THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13

Opening Night
7:30 PM

MADAME SATÃ
Directed by Karim Ainouz (2002, Brazil/France)
This gritty and visceral film was inspired by the true story of colorful Brazilian folk legend João Francisco dos Santos, better known by his drag persona, Madame Satã. A homosexual, lover, outcast, actor, singer thief, father, resistance fighter and leader of the 1930s bohemian quarter of Rio de Janeiro, João Francisco (Lázaro Ramos) refuses to play the victim in his struggles against racism and poverty. Possessing an alluring aura which tempts all who come in his path, João Francisco pulls together a small "family," consisting of former and current lovers, who will lay down their lives for the man they adore. This powerhouse film captures "a mystery, an erotic steaminess, smoke and sweat, a time and a sensibility."
with English subtitles, 105 min.)

9:30 PM
OPENING NIGHT PREMIERE PARTY
Join us from 9:30 pm until 2 am for the opening of the 14th edition of the festival. JetSet, 115 N. First Street, Minneapolis.
(Must be 21+ with valid state ID to attend).

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14
7:30 PM
BETSY BENSON AND THE BOW TIE BOY(S)
Directed by William Rees (2003, U.S.)
Local director Rees directed this playful video about a woman plagued by a pair of spiteful chocolate bunnies who seem to know what looks best on her. (10 min)

KIKI AND TIGER
Directed by Alain Gsponer (2002, Germany)
Kiki and Tiger have a friendship that breaks the boundaries of the political struggles between their nationalities. Tiger is a German-born Serb; Kiki is Kosovo Albanian illegally residing in Germany. As Tiger¹s affections for Kiki grow with an intensity that even he doesn¹t understand, Kiki¹s response proves heart-wrenching. While their families push them apart, Tiger will go to extremes to remain close to Kiki.
(German and Serbian with English subtitles, 55 min.)

9:00 PM
GASOLINE (BENZINA)
Directed by Monica Strambrini (2001, Italy)
Strambrini¹s debut is a sultry thriller boiling over with sex, action and passion. Romanced by Stella, the local mechanic, Leni quits school and attempts cuts off her maternal relationship. When Leni¹s mother tries to interfere, Stella intervenes, with tragic results. With plans to escape, the two set off on a break-neck paced getaway through the Italian countryside, pursued by police and homophobes.
(Italian with English subtitles, 85 min.)
SPONSORED BY THE L-WORD

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15
3:30 PM
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT DYING: A TRIBUTE TO KRIS KOVICK
Directed by Silas Howard (2003)
Gender-bending author, storyteller, humorist, activist, cartoonist and mentor Kris Kovick approaches her breast cancer diagnosis with characteristic candor. This loving and hilarious tribute shows a woman who lived life to its fullest.
(20 min.)

BERTHA ALYCE
Directed by Gay Block (2001)
Photographer Gay Block presents this personal and brutally honest account of her relationship with mother-- the subject of much of her work. Block explores the complex nature of generational conflict, which in her case is complicated by sexuality, gender, and wealth.
(24 min.)

NO SECRET ANYMORE: THE TIMES OF DEL MARTIN AND PHYLLIS LYON
Directed by JEB (Joan E. Biren) (2003)
Bound together by five decades of love and pioneering activism, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon helped found many critical activist organizations. In the 1950s , working within the Daughters of Bilitis, one of the first organization for lesbians, Martin and Lyon were determined to transform public consciousness that labeled lesbians as immoral and sick. A force to be contended with, Martin and Lyon also battled lesbian-bashing in the National Organization of Women and led many social movements that address injustices leveled against lesbian mothers, battered women, and the elderly.
(55 min)

5:15 PM
XX TO XY: FIGHTING TO BE JAKE
Directed by Emily Atef (2002, U.S./Germany/U.K.)
Jake, director Atef¹s friend, opens up about his longing to find love and acceptance as a female-to-male transexual in London.
(20 min)
SPONSORED BY THE QUEER STUDENT CULTURAL CENTER/U OF M

POLITICS OF FUR
Directed by Laura Nix (2002)
Fassbinder¹s classic lesbian film The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant loses none of its bite in Nix¹s updated version. Una is a self-absorbed, verbally-abusive manager of rock stars with the ultimate pet accessory, a young tiger cub. All of Una¹s resolve dissolves when she is presented with her birthday present, B., a punkish woman whose preference in sexual activity extends beyond vanilla lesbian sex. This sparks a struggle for dominance and control as Una tries deal with subservience for the first time in her life.
(76 min)

7:30 PM
THE EVENT
Directed by Thom Fitzgerald (2002, Canada/U.S.)
When his drug cocktail stops working, a gay man chooses assisted suicide as a way to deal with his failing health. His family and the law are at odds over his wishes in this moving film. As a district attorney investigates his death, the moral and legal challenges of honoring the rights of a man who has been failed by a government who doesn¹t care about gay men with HIV, yet is ready to prosecute anyone who assisted him in his suicide. Director Thom Fitzgerald (The Hanging Garden, Beefcake) has gathered a terrific ensemble cast consisting of actors such as Don MacKellar, Olympia Dukakis, Parker Posey, and Sarah Polley.
(114 min) Opens at the Lagoon Cinema on November 21.
SPONSORED BY DESKTECH

9:45 PM
GOLDFISH MEMORY
Directed by Liz Gill (2003, Ireland)
A group of pansexual Dubliners search for love in this refreshing comedy. Angie, a TV reporter, falls for Clara, a young student experimenting with sexuality. Clara, however, is smitten with her shallow lothario professor, Tom. Things become more complicated when Angie¹s best friend Tom seduces a straight man living with his girlfriend. Sound complicated? This is only the beginning as each of their lives become more intertwined ­with hilarious results.
(85 min)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16
3:45 PM
BETSY BENSON AND THE BOW TIE BOY(S)

KIKI & TIGER
(For details see Friday, November 14 listing)

5:15 PM
THE ODDS OF RECOVERY
Directed by Su Friedrich (2002)
"In this latest intimate documentary, Su Friedrich (Hide and Seek, Sink or Swim), tracks her long struggle with health problems alongside her fifteen-year relationship with her lover. Bringing a Hi-8 video camera (and a dry sense of humor) along to the doctor, Friedrich documents her often-aggravating journey through the Western health care system. Friedrich continues on her path as one of today¹s most visionary queer filmmakers, using her own intimate experience as a lens for us to experience our own vulnerability." ­Jenni Olson
(65 min)

7:30 PM
THE PATH OF LOVE (TARIK EL HOB)
Directed by Rémi Lange (2001, France)
Parisian student Karim has decided to make a video about homosexuality in the Islamic Arab community. Karim initially has difficulty getting gay men to open up, but the handsome Farid doesn¹t have any trouble, as he immediately sets out to seduce Karim. When Karim¹s girlfriend discovers Persian gay love poems from Farid she leaves Karim .Astheir attraction develops, the two men travel to Morocco to finish the film and to define their relationship.
(in French and Arabic with English subtitles, 70 min)
SPONSORED BY THE QUEER STUDENT CULTURAL CENTER/U OF M

ACT OF FAITH
Directed by Dan Bree (2002)
Director Bree finds that there are no easy answers in the conflict between traditional Islam and homosexuality.
(7 min)

9:15 PM
XX TO XY: FIGHTING TO BE JAKE
(For details see Saturday November 15 listing)

POLITICS OF FUR
(For details, see Saturday, November 15 listing)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17
7:30 PM
RADICAL HARMONIES
Directed by Dee Mosbacher (2002)
Bursting with heart-warming anecdotes and rousing musical performances, this sweeping documentary provides an indispensable history of women¹s music. More than three decades of music spearheaded largely by lesbians create a lasting musical form of expression by and for women. With appearances by such leading figures as Holly Near, Cris Williamson and Bernice Johnson, the film conveys the struggle to create safe spaces and embraces diversity, musically and socially.
(92 min)

9:30
MY LIFE ON ICE (MA VRAI VIE A ROUEN)
Directed by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau (2002, France)
Etienne, a cute ice skater growing up in Rouen, is given a video camera to document his training for an upcoming competition. But when he turns his camera on others, he captures the stalking of his high school geography teacher, hunky firemen, and his best friend¹s sex encounter. Invading the privacy of those around him, Etienne ultimately suffers when the camera is turned on his burgeoning sexual awakening.
(in French with English subtitles, 102 min)
SPONSORED BY DESKTECH

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18
7:30 PM
MY LIFE ON ICE (MA VRAI VIE A ROUEN)
(For details see Monday, November 17 listing)

9:30 PM
TERMINAL BAR
Directed by Stefan Nadelman (2002)
Nadelman's uncle, a life-long bartender, reflects on the closing of the Terminal Bar, historically populated mainly by working-class African American gay men, and one of New York's most dangerous bars.
(23 min)

PUT THE CAMERA ON ME
Directed by Darren Stien (2002)
Kids may say the darndest things, but in director Stein¹s case, they filmed the darndest things. Taking on such issues as homosexuality (Gay as a Whistle) and the Holocaust (his version of Schindler¹s List), Stein and his group of friends grew up in a suburban cul-de-sac in Encino, CA in the 1980s. These 7 to 15 year-olds pushed the boundaries of the medium of film.. As they have matured, the former stars find themselves deeply affected by their association with the films directed by the dictatorial and twisted Stein, who provoked power plays and worked out his crushes on neighbor boys by abusing his authority as director.
(70 min)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19
7:30 PM
THAT THING WE DO
Directed by Andrew Hull (2002, Canada)
A gay man struggles with his internal homophobia and may loose his lover when he fails to come out to his family during a weekend visit at the cabin.
(16 min)

YOSSI AND JAGGER
Directed by Eytan Fox (2002, Israel)
Based on a true story, this gripping, emotional story follows the love affair of two Israeli soldiers in a remote army base on the Israeli-Lebanese border. Restrained by the decorum and discretion they must observe on base, they search for opportunities to be together without arousing suspicion. Yossi is content with their undercover relationship, but Jagger longs for an open life with Yossi. With their lives threatened, will the closet door open in enough time?
(in Hebrew with English subtitles, 71 min)

9:30 PM
DO I LOVE YOU?
Directed by Lisa Gornick (2002, U.K.)
Gornick¹s British comedy of manners follows a revolving group of pansexual women bedfellows who attempt to find Ms. Right. When Marina¹s girlfriend buys a revolting white couch for their new lovenest, Marina decides she needs a new partner. Her journey becomes a classic tale of a few degrees of separation of former lovers, co-workers and crushes who combine to complicate this tight dyke drama.
(73 min)
SPONSORED BY THE L-WORD

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20
7:30
LOVE FORBIDDEN (DEFENSE D¹AIMER)
Directed by Rodolphe Marconi (2002, France)
Writer/Director Rodolphe Marconi also stars as Bruce in this gorgeous film of l¹ amour fou. When the French novelist arrives in Rome for a fellowship, he is pulled in to erotic fascination. While mourning the death of his brother to complication from AIDS, he seeks solace in a friendship with intern Matteo. As his relationship with Matteo intensifies, Bruce develops an unhealthy fixation. The stunning lead actors lead this highly charged tale of obsession.
(in French, Italian and English with English subtitles, 96 min)

9:30 PM
CLOSING NIGHT PARTY
Join us at 9:30 pm for the celebratory closing of the 14th edition of the festival. Empire, 319 1st Ave N., Minneapolis.
(Must be 21+ with valid state ID to attend).