A Fall Tradition in Rehoboth Beach
The Rehoboth Beach Film Festival has become a vital part of the Fall arts landscape in Rehoboth Beach. With approximately 100 films, this year’s festival (November 9-13) features a wide variety of American and international features, documentaries, and shorts. As always, CAMP Rehoboth continues to be a sponsor of the Film Festival, and we are pleased to provide descriptions of a large number of films that are of special interest to the LGBT community, as well as other enjoyable, non-film activities. For more details about the Festival, visit the Rehoboth Beach Film Festival website.
Circumstance
In this year’s winner of the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award, teenagers Atafeh, and her best friend, Shireen, are experimenting with their burgeoning sexuality amidst the subculture of Tehran’s underground art scene when Atafeh’s brother, Mehran, returns home from drug rehab as the prodigal son. Battling his demons, Mehran vehemently renounces his former life as a classical musician and joins the morality police. He disapproves of his sister’s developing intimate relationship with Shireen and becomes obsessed with saving Shireen from Atafeh’s influence. Suddenly, the two siblings, who were close confidants, are entangled in a triangle of suspense, surveillance, and betrayal as the once-liberal haven of the family home becomes a place of danger for the beautiful Atafeh. Splendidly constructed and saturated with a sumptuous sense of style and sensuality, Circumstance marks the arrival of an exciting, original talent. First-time feature writer/director Maryam Keshavarz registers a rare glimpse of forbidden love in today’s Iranian youth culture.
[Dir. Maryam Keshavarz, 2011, Iran/France/USA, video, 107 mins. In Farsi and English with English subtitles]
The Green
Michael and Daniel have moved from New York City to a bucolic Connecticut town in hopes of living a simpler life. But the muggy spring weather isn’t the only oppressive thing about their new community. Michael is finding his balance as an out teacher at a private high school when his interactions with a student come into question. As he’s told, “There’s been an accusation. And that’s all that matters.” A misunderstood encounter sets the events in motion, driven by the student’s mother and her sinister boyfriend. Are they after the truth, revenge or money? As Michael’s life unravels, he and Daniel are forced to face the suspicions of coworkers and the latent homophobia in their friends and neighbors (including indie favorite Illeana Douglas). Their lesbian civil rights lawyer, Karen (the striking Julia Ormond), is itching for a fight, and her “all in” attitude might be more than Michael is looking for. The story spins completely out of Michael’s control when his accuser disappears, making it even harder to prove the truth—whatever the truth actually is. When Karen unearths a damaging secret about Michael that even Daniel doesn’t know, a storm of violent confrontations threatens to bring down Michael, his relationship, and the entire community. As Michael, Jason Butler Harner walks the thin line between honesty and cagey secrecy. Cheyenne Jackson brings sweetness and authenticity to the role of Daniel. The audience must draw their own conclusions as the green of summer fades to fall.
[Dir. Steven Williford, 2011, US, video, 90 mins.]
Gun Hill Road
An official selection of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Gun Hill Road is a tense and complex family drama about a teen embracing her gender identity and a father who must put aside his notions of manhood and reinvestigate his own ideas of what having a “normal” child means. There is no doubt that Enrique Michael Rodriguez has many ideas of what his young son—and namesake—will become: strong, proud of his Nuyorican heritage, macho…just like Enrique himself. But when Enrique returns home to the Bronx after three years in prison, he finds that he doesn’t know his son Michael at all. Enrique tries to make up for lost time by focusing even more attention on his son, only to realize that Michael is transitioning and spends a lot of time as Vanessa. And Vanessa is struggling to balance school, her poetry, her family, and a boyfriend who prefers private time to public dates. Meanwhile, Vanessa’s supportive mother, Angela, tries to keep her family together in spite of her own volatile personal life. Three pitch-perfect leads anchor an incredible cast. The always sexy Esai Morales simmers as Enrique, Judy Reyes plays Angela with grounded vulnerability, and newcomer Harmony Santana is a true breakout star, shining as Vanessa.
[Dir. Rashaad Ernesto Green, 2011, US, video, 88 mins]
Loose Cannons (Mine vaganti)
Tommaso (Riccardo Scamarcio, Eden Is West) has a comfortable life in Rome as an aspiring writer and a steady relationship with his boyfriend Marco—a life he has kept secret from his family. So when he’s called back to his hometown of Lecce in Italy’s deep-south to help run the family pasta business, he decides to finally reveal his homosexuality to his conservative family and hopefully get out of his business obligations in the process. But when his plans are thwarted by his brother, Tommaso gets stuck on the path that he was desperately trying to avoid. Director Ferzan Ozpetek (Facing Windows, A Perfect Day) takes a playful approach to this family dramedy, matching a critique of provincial Southern values with an eccentric cast of characters that includes a philandering conservative father, a boozing aunt, a pair of disgruntled maids, and Tommaso’s bubbly friends. As each family member’s quirks slowly come to the surface, Ozpetek’s heartfelt film reveals that Tommaso isn’t the only one struggling to navigate between la bella figura (a good public image) and his true desires.
[Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek, 2010, Italy, 35mm, 110 mins. In Italian with English subtitles]
The Night Watch
“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 an 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.
[Dir. Richard Laxton, 2011, UK, video, 90 mins]
Rosa Morena
What do you do when the law says you cannot adopt a child? The answer is found in the first Danish-Brazilian 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, based on 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 in the least moral, where $100,000 is 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 Rosa Morena is also a story of affection. Provocative, entertaining and poignant, it 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, 35mm, 90 Mins. In Danish, Portuguese and English with English subtitles]
So Hard To Forget (Como Esquecer)
The trauma of recovering from the break-up of an intense relationship unfolds in this intense, sensitive but far from maudlin Brazilian drama. Julia is a hauntingly beautiful 35-year-old literature teacher who is completely overcome by sadness and saddled with listlessness after (the unseen) breakup of her longtime lover, Antonia. She falls into a painful depression, with the slightest sight or sound triggering painful memories. Unable to recover on her own, Julia’s friend Hugo, who himself is getting over grieving for the death of his life-partner, has determined it’s time for both to move on. He’s brought a three bedroom house, close to the sea, and he’s planned for Júlia and his friend Lisa—another soul fresh from a break-up—to move in. As winds of change blow through the house and its new inhabitants, the trio creates an emotional support system for each other. When Lisa’s cousin, Helena, shows up unannounced, Júlia allows some light to re-enter her soul. The odd and powerful aspect of this story is that while we witness the unblinking emotional trauma of a woman, equal attention is paid to her friends and their efforts to save her from her self-destructive despair. For anybody who has ever learned to be happy again, this drama is an portrayal of a woman, consumed by grief, taking steps to regain her equilibrium.
[Dir. Malu de Martino, 2010, Brazil, 35mm, 100 mins. In Portuguese with English subtitles]
Three (Drei)
From the director of iconic indie flick Run, Lola, Run comes Three, Tom Tykwer’s latest 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 on-screen. 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, German, 35mm, 119 mins. In German with English subtitles]
Tomboy
Gender identity is explored in Celine (Water Lilies) Sciamma‘s humorous, heartfelt story of a girl who just wants to be a boy. Ten-year-old Laure and her family move into a Parisian suburban apartment during the summer holiday. Laure, a tomboy who cuts her hair short and wears boys’ clothing (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. Celine Sciamma, 2010, France, video, 84 mins. In France with English subtitles]
Also Available: 10% Shorts and the Documentary Wish Me Away, and check out these Live in Lounge activities:
Veterans Tribute Fri: (11/11/11)
Beginning 11:11 a.m. in the Big Tent
Enjoy the wonderful sounds of the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus as they pay tribute to WW2 Veterans with a selection of tunes from the period. (Sing along is welcomed). The CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is directed by William F. McManus and accompanied by David Zipse.
French Literary Salon: Fri (11/11/11)
Beginning at 10:00 am in the Big Tent (bump-out)
By mid-18th century, literary salons had become an institution in aristocratic French society. Mesdames Rambouillet and Madame DeStael were early organizers of these literary gatherings. Following suit, bring your croissant and café au lait to a reading of poetry and prose by prize winning authors from the Rehoboth Art League’s Writers Group.
A Tour Of France Wine Tasting: Sat (11/12)
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm in the Big Tent
As the largest wine producer, France produces 7-8 billion bottles of wine every year from the world’s second-largest total vineyard area. Teller Wines will take you on a tour of France by sampling wines produced in the various regions. Learn about the grape varieties, wine-making practices, and styles of wine. Santé!
Dogfish Head Beer Tasting: Sat (11/12)
Beginning at 8:30 pm in the Big Tent (bump out)
A Festival favorite! Dogfish Head Craft Brewery is known for brewing some of the most innovative beers and extraordinary spirits. Enjoy samplings of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s off-centered ales known for their non-traditional ingredients.
French Baroque Dance: Sat (11/12)
Beginning at 9:15 pm in the Big Tent
Transport yourself to the Court of French King Louis XIV as you watch a French Baroque Dance performance. Choregraphie Antique members from the Dance History Assemble of Goucher College will perform a French Menuet, Jigue á Deux, and a French Bouree in original Baroque court dresses of the early 18th century fashion. Baroque dance became the basis for later development of classical ballet. After the performance, audience members can learn a few steps of each dance.
For more information about screening times and ticket sales, visit the Rehoboth Beach Film Festival website. The Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival is a wonderful event to add to your “must list” of things to do this Fall.