DOCuMENTARIES
SEMPER FI: ONE MARINE’S JOURNEY Dir: Vince Di Persio, USA, 2007, video, 77 min Lance Corporal Jeff Key documents his tour of duty in war torn Iraq and his experiences as a gay man serving under the US administration’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in this candid and absorbing documentary derived from his one man stage show. Key relocated from Alabama to California where he found a more accepting circle of friends as he decides to come out publicly - lock, stock and barrel. The film blends personal footage shot in Iraq, an enlightening mix of interviews and raw emotional monologue performances by Key in the soliloquy style of Spalding Gray or William Yang to tell his story. Strident, poetic accounts lifted from his no holds barred Iraq journals flesh out his experiences. Unhappy with the atrocities in Iraq, and the US government’s disavowal of human rights for gays in the military, Key, handsomely resplendent in full military regalia, reads an emotion charged open letter of complaint to the top brass. Not to be missed. (PA)
Winner Audience Award for Best Documentary San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2007. SESSIoN 68 MAR
2008
SHE’S A BOY I KNEW Dir: Gwen Haworth, Canada, 2007, video, 70 min Sublime home movie footage, voice-mail sound bites, frank testimonials and delightful animation co-exist in this unique male-to-female transition tale. Vancouver filmmaker Gwen Haworth has captured her difficult story via the art of interview. She asks direct questions, fearlessly. And her loving family, best mates and significant others deliver illuminating, brutally honest and at times anxious responses. By focusing the camera lens deep into her most intimate relationships Haworth paves the way for new style imaging of the transgendered self, and allows her loved ones access to express their often conflicted feelings. A must see documentary! (PA) Plus:
WHATEVER SUITS YOU Dir: Ashley Altadonna, USA, 2006, video, 7 min The filmmaker parallels the process of transforming a suit into a dress with all the physical, mental, and emotional processes of changing genders. SESSIoN 33 MAR
Saturday 15 March
Midday
2008
Sunday 9 March
4pm
ACMI Cinemas
ACMI Cinemas
3