docs
Off Road Fuoristrada DIR Elisa Amoruso, 2013, Italy, 68 min In Italian with English subtitles
A mechanic by trade and an off-road racing champion in his free time, Pino might sound like your average middle-aged working-class Italian man. But there is something very different about Pino: it’s the fact that Pino has decided to live life as a woman named Beatrice. With bright red lipstick, a short blonde bob, an oilstained pink top, and a stocky build, Beatrice certainly stands out in her community. Not long after transitioning, Beatrice meets Marianna, a Romanian nurse caring for Beatrice’s elderly mother. The two fall in love, get married in Rome (both in wedding gowns), and begin their own unique family, which includes Marianna’s teenage son and their adorable Rottweiler. Honored at the Rome Film Fest in 2013, Elisa Amoruso’s intimate, beautifully lensed documentary goes beyond offering a portrait of “the new normal.” It shows the struggles and questions particular to this remarkable family, in addition to proving that the cornerstone of any successful family is love and acceptance — no matter how the family is built. — JOE BOWMAN PRECEDED BY:
Luigi e Vincenzo DIR
Giuseppe Bucci 2013 Italy 5 min
An aging gay couple in Italy struggle with exposing their love for each other, despite the changing times. But even as acceptance becomes more commonplace, Luigi and Vincenzo know we still have a long way to go.
Out in East Berlin — Lesbians & Gays in the GDR Out in Ost-Berlin— Lesben und Schwule in der DDR
Out in the Line-Up: Uncovering the Taboo of Homosexuality in Surfing
DIRS Jochen Hick & Andreas Strohfeldt 2013 Germany 98 min in German and English with English subtitles
Surfers have a well-earned reputation for independence and cheeky iconoclasm. So it’s a paradox that the professional surfing world has remained a confining closet for gay men and lesbians who surf. This actionpacked documentary introduces us to a growing cadre of bold athletes who dare to be “out in the line-up.” The film charts the friendship of Australian state champion Dave Wakefield, whose gradual professional coming out is chronicled in the film, and Thomas Castets, the founder of Gaysurfers.net. They bring their boards and cameras to the great beaches of the world, meeting with pro and amateur surfers, including threetime World Surfing Champion Cori Schumacher; her wife, Maria Cerda; surfing photographer Jim Ready; and his husband, Rep. Barney Frank—all of whom candidly discuss the challenges of being an outsider in a tightknit surfing community. Many are struggling to change the persistent surf-world stereotypes (macho dudes/ hot babes) perpetuated by surfing authorities and sponsors. This documentary features terrific surfing cinematography, plenty of sun-drenched bodies and a great surf-rock soundtrack. But the real appeal is the athletes: their passion is infectious.
The politics, passion, and personal toll of coming out in East Berlin are captured in this illuminating documentary about love and identity behind the Iron Curtain. Filmmakers Jochen Hick and Andreas Strohfeldt focus on the powerful stories of thirteen East Berliners who came to terms with their sexuality in a country controlled by a single-party government, where spying was a part of daily life and an attempt to escape could be deadly. In the GDR’s strict ideological world, dedicated in theory to equality for all, homophobia lay just under the surface of mainstream society. Combining provocative, emotionally charged interviews with amazing archival discoveries, Out in East Berlin paints a full picture of an era, a place, and the people who lived through an emotional roller coaster of life-changing politics. Despite the intense subject and attention to historical context, the film captures the inspirational energy that comes when marginalized people are motivated to create a movement that matters. Each voice featured in the film comes with a unique perspective, but it’s the human experience that binds them together, creating a remarkable documentary about dangerous love in an authoritarian state, and finding your place in the world against all odds. — BRENDAN PETERSON
DIR Ian
W. Thomson 2014 Australia 69 min
— MARCUS WONACOTT PRECEDED BY:
Clan DIR
Larissa Behrendt 2014 Australia 8 min
This documentary short is a poetic and gorgeously shot first-person testimonial of coming out, told by an indigenous Australian rugby player.
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Monday June 23, 11:00 am · Castro
Thursday June 26, 7:00 pm · Victoria
Friday June 27, 7:00 pm · Victoria
$8 members, $10 general · OFFR23C
$10 members, $12 general · OUBE26V
$10 members, $12 general · OULI27V
SPONSORED BY
SPONSORED BY
SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL LGBT FILM FESTIVAL