in LGBT films in many corners of the nation’s capital this year.

The Programming Team for Reel Affirmations, led by our incredibly talented Director of Programming Joe Bilancio, has made a promise to try to screen films that have not been screened in Washington, D.C. before, are not available on DVD and cannot be streamed on your game console, iPhone, iPad or smart phone. The only place you’ll get to see these films first is here at Reel Affirmations.

There are many highlights to this year’s festival programming. We’re thrilled to be hosting the World Premiere of Into the Lion’s Den on Sunday, October 16, and you’ll be stunned by the power of Pariah, one of the few must-see films to emerge from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.

As the LGBT film festival in a major world capital, this year we decided to partner with some of our international colleagues to offer a special series of screenings which are bring held at embassy facilities and international cultural centers. We are honored that the Embassy of Israel, the Embassy of France, and the Goethe Institut – German Cultural Center will host these special screening program this year (see page 35 for details).

Special thanks go out to our VIP patrons and donors to our 200 at $500 campaign who helped us with their financial support. These folks provide crucially important funding throughout the year, which is especially important since our major events take place in the fourth quarter of year.

A special heartfelt thank you goes out to our sponsors. So when we give them a few minutes at the beginning of each program to tell you a little about their organization or product, please remember that they make the festival possible. We’re thrilled that some of them have been with us since day one and that others have joined us along the way.

Lastly, a very special thank you goes out to the Festival Volunteers. They are the backbone of this organization and we could not put on an event like this without their dedication and commitment. So please be sure to say thank you to that person that tears your ticket, or escorts you to your seat. We could not do this without them.

All the best,

Lisa King Larry Guillemette President, One In Ten Board of Directors

lloudc@comcast.net

Chairman, Reel Affirmations Film Festival

larry@reelaffirmations.org

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From the Director of Programming H

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Greetings, fellow filmgoer, When I was asked to write something emphasizing the highlights of the festival, my response was “they are all highlights.” While true, that’s not really the answer. The festival really does have something for everyone. And while some patrons look for light films, others look for heavy, so I’ll try to “highlight” some things that you might have missed.

While the cute, half (or more) naked boys are well-represented (Going Down in La-La Land, Longhorns, Eating Out 5: The Open Weekend) as usual, the gems can be found in some of the international films, most of which have not screened many places in the U.S. and few, if any, of the LGBT film festivals. Many play mid-week in the wonderfully intimate setting of the West End Cinema (only 75 seats — so buy your tickets fast).

Rosa Morena is not your typical gay-man-wants-baby story as it turns the genre on its head by following this desire to the extreme and following a gentleman from Denmark (when he can not adopt as a gay man) to the streets and favela of Brazil. Here he tries his hand at the black market and in turns finds love and another path to becoming a father. Packed with raw emotion, intensity and all the feelings associated.

Anything You Want is a touching story of a little girl who is trying to get over the loss of her mommy

and nothing can stop the pain. Her loving father will do anything to help stop the girls sadness... including taking her place. While this might read creepy, or over the top, it is so genuine and touching that even the hardest of hearts will be weeping along with the characters. While a gay character is a central figure, it really is a film of gender issues, homophobia and al-out-love. It’s a true must see.

Out Loud follows a group of friends through their trials and tribulations of living in modern day Lebanon,

where it is not acceptable to be gay, at least outside this group who supports each other unconditionally. It is rare to see this type of a film come out of Lebanon. Witty and sweet combine with sadness and despair in a must see film.

If you like your films with a “bite,” try “Vamp Night” and the screenings of We Are the Night and Bite Marks, two different takes on the Vampire story that is ever so hot. Bite Marks stays true to the genre

while at the same time taking a semi-satirical look while We Are the Night is an all out adrenaline rush that holds you in its clutches (Louis Vuitton that is) and never lets you go.

Youth is served in many of our films: Jitters is the coming out tale of young boy in Iceland. The Wise Kids looks at religion and the effect it has on the young people in the story. Photos of Angie and Bullied grip you with their stories of homophobia and worse. Our Lips Are Sealed follows two young men trying to break the Guinness Book of World Records’ record for kissing. This Is What Love In Action Looks Like is a look at a boy who is being sent to a camp to “cure” him of being gay.

There are dozens of other films not mentioned here, but that doesn’t make them any less worth your while. You’ll find descriptions of them all in the pages of this guide -- and I’m sure you’ll find plenty to enjoy at this year’s Reel Affirmations Film Festival.

See you at the movies!

Joe Bilancio Director of Programming

Reel Affirmations 20

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Become a One In Ten VIP! H

Membership has its privileges Your support and generosity ensures that Reel Affirmations and One In Ten’s many cultural programs will continue to grow and flourish.

This year, because of several smaller venues being utilized for Reel Affirmations 20, a VIP Pass to the festival is the best way to guarantee your seat. As a VIP Pass holder, you won’t be sold out of any screenings because your All Access VIP Pass will allow you to enter the venue and select your seat 20 minutes before each screening begins.

One In Ten and Reel Affirmations rely on the generosity of our VIPs to help underwrite screenings and costs associated with the film festival. Reel Affirmations is a costly endeavor. Each year we face increases in film and equipment rentals, theater costs, and marketing and transportation fees.

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The Venture Group ($2,500 or more)

The Venture Group is a dedicated group of committed donors who pledge to contribute at least $2,500 annually to One In Ten. Become a Venture Group member and receive special benefits in recognition of your generosity and support!

To become a Venture Group member or find out more about the program, please contact Larry Guillemette, Film Festival Chairman at 202-349-7348 or e-mail larry@oneinten.org.

VIP PASS CATEGORIES Venture Group Benefits ($2,500 and up) H Admission for two to all One In Ten events (Reel Affirmations, RA Xtra, etc.) and parties except those that are strictly fundraising events H All the benefits included with VIP passes at the film festival Studio Director ($1,250) H All of the benefits for Film Critic plus H An additional pass and admission to events for Reel Af-

firmation, giving you a total of 3 passes for the festival Film Critic ($1,000) H All of the benefits for Diva/Directors plus H Two passes to One In Ten’s year-round events

Diva/Director ($750)

The support of our VIPs enables One in Ten to bring year-round events to the GLBT community of Washington, DC. In appreciation of your support, we offer special benefits associated with the film festival and other events throughout the year.

Note the levels of support and become a VIP today and join the growing list of people who support the mission and goals of One In Ten — your support makes a difference.

H All of the benefits for Executive Producers — doubled!

H Passes to RA Xtra

Executive Producer ($350) H One pass to the October Reel Affirmations Film Festival H Opening Night Film and Gala H Closing Night Film and Gala H Special receptions throughout the festival H Listing in the Program Guide H Invitations to other VIP-only special events

Order your VIP Passes today by visiting www.reelaffirmations.org

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Festival Tickets and Pass Information H This year we’re using many smaller venues for the screenings at the festival. This means you need to select your films and make your ticket purchases as quickly as possible.

You can avoid being “Sold Out” by purchasing a Pass to the Festival. If you’d like information on becoming a RA20 VIP Pass Holder, please see page 15.

We’re also offering two other pass options this year: Festival Pass­ H $150 This pass provides early admission to all shows! With more than 55 programs this year, our festival pass is a surefire win! The pass can be used at all the festival venues, but excludes admission to the Opening and Closing Night films, as well as Special Ticketed events such as the GLAAD Media Panel, the Women & Filmmakers’ Brunch and all of the Embassy Series Screenings.

Six Pack Pass H $60 Everybody wants a six-pack! And now you can get a six-pack to see six movies at Reel Affirmations 20 Film Festival for only $60. That’s a $12 savings! The six-pack pass cannot be used for the GLAAD panel, opening night film or party, closing night film or party or women’s filmmakers’ brunch or the Embassy Screening Series.

Ticket Pricing Information for RA20 Special Events Opening Night Film H $20 Opening Night Film and Party H $40 Women and Filmmakers’ Brunch H $40 With a screening of Hannah and the Hasbian (details on pages 33 and 57) at the U.S. Navy Memorial Screening only H $20 International Embassy Series Screenings H $25 per screening Prior reservations are required by Wednesday, October 12. No at-door sales.

Closing Night Film H $20

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Individual Screenings Info Tickets for each screening are $12 with the exceptions of Opening, Brunch and Closing Night Screenings. $5 at 5 P.M. Youth Programming: The 5 p.m. shows at the West End Cinema on Monday, Oct. 17 (Our Lips Are Sealed and Change), Tuesday, Oct. 18 (Bullied and Photos of Angie) and Wednesday, Oct. 19 (This is What Love in Action Looks Like) are part of our $5 at 5 p.m. Youth Programming.

Ticket Outlets Tickets are available online at reelaffirmations.org.

Use the print at home option and you won’t have to wait on the Will Call line at the screening venue.

Festival and Six Pack Passes Available online at www.reelaffirmations.org And at Universal Gear

1529 14th Street NW

Washington, D.C.

202-319-0316 Tickets are available the day of each screening through the Reel Affirmations Ticket Staff at each venue box office as well.

SOLD OUT? When a screening is “Sold Out,” we may have some tickets left in reserve that will go on sale a few minutes before showtime. Theatre or festival staff will announce these RUSH TICKETS immediately prior to the screening.

Refunds & Exchanges One in Ten reserves the right to make a substitution for any film. If a screening must be cancelled after tickets have been sold, ticket holders will be able to exchange their tickets for one of equivalent value. All changes in film programming will be announced via email, Twitter and postings on the RA20 website and Facebook pages.

Closing Night Film and Party H $40

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Atlas Center for the Arts 1333 H Street NE Washington, D.C. 202-399-7993 www.atlasarts.org

VENUES

This year, Reel Affirmations is using screening venues throughout the nation’s capital. Some, like Lisner Auditorium, the Atlas Center for the Performing Arts, and the GWU Documentary Center, are new to the festival, and others have been with us for years. Since we’re using some smaller venues, getting your tickets in advance of the screening dates is very important. See the following pages for ticket prices and festival VIP information.

VIP Passes Purchase your VIP passes now!

Turn to page 15 to see how you can purchase the pass that will get you into all of the festivals screenings, events and parties, including our fabulous year-round events!

Purchase your tickets online www.reelaffirmations.org.

Embassy of France 4101 Reservoir Road NW Washington, D.C. Prior Reservations are Required for the Screening at this venue. No At-Door Sales.

Documentary Center – Room B7 George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs 21st and H Streets NW Washington, D.C. Embassy of Israel 3514 International Drive NW Washington, D.C. Prior Reservations are Required for the Screening at this venue. No At-Door Sales.

Globe Theatre (Formerly Visions Cinema Bistro Lounge) 1927 Florida Avenue NW (at 20th Street NW) Washington, D.C. Goethe-Institut German Cultural Center 814 7th Street NW Washington, D.C. Prior Reservations are Required for the Screening at this venue. No At-Door Sales.

GWU Amphitheatre – Third Floor George Washington University Marvin Center 800 21st Street NW Lisner Auditorium On the campus the George Washington University 730 21st Street NW 202-994-6800 www.lisner.org U.S. Navy Memorial Heritage Center Theater 701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. www.navymemorial.org West End Cinema 23rd Street NW Washington, D.C. 202-419-3456 www.westendcinema.com

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Sponsors of Executive Producers

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RA Producers

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Directors

Actors

Extras

Media

Hospitality

Community Partners Alexandria Gay and Lesbian Community Association Big Gay Book Group Brown Sugah Bash Arts Explosion Burgundy Crescent Volunteers Cherry Fund DC Bear Crue DC Film Alliance DC Lambda Squares DC Shorts Film Festival Ecclectic Woman Euro-Asia Shorts Film Festival Federal Triangles Soccer Club Film Neu – German Film Festival Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington Goethe Institut – Washington GLAA GLAAD GWU Allied in Pride GWU Allied in Pride – Graduate Students GWU LGBT Resource Center Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets Khush DC La Clinica del Pueblo Phat Girl Chic Rainbow Response Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League Team DC The DC Center Utopia Film Festival Women in Film and Video World AIDS Institute Youth Pride Alliance

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A cultural landmark celebrates a landmark anniversary with a return to its roots

By Sarah Kellogg

REEL AFFIRMATIONS AT

As Reel Affirmations celebrates its first 20 years, it is with the knowledge that much has changed since a handful of friends came together to start a film festival in the nation’s Capitol. Their only goal was to present affirming and realistic images of LGBT people on film and video.

At the time, LGBT characters were offbeat, out of their minds or one step away from the grave. Yet while the mainstream media offered meager examples of our real lives, a fledgling, independent LGBT film industry was creating films and videos that offered a profound look at our past, present and future.

A decade into the AIDS epidemic, stories about the lives of gay men were rarely being told with the nuances and emotion that we felt they deserved. The lives of lesbians were little more than prurient fodder for straight audiences, and stories of transgendered Americans Barry Becker were played out for comic relief.

The rare breakthroughs, Desert Hearts or Longtime Companion, to name a few, gave us hope and left us searching for more.

This was the opportune moment that Keith Clark and Barry Becker and their friends faced when they started Reel Affirmations: Washington, D.C.’s International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and One In Ten, its presenting organization. The first film festival held out hope for its future.

The small ragtag group of volunteers put together a raw but memorable event that drew the curious and the excited.

As Reel Affirmations grew, changing venues, leadership, volunteers and programming, the anticipation of

the festival grew, as well. The annual release of the program guide at Lambda Rising or Annie’s was an event and opening night became a homecoming. The energy pulsing through the theater as the lights came down was as much for the film as for the excitement of being in a theater filled with other LGBT people who got the joke or who understood the storyline.

Soon, the festival became a comfortable oasis, for many the only one they would know, for others an affirmation that they were not alone. The joyful laughter, the flowing of tears reflected recognition that a film story might have been too familiar, an array of emotions all heightened by the surroundings.

As Reel Affirmations mushroomed into ever-larger venues, notably the Lincoln Theatre, it became clear that the “festival” was as important to the community as Keith Clark the films. The opening night, closing night and cocktail parties in the tent brought LGBT filmmakers and actors to Washington to celebrate LGBT film and the greater LGBT community.

There were dramatic screening victories — the presentation of Academy-Award nominated and winning films, such as Gods and Monsters and Boys Don’t Cry — and the attendance of top Hollywood directors and screenwriters, including Bill Condon, Kimberley Peirce and Dustin Lance Black.

Not satisfied with a purely U.S. narrative film experience, Reel Affirmations expanded its screenings of foreign films and documentaries, adding depth and meaning

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History H

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to the festival. It also opened up new venues as foreign embassies and cultural institutes, including the Goethe Institut, co-presented the world’s most important LGBT films.

Once the straight world realized that LGBT films were not only fun but also profitable, more and more LGBT films were mainstreamed into the straight distribution film system, making it difficult for LGBT festivals to access new LGBT films. Meanwhile, Netflix and the Logo cable network arrived making the movie-going experience a home-based affair. No shared laughter or joy but easy access to the refrigerator.

As Reel Affirmations changed venues again to the Shakespeare Theatre’s Harman Center for the Arts, it found itself at the heart of Washington’s art district. The festival continued its vital role in the LGBT community but also became a critical player in the Washington arts scene.

This was a key step forward in the festival’s life, but it also stretched Reel Affirmations beyond its traditional neighborhood and audience.

With the arrival of Reel Affirmations 20, the festival has come back to its roots. This year Reel Affirmations revives its commitment to festival and the films that define us as a community. These won’t be films you can see on Netflix or Logo -- these are films you’ll only find at Reel Affirmations.

There will be the requisite pretty boys and foxy ladies, but they will be encompassed in stories that are interesting, intriguing and unique -- just like all of us.

One In Ten’s Cultural Literacy Project

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Help One In Ten keep LGBT cultural heritage alive while educating the next generation of LGBT activists!

For more than 20 years, One In Ten

(OIT) has endeavored to entertain, inform and educate Washington audiences by showcasing LGBT arts and cultural programs. As part of its founding mission, OIT is not only for and by the LGBT community.

Making connections and building common ground is part of the art connection. As one of the nation’s leading LGBT arts presenters, OIT remains dedicated to cultural activism and artistic diversity in service to the community, as well as protecting our cultural heritage in the face of great change and evolution.

On its 20th anniversary, OIT is launching the One In Ten LGBT Cultural Literacy Project by providing enduring images and words for LGBT youth, many of who come new to the struggle or are unaware of the critical works done by our early leaders. We are committed to sustaining and growing

the LGBT community’s cultural literacy by providing new generations of LGBT youth access to some of our community’s finest and most important works of literature, film and video at university and college LGBT centers in the Washington, D.C. region.

The One In Ten LGBT Cultural Literacy Project follows on the good work done by OIT’s Children and the Arts Project, which sought to fire the imagination of children through the written word. In consultation with the members of the DC City Council, books were purchased and distributed to deserving children and youth groups.

We encourage you to join us in this endeavor. By making a donation to One In Ten for the purchase of critical works for LGBT Resource Centers at the colleges and universities in Metro Washington, DC you too will be able to sustain the life of critical LGBT images and words. You will be able to claim a 100 percent tax credit

for your gift to One In Ten. l Make a $50 gift to the One In Ten Cultural Literacy Project and become a Friend of the project, and your gift will be acknowledged with a plate in four (4) books or films donated to LGBT centers. l Make a $100 gift to the One In Ten Cultural Literacy Project and become a Patron of the project, and your gift will be acknowledged with a plate in eight (8) books or films donated to LGBT centers. l Make a $250 gift to the One In Ten Cultural Literacy Project and become a Benefactor of the project, and your gift will be acknowledged with a plate in 20 (20) books or films donated to LGBT centers, and your name will be listed in all project promotional materials.

Help OIT keep LGBT cultural heritage alive while educating the next generation of LGBT activists!

Please visit www.oneinten.org for more information or to donate to the program. H

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Annual Women and Filmmakers’ Brunch

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Sunday, October 16 H U.S. Navy Memorial Museum and Theater H Brunch at 11 a.m. H Screening of Hannah and the Hasbian at 1 p.m.

This annual tradition of brunch with the filmmakers was

begun back in 1999 when our dear colleague Sarah Kellogg was Co-Director of Reel Affirmations. She served as Director of the Festival through 2003 and the brunch tradition has continued going strong.

Long one of the most popular special events at the festival, the Washington Post once said it was “among the most important lesbian events in the nation’s capital.”

You don’t have to be a lesbian to attend; it’s open to all fans of cinema. This event offers a great gathering with filmmakers, actors and film industry professionals and the opportunity to hear about interesting behind-the-scenes aspects of inde-

pendent filmmaking. This year the event is being presented by longtime festival sponsor I. Gorman Jewelers, who will give us an informal fashion show of their incredible jeweled creations.

The event is also presented by Royce Flowers, another long-time supporter of the festival with her incredible floral creations and our hospitality sponsor is the Java Shack, home of the best coffee in Arlington, VA. Only $40 per ticket for brunch and film package and $20 per ticket for film only. There is limited seating for the brunch, so be sure to buy your package tickets ASAP. Purchase your tickets at www.reelaffirmations.org. H

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International Embassy Screening Series

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NEW THIS YEAR! H NEW THIS YEAR! H NEW THIS YEAR! H NEW THIS YEAR! H NEW THIS YEAR! H NEW THIS YEAR! H NEW THIS YEAR! A brand new program this year, created especially for our 20th Anniversary is the Embassy Screening Series.

We’re fortunate to live in a major world capital where almost every nation in the world has an Embassy, so asked several international embassies and cultural centers to partner with us and screen these great films from their own nations.

We hope you’ll attend one or all of these events and enjoy the hospitality of our international neighbors.

Attendees at each event will enjoy a screening at the Embassy or Cultural Center, followed by a light reception.

Please note, each Embassy has specific security procedures and so we will be required to collect identification information from each attendee. Due to the special nature of these programs, all attendees will be asked to present government-issued identification upon arrival.

During reservations you’ll be asked for...

Name

Date of Birth

Country of Birth

Citizenship

Mary Lou Monday, October 17 H 7:30 p.m.

Embassy of Israel Read more about this film on page 64 Three Thursday, October 20 H 7:30 p.m.

Goethe-Institut Read more about this film on page 78 Sister Smile Friday, October 21 H 7:30 p.m.

Embassy of France Read more about this film on page 84

Space for this series is extremely limited and reservations for VIP Pass Holders as well as single ticket purchases must be made by Thursday, October 13, 2011. H Absolutely no tickets will be sold at the door.

Purchase online at www.reelaffirmations.org.

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Thursday H October 13 H Opening Night!

Dirty Girl Lisner H 7 p.m. H $20 H Opening Night Gala immediately following film.

A raucous, feel-good road-trip film with a clever, postmodern edge, Dirty Girl follows the travails of American teenager Danielle (Juno Temple) on a cross-country adventure in search of love, family and identity. Danielle, who’s garnered every naughty moniker imaginable for herself, is loved and hated in equal parts in her conventional small-town for her totally blasé morality. Whether knocking boots with her latest conquest in the high school parking lot or parading through the hallways in killer hot pants, she injects fresh irreverence into the bad girl theme. But after raising her hand in class and offending her teachers and peers one time too many, Danielle is forced into the remedial education program. To her great dismay, she’s paired with overweight outcast Clarke (Jeremy Dozier) for a parenting project, and plummets almost instantly on the social ladder. Clarke is grappling with his own roster of issues, not least of which is his notso-latent homosexuality, which his father will never accept. All too familiar with her own feelings of sexual ostracism, Danielle and Clarke strike up an unlikely friendship. When Danielle finds a clue as to the identity of her real father, the two hit the road in search of one dad while attempting to escape another, all the while learning more about whom they are and the ultimate value of friendship.

Hilarious performances by Milla Jovovich as a loving but incompetent single mom, and William H. Macy as Danielle’s born-again Christian stepdad, further heighten the film’s winning comedic elements. Danielle’s irreverent appropriation of a promiscuous stereotype has an emboldening feminist resonance and Clarke’s desperate strive for love and self-acceptance carries an emotional and modern punch. The director will appear for a Q&A after the film.

Dir. Abe Sylvia, 2010, USA, 99 min.

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Friday H October 14

Au Pair, Kansas Globe Theatre H 5 p.m. H $12 Is he gay or just a little too European for a small town in Middle America? That’s the question faced by Oddmund, a 26-year-old Norwegian, who arrives in Lindsborg, Kansas to work as an au pair on the bison ranch of Helen Hazelton (played by gay fave Traci Lords), a recently widowed mother of two sons, Atticus and Beau. Atticus is a typical teenager with a smart remark for every situation, but Beau is the shy, sensitive type who likes to dance alone in his room. Oddmund brings a little discipline and a little more laughter to their home. He helps Atticus befriend a sexy classmate who he’s fallen for but is afraid to approach, and helps Beau stand up to a bully. Meanwhile Helen seeks advice from the ghost of her dead husband, confessing her growing attraction to Oddmund and at the same time her concern that he’s getting much too close to their sons. In his mission to help Atticus and Beau, Oddmund forms a soccer team with them and a rainbow assortment of townspeople, including a butch female sheriff and a drag queen art teacher. But will his efforts to help his charges be undermined by the concerns of Helen and other townsfolk that he may be taking advantage of one of the boys?

Dir. J.T. O’Neal, 2011, USA, 103 min.

Four More Years (Fyra ar till) Atlas H 7 p.m. H $12 In a fresh comedy about Swedish politics, popular conservative politician David Holst appears to be all set to become Sweden’s next prime minister. But his party suffers an unexpected election defeat to the Liberal party which will run the country for four more years.

While trying to figure out what to do after this sudden setback, David meets Martin on a fateful elevator ride.

He can’t stop thinking about Martin and finds himself anticipating chance meetings and potential “dates.”

It’s not just that David is married to Ingrid or that he’s falling in love with another man, but the twist is that Martin is a rising star in the other party — the one that won the election. David could lose everything —his much more conservative parents, his position in his party, and his reputation. If they can’t keep their budding relationship a secret, both their careers could be destroyed by the scandal. With the resulting mix-ups and misunderstandings, can true love prevail?

Dir. Tova Magnusson-Norling, 2010, Sweden, 87 min.

In Swedish with English subtitles.

Community Partner

Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets

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Friday H October 14

The Night Watch Globe Theatre H 7:15 p.m. H $12

Atlas H 9 p.m. H $12

“War changes people. Not always for the better.”

That’s the common sentiment for a group of lesbians and gay men in WWII London. Adapted from Sarah Waters’ Man Booker Prize-winning novel, The Night Watch is an achingly beautiful cyclone of missed connections and fragmented pasts. Directed by openly gay Richard Laxton, this film gorgeously moves back in time, from post-war 1947 to 1944 to 1941, revealing a web of connection among a group on society’s fringe.

Duncan, spent his wartime in jail, lusting after his rakish cellmate, but he can’t seem to free himself from his time behind bars. His sister, Viv, is looking for love with a married man, while trying to forget the ways he has betrayed her. Viv’s coworker, Helen, works as a matchmaker, but a past love triangle with two women threatens her happiness. And when we meet Kay, she spends her time wandering London’s war-torn streets, pulled back to her time as a heroic ambulance driver during the Blitz. Kay’s ex, Julia, is ever more present in her life, especially when Kay runs into a stranger she aided during the war. While so many around them find relief in peace, these outsiders are stranded without purpose, at loose ends, without their pre-war innocence and without the power they enjoyed during the fighting. Desperate characters burst with quiet grace as the layers of their lives peel back to reveal the way forward.

It’s a tale as old as time: Boy moves to L.A. to pursue acting career, boy makes difficult choices to pay the rent, then boy falls in love and his past catches up with him. Adam wants to launch his TV and movie career, so he crashes with his best friend, Candy, a catty blonde who’s expecting her big break any day now -- and has been for years. Between snippy talent agencies, endless parking tickets, and a deadend receptionist job, Adam seems further than ever from his dream. Nick, a photographer with less-than-honorable intentions and a drug habit, hooks him up with an office job at a porn production company. Despite several offers, including from his endearingly creepy boss, Adam repeatedly refuses to go in front of the camera -- at least until his bills catch up with him and he falls for Nick’s dubious charm.

Circumstances snowball until he’s being pimped out by his boss as a high-class escort to famous men who need discretion with their booty calls. But when Adam falls in love with one of his clients, a closeted TV star, his dreams of serious acting -- and true love -- hang in the balance. In this spirited, sexy dramedy, director Casper Andreas shows us the ups and downs of chasing the Hollywood dream.

And with the help of the adorable Matthew Ludinski as Adam, who is all charm and washboard abs, it’s a not-tobe-missed L.A. story made for the silver screen. (Write-up Courtesy of Frameline.)

Dir. Richard Laxton, 2011, UK, 90 min.

Dir. Casper Andreas, 2011, USA, 105 min.

Community Partner

Burgundy Crescent Volunteers

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Going Down in La La Land

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together Globe Theatre H 9:15 p.m. H $12 Another great movie from director Wendy Jo Carlton (Hannah Free), this bubbly and fresh romantic comedy will keep you surprised and smiling. With an attractive, likeable cast of characters and some musical numbers, it is one of the funniest and most original lesbian films of the year. Jessie and Jamie, both queer, are roommates and best friends. Jamie is moving in two weeks from Chicago to New York hoping to become a Broadway actress. Her best friend Jessie is bummed because she’s not-so-secretly in love with Jamie. At first, it seems like our carefree leads are in a relationship, as they spend time together skinny-dipping and snuggling on their couch, the picture of domestic bliss.

It quickly becomes apparent that they are not actually together -- Jamie is dating the smoking hot Rhonda, and Jessie is madly, hopelessly in love with Jamie.

She gets sad and angry when Jamie shirks off their skinny dipping sessions to have hot sex with Rhonda, a point she’s quick to make with song. But the musical numbers are used sparingly and to great effect. Jamie and Jessie’s codependent, loyal friendship is fraught with erotic tension. We follow them as they struggle with the gray areas of love and lust. Will these two best friends figure out how to grow together or how to grow apart? Besides great musical numbers, the soundtrack is chock full of music by some of the best lesbian icons of the music industry including Tegan and Sara, God-des and She. Dir. Wendy Jo Carlton, 2011, USA, 95 min.

Afterparty at Duplex Diner, 2004 18th St. NW

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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RA Schedule

Die Standing Up 11 a.m. H Page 44

Gone

1 p.m. H Page 45

I Am

3 p.m. H Page 48

Kink Crusaders 5 p.m. H Page 49

Hollywood to Dollywood 7 p.m. H Page 54

One Night Stand 9 p.m. H Page 55

October 15

Doc

Saturday Reel Affirmations is happy to work with the Documentary Center at The George Washington University.

For the past 20 years, The Documentary Center at The George Washington University has been committed to teaching documentary film production and to creating non-fiction films for international audiences. Inaugurated in 1990, The Documentary Center has recently been named one of the top ten schools for documentary filmmaking and is one of the few educational centers in the nation that focuses exclusively on non-fiction film.

As both Reel Affirmations and the Documentary Center celebrate their 20th Anniversary, we are pleased to present Doc Saturday, October 15 in Room B-7 in the School of Media and Public Affiairs at GWU (21st and H Streets NW) If you like Documentaries don’t miss these other films that are screening throughout the festival: We Were Here (October 15, 11 a.m. at the Globe Theatre), Vito (October 16, 7:30 p.m. at the Navy Memorial), Our Lips are Sealed (October 17, 5 p.m. at the West End Cinema), Bullied and Photos of Angie (October 18, 5 p.m. at the West End Cinema), This is What Love in Action Looks Like (October 19, 5 p.m. at the West End Cinema) and Wish Me Away (October 22, 11 a.m. at Lisner Auditorium). get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Saturday H October 15

We Were Here Globe Theatre H 11 a.m. H $12

GWU Doc B-7 H 11 a.m. H $12

We Were Here is the first documentary to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco. It explores how the city’s inhabitants were affected by, and how they responded to, that calamitous epidemic. Though a San Franciscobased story, the film extends beyond San Francisco and beyond AIDS itself. It speaks to our capacity as individuals to rise to the occasion, and to the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion, and determination. We Were Here focuses on five individuals — all of who lived in San Francisco prior to the epidemic. Their lives changed in unimaginable ways when their beloved city changed from a hotbed of sexual freedom and social experimentation into the epicenter of a terrible sexually transmitted plague. From their different vantage points as caregivers, activists, researchers, as friends and lovers of the afflicted, and as people with AIDS themselves, the interviewees share stories which are not only intensely personal, but which also illuminate the much larger themes of that era: the political and sexual complexities, the terrible emotional toll, the role of women -- particularly lesbians -- in caring for and fighting for their gay brothers.

Handicap and the object of discrimination, Irina Layevska defies adversity and faces life with her true self. Her fight begins when she decides to abandon the social cause, seizing to be the Mexican Ché, facing a bitter and arduous personal battle alongside her partner, Nelida Reyes.

Eating dinner, laying in bed or wading in a public pool, the two converse about the challenge of being together, which not only entails Layevska’s illness but also difficult medical procedures. Both having devoted themselves to socialist causes in the past (they’re still politically active, shown demonstrating at a Mexico City gay-pride march), the film carries echoes of Che Guevara’s theme of the transformed individual, or the new man, from the past to the present.

For Layevska, Guevara was a hero, even, as she says, “a father figure.” Reyes considers both of them to be living “revolutionary” lives right now, and not as some item of nostalgia from the glory days of the Cuban revolution.

While many themes are present, the film really is a love story and one that knows no boundaries.

Dirs. David Weissman and Bill Weber, 2011, USA, 90 min.

In Spanish with English subtitles.

Community Partners

Whitman Walker Health AIDS Walk 2011 World AIDS Institute

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Die Standing Up (Morir de Pie)

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

Dir. Jacaranda Correa, 2011, Mexico, 73 min.

I’ve Got the Music In Me! Globe Theatre H 1 p.m. H $12

This program takes an uplifting and inspirational journey through the power of music. Though different in style, each film revels in the joy of musical expression and how that can lead you to be true to yourself.

The Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley Forty-something Joan has a dreary life, tending to her ailing mother and working a boring office job. Her only respite is the times she can sneak off by herself and sing along to her ‘60s jazz CDs. Pat, her mother’s visiting nurse, invites her to join her choir, the Friends of Dusty. But as Joan realizes the choir is all lesbian, she struggles with acceptance. Eager for the freedom to sing in her own voice, after a false start with the local church choir, Joan finally relaxes with the warm acceptance of the other women. Eventually she gives in to her Catholic faith and fears of public exposure and drops out of the choir just as it heads to the big LGBT music festival. The big solo falls to Pat and she is unsure if she can continue without Joan’s friendship.

Dir. Seamus Rea, 2010, Great Britain, 50 min.

T’Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness: Queer Blues Divas of the 1920s A wonderful documentary that shines a light on a little known piece of musical history. T’Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness exposes the triply oppressed (black, female, queer) pioneers of blues through interviews with cultural historians, vintage photos, footage, and recordings, all narrated by Jewelle Gomez.

Gone GWU Doc B-7 H 1 p.m. H $12 Kathy Gilleran is a twenty-year veteran police officer in the city of Ithaca, New York. Her son, Aeryn, is a researcher at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna, Austria. On October 31, 2007, Kathy receives a call from UNIDO with distressing news: Aeryn failed to show up for work for two days in a row, and his colleagues are concerned for his wellbeing. Kathy immediately flies overseas to find him. Upon arriving in Vienna, Kathy learns that the police have no interest in an investigation. Detectives tell her that Aeryn had been at the Kaiserbründl, an exclusive men’s sauna in downtown Vienna, when he suffered an extreme and sudden emotional breakdown, fled the sauna wearing only a towel, ran naked through the city streets, and jumped to his death into the Danube Canal. The police claim Aeryn committed “spontaneous” suicide. Yet to Kathy, this explanation makes no sense, especially because a body had not been recovered. Alone, short of funds, yet with abundant resilience, she initiates her own painful quest for the truth, all the while encountering overt police intimidation, abuse, bigotry and homophobia. But as she hones her instincts as a mother and her skills as a cop, Kathy ultimately discovers her own strength to keep fighting for her son, even to this day, nearly four years after he went missing. Gone is the feature documentary that chronicles the story of Kathy Gilleran and her search for answers to Aeryn’s fate.

Dir. Gretchen and John Morning, 2011, USA, 85 min.

Dir. Robert Philipson, 2011, USA, 29 min.

Community Parnter

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Saturday H October 15

An Ordinary Family

Three Veils

Atlas H 2 p.m. H $12 This drama with comedic flair deals with issues of religion and family. The annual Biederman vacation week at the summerhouse grandfather built starts out as usual until Seth, the estranged brother of conservative minister Thomas arrives. Not only does Seth show up after many years of being absent, but he also has his boyfriend William in tow. William, by his own admission, has an unusual personality that is an acquired taste.

And then there is Seth and Thomas’s slim sister Sharon and her adipose husband, Chris. For years all of these family members have been carrying around personal baggage that needs to be unpacked. They just do not want to talk about the elephant in the room. The family matriarch, Sara, and Thomas’s wife, Mattie, along with Thomas’s two young children are the “normal” people.

Explaining Uncle Seth’s “unacceptable lifestyle” to the children is a challenge for Thomas the minister. At times, the family acts as a family should as long as “the issue” is ignored, and an unexpected alliance develops.

A drama about three young Middle Eastern women living in the U.S. whose lives intertwine as they defy tradition to create their own realities. Leila is the pretty, stable “girl next door.” She is arranged to be married, however as the wedding night approaches, she becomes less and less sure of how her life is playing out. When she finally makes a desperate attempt to get out of this arrangement, things go terribly wrong. Amira is a shy and very devout Muslim struggling with deep repressed feelings toward women, but when these feelings start surfacing, she finds herself in a battle between her faith and her love for Nikki (Sheetal Sheth of I Can’t Think Straight), a free-spirited, slinky, sexy, and perpetual booze guzzler who is the life of every party, but not all fun and games.

She is spiraling downward on a self-destructive path while battling her own demons that have haunted her since a tragic death in the family. Three Veils carries a unique social message that any woman can relate to and is also one of very few films to daringly portray the struggle of an Arab Muslim Lesbian. The director will appear for a Q&A after the film.

Dir. Mike Akel, 2011, USA, 92 min.

Dir. Rolla Selbak, 2011, USA, 100 min.

Community Partner

Rainbow Response

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get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

Globe H 2:30 p.m. H $12

RA

Saturday H October 15

I Am GWU Doc B-7 H 3 p.m. H $12 What do parents say when they find out their child is gay? What if they never get the chance to respond?

Eleven years after her mother’s death, award-winning lesbian filmmaker Sonali Gulati returns to her hometown of New Delhi, India, to clean out her house and make peace with the parent she never came out to.

In this meditative and personal new documentary, Gulati interviewed twenty-one Indian families over the course of five years to unravel the intricacies and difficulties of coming out in India. From Balli, who was kidnapped and threatened by her girlfriend’s family, to Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, the first openly gay royal who had a nervous breakdown before publicly coming out to the press, the dangerous pressures of a homophobic society are undeniable in Gulati’s interviews. However, bright spots on the horizon dawn: Piali and her girlfriend walk the dog with Piali’s mother, Rituparna finds acceptance in her chosen family, and Aditya marries his partner with his parents’ sweet and spiritual blessing: “The seal of God is stamped on every creation.” Homosexuality was decriminalized in India just two years ago, when Section 377 was overturned after years of protest, and Gulati has been organizing the South Asian queer rights movement for over a decade.

Dir. Sonali Gulati, 2011, India, 71 min.

In Hindi and English with English subtitles.

Director Sonali Gulati is scheduled to appear for a Q&A after the film.

Community Partner

Khush-DC

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get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

Romeos Atlas H 4 p.m. H $12 This is an outstanding, original and groundbreaking film.

Lukas is a youth of 20 years, transitioning from female to male. When he leaves his family to take part in a work program in Cologne, he’s assigned to the girls’ dormitory. Dressing like a man, building muscles and identifying himself as male may shield his secret somewhat, but actually poses more questions from his peers. There are his Internet friends and his longtime lesbian friend, Ine, with whom he can confide. Then Fabio and Lukas meet.

Fabio embodies all the element of the perfect specimen of youthful masculinity. Lukas envies Fabio for his beautiful physique and lusts for that same physique which attracts him sexually. Lukas goes to the beach where all his friends wear swimsuits, yet he manages to get through the excursion undetected. The task of guarding his female body and the need for intimate and honest disclosure of who he really is becoming is overwhelming. Lukas must unburden himself. Director Sabine Bernardi integrates the complicated issues of gender identity, sexuality, body image and sexual attraction with aplomb and without sensationalism.

The young cast brings completely convincing and powerful performances.

Dir. Sabine Barnardi, 2011, Germany, 94 min.

In German with English subtitles.

Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same Globe H 5 p.m. H $12 Three tall, bald lesbian aliens are sent to Earth with a strange mission -- to have their hearts broken by earthlings so their overactive emotions won’t destroy the ozone of their planet. As the fetching extraterrestrials search for romance on the New York lesbian dating scene, one finds love with Jane, an eager stationery store clerk who is oblivious to the fact that she’s dating an alien. The other two, discovering the neediness of earthling women, connect with each other as they reflect on the beauty of a cheesecake in a revolving dessert case. The film is tightly scripted with lo-fi styling and campy DIY effects that would make Ed Wood envious, and mashes up the B-movie and Men in Black and turns it into a witty and wholly original comedy. First-time feature writer/director Madeleine Olnek (shorts Hold Up and Countertransference) embraces the intrinsic hilarity of lesbian life and DIY filmmaking to tell a story about love that transcends galaxies.

A must for connoisseurs of kitsch, sci-fi geeks, Ed Wood aficionados and all starry-eyed searchers looking for love.

And isn’t that just about all of us?

Dir. Madeleine Olnek, 2011, USA, 76 min.

Kink Crusaders GWU Doc B-7 H 5 p.m. H $12 When missionary just won’t do — send in the Kink Crusaders! For thirty years, they’ve come from around the world for one thing — leather! Director Michael Skiff brings his camera and passionate eye to the 30th Annual International Mr. Leather Contest, the world’s oldest leather/fetish competition. There is enough flesh and fetish to whet the curiosity and desire of outsiders and long-time leather players alike. In addition to the puppy play and cracking of single-tail whips, Kink Crusaders tells the story of an evolving community. “It’s not just a ‘white gay male’ event anymore. We are inclusive,” says founder Chuck Renslow.

Mr. Leather has celebrated competitors who are men of color, bisexual or straight allies, elders, FTM-identified and disabled persons -- including Mr. Leather Ottawa, the first competitor who uses a wheelchair. Proudly partnering with the women’s leather community is also a part of recent change. Juxtaposed with this growth is a historic look at the men who bravely began Mr. Leather. Kinky elders talk about what it was like to come out as leatheridentified in the 1950s. The film features interviews with IML’s founder, Chuck Renslow, along with a who’s who in the leather community including past title-holders Guy Baldwin, Mikel Gerle, David Kloss, Tony Mills, John Pendal and Jeff Tucker. This sexy, smart doc dares to ask: Is there a Kink Crusader in us all?

Dir. Mchael Skiff, 2011, USA, 74 min.

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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SCHEDULE

RA

October 13-22, 2011

thursday october 13

friday october 14

saturday october 15

sunday october 16

monday october 17

Opening Night

Atlas Four More Years 7 p.m.

Atlas An Ordinary Family 2 p.m.

Going Down in La-La Land 9 p.m.

Romeos 4 p.m.

Lisner Auditorium Best of the Fest Shorts 7 p.m.

Embassy of Israel Mary Lou 7:30 p.m.

Lisner Auditorium Dirty Girl 7 p.m.

Globe Theatre Au Pair, Kansas 5 p.m.

The Night Watch 7:15 p.m.

Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together 9:15 p.m.

Bashment 6 p.m.

A Spot of Bother 10 p.m.

U.S. Navy Memorial Theatre My Last Round 11 a.m.

Globe Theatre We Were Here 11 a.m.

Hannah and the Hasbian 1 p.m.

The Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley & T’Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness 1 p.m.

Out Loud 2:45 p.m.

Pariah 8 p.m.

Three Veils 2:30 p.m.

Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same 5 p.m.

The Green 6:45 p.m.

August 8:45 p.m.

GWU Doc Theatre Die Standing Up 11 a.m.

Gone 1 p.m.

I Am 3 p.m.

Kink Crusaders 5 p.m.

Hollywood to Dollywood 7 p.m.

One Night Stand 9 p.m.

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get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

Into the Lion’s Den 9 p.m.

Tomboy 5:30 p.m.

Vito 7:15 p.m.

West End Cinema Our Lips are Sealed & Change 5 p.m.

So Hard to Forget 7 p.m.

A Few Days of Respite 9 p.m.

tuesday october 18

wednesday october 19

thursday october 20

friday october 21

saturday october 22

West End Cinema Photos of Angie & Bullied 5 p.m.

West End Cinema This is What Love in Action Looks Like 5 p.m.

Goethe Institut Three 7 p.m.

Embassy of France Sister Smile 7:30 p.m.

Lisner Auditorium Wish Me Away 11 a.m.

Women’s Shorts 7 p.m.

Anything You Want 7 p.m.

Men’s Shorts 9 p.m.

Rosa Morena 9 p.m.

West End Cinema Recipe for a Killing & Queen Bitch 5 p.m.

GWU Marvin Center Amphitheatre Harvest 6 p.m.

We Are The Night 7:30 p.m.

Pulupot 8 p.m.

Bite Marks 9:30 p.m.

Madame X 9:45 p.m.

The Wise Kids 1 p.m.

Jitters 3 p.m.

Gigola 5 p.m.

Loose Cannons 7:15 p.m.

Lisner Auditorium Morgan 5 p.m.

Longhorns 7:15 p.m.

Eating Out 5 9:30 p.m.

Suicide Room 11:30 p.m.

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Saturday H October 15

Bashment

The Green

Atlas H 6 p.m. H $12

Globe H 6:45 p.m. H $12

Rikki Beadle-Blair (Metrosexuality, FIT and Kick Off) drags us into a gritty and passionate realm, where nothing is rational and there seems to be gray. Black, gay, straight, white -- can any man truly empathize with another? If not does that absolve apathy or animosity?

JJ is a talented and idealistic rapper who lusts to be a part of London’s raggae bashment music scene. A Black rap crew including KKK (Krazy Kop Killa), Venom and an honorary white thug named White Fang, vigorously despises JJ for his race, but more profoundly for being shamelessly queer. Orlando, JJ’s boyfriend is the easy target for this contempt. A lily white, public defender and himself a gay bashing victim must advocate for Orlando’s brutal attackers while trying to assuage his guilt for betraying his brothers. JJ grapples with whether his beloved music genre is a medium for unity or a catalyst for hatred. Perhaps souls can change as inexplicably as the circumstances that once defined them. Rikki Beatle Blair creates an arena where no topic is taboo and anything is possible.

Michael (Jason Butler Harner) and Daniel (Cheyenne Jackson) have left Manhattan behind for life in a small Connecticut town and a stately old house that is falling apart. Of course as a gay couple they are the subjects of some gossip around town. Michael is a struggling novelist as well as a teacher at the local private high school while Daniel runs a small cafe.

Their lives are turned completely upside down when Michael is accused of abusing Jason, a troubled student. At first disbelieving that this could be happening, the reality of the situation causes a huge strain to Michael and Daniel’s already-faltering relationship.

Unfortunately for Michael he appears to have a bit of an inappropriate interest in Jason’s well-being, so there is plenty to fuel the fire that has been started.

As word spreads of what he is accused of, Michael loses nearly all of his friends and associates while he attempts to clear his name. Is Michael really innocent?

Will the truth finally come out about what’s really been going on with Jason? With great leads and supporting cast including Illeana Douglas and Julia Ormond, The Green takes a look at what happens when people jump to quick conclusions and how a life can be ruined as a result.

Dir. Rikki Beadle-Blair, 2010, UK, 110 min.

Dir. Steven Williford, 2011, USA, 90 min.

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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RA

Saturday H October 15

Hollywood to Dollywood

Pariah

GWU Doc B-7 H 7 p.m. H $12

A spectacular hit at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and one of the most anticipated major releases of the year, Pariah is surely the not-to-be-missed film of the festival. At the club, the music thumps, go-go dancers twirl, shorties gyrate on the dance floor while studs play it cool, and adorably naive 17-year-old Alike takes in the scene with her jaw dropped in amazement. Meanwhile, her buddy Laura, in between macking on the ladies and flexing her butch bravado, is trying to help Alike get her cherry popped. This is Alike’s first world. Her second world is calling on her cell to remind her of her curfew. On the bus ride home to Brooklyn, Alike sheds her baseball cap and polo shirt, puts her earrings back in, and tries to look like the feminine, obedient girl her conservative family expects. With a spectacular sense of atmosphere and authenticity, Pariah takes us deep and strong into the world of an intelligent butch teenager trying to find her way into her own. Debut director Dee Rees leads a splendid cast and crafts a pitch-perfect portrait that stands unparalleled in American cinema.

The film is an expansion of the award-winning short of the same name and it signals a new talent in modern cinema.

On the fumes of a dream, twin brothers Gary and Larry Lane have written a script with a plum role for one of their idols, Dolly Parton. Having had no luck getting the screenplay into her hands, they embark on a crosscountry journey to personally deliver it to her. They set off from Dolly’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame heading east for Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Driving an RV named Jolene is friend and partner Mike Bowen. All along Interstate 40 at rest stops, RV parks, bars, and hair salons our intrepid band of travelers meet everyday Americans, as the encounter everything from floods in Nashville to a Oklahoma tornado. The journey is also one of discovery for the brothers, as well: their relationship with their parents; their hopes, fears and ambitions; the bigotry they’ve encountered; as they search for tolerance and acceptance and the joy of realizing their biggest dream handing their screenplay to Dolly Parton. Featuring appearances by Leslie Jordan, Chad Allen, Beth Grant, Dustin Lance Black, Ann Walker, and maybe even Dolly herself! Hollywood to Dollywood is a documentary about chasing dreams down the road of life. A testament to the film, the filmmaker and the subjects is that after seeing the film Dolly agreed to let 15 of her songs be used. Sounds like a ringing (or should that be singing) endorsement to us.

Dir. John Lavin, 2011, USA, 79 min.

Community Partner

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.

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get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

Atlas H 8 p.m. H $12

Dir. Dee Rees, 2011, USA, 84 min.

Community Partners

Brown Sugah Bash Arts Explosion, Phat Girl Chic, Eclectic Woman, Youth Pride and SMYAL

August

One Night Stand

Globe H 8:45 p.m. H $12

GWU Doc B-7 H 9 p.m. H $12

After many years away in Spain, Troy returns to Los Angeles and phones his ex Jonathan to meet for coffee.

A seemingly innocent rendezvous turns flirtatious as they are intensely swept away by each other’s presence and memories of the past. Troy, a damaged, passive aggressive beauty, tries to revive his long past summer romance with Jonathan, while struggling to decide between returning to Los Angeles or his life in Barcelona.

Jonathan, who has found solace from the breakup in his current beau, Raul, struggles with desire and longing.

He has never been able to heal from the trauma of Troy breaking up with him, and Troy’s arrival and his imminent attraction threaten his relationship with Raul. An Argentinean immigrant, and the most mature and least damaged of the three, Raul doesn’t immediately confront Jonathan’s growing attraction to Troy and its effects and he begins to question how much of a sacrifice he’s willing to make for a life in America with Jonathan. The film jumps times and perspectives and offers overlapping story lines to project circular feel and repetitiveness. It explores the way in which we are always trying to break the cycles of habit and make difficult decisions regarding our lives and relationships. With subtlety, August explores themes of timing, interlacing of emotions, and the complexity of making choices. It is never black or white. And it is never meant to provide answers. But rather, to provoke and ask what if?

A funny, intimate, behind-the-scenes journey from the blank page to the live stage, as top Broadway and television writers, actors, and directors produce four original short musicals, all within 24 hours. Think A Chorus Line meets Project Runway -- a window into the creative process with a compressed timeframe: the spark, the camaraderie, the sheer panic and the ultimate thrill of expression. The creative teams behind the musicals produced in the course of shooting this documentary pulled off four musicals with style and grace. Some of the actors followed include Broadway superstars Cheyenne Jackson, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Richard Kind, Mandy Gonzalez, Tracie Thoms, Nellie McKay, and the charmingly out-of-place Rachel Dratch. Whether you are a die-hard fan of musical theater (aka Broadway Show Queen) or a casual observer you’ll enjoy watching the crazy roller coaster ride that takes place within the 24 hour musicals.

Dirs. Elisabeth Sperling and Trish Dalton, 2011, USA, 80 min.

Dir. Eldar Rapaport, 2011, USA, 105 min.

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Saturday H October 15

A Spot of Bother (Une Petite Zone De Turbulence) Atlas H 10 p.m. H $12 The Murets are your typical dysfunctional French family. The patriarch, Jean-Paul, is a hypochondriac who recently retired and worries that the strange rash on his hip is terminal cancer. He spends his days building a clubhouse next to his gorgeous lakeside home. His wife, Anne, while appearing to be devoted on the surface is carrying on an affair with Jean-Paul’s former colleague David. Meanwhile their cute gay son Mathieu avoids his parents at all costs because he does not think that they accept him and he is also afraid of committing to his boyfriend Olivier. His sister Cathie is preparing to marry Philippe whom Mathieu and her parents believe is beneath her because he runs a cleaning company and is not what they consider smart. But they grudgingly agree to host the wedding reception anyway. This dark comedy explores issues of mental health, class and family bonds. The film is adapted from the novel of the same name by Mark Haddon.

Dir. Alfred Lot, 2010, France, 105 min.

In French with English subtitles.

Afterparties at Black Fox Lounge, 1723 Connecticut Ave. NW and Lace Night Club, 2214 Rhode Island Ave. NE

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get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

RA

Sunday H October 16

My Last Round (Mi Ultimo Round)

Hannah and the Hasbian

Navy memorial Theater H 11 a.m. H $12

Navy memorial Theater H 1 p.m. H $20

Octavio is a decent boxer and one day he attracts the attention of Hugo. They become friendly and begin to spend more time together. When Octavio makes an unexpected pass at Hugo, he panics and rebuffs Octavio. Eventually though, they work their way through to a physical relationship. When Octavio has to deal with medical issues and is forced to retire from the ring, they move together to Santiago to start a new life together in relative obscurity.

Life gets complicated when Hugo gets a job and meets Jenny, the boss’s daughter. While naïve Hugo deals with the unwanted romantic attention from Jenny, Octavio deals with his jealousy and the burning desire to return to the ring not matter what the cost.

Intimate, funny, and superbly acted by three women all with impeccable comedic timing, this Aussie movie takes an interesting approach in exploring what happens when one-half of a lesbian couple decides she’s no longer a lesbian and embarks on a search for “Mr. Right Now.” As the film opens, reserved Hannah nonchalantly finds out over a bowl of cereal that Breigh, the love of her life, is just not into the whole girl thing anymore. Now, Breigh is embracing life as a hasbian, and is ready to date men.

But soon Breigh is faced with the harsh reality: dating men is not as easy as it seems. Instead of dealing with women, she has to deal with men, and men are notorious for sending mixed signals. Follow these hilarious Aussies Hannah, the straight girl turned lesbian; Breigh, the hasbian; and their foul-mouthed flat mate Dinka as Breigh’s wingman, in their quest for Mr. Right.

Dir. Julio Jorquera, 2010, Chile, 87 min.

In Spanish with English subtitles.

Dir. Gordon Napier, 2011, Australia, 72 min.

Presenting Sponsor

I. Gorman Jewelers, with Royce Flowers and the Java Shack

Annual Women & Filmmaker’s Brunch Only $40 per ticket for 11 a.m. brunch and film package and $20 per ticket for Hannah only. Limited seating for the brunch, so be sure to buy your package tickets ASAP by visiting www.reelaffirmations.com.

See page 33 for more details.

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Sunday H October 16

Out Loud

Tomboy

Navy memorial Theater H 2:45 p.m. H $12

Navy memorial Theater H 5:30 p.m. H $12

Samer Daboul’s film examines the challenges and social conflicts faced by youth in a society ruled by rigid ideas and traditions. Set in modern day Lebanon, where non-traditional relationships are taboo, five men and one woman form a unique bond that allows them to transcend the strictures of Middle Eastern society, but not without sacrifice and pain. Jason, a young man with the innocent heart of a child, struggles to overcome the loss of his parents in a violent attack.

Searching for someone he can identify with, Jason finds solace in an unlikely group of four male friends.

When Nathalie, a visiting stranger meets the five men, their lives are all changed forever. They create a world where gay lovers are accepted for who they are and the barriers between men and women are broken down. Their choices bring tragedy and heartache when the rebels’ families, unable to understand how centuries of cultural morality and tradition can be discarded so easily, get involved. Out Loud is a snapshot of the reality of the new generation in Lebanon, their way of living. The conflict and fear that they face on a daily basis and the hopes and dreams that keep them alive. Struggling against their pasts, they are challenged by their desires and the search for freedom, and face a future of uncertainty. The friends come to realize what it truly means to live outside the archaic social restrictions that have been forced upon them, and what it means to speak out loud.

Gender identity is explored in Celine Sciamma‘s humorous, heartfelt story of a girl who just wants to be a boy. Tenyear-old Laure and her family move into a suburban Paris apartment during the summer holiday. Laure, a tomboy who cuts her hair short and wears boys clothing (which is not of concern to her parents) explores the neighborhood and quickly meets Lisa but introduces herself as Michael.

Soon Michael meets up with other kids and becomes part of the circle of friends -- playing soccer shirtless, running though the forest or swimming in a lake (where a well played piece of modeling clay help in her ruse.) The innocence of her being a boy takes a more mature turn when Lisa falls in puppy love with her -- and Michael responds.

A tender, captivating story made all the more amazing by the naturalistic and totally believable performance of Zoe Heran as Michael/Laure. And amazing as she is, Malonn Levana as her six-year-old sister Jeanne nearly steals the show from her! A film for all audiences, gender and sexualities.

Dir. Samer Daboul, 2011, Lebanon, 102 min.

In Arabic and English with English subtitles.

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Dir. Celine Sciamma, 2010, France, 84 min.

In French with English subtitles.

Sponsored by

The Printer

Vito Navy memorial Theater H 7:15 p.m. H $12 The Stonewall riot erupted on Christopher Street on June 27, 1969, and a new era in the Gay Rights Movement was born. Vito Russo, a 23-year-old film student, was among the crowd. Over the next twenty years until his death from AIDS in 1990, Vito would go on to become one of the most outspoken and inspiring activists in the LGBT community’s fight for equal rights. He was a pivotal part of three well-known organizations during their formative years: Gay Activists Alliance (GAA), which staged subversive works of protest performance art to secure rights and dignity for all gay people; Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), formed to ensure that media representation of gays and lesbians was accurate; and AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power (ACT UP), a guerilla activist group. In the midst of his commitment to activism, Vito was also a prolific writer. His seminal book The Celluloid Closet explored the ways in which gays and lesbians were portrayed on film, what lessons those characters taught gay and straight audiences, and how those negative images were at the root of society’s homophobia. Before the book, Vito was taking The Celluloid Closet on the road, traveling to gay film festivals and college campuses for an entertaining and informative lecture/clip show that intertwined Vito’s love of show business and radical gay politics. The film pays tribute to a man who influenced change and paved the way for gays and lesbians today.

Dir. Jeffrey Schwarz, 2011, USA, 93 min.

Community Partner

The Big Gay Book Group

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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RA Lisner H 7 p.m. H $12

Best of the Fest H Sunday H October 16

Shorts

In a year with a struggling economy, an earthquake (where were you?), a hurricane and a few other random acts of ickiness, there needs to be a little levity, and these shorts follow this theme. While not all are LOL, or ROFLMAO, they are indeed light(er).

The Queen

Bobby, a Korean-American teenage outcast, is working at his parents’ dry cleaners on prom weekend. When the prom queen and her boyfriend stop by with their dress and tuxedo, Bobby creates his own night to remember. Dir. Christina Choe, 2010, USA, 8 min.

Public Relations

Two worlds collide when a miserable Hollywood assistant and her sexy New York counterpart finally meet each other after a lengthy phone friendship.

Both escape their bad bosses to a wild night in Hollywood and find that they both have more to share than just conversations. Public Relations is a funny, fresh take on growing up -- and going after what you really want. Dir. Gianna Sobol, 2010, USA, 17 min.

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While every gay man has a relationship to the aging process, each reaction is different. The hilarious 52 is one gay man’s nightmare about aging, starring the amazing Scott Thompson (The Kids in the Hall). Dir. Josh Levy, 2011, Canada, 4 min.

Franswa Sharl

Twelve-year-old Greg has inherited his father’s competitive streak. On a family holiday to Fiji they have different ideas about where Greg should focus his talents. When his creative pursuits fail to amuse his father, Greg enters a contest to win him back, but it might not be the contest he father approves of. This delightful comedy is based on a true story. Dir. Hannah Hilliard, 2010, Australia, 14 min.

No Direction

Life in the big world is tough when you’re a philosophy major fresh from college graduation. Looking for guidance, Jamie falls in love with the GPS in her parents’ car.

Cute, quirky and downright adorable. Dir. Melissa Finell, 2011, USA, 13 min.

I Don’t Want To Go Back Alone

In this tender short, the arrival of a new student in school changes Leonardo’s life. This 15-year-old blind teenager has to deal with the jealousy of his friend Giovana while figuring out the romantic feelings he’s having for his new friend Gabriel. Dir. Danile Ribeiro, 2010, Brazil, 17 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles.

The Maiden and the Princess

Little Emmy Adams kisses a girl on the playground and is left feeling isolated and alone. The Grand High Council of Fairy Tale Rules and Standards led by Bernard (Julian Sands) sends her a hetero-normative fairytale to set her down the ‘right’ path in life. With the help of fairy godmother and rogue fairytale narrator, Hammond, Emmy searches for herself amidst this musical fairytale. Dir. Ali Scher, 2010, USA, 18 min.

Gayby

Jenn and Matt are best friends from college who are now in their 30s. Lately, their relationship has dwindled to the occasional social-networking exchange. In an effort to “reconnect,” they decide to have a baby together, taking the easiest, cheapest route of just having sex—even though Matt is gay and Jenn is straight. WARNING: this film contains an incredibly awkward sex scene. Dir. Jonathan Lisecki, 2010, USA, 12 min.

Total Running Time: 103 minutes

Sponsors The Glazer Law Firm, Metro Weekly

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Sunday H October 16

WORLD PREMIERE!

Into The Lion’s Den Lisner H 9 p.m. H $12 Reel Affirmations is proud to bring you the World Premiere of Into the Lion’s Den, from Breaking Glass Pictures. In a day and age when many films are using old plot conventions and going down the route of the sappy rom-coms, it is nice to see a film break away and create something original, bold and uncompromising. Taking a chance and charting new ground is nothing new for Breaking Glass Pictures. They are not afraid to present films that challenge the notion of what an LGBT film should be, and we need more companies like them and films like Into the Lion’s Den. Bored with the West Hollywood gay scene, best friends Michael, Johnny and Ted have embarked on a cross-country road trip from L.A. to New York City. Though their friendship has hit a few bumps along the way, the trio decides to have one last hurrah during their last night on the road.

That’s when fate brings them to The Lion’s Den, a secluded backwoods bar where not everything is as it seems. As the three out-of-towners toast to the end of their journey, someone at the bar is watching them and setting a deadly trap. As closing time draws near, a night of unspeakable horrors is about to begin. Jesse Archer (Going Down in La La Land) and Ronnie Kroell (Bravo’s Make Me A Super Model) headline this bold, uncompromising thriller that plunges into the depths of human depravity. With its unpredictable plotline and raw performances, Into the Lion’s Den is a twisted nightmare that viewers won’t soon forget.

Dir. Dan Lantz, 2011, USA, 82 min.

Sponsors

The Glazer Law Firm Pizzeria Paradiso Afterparty at Tonic, 2036 G St. NW

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Monday H October 17

Our Lips are Sealed

So Hard to Forget

West End H 5 p.m. H $5

West End H 7 p.m. H $12

In the summer of 2010, two bold and courageous college students set out to break the record for the world’s longest continuous kiss. Matty Daley and Bobby Canciello -- two charismatic boy-next-door-types -- drew Internet users, celebrities, and news media from around the world to watch them vie for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Political satirist Stephen Colbert even acknowledged them on his Comedy Central show – stating that Matty and Bobby were, “destroying the traditional sanctity of Straight World Records.” Cheered (and jeered) by fellow students on their campus -- and numerous viewers online -- Matty and Bobby’s story has been a source of inspiration to many. This riveting and truly touching new documentary documents the event – condensing the 32 hours 30 minutes and 45 seconds that Matty and Bobby spent together with locked lips into a concise 48 minutes. Entertaining, informative and completely engrossing, the film sheds light on all of the hard work, preparation and unfailing support that went into breaking the record and changing a few minds in the process.

Julia is an English literature teacher struggling with depression as she tries to get her life back together after her lover, Antonia, leaves her. She narrates her emotions throughout the film in a way to try to put a voice to her pain. She is aided by her friends, a clingy student, and eventually a new romantic interest. The torment she feels from the pain of losing who she believed was the love of her life is palpable. As her friends try to help put her pieces back together it becomes clear that Julia will have to navigate the desperate, painful process of healing in her own time but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.

Dir. Malu de Martino, 2010, Brazil, 98min.

In Portuguese with English subtitles.

Dir. John Gallino, 2011, USA, 48 min.

Change Jamie is an African-American teenager grappling with his sexual identity on the night Barrack Obama is elected president and Proposition 8 -- the voter initiative to eliminate same-sex marriage -- is passed. When one of his gang initiates the bullying of an openly gay classmate, Jamie uses his wits to try and prevent it, but when things don’t go the way he predicted, he is forced to face his fears head on.

Dirs. Melissa Osborne and Jeff McCutcheon, 2010, USA, 25 min.

Community Partner

SMYAL get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Monday H October 17

A Few Days of Respite (Quelques jour de répit) West End H 9 p.m. H $12 Amor Hakkar skillfully directs and convincingly stars in this film with co-stars, Samir Guesmi and Marina Vlady. Their performances fill this simple story with emotional depth and honesty. Moshen, a professor of French at the University of Tehran, and his lover, Hassan, flee Iran for Paris.

In Iran, as Moshen points out, homosexuals like them are hanged. As they furtively make their way together through Italy, devoted Hassan is bothered that Moshen may not share his same degree of commitment. When they reach the small French town of Saint-Claude, a lonely, middleaged woman, Yolande, befriends Moshen with kindness and respect. Hassan ponders his future, as life in France demands a different kind of clandestine existence. As an expression of Yolande’s affinity for Moshen, she agrees to habor Hassan after Moshen is arrested and faced with deportation for illegal entrance into France. Ultimately deeds of friendship and love give Moshen solace in his plight.

Dir. Amor Hakkar, 2011, Algeria/France, 80 min.

In French with English subtitles.

Sponsor

Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens Afterparty at Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St. NW

Mary Lou Embassy of Israel H 7:30 p.m. $25 (includes reception) From Israeli filmmaker Eytan Fox (Yossi & Jagger, Walk on Water and The Bubble) comes an award-winning musical miniseries. It’s the story of Meir, whose mother passed on to him her love of glamour and music -- especially the songs of Israel’s ‘70s pop icon Svika Pick -- but then abandoned him during his 10th birthday party. After suffering through high school with the help of his best girlfriend, he goes searching for his mother, believing she ran off to perform with her pop idol. He winds up in Tel Aviv, certain he will find his mother there. He makes new friends and reconnects with his best girlfriend and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, a sexy soldier who Meir is very much infatuated with. He soon puts his musical talent to use becoming a popular drag queen, performing under the name of Mary Lou (the title of his and his mother’s favorite song). So if you sang along with Mamma Mia and can’t miss an episode of Glee, you’ll surely fall in love with this sweet and moving story of a young gay man’s quest for his long lost mother, for a boyfriend who will accept him as he is, and for a simply fabulous life.

Eytan Fox, 2010, Israel, 150 min.

In Hebrew with English subtitles.

Advance tickets for this screening are necessary. NO tickets will be sold at the door. You must purchase your tickets by Monday, October 10, 2011.

All participants will be asked to provide the following security information: Name, Date of Birth, Citizenship, Email address. You will be required to present a government-issued identification at security before entry to the Embassy. We appreciate your cooperation in following these security procedures as requested.

Sponsor

The Glazer Law Firm

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Tuesday H October 18

Photos of Angie West End H 5 p.m. H $5 This haunting yet hopeful documentary tells the story of Angie Zapata, a transgender teen who was murdered in rural Greeley, Colorado in 2008. The film moves between the trial of her killer, Angie’s brief life and self-discovery told through family and friends, and the fruition of national hate crime legislation with Angie’s case very much in the foreground as it was the first time that a transgender murderer was successfully prosecuted under hate crime laws. Told in five movements, one per day of the trial of Angie’s killer, the film features a classical score by Mackenzie Gault of the national touring band The Flobots and additional music by L.A.-based band Ozomatli. The film reveals Angie’s simple life in the context of a complicated struggle juxtaposed with her violent death at the hands of a man whose true nature is finally revealed. This film was made entirely with the cooperation from Angie’s family.

Dir. Alan Dominguez, 2011, USA, 55 min.

Bullied The latest film from the award-winning Teaching Tolerance program of the Southern Poverty Law Center is a hard-hitting documentary about one student’s harrowing ordeal that may put an end to antigay bullying in schools. Jamie Nabozny suffered verbal abuse in middle school that soon escalated to kicks and punches. School administrators ignored his pleas for help and even blamed him for the bullying. Eventually, Nabozny stood up to his tormentors and filed a federal lawsuit against the school that led to a landmark court decision holding public schools accountable for not stopping anti-gay abuse. Nationally, more than 80 percent of LGBT youths said their teachers never or rarely interrupt homophobic remarks, and 50 percent of all youths said gay students are bullied most or all of the time in their schools. Bullied offers an inspiring message of hope to those still fighting harassment.

Dir. Bill Brummel, 2010, USA, 40 min.

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Tuesday H October 18 H Oh YES it’s...LADIES NITE

Women’s Shorts In case you did not figure it out from the cute title, these are shorts for women. With a variety of styles, moods and themes these shorts are sure to please.

West End H 7 p.m. H $12

AWOL

Days before her deployment to Afghanistan, Joey comes home to rural Pennsylvania for Christmas with dreams of running away to Canada, Will she do it? Will she make the trek alone? Dir. Deb Shoval, 2011, US, 14 min.

Lust Life

Caught between what was and what could be, a woman who has lost her lust for life in the world’s most passionate city takes a chance. Sexy, intimate and with mood and atmosphere to burn, the film brims with passion just like the setting. Dir. Lynda Tarryk, 2011, US, 9 min.

Cried Suicide

Heartbroken over an ex-girlfriend, Jay is desperate for attention and fakes a suicide attempt. When she returns home with her best friend Jen, they are visited by their wellmeaning friends who don’t know Jay was faking and offer their own condolences in the form of tears, food, and even porn. Dir. Lauren Palmigiano, 2010, US, 14 min.

Cyclicity

Two girls ride a Ferris wheel, discussing its symbolism and how the ride reflects the cyclicity of romantic relationships: the initial excitement, the climactic peak, and the inevitable decline/end. As the wheel turns, they identify and visualize the corresponding stages of a romantic relationship. Dir. Jason Knade, 2011, US, 11 min.

Birthday

Unexpected news threatens the success of Katarina’s surprise birthday party.

Sara’s not sure she can make it through the day she’s worked so hard to plan for her wife. Dir. Jenifer Malmqvist, 2010, Sweden/Poland, 18 min. In Swedish with English subtitles.

Slow Burn

In this hyper-stylized western set against a winterscape, a mysterious girl with a criminal past wants to make a fresh start and decides to symbolize this decision by getting her very first tattoo. She meets two tattoo artists who are immediately smitten with her, and in the time-honored tradition of the western, the artists battle each other in a duel for the right to design the tattoo. Dir. Christine Chew, 2011, Canada, 13 min.

Flyers

Shot in gorgeous black and white and with mood to spare, the film follows a mysterious street flyer that leads to a surprising discovery. Dir. Laura Terruso, 2011, Canada, 4 min.

Tech Support

A young woman recently dumped by her girlfriend gets extra special attention when her tech support call is answered by a lonely romantic in this sexy comedic short.

Dirs. Erik Gernand and Jenny Hagel, 2010, US, 9 min.

The Slope

The Slope is a comedy series that follows the lives of a lesbian couple navigating their way through modern-day Park Slope, Brooklyn. One year into their relationship, Ingrid and Desiree continue to hash out a power dynamic that ends up making them look homophobic, superficial and ultimately, perfect for one another. We are excited screen the first three 4-minute episodes interspersed throughout the shorts program. Dirs. Desiree Akhavan & Ingrid Jungermann, 2011, USA, 12 min.

Total Running Time: 103 minutes.

Sponsor Washington Blade

Community Partner Euro-Asia Shorts Film Festival

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Tuesday H October 18 H Let’s Hear It For The Boys!

men’s Shorts Past relationships, new discoveries, amateur porn, joke telling and even a little musical all found their way into the Men’s Shorts Program this year.

West End H 9 p.m. H $12

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Requited

Nicolas struggles to decide whether to go to the wedding of his best friend from high school, Aaron, who he’s always been quietly in love with. The two had a falling out years earlier after Nicolas inexplicably kissed Aaron’s girlfriend. Nicolas clings to an idealized image of his former friend, subconsciously sabotaging his own happiness in the process. Requited is a realistic slice-of-life that poses the question “How do you get over something you never had?” Dir. Sal Bardo, 2011, US, 20 min.

Curious Thing

He’s cute, he’s sweet, he knows you better than anyone else… but, sweetie, he’s straight. Many gay men (and ladies) have fallen prey to these same sentiments but watching it play out on the screen is a joyous occasion. Dir. Alain Hain, 2010, US, 9 min.

Regrets

From the city of brotherly love is a chilling, cautionary tale about an exciting one-night-stand that goes horribly wrong the next morning. This slick and stylish short also brims with raw emotion and intensity sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Dir. Michelle Pollino, 2011, US, 11 min. Director and producers will be present for a Q&A after the film.

Gently

Festival favorite director Rikki Beadle Blair (Bashment is also in this year’s festival) brings us this story of discovery that includes, two lads, two trannies and two high-class hookers in a Soho rickshaw. Fasten your seatbelts it’s gonna be a bumpy night! Dir. Rikki BeadleBlair, 2010, UK, 15 min.

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A three-way hookup in the Swedish countryside becomes problematic because someone is always feeling left out. Starting with an amateur porn shoot, the film settles into a tome on domestic bliss or is it? Dir. Pella Kagerman and Hugo Lilja, 2010, Sweden, 15 min. In Swedish with English subtitles.

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A Day in the Country

One night in Belgrade two men meet and the next day nothing will be the same. The viewer watches as the evening unfolds and the puzzle is slowly revealed. Mood and style set the tone for this rare gay film from Serbia. Dir. Nikola Ljuca, 2011, Serbia, 21 min. In Serbian with English subtitles.

Sergeant

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Couples Therapy

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Bald Guy

A gay couple fights over a joke that just won’t die. A gay couple fights over a joke that just won’t die. A gay couple fights over a joke that just won’t die. A gay couple fights over a joke that just won’t die…see the film and then you’ll get it. Dir. Mike Rose, 2011, US, 8 min.

This lively musical film deals with a young man’s quest for love and acceptance. About being yourself and loving whoever you want. This is a film of forbidden and boundless love and the risk of losing everything when your choice is head on with the morally accepted. Oh and it is about a bald guy. Dir. Maria Bock, Sweden, 2011, 12 min. In Swedish with English subtitles.

Total Running Time: 111 minutes. Sponsor Edward Carp, Continental Properties Ltd. Afterparty at Number Nine, 1435 P St. NW

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Wednesday H October 19

This is What Love in Action Looks Like West End H 5 p.m. H $5 Growing up in a media culture that celebrates tolerance (or at least appears to), and raised on narratives of unconditional love, Zack Stark came out to his parents, banking on their love and support. Instead, they announced their plans to send him off to Refuge, a teen centered ex-gay rehabilitation program operated by the Christian group Love In Action and designed to treat his perceived disorder. Stricken, Zach began blogging about the program, capturing widespread attention online after posting the group’s by-laws, a series of rules so bizarre they recalled nothing so much as the camp classic But I’m a Cheerleader. By the day of his admission, outraged supporters and advocates had begun a protest at its Memphis location, which continued until its closure in 2007, bringing scrutiny to the ex-gay movement on a national level.

Dir. Morgan Jon Fox, 2010, USA, 71 min.

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Anything You Want (Todo lo que tu quieras) West End H 7 p.m. H $12 Traditional male and female gender roles, still strongly entrenched in many countries, including Spain, are tossed out the window in Achero Mañas intelligent and affecting film. Centering on a happy Madrid family of three, father Leo is an ambitious lawyer while his wife Alicia is a working mom who nonetheless takes care of the vast majority of the parenting for four-year-old daughter Dafne. Mañas’s drama quickly turns things upside-down by having Alicia die of an epileptic seizure. Leo is immediately set adrift by his newfound responsibilities as a single parent, a feeling that is made doubly distressing when Dafne, herself understandably confused and heartbroken by her mother’s absence, asks for an “artificial” mother to help her fall asleep at night. It is here that Mañas takes the road less traveled, but to write any more about the plotline he introduces would be unfair to both the viewer and filmmaker alike. Suffice it to say that Leo’s actions are both surprising and potentially dangerous, as they require Leo to subsume his own identity to the point where he nearly loses it.

Themes of homophobia, gender roles and love at any cost are all important in this brilliant, sincere and sweet film.

Dir. Achero Mañas, 2010, Spain, 101 min.

In Spanish with English subtitles.

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Wednesday H October 19

Rosa Morena West End H 9 p.m. H $12 What do you do when the law says you cannot adopt a child? The answer is found in this first DanishBrazilian co-production ever. We meet Anders W. Berthelsen in the role of the broody homosexual, Thomas. As a single gay man in Denmark, he has been refused the right to adopt, simply due to his sexual orientation. After this disappointment, he goes on holiday in Sao Paulo, not only to visit his friend Jakob, but also to examine the shadier possibilities for fulfilling his dreams of having a child. He is soon caught up in a series of delicate situations, not least of which is of the moral kind, where hundreds of thousands of dollars are easily transacted for a stolen child. In Brazil Thomas meets the beautiful, charming and pregnant Maria, who is willing to give up her unborn child in lieu of payment. Soon Thomas finds himself drawn into a muddy cocktail of confidence, distrust, pure business and true feelings. Touching on a myriad of social issues, director Carlos Augusto de Oliveira’s film is also a story of affection. Provocative, entertaining and poignant, Rosa Morena resonates through the alternately heartbreaking and heartwarming tale of two people trying to do the right thing for the child they both love.

Dir. Carlos Augusto de Oliveira, Denmark/Brazil, 2011, 90 min.

In Danish, Portuguese and English with English subtitles.

Afterparty at L2 Lounge, 3315 Cady’s Alley NW

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Thursday H October 20

Sweet Revenge from la Suite Noire West End H 5 p.m. H $12

Recipe for a Killing (Tirez sur le caviste)

Dir. Emmanuelle Bercot, 2010, France, 60 min.

Queen Bitch (La reine de connes)

Dir. Gauillaume Nicloux, 2010, France, 60 min.

These two film adaptations are from Suite Noire, a series of 8 adaptations of short, macabre and quirky French crime novels that were produced by Agora Films for France 2 Télévision. Both are brilliantly edgy with peculiarly queer twists.

In Recipe for a Killing, the abrupt death of a despicable wine maker’s wife who was only mediocre in the kitchen compels him to hire a cook. The recalcitrant, lesbian drifter that he employs learns that a perfect celeri remoulade may be the only sort of weapon she has to thwart her boss’s cruelty. Or perhaps she can cook up something much more delicious.

The “Queen Bitch”, Emannuelle, isn’t exceptionally bitchy, just a bit desperate. She needs more funds to get to Bangkok to complete her gender reassignment surgery. When her mother cuts her off for good, she saddles up with her trusted lover whose scheme would boost her resources significantly.

Can a double crossed woman in a man’s body get double cross-dressed to kill? Strong language and violence.

In French with English subtitles. get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Thursday H Vamp

Night! H October 20

The expression “everything old is new again” could certainly be applied to vampires. They are, after all, very old, but also happen to be very fashionable at the moment. True Blood, Vampire Chronicles, Vampire Diaries, and Twilight are household names and a host of other film, TV and books are in the works…HOT, HOT, HOT. So whether you are a DIE-hard fan (pun intended), or a casual observer, these two films are sure to whet your appetite. Both films amp up the sexy quotient, but one maintains the true conventions of the horror genre while the other takes a more playful tone. We have one for the boys and one for the girls, but the undead have the appeal to both, so buckle up, enjoy and spend the whole night!

We Are the Night (Wir sind die Nacht)

Bite Marks

West End H 7:30 p.m. H $12

West End H 9:30 p.m. H $12

Lesbian vampire films are a permanent part of cinematic history from Vampyros Lesbos to The Hunger to Daughters of Darkness to Rise to Eternal and even comedic takes on the genre like Lesbian Vampire Killers. You can now add We Are The Night. What follows might read as a cross between Sex and the City and Dracula, but be warned -- it is true to its base as a horror film. Set in Berlin, the film follows a trio of female vampires living it up in the city.

They party in clubs. They go shopping. They hang by the pool. You know, girlie vampire stuff. Then 20-year-old Lena meets group leader Louise and her lady vamp posse of Nora and Charlotte. Louise falls head over heels in love with the scruffy Lena and turns her during their first night together. But Lena isn’t so sure about the ramifications of the lifestyle; the immortality, the blood, the killing people. Conflicted she enlists the help of a police officer friend, Tom. The battle wages on between the predator Louise and Lena, with the aid of Tom, in what could be looked at as the ultimate battle between good and evil. This adrenaline pumping, edge of your seat thriller could be just another run of the mill vampire flick, but when you add the beauty and seduction of the three main characters, you get a night of good evil fun.

Brewster, a trucker hauling a load of coffins to a funeral home, picks up Cary and Vogel, a hitchhiking gay couple prone to bickering and impromptu lovemaking. While Cary and Brewster don’t exactly hit it off, Vogel is hot for the trucker and those feelings just may be reciprocated.

But all hell breaks loose when Brewster’s truck breaks down in a deserted junkyard, leaving them stranded there when night falls and they find out, to their horror, that those coffins aren’t empty. Will the threesome be able to survive until morning or will they fall victim to the tricks of the blood-thirsty vampires, whose numbers increase as the gory body count rises? See some nifty new ways to outwit and destroy a vampire in this bloody, funny and sexy addition to the current vampire craze. And for fans of the 1985 classic, Fright Night, you won’t want to miss an appearance by Evil Ed (Stephen Geoffreys) as Brewster’s undead brother.

Dir. Mark Bessenger, 2011, US, 84 min.

Sponsor

West End Cinema

Dir. Dennis Gansel, 2011, Germany, 100 min.

In German with English subtitles. get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Thursday H October 20

Three (Drei) Goethe Institut H 7 p.m. H $25 (Incl reception) From Tom Twyker, the director of iconic indie flick Run, Lola, Run comes this exploration of human motivation. If you let it, love can be as easy as one-two-three, as Tykwer proves in this atmospheric piece about bisexuality, love and longing in cosmopolitan Berlin. One: appealingly disheveled Simon, all scruff and dimples, who’s ready to move on from tragedy. Two: slyly humorous Hanna, wry and knowing, who wants more than the comfortable companionship she has with Simon. Three: magnetic blonde Adam, impish and confident, an occasional father who looks for connection (which he finds with Simon and Hanna.) None of the three knows what the other two are doing. Here infidelity is just what the love doctor ordered.

Hesitant first approaches turn voracious, and the affairs pulse with sensuality, especially when Simon and Adam smolder onscreen. As each coupling’s relationship grows more satisfying physically and spiritually, the trio’s palpable chemistry drives the story to a dizzying climax. Sophie Rois, Devid Streisow, and Tykwer regular Sebastian Schipper give exquisite performances, lending an air of enigmatic charisma to characters sorting out what it means to live life with abandon. Tykwer fractures the first half of the film with haunting poetry and stark fantasies. He pulls back from these as the characters’ lives slide into focus, which feels like taking a step back from a chaotic mosaic to see a fresh and invigorating story come into view.

Dir. Tom Tykwer, 2010, Germany, 119 min.

In German with English subtitles.

Advance tickets for this screening are necessary. NO tickets will be sold at the door. You must purchase your tickets by Monday, October 10, 2011. All participants will be asked to provide the following security information: Name, Date of Birth, Citizenship, Email address. You will be required to present a government-issued identification at security before entry to the Embassy. We appreciate your cooperation in following these security procedures as requested.

Sponsor

Goethe Institut 78

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

Afterparty at Omega, 2122 P St. NW

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Friday H October 21

Morgan Lisner H 5 p.m. H $12 Morgan is a young, handsome, athletic, gay New Yorker who also happens to be wheelchair-bound. Long after losing his bartending job he continues to ignore that he’s living beyond his means. Doesn’t he deserve that $4,000 custom bike that he’s been coveting for the upcoming race? His doting mother and a best girlfriend, Lane, are supportive but won’t enable his irresponsible behavior. Horny and lonely for male companionship, Dean, a new mate he meets at the basketball court should satisfy some of these longings. Dean’s a legger, a term Morgan coined for people who can walk.

After the accident in the New York Haven Cycle Race, Morgan’s life changed. His wheelchair has cramped his style some, but Morgan’s bravado is charismatic.

Things start to go out of control when Morgan takes off on another kind of crash course. Dean, his mother and Lane could be the potential casualties. Learning that forfeiting control can be a true test of strength and being handicapped has nothing to do with being a paraplegic.

Director Michael Akers thoughtfully illuminates a part of the gay community that is seldom recognized and doesn’t shy away from issues of isolation and sexual and emotions needs.

Harvest (Stadt Land Fluss) GWU Amphitheatre H 6 p.m. H $12 Taciturn Marco is an apprentice at an agriculture program for wayward youth outside Berlin. He is happy to spend his days working around the farm but despises the classroom work required for him to graduate. He is content to keep to himself until one day Jakob begins working at the farm. The two embark on a quiet friendship with Marco showing Jakob the ropes and the local swimming hole.

The sexual tension that builds between the two is palpable until exploding in their first furtive kisses. Marco is initially confused by his feelings, but eventually the two run away from the farm for a night in the big city. Shot in an almost cinema verite style with little music this first feature by documentary filmmaker Benjamin Cantu is a story of searching for a place to belong.

Dir. Benjamin Cantu, 2011, Germany, 88 min.

In German with English subtitles.

Dir. Michael Akers, 2011, USA, 89 mins.

Sponsor

Kimpton Hotels

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Friday H October 21

Pulupot (The Pulpit)

Longhorns

GWU Amphitheatre H 8 p.m. H $12

1982. Texas. Big hair, synth-pop and cowboy boots.

Kevin, a straight frat-boy, enjoys a little “physical” bonding with his buddies -- but he’s just helping a friend out, right? Enter openly gay Cesar, and immediately Kevin is attracted. He quickly dismisses his feelings as just being excited about getting to know someone in a special, secret way. Cesar’s best friend Marsha notices he has become distracted and it’s obvious that Cesar has fallen head over heels for someone. Meanwhile, Kevin is offered a weekend away with his childhood pals Steve and Daniel, and sees it as a way to escape from his feelings for Cesar. The weekend promises to be especially frisky, as Steve’s insatiable girlfriend Brenda and her friends will be there, and ready they’re to “go all the way.” A heavy rainstorm causes roads to flood and prevents the girls from arriving, which leaves the boys incredibly horny. With no women around, an endless supply of beers and porno tapes for the VCR (remember porn in the ‘80s?) the guys decide to lend each other a “hand.” But Kevin’s confusion and denial continues to escalate and something has got to give, because his head says one thing but his heart feels something completely different! Writer-director David Lewis (Rock Haven, Redwoods), aided by a cast of hunky and talented actors, successfully tries his hand at romantic comedy and, in the process, delivers one of the funniest raunchy gay sex comedies in recent years. The producer and actors will be present for a Q&A after the screening.

Set in a world foreign to most of us, yet not unlike the often harsh reality of its location, Pulupot pulses to the throbbing beat of nightlife in Manila. It is a multi-character story set in a world of prostitution and pan-sexuality.

At the center of the story is muscular, hunky, handsome and tattooed Edgardo, a country boy who works in a club where he is a prostitute servicing both men and women.

When not working, he spends time with his girlfriend and dreaming about a better life in America. A real sex machine, he is a favorite with all the club customers. His life could change when he meets a doctor who claims to be in love with him, but perhaps his destiny is to be a sex object forever. An assorted cast of characters gay, straight and trans all have their own role in the film and bring added depth and dimension to the story. Director Monti Parungao is one of the leading directors of the Philippines New Wave, a movement often the target of censorship because of its explicit representation of nudity and sex and this film is a prime example of the movement with nudity and sex overflowing.

Dir. Monti Parungao, 2011, Philippines, 80 min.

In Filipino and Tagalog with English subtitles.

Lisner H 7:15 p.m. H $12

Dir. David Lewis, 2011, USA, 74 min.

Sponsor

The Glazer Law Firm Community Partner

DC Lambda Squares

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Friday H October 21

Sister Smile (Soeur Sourire) Embassy of France H 7:30 p.m. H $25 This is last film in the inaugural Embassy Screening Series at Reel Affirmations 20. We’re pleased to have the Embassy of France join us as sponsors of the film and invite us to screen this lovely film at La Maison Francaise.

The true story behind the one-hit wonder Sister Smile, a.k.a. “the Singing Nun,” famously played by Debbie Reynolds in a 1965 musical bio-film that had little to do with what really happened. As a high school student in the early ‘60s, Jeannine is attracted to, but then rebuffs, her best friend Annie and struggles with her strict parents, while developing a passion for pop music—Elvis Presley and the like. Unexpectedly she chooses to enter a Dominican convent, while continuing to develop her musical talent--writing songs, singing and playing the guitar.

Church authorities discover her talent and arrange to make a recording of her songs. One song, Dominique (once you hear it, you can’t get it out of your head), becomes a smash hit across Europe, the U.S. and around the world. Jeannine quickly becomes disillusioned with the convent and the control the Sisters exercise over her music. She leaves and attempts to continue her career, but never equals that initial success.

To make matters worse, the Belgian government decides to go after her for back taxes on the income from the recordings she made while at the convent, even though all proceeds went to the Dominicans due to her vow of poverty.

Dir. Stijn Coninx, 2009, Belgium, 120 min.

In French with English subtitles.

Sponsor

Authenticity Travel Community Partner

Embassy of France Advance tickets for this screening are necessary. NO tickets will be sold at the door. You must purchase your tickets by Monday, October 10, 2011. All participants will be asked to provide the following security information: Name, Date of Birth, Citizenship, Email address.

You will be required to present a government-issued identification at security before entry to the Embassy. We appreciate your cooperation in following these security procedures as requested.

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Eating Out 5: The Open Weekend Lisner H 9:30 p.m H $12 The team behind the Eating Out franchise — Q. Allan Brocka (Boy Culture, Rick and Steve) and Phillip J. Bartell (shorts Crush, L.T.R.) — are back again with their latest installment. In EO4 we saw the crew head to drama camp where Zack and Casey split up over the hunky Benji. Benji has been pushing Zack for a more open relationship and he reluctantly agrees to a weekend trip to a swinging singles resort. It turns out that Casey is there the same weekend along with his fag hag Penny and happens to run into his old high school friend Peter.

Zack’s transsexual friend Lilly (Harmony Santana) is back too, as she and Penny fight over the Latin bartender Luis. Misunderstandings and outlandish situations ensue as Zack finds that maybe an open relationship isn’t quite for him after all.

Add in a bunch of other scantily clad hunks, a couple of gay weddings and a cameo from Mink Stole, and Eating Out 5: The Open Weekend is a fun and sexy ride.

Dir. Q. Allan Brocka, 2011, USA, 90 min.

Sponsor

Nellie’s Sports Bar

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

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Friday H October 21

Madame X GWU amphitheatre H 9:45 p.m. H $12

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Suicide Room (Sala Samobojcow)

Madame X has it all: An action-loaded superhero movie, a never-ending-laughter trashiness of queer comedy, and the social consciousness of political film. On the day of his birthday, a mysterious woman appears at Adam’s beauty salon and warns him of his upcoming future. Unsure what to make of the unclear prophecy, which revolved around a certain dance, Adam goes to a bar to celebrate with his lovingly eccentric queer friends. Shortly after however, the whole group is violently attacked by members of a tyrannical homophobic political party that threatens to take over the whole city. Blacked out and stranded at a seaside village the morning after the tumultuous fight, Adam is taken in by an old hospitable couple. The two turn out to lead a local dance studio and encourage the protagonist to stay with them and learn Lenggok -- a choreography mix of traditional Indonesian and hip modern dance. Finding their intuition of Adam’s exceptional dancing talent confirmed, the old couple integrates him into the life of the dancing community and finally initiates him into the superpowers of the Lenggok dance -- as the soon-tobe legendary superheroine Madame X, soon to be faced with a novel task to counter and eliminate the criminal actions of the tyrannical party leaders. Come join Madame X and her blow dryer, glitter, two-inch platform high heels and tight leather suits to support the fight for justice, freedom of expression and diversity.

Lisner H 11:30 p.m. H $12

Dir. Lucky Kuswandi, 2011, Indonesia, 102 min.

In Polish with English subtitles.

In Indonesian with English subtitles.

Afterparty at Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court NW

get your tickets at reelaffirmations.org

There are only one hundred days to go before Dominik will leave the country’s finest school. From this point on, the world of academia will be his oyster and all he -- or rather his parents -- will have to do is choose between top courses. His parents are convinced: only the best ever get on in life; only those who take success for granted will make it. But one hundred days can be a very long time, especially when you’re expected to function while submitting to the pecking order and other social demands at an elite school. Social competence is not one of Dominiks strong points. A series of humiliating experiences with a fellowstudent nudges Dominik’s world dangerously off-kilter and, when he discovers the comments his classmates have posted about him on a social network website this puts an end to his self-confidence, motivation and concentration. Unable to bear the thought of school any more, Dominik withdraws, drifting into a virtual world where there are no hateful classmates. Online he pseudonymously meets Sylwia who tells him she plans to commit suicide. She also introduces him to her friends in the ‘suicide room’, a chat room for people with suicidal tendencies.

Dominik allows Sylwia to lure him into a dangerous game, but before long things begin to get out of control because the chat is designed to shock the outside world rather than help users with their personal problems.

Dir. Jan Komasa, 2011, Poland, 110 min.

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Saturday H October 22

Wish Me Away

The Wise Kids

Lisner H 11 a.m. H $12

Lisner H 1 p.m. H $12

“Sometimes living one’s honest life is damn near impossible.” Or so it felt to award-winning country music star Chely Wright for most of her closeted life -- first raised in a Christian home in a tiny Bible-Belt town and then as a member of the sexually repressed and homophobic country music industry in Nashville.

Surrounded by a family, community, culture and religion that all believed that being gay is just wrong (and, to many, “of the devil”), Wright prayed regularly for God to rid her of her homosexuality, vowing to give up on love in return. Instead, music became her love, as she scored hits like “Shut Up and Drive” and “Single White Female.” But while her dreams of stardom came true, she remained tormented by her sexuality and paralyzed by the fear of coming out. Would the country music industry tolerate a lesbian in their ranks? Would her fans reject her? She tried dating men (including fellow country star Brad Paisley), poured her energy into philanthropic endeavors, and contemplated suicide before finally acknowledging what she knew she needed to do.

In 2010, she began calculated preparations to release an album and a book (Like Me) that would finally reveal her coming-out story and make country music history.

Through sometimes-tearful interviews and conversations, video diary entries, music videos, and several of her songs, this touching portrait follows Wright up to her full-court media press, from Oprah to People magazine as she discovers the transformational power of living an authentic life.

This coming of age drama focuses on the lives of three high school seniors in South Carolina and their strong ties to their Baptist church. Brea is the daughter of the pastor who questions her faith; Tim is a budding filmmaker and well-liked son of a widower father who is starting to deal with his homosexuality; and Laura is a budding Biblethumper who has a hard time coming to terms with the slow drift away from her old friends as they prepare for a new life in New York after high school. Add to the mix the young church music director Austin who has a major secret regarding his own sexual orientation and his quietly suffering wife Elizabeth who just wishes her husband would show some physical interest in her. This sensitively-told story shows a realistic view of how people in this sort of religious environment deal with their sexuality, or can’t deal with it at all. Winner of the jury award for U.S. dramatic feature and screenwriting at Outfest, The Wise Kids is a gem of a film packing an emotional punch, yet never pandering to the audience.

Dirs. Bobbie Birleffi and Beverly Kopf, 2011, US, 95 min.

Sponsor

Maid to Clean

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Dir. Stephen Cone, 2011, USA, 91 min.

Sponsor

The Washington Blade

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Saturday H October 22

Jitters (Órói)

Gigola

Lisner H 3 p.m. H $12

Lisner H 5 p.m. H $12

Like an Icelandic version of Skins, Jitters centers on Gabriel, a sensitive 16-year-old who goes to spend three weeks in an English language program in Manchester where he develops a bond with his roommate, Markus. After an evening of making out on their final night, Gabriel returns home changed by the experience and everyone notices. But he has to navigate between his overbearing mother and his large group of friends who all have their own teenage dramas and issues. These subplots take us into the lives of these kids with their drunken parties and family situations, but Gabriel is the axis around whom the film revolves. He must figure out what his experience with Markus really means about himself while dealing with his friends and family who have no idea that he may be gay, especially his closest friend Stella who is in love with him. Outstanding performances, especially by Atli Oskar Fjalarsson as Gabriel, led to Jitters winning several Icelandic film awards.

The stylish and sexy Parisian lesbian underworld of the 1960s is brought vividly to life in this star-studded thriller. It’s 1963 and Paris is sizzling with sex. The stylishly butch Gigola spends her days roaming chic Parisian cafés, taking on the male criminal underclass at its own game, enticing pretty femmes away from their pimps, breaking hearts and making a few enemies along the way. Her evenings are spent in famous lesbian cabaret bar Chez Moune, picking up rich older women who keep her in the decadent style she has become accustomed to. It’s not the life her parents wished for her, but it’s a life she enjoys, or so it seems, until an accidental overdose throws her in the path of a beautiful psychiatrist who reminds Gigola of her first and only love, long dead now, and she begins to question everything around her. Charpentier’s film evokes an era when femmes were femmes, butches paid for everything and sex was a way of life.

Dir. Baldvin Zophoníasson, 2010, Iceland, 97 min.

In French with English subtitles.

In English and Icelandic with English subtitles.

Sponsor

TLA Releasing

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Dir. Laure Charpentier, 2010, France, 102 min.

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Saturday H October 22 H Closing Night Feature

Loose Cannons (Mine Vaganti) Lisner H 7:15 p.m. H $20 Closing Night Gala and Audience Awards immediately following film From famed director Ferzan Oztapek (Steam, His Secret Life, Saturn in Opposition) comes this Italian serio-comedy (with more comedy than serio) about Tomasso and Antonio Cantone who are the next generation set to take over their conservative family’s pasta-making company in Southern Italy. But Tomasso, who now lives happily in Rome with his partner Marco, has no interest in the family business. He also knows that his secret life will not go over well with his father and mother. So he decides to make a big announcement over dinner in the hopes of escaping quickly back to Rome. But Antonio has his own secrets, and when they come spilling out before Tomasso can say anything, their father suffers a heart attack and Antonio ends up disowned. All of which leaves poor Tomasso stuck with the responsibility for the company while dad recovers. Tomasso tries to keep it all together despite several other crazy relatives, a merger with a rival pasta maker that throws him together with the pretty Alba who has her eye on him and a visit from his flamboyant friends. Will Tomasso ever get to come out and go home to Rome? Will Antonio be allowed back into the family and the company?

Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek, 2010, Italy, 108 min.

In Italian with English subtitles.

H Afterparty at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St. NW

(Free Cover to those how show RA20 Tickets or Pass) Sponsor

Authenticity Travel

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Festival Staff Film Festival Staff and Volunteers

Film Programming Teams

Festival Chairman and

Glen Avue, Chairman Lee Lampos David Carrig Laurie Schneider Margie Ripalda David Carrig Dick Hospital Fausto Lerner Daphna Shai Cody Yuan

Director of Development

Larry Guillemette Director of Programming

Joe Bilancio Board of Directors Lisa King President

Gus Elfing Vice President

Skyler Showell Secretary

Jezzika Perez

Director of Operations

Mark Heckathorn Website Coordinator

Mark Heckathorn Community Partners Coordinator

Paul Marengo Filmmaker Hospitality

Treasurer

Daphna Shai Kaeri Johnson

Peter Glazier

Volunteer Coordinator

General Counsel

Troy Knighton

Robert York

Special Events Coordinator

M.D. Calabro Graphic Design

Brent Almond (Design Nut)

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Features Committee

Docs Committee

Chris Head, Chairman Kaitlin Whitman Men’s Shorts

Ken Basta, Chairman Paul Mayles Women Shorts Committee

Anne Marie Shelton Brianne Gianmichas Laurie Jefferson Kris Casey A special thanks to all the programming volunters who worked in 2010.

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A BIG Thank You H

There were many people who helped One In Ten and Reel Affirmations in the past year and a half. We would like to acknowledge the time, resources, energy and talent of the following people and organizations.

200 @ $500 Donors Brent Almond – Design Nut Carl Graci – Lisner Auditorium Cheryl Derricotte Christopher Dyer CuDC Staff Daniel Thayer – Whole Foods David Geckle DC Shorts Film Festival Douglas Danoff Ed Bailey Embassy of France Embassy of Israel Fancy Cakes by Leslie Goethe-Institut Washington Jack Chen – What’s the Name of the Dame?

Jill Collins Public Relations Jim Lande

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Joe Bilancio Jonathan Gann & the DC Film Alliance Kimberley Bush Larry Guillemette Lisa King Lynne Brown Mark Heckathorn Marshall Ginn Metro Weekly Michael Giulini Nina Sivey – GWU Documentary Center Polly Aris Stamatopolous Randy Shulman Room & Board Royce Cohen – Royce Flowers Sarah Kellogg Sean Bugg Steve Muth and SCM Designs Steve Oatmeyer The Washington Blade Tina McDaniel TLA Releasing World Bank GLOBE

Film Index H

52 A Day in the Country A Few Days of Respite (Quelques jour de répit) A Spot of Bother (Une Petite Zone De Turbulence) An Ordinary Family Anything You Want (Todo lo que tu quieras) Au Pair, Kansas August AWOL Bald Guy Bashment Birthday Bite Marks Bullied Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same Couples Therapy Cried Suicide Curious Thing Cyclicity Die Standing Up (Morir de Pie) Dirty Girl Eating Out 5: The Open Weekend Flyers Four More Years (Fyra ar till) Franswa Sharl Gayby Gently Gigola Going Down in La La Land Gone Hannah and the Hasbian Harvest(Stadt Land Fluss) Hollywood to Dollywood I Am I Don’t Want To Go Back Alone Into The Lion’s Den Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together Jitters (Órói) Kink Crusaders Longhorns Loose Cannons (Mine Vaganti) Lust Life Madame X Mary Lou Morgan My Last Round (Mi Ultimo Round) No Direction One Night Stand Our Lips are Sealed Out Loud Pariah Photos of Angie Public Relations Pulupot (The Pulpit)

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61 71 64 56 46 73 39 55 69 71 53 69 77 67 49 71 69 71 69 44 37 85 69 39 61 61 71 90 40 45 57 81 54 48 61 62 41 90 49 82 93 69 86 64 81 57 61 55 63 58 54 67 61 82

Queen Bitch (La reine de connes) Recipe for a Killing (Tirez sur le caviste) Regrets Requited Romeos Rosa Morena Sergeant Sister Smile (Soeur Sourire) Slow Burn So Hard to Forget Suicide Room (Sala Samobojcow) T’Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness: Queer Blues Divas of the 1920s Tech Support The Green The Maiden and the Princess The Night Watch The Queen The Sleeping Beauty of East Finchley The Slope The Wise Kids This is What Love in Action Looks Like Three (Drei) Three Veils Tomboy Vito We Are the Night (Wir sind die Nacht) We Were Here Wish Me Away

75 75 71 71 48 74 71 85 69 63 86 45 69 53 61 40 61 45 69 88 72 78 46 58 59 77 44 88