Chicago’s 41st Reeling Festival showcased LGBTQ+ cinema from around the world. I reviewed several of these films at Frameline. But here are some additional highlights.
Fireworks (2023, Italy). A tragedy inspired by an infamous murder case. Two bullied boys fall in love in the conservative Sicily of 1982. They lack the skills to survive a community where machismo has blossomed into psychopathy. The film is designed to provoke outrage. But it frequently veers into misery porn. Would make an interesting pairing with The Laramie Project.
Glitter & Doom (2023, U.S.). An Indigo Girls jukebox musical. A whimsical apprentice clown courts an angsty musician. But their artistic careers will take them on different paths. Pros: handsome actors, strong singing voices and colorful cinematography. Cons: The lads mumble. The film will benefit from subtitles. Gustafson (Were the World Mine, Hello Again) still doesn’t know how to film dance. Zooming in on faces and scenery and ignoring the dancers. The screenplay reaches a lovely stopping point. Then tacks on a tedious epilogue.
(Header Image: Alan Cammish and Alex Diaz in Glitter & Doom (2023))
House of Izabel (2022, Brazil). It’s 1970. Izabel runs an illegal retreat for trans women and cis men who wear women’s clothing. When a fatal accident occurs, the staff attempts to cover it up. The film is cruel to the residents, presenting them as bitter Baby Jane and Norma Desmond types. Tragic phantoms of Brazil’s past. For a more compassionate portrayal of such retreats read Harvey Fierstein’s Casa Valentina.
The Judgment (2023, Egypt). Psychological Thriller. A gay man from the states visits his homophobic family in Alexandria. He begins having nightmarish visions. Is he suffering from PTSD? Or has someone put a curse on him? The story moves at a frustratingly slow pace. The film maker has some important things to say about Egyptian society. But he pulls too many punches.
The Lost Boys (2023, France). A romance between two quiet boys at a juvenile detention facility. The plot is minimal. The focus is on the unrelenting boredom of the prison routine and the strain it takes on mental health. The actors aren’t given much to work with. But they can smolder like nobody’s business.
Moe (2023, U.S.). A dying man throws a goodbye party. He’s ambushed by his exes who seek to settle petty scores. (Mostly confirming who cheated on who.) A phantom drag queen serves as his cynical Angel of Death. The tale is a mix of It’s My Party and Kiss of the Spider Woman. The tone is stagey and soapy.
Norwegian Dream (2023, Norway). Brooding romance between two male workers at a fish processing factory. Internalized homophobia and a labor strike provide the conflict. The setting is new but the rest is familiar. I’ve seen the repressed leading man and manic pixie love interest dynamic play out many, many, many times before.
Single, Out (2022, Australia). Amateur web series. A neurotic twink hooks up with his brothers’ best friend. Complications ensue. The show soon introduces a flock of supporting twinks with stories of their own. The tone ranges from sitcom banter to darker tales of body dysmorphia and attempted assault. The season feels overcrowded. No one gets the time to develop into a compelling character.
You can find more of my reviews on The Avocado, Letterboxd and Serializd. My podcast, Rainbow Colored Glasses, can be found here.