Pgm 41: BIRTHDAY CAKE

Director Chad Darnell and his hilarious cast close out our 2013 festival with a raucous 85 minutes infused with just the right balance of stirring moments and dialog which coyly address the complexity of defining our family and friends.

Pgm 40: 20 LIES, 4 PARENTS, AND A LITTLE EGG

This atypical parenting fable follows two couples, their fifteen year old son, and the web of lies between them.

Pgm 39: AMERICAN VAGABOND

Our Documentary Centerpiece American Vagabond, directed by Danish filmmaker Susanna Helke, follows the personal narrative of James Temple, a gay, homeless teenager as he confronts the barbs of social acceptance, broken family ties, and the day-to-day uncertainties of living on the streets.

Pgm 38: GEOGRAPHY CLUB

Based on the popular young-adult novel by Brent Hartinger, Geography Club is a sweet and funny film that takes its cues more from the filmography of John Hughes than John Waters. Membership in this club is for anyone who's ever struggled to figure out their place in the world.

Pgm 37: G.B.F.

Out Closing Night selection for our 21st year, G.B.F. is a laugh-out-loud funny, candy-colored high school satire starring a cast of familiar faces. Like a sharp-tongued spiritual descendant of Mean Girls, it shows that even in high school, the identity you're assigned is never as cut and dried as you believe.

Pgm 36: HONEYMOON

A chilling and fascinating look at how the forgotten past can rise to haunt the present, Honeymoon looks beautiful and serene on the surface while stirring up tantalizing tensions below.

Pgm 35: SOONGAVA: DANCE OF THE ORCHIDS

Featuring stellar acting and some colorfully beautiful choreography, Soongava: Dance of the Orchids, the first Nepali film to depict same-sex relations, will stay in your head and your heart long after the credits roll.

Pgm 34: THE RUGBY PLAYER

Emmy-award winning filmmaker Scott Gracheff's heartfelt documentary, The Rugby Player defies stereotypes, challenging the perceptions some may have about what it means to be gay, or to be tough, or to be a hero. It's a film that will have viewers laughing one minute and fighting back tears another, ultimately acting as a powerful tribute to an inspirational young man.

Pgm 33: I'M A PORN STAR

This provocative, sexy film, directed by ImageOut favorite Charlie David, offers an eye-opening look at the men who become porn stars, shattering stereotypes along the way.

Pgm 32: THE LAST MATCH

In The Last Match, Spanish director Antonio Hens inspired his two first-time film actors, Milton García and Reiner Díaz, to deliver touching and authentic performances, helping to make the film one of the most dramatic romances this year.

Pgm 31 BREAKING THE GIRLS

Directed by Jamie Babbit and co-written by actress Guinevere Turner, Breaking the Girls is a sexy psychological thriller reminiscent of Hitchcock's Strangers On a Train. Its over-the-top twists and turns will keep you guessing until the final frames.

Pgm 30: HOME(GROWN) BOYS

An all-American collection of comedy shorts and sweet tales of love, relationships, and coming out.

Pgm 29: WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW?

A happy, almost fifties-like soundtrack keeps Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? solidly in the category of “romantic films,” and the direction has a gentle, easy feel, bright and comfortable without slipping into heavy-handedness or being overly melodramatic. All of the characters are extremely likable – even those that are secondary – and you’ll be rooting for each one of them to end up in their very own happily ever after.

Pgm 28: VALENTINE ROAD

Riveting interviews, creative animated sequences, and an inspiring soundtrack (including Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ hit “Same Love”) combine to make Valentine Road a must-see film for teenagers as well as adults.

Pgm 27: STRANGER BY THE LAKE

Wringing considerable tension from sparse dialogue and a single location, Stranger By the Lake avoids exploitation or passing judgement as it asks us to consider what it is that attracts us to behavior we know puts us in danger.

Pgm 26: IAN HARVIE SUPERHERO / PERFORMING GIRL (short)

Ian Harvie is something we don't see often... or ever: he's a transgender stand-up comedian and he is determined to show us that we're not so different from him. Or each other.

Using excerpts from performances and family interviews, we get to know the compelling story of performance artist D’Lo, who was raised by Sri Lankan parents in Southern California.

Pgm 25: FIVE DANCES

Five Dances is a compelling dance drama, juxtaposing cool, abstract modern dance and soulful music with the reality of an artist's daily struggles amidst the endless dedication, camaraderie, and competition that are required to make a dance company succeed. It's also a tense, emotional love story about commitment to both high art and to one another.

Pgm 24: SEX, LIES, & VHS

Who likes boys shorts? I like boys shorts!

Pgm 23: PORTRAIT OF JASON

Shirley Clarke'sPortrait of Jason gives a unique vision of the reality of life in a back alley near the intersection of race, gender, economics, criminality, and sexuality. Equal parts entertaining, humbling, and familiar, this remastered and restored print of a long-forgotten chunk of cinéma vérité is a sophisticated and thought-provoking addition to this year's festival lineup.

Pgm 22: ROUTE OF ACCEPTANCE

Writer-director Heather Tobin will be in town tonight for the screening of her new film, about a young girl questioning what's next for her life as she ventures away from home and off to college.

Pgm 21: METH HEAD

Inspired by writer-director Jane Clark's own real-life experience with methamphetamine addiction, Meth Head is a harrowing and emotional portrayal of drug abuse, as well as the ways in which family (both the ones we're born into and the ones we make for ourselves) influence the paths we take in life. Jane Clark will be in attendance for a Q&A following tonight's screening!

Pgm 20: BWAKAW

Jun Lana's film takes us to a small town in the Philippines, giving us insights into a different culture, yet one with striking similarities to our own. As it gently, humorously, and wisely takes us deep into its characters, Bwakaw offers lessons on what matters most in life, and in love.

Pgm 19: GETTING GO, THE GO DOC PROJECT

Getting Go, the Go Doc Project uses a mockumentary style to capture a multimedia, contemporary love affair; one that transcends fairy tale narrative to probe the mysterious, fragile, and profound nature of love.

Pgm 18: TWO MOTHERS

Brutally honest, Two Mothers reveals to us layer by emotional layer the intricacies – and heartbreaks – of a lesbian couple trying frantically to make a family.

Pgm 17: IN THE NAME OF

A controversial and provocative film about the sexual angst of a gay priest, In the Name Of tackles familiar content from new angles, examining the complexities surrounding love, sexuality, and organized religion. Filled with riveting and true-to-life performances, this is a thoughtful and powerful film that’s not to be missed.

Pgm 16: ALICE WALKER: BEAUTY IN TRUTH

A must-see documentary chronicling the life of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning activist, poet, and author of The Color Purple, director Pratibha Parmar’s Alice Walker: Beauty In Truth is a moving, inspiring film which traces Alice Walker’s fascinating history from the time of her ancestors to present day.

Pgm 15: PIT STOP / TORN & FRAYED (short)

A nuanced, honest portrayal of life in a rural, blue collar town, Pit Stop avoids stereotypes and defies expectation at every turn. The two lead actors turn in captivatingly natural performances and, as he demonstrated with Ciao, Yen Tan knows how to write appealing, sympathetic characters. It’s a film which seems to argue that if you’re feeling stuck in life, you might simply be idling at a pit stop: the brief respite before you continue on to the final destination, the place where, once you’ve arrived, you sense you were meant to be all along.

Martin, a marine who has just returned home from Iraq, is caught between two lovers, and must choose who he wants to be and who he wants to be with.

Pgm 14: THE NEW BLACK

The New Black shows us that it is easy to oversimplify the historically complex attitudes of African Americans toward homosexuality and gay rights.

Pgm 13: THE HAPPY SAD

Tinkering around with the dynamics and boundaries of a long-term relationship can be risky business.In this age of blurred lines of sexuality and at a time when polyamory is openly discussed in mainstream media, The Happy Sad examines the turbulent, youthful 20s, when figuring out  who we are, and what seems to make us happiest, might also make us miserable.

Pgm 12: BEFORE YOU KNIOW IT

Winston Churchill noted that we “measure the degree of civilization of a society by how it treats its weakest members.” How we treat our elderly is a testament to our humanity. No matter what we do in our lives, before we know it we will grow old and have to face our own mortality. Being aware of what’s coming and the importance of the issues facing the aging LGBT community might just make those changes a little less frightening.

Pgm 11: TEST

Test captures the feeling of paranoia and dread that pervaded the time, when misinformation ran rampant and the emergence of a new blood test offered potential peace of mind, whatever the outcome. Forsaking the melodrama that traditionally accompanies films of its ilk, Test is sexy and insightful, featuring beautifully choreographed dance sequences and tackling a difficult subject with as much grace as the dancers it depicts.

Pgm 10: WHO'S AFRAID OF VAGINA WOLF?

One of the must-see films in this year’s line up, Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf? is a semi-autobiographical, smart and witty romantic comedy that asks the question, “what do you do when you put love on hold for the sake of career, then wake up one day to realize you have neither?”

Pgm 9: OUT IN THE DARK

Out in the Dark, Michael Mayer’s outstanding feature-length directorial debut, paints an honest picture of why many gays in Palestinian territories are forced to be invisible, living in the shadows. But when there is love, there is hope.

Pgm 8: QUICK LICKS (Shorts Program)

From sexy, generous neighbors to club-hopping party girls to an aging chanteuse, this collection of Sapphic tales of sexual adventures and loving LTRs has everything.

Pgm 7: THE FALLS: TESTAMENT OF LOVE

A thoughtful, melancholy tale, The Falls: Testament of Love is ultimately about the courage it takes to step off of the familiar path, out into the unknown, and the consequences that await those who can’t.

Pgm 6: I AM DIVINE

I Am Divine is the story of an unlikely and unforgettable cult movie icon, and the man behind it.

Pgm 5: MONSTER PIES

Monster Pies surprises with many layers of meaning, and subtle, deeply moving performances from the actors. More than just a coming-of-age story, the film explores relationships and imperfect families, the loneliness of having to hide and the delight and danger of allowing another person into your secret life.

Pgm 4: MR. ANGEL

This documentary tells us the fascinating and brave story of Buck Angel.

Pgm 3: SHOULDERS TO STAND ON

The World Premiere of this documentary on the LGBT History of Rochester, NY was a huge hit for us. Did you love it?

Pgm 2: FREE FALL

Director and co-writer Stephan Lacant weaves a familiar yet gripping homoerotic tale of seduction, homophobia, and bisexuality. With gorgeous cinematography framing them, handsome lead stars Hanno Koffler and Max Riemelt (ImageOut 2011’s We Are The Night) smolder the screen. Their palpable and believable chemistry makes their characters’ story even more compelling. Free Fall is a sexy, poignant reminder that sometimes in order to build the life we are meant to have, our world must first be torn apart.

Pgm 1: REACHING FOR THE MOON

The story of Elizabeth Bishop will make you fall in love with Brazil and falling in love. But did you love these complicated women?

Director's POV: Rochester LGBT documentary Shoulders to Stand On

For more than a century, Rochester has led the nation in the historic struggle for civil rights. But, even as history is made, the record of the people and events who made it is often fragile and can be lost over time.

Shoulders to Stand On, a full-length documentary produced by the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley, sets out to capture and preserve LGBT history in the Rochester region. The film tells personal stories about the achievements of Rochester’s LGBT community. 
It premieres Oct. 12 at the Dryden Theatre, George Eastman House, as part of ImageOut.

Kevin Indovino is the film's director. ImageOut recently asked him to reflect on the experience.

IMAGEOUT: In an Empty Closet interview, you told Susan Jordan that one of the questions you're asking a lot of people is: as you look at the LGBT movement in Rochester, “what is it about our city that made it possible to be progressive?” Did you find the answer in the process of producing Shoulders to Stand On?

KEVIN INDOVINO: The most common answer I got from people is that Rochester has always had a spirit of social justice; most people would note that we are the city of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. 
But, in trying to go deeper than that, the one conclusion that seemed to emerge is that Rochester became a highly educated community very early on—and where you have educated, forward-thinking people, you have an environment for social change. 
Industrialists like George Eastman took distinct steps to make sure Rochester was the best place for workers to live. The educational and cultural institutions he helped to put in place were intended attract the brightest and most creative people to this community. 
And that way of thinking carries on even today. With the downsizing of our major industries we are again promoting our educational, technology and cultural institutions.

 IO: You've also said that the people who took action in the early days didn't see themselves as “activists,” but as people who saw the need to do something. What's the difference?

KI: Good question. I guess as we look back at them now, we see them as activists and clearly someone like Bob Osborne, the founder of the Gay Liberation Front at U of R, saw himself as an activist. He was very much involved in the civil rights movements of the 1960s and brought that way of thinking to the GLF.

I think what I was really getting at in the Empty Closet interview was that these people didn’t see themselves as history makers—they weren’t thinking in terms of what kind of legacy they would be leaving behind.
They were simply reacting to the situation at the time, seeking visibility and respect from the community.


IO: Did producing the film change the way you look at your own heritage as a member of the LGBT community? How?

KI: I think mostly I am very humbled. I don’t think any of us today realize the courage and sacrifices it took from the generation before us to get us where we are today. And how amazing it is that we are able to record and celebrate these people’s achievements while most are still alive. 

It also gives me a renewed respect for the greater Rochester community. That community is often misinterpreted as being conservative, but in reality we have always been at the forefront of progressive thinking.


IO: What are the prospects for this film achieving a national and maybe worldwide audience?

KI: It’s not likely that the documentary will get much distribution beyond the Rochester region because of its very local content. Not impossible but not likely. We knew that going in. We do have several community organizations / institutions expressing interest in doing their own screenings of the documentary and that’s exactly what we were hoping would happen. 

However, the documentary is really just a small part of a much larger project. It was purposely produced in a chapter-like format so that we can easily break it up into online segments.

The Shoulders to Stand On website will be redeveloped and redesigned as an educational toolkit, using the documentary segments, audio interviews and many archival materials that we found during the production of the documentary.

The online component is what will be used mostly on a national or international scale.

Image Art opening reception: i do?!

via Alice Carver-Kubik, ImageArt Co-Chair
ImageArt opening reception this evening (Oct 4) from 6-9 pm

Images via Jeffrey Cougler, ImageArt Co-Chair

Inspired by the growing momentum of marriage equality activism, in its fourteenth year, ImageArt decided to create a themed, juried exhibition that addresses the issues surrounding marriage from multiple points of view.

i do?! addresses the diversity and weight behind the word “marriage” from multiple points of view. Traditional media like watercolor, acrylic paint and photography join forces with sculptural works, digital printing and some not-so traditional media to tell a variety of stories. Some works address the feeling of incompleteness or invisibleness that is sometimes felt by those in same-sex unions not backed by the law or accepted by society. Several pieces have been inspired by traditional marriage related phrases, such as a couple working through rough times or how one might disparagingly refer to a spouse.
Other works stir stereotypes, gender and ethnicity into the marriage pot (or is that bed?). Overall, the artists selected by the ImageArt jury address a range of topics including love, commitment, gender roles, family and stereotypes.

The show opens today (October 4) with a reception from 6 to 9 pm. at the Visual Studies Workshop, 31 Prince Street, Rochester, NY. The exhibition and opening reception are free and open to the public. There will be wedding cake!

The exhibition and opening reception are free and open to the public. The exhibition will run from October 4 to October 26. Gallery Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Sundays October 6 and 13, 11 am to 5 pm.