Sundance Film Festival is now 34 years old. Always supportive of
LGBT filmmakers as well as films which feature LGBT characters, in
2012 the fest offers a whole new crop to delight in.
This year prominent themes are bisexuality and blogging. As the
LGBT community and straight filmmakers open up to the spectrum of
sexual and relationship possibilities, this is increasingly
reflected in contemporary films. In addition, the continued
integration of social media into our daily lives allows some of us
to create avatars to act out a structured reality on YouTube or the
blogosphere. This blurring of the distinctions between imagination
and reality form the perfect film fodder.
Here are Diva's Top 5 feature films to look out for at
Sundance.
- 1. Young and Wild (pictured) is a
Chilean drama about the sexual awakening and adventures of a
17-year-old bisexual teen named Daniela (Alicia Rodriguez). The
film was based on a secret blog of the same name written by a
Chilean teenager. The film's director, Marialy Rivas, an out
Chilean lesbian, has made a bold queer cinematic intervention in a
country ravaged by the violent Pinochet years and brutal
homophobia.
- 2. Mosquita y Mari, set in one LA's Hispanic
neighbourhoods, explores the tender homoerotic friendship between
two Chicana teenagers. Aurora Guerrero succeeds in making a
wistfully beautiful film dealing with the tensions between personal
desires and immigrant culture. It is exquisitely shot by Bradford
Yong (Pariah).
- 3. Humpday director Lynn Shelton returns with
Your Sister's Sister, an improv mumblecore about
what happens when your vegan lesbian sister (Rosemarie DeWitt - Mad
Men) sleeps with your best male friend. Starring Mark Duplass
(Humpday) and Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada).
- 4. One UK entry which we are especially
excited about is the debut feature film My Brother the
Devil from Sally El Hosaini (Henna Night), shot in
London's East End. My Bother The Devil tells the story of two Arab
boys dealing with homophobia set against a background of inner city
gangsta violence. The film stars James Floyd (Infidel, Everywhere
and Nowhere) and Saïd Taghmaoui (Lost).
- 5. Who could forget Chris Crocker's 2007
internet sensation Leave Britney Alooooooone!! which went viral? A
mere 270 million hits later he was an internet superstar!
Me @ The Zoo is a documentary which tells his
journey through web comments, haters and video responses as well as
Chris Crocker's own experiences since he was plucked out of
obscurity and dragged like a screaming queen into the limelight.
Michael Stipe (REM) is executive producer.
www.sundance.org/festival
