With the recent Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage, and the generally warm media and public reception to Bruce Jenner’s unveiling of Caitlyn Jenner, conversation is once again brewing about the relevance of LGBT film festivals. Given that the tide of public opinion is shifting on queer issues, are queer film festivals even needed anymore? Actually, yes they are. The mainstreaming of queer politics and identities continues apace, with the key word being “mainstream.” There are still many queer identities (particularly those where factors of race, class, gender presentation, and simply unconventional art practices and aesthetics, intersect) that need forums to find an audience. The real trick for LGBT festivals from here on out is how to navigate terrain between corporate-sponsored, politically safe, assimilationist fare, and queer bodies and queer art that are resolutely about pushing the envelope.
The festival’s opening night film, Tig, perfectly embodies the kind of film that supports the argument that festivals are no longer needed. A documentary that tracks lesbian comedian Tig Notaro’s public battle with cancer, and the unbelievable number of tragedies and setbacks she suffered in the wake of her diagnosis, it’s a sleekly crafted crowd-pleaser, unlikely to offend anyone but the most hardened of homophobes. A lot of that has to do with Tig’s public persona. Her comedy style is somewhere on the spectrum alongside Paula Poundstone and Steven Wright – droll, observational humor that can veer absurdist. Her sexuality is almost never directly addressed or mined for material, with her androgynous body and tomboy attire doing the heavy lifting of making any “political statement.” The film, likewise, shows a Tig who’s smart, warm, and hugely likeable – cut from the same non-threatening cloth as Ellen DeGeneres.
Two of the biggest strengths of Outfest are the way they consistently program classic queer films alongside new fare, and the ways their panels and live events highlight queerness in ways other film festivals just wouldn’t. This year, one of the hottest tickets is Lypsinka’s classic stage show “The Passion of the Crawford,” in which the performer channels Joan Crawford making a rare public speaking appearance in 1973. Anyone who hasn’t seen Lypsinka live should sell blood or ass to score tickets. Her seamless immersion into old-school glamour, camp, and aesthetics is sublime – performance art at its finest, and a reminder of just how powerful and transformative drag can be.
Also worth checking out are the following special screenings: Parting Glances, Bill Sherwood’s 1986 queer cinema classic about the early days of AIDS; 54: The Director’s Cut (which will be an outdoor screening at Hollywood Forever Cemetery), Mark Christopher’s 1998 ode to iconic disco club, Studio 54; Lizzie Borden’s groundbreaking 198 feminist classic Born in Flames; and Gregg Araki’s stylish paean to young queer angst, 1993’s Totally Fucked Up.
Check the Outfest website for dates and screening locations. The festival runs July 9-19.
A preview of the festivals best picks runs tomorrow.
