Another Sneak Peek at This Year’s Film Festival

The line-up for this year’s Festival is final! The program is currently being prepared for printing and will be released in mid-September, the earliest release date in the Festival’s history!

Knowing that you don’t want to have to wait until September, following is another sneak preview of two GLBT films that will be in this year’s Festival line-up:

Shelter

A year out of high school, Zach is stuck in San Pedro, California working as a fry cook, skateboarding and stenciling guerrilla artwork on abandoned buildings. His bedroom is his oasis—he draws on the walls, in his notebook, in sketches piled up on the floor. But he’s squashed his dream of attending Cal Arts in order to help his sister, Jeannie, raise her five-year-old son. Enter Shaun, the gay older brother of Zach’s best friend and a writer taking a break from Hollywood to recover from a bad relationship. Zach and Shaun start hanging out, surfing and drinking too much beer, much to Jeannie’s concern. "You’re not a fag," she tells Zach. Wishful thinking! It isn’t long before Zach and Shaun are falling asleep in each other’s arms.

Zach’s slow awakening to desire is at the heart of this gritty, romantic debut from talented writer/director Jonah Markowitz. A sensitive performance by handsome newcomer Trevor Wright anchors the classic story of a young man forced by responsibility to grow up fast—with strong support from Tina Holmes (Six Feet Under and Edge of Seventeen) and sexy Brad Rowe (Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss). With a pitch-perfect emo soundtrack and plenty of guys in wetsuits riding waves under gorgeous sunsets, Shelter is a sensory treat.

The first film from a new independent production initiative at here! Network, Shelter proves that the premium cable network is definitely hitting its stride and fulfilling its commitment to bringing authentic stories to the LGBT community.

[Dir. Jonah Markowitz, 2007, US, video, 90 mins.]

Nina’s Heavenly Delights

In this spicy romantic comedy seasoned with Bollywood flair, an Indian daughter returns home to save her father’s Glasgow curry restaurant and discovers family secrets along the way— while hiding some of her own! Three years ago, on the eve of her arranged marriage in Scotland, Nina ran away to London in search of the life and true love that she really wanted. After her father’s unexpected death, Nina must now return home to face what she has so desperately tried to avoid, and, in doing so, she uncovers two secrets: Half of her family’s curry house was lost on a gambling debt, and her father qualified for the finals of the "Best of the West Curry Competition." Eager to right her wrongs, Nina enlists the luscious new co-owner, Lisa, to win the cook-off contest, but an unforeseen ingredient shakes up their preparation plans. After an exhausting yet exhilarating night in the kitchen, their sneaking glances and tender touches hit each other with the searing heat of chilies to the tongue, and a passionate connection ignites the very sensation that Nina has been yearning for. A fiery, clandestine affair begins, but Nina must choose between her traditional family values and her new-found sizzling love. Like spices in a delicious curry, director Pratibha Parmar skillfully blends a vivacious cast of characters, vibrant Bollywood-style musical numbers and clever humor in this zesty, delightful comedy.

[Dir. Pratibha Parmar, 2006, UK, video, 96 mins.]

There are many more great films programmed for this year’s independent film festival. Stay tuned for a website posting of the full schedule at www.rehobothfilm.com