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Notes from
aGliff 2000: Part 2 - The Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
How can I even begin to describe a night like Friday night?
It was fun and magical.
My pals Xanna and Ann had tickets to the aGliff showing
of "Punks" at
7pm at the Arbor like I did, so I picked them up after work
and we hightailed it north. The theater was as crowded as
it should have been. The highlight of the "Punks" showing
was a cute and winning performance by Jazzmun, the black drag
artist who was so much fun in the film. She really knew how
to work the audience. After the show, she signed a autograph
for Xanna and was really nice.
Xanna and Ann invited me (or did I invite myself) to tag
along with them to the Sons of Hercules show at the Continental
Club later in the evening, so I decided to hang with them
at the Arbor and got a ticket for a program called "Lesbian
Porn 101." I looked at the program briefly and saw it was
a lecture with film clips. I knew it would be "for the girls,"
but I thought these were going to be film clips from standard
Hollywood film fare, charting the course of how lesbians have
been portrayed by the medium over the years. I could not have
been more wrong.
"Lesbian Porn 101" was led by Laura Weide, a "sex educator
and reproductive rights activist" who has looked at over 700
porno films geared towards the lesbian audience. These weren't
"lipstick lesbian" scenes from heterosexual male prono films.
Nope. This was dyke stuff. In big screen living color! I haven't
closed my eyes in a movie theater this much since I saw "Texas
Chain Saw Massacre" when I was 12! This was some intense,
wild stuff. Not for the timid or the, well, gay male.
The clips of lesbian porn here included segments on masterbation
(aka to "jill-off"), usually involving some sort of device;
strap-ons (including a dildo attached to a stilleto high heel);
cunnilingus; and, God help me, female ejaculation. These were
all topics far out of my realm of knowledge. I tried to close
my eyes but the squishy noises I heard caused my imagination
to create images far more disturbing than the ones that were
actually being shown. This was some "juicy" stuff, in every
concievable definition of the word. I had heard of female
ejaculate before... but to actually see it is amazing. It
is impossible to describe.
Xanna and, in particular, Ann, had a good time watching
me wince my way through the program. But, it must be said,
for lesbian women, Wiede provided much interesting information
and insight to lesbianism and, in particular, the titular
lesbian porn. This was a fascinating and jaw-dropping experience
not only for me but, I must assume, many women in the audience.
Personally, I got a lot of mileage out of the story of my
attendence with other friends and coworkers over the next
few days. In many ways, this was the highlight of aGliff for
me.
After it was all over, we headed to the Continental Club
and got there in plenty of time to see the Sons. Casino and
the band were in top form and their set practically ripped
the roof off the place. They were awesome. I had a great time.
I also met some cool people because, of course, Xanna knows
everyone in town - especially in the music scene. It's always
a blast to go out with her and Ann. They practically had to
kick us out of the place after it closed. I also saw Adam,
a guy I met through John Christensen. It was really weird.
He recognized me and I him, but I couldn't remember from where.
Finally, he came over and we started talking and figured it
out. Adam is a real cutie and a really nice guy.
After the club closed, we went to the Magnolia cafe and
met some guys who were out on the town for a bachelor party.
They were really nice but as fucked up and as crazy as I was.
The whole thing is really a blur but I remember that some
of them were from Canada and Seattle and some were from here.
We ended up eating with them at a big table and just talking
and laughing for a long time. I kinda crossed over and freaked
a little when one of them turned out to be gay. It just sort
of threw me for a loop. Plus I was drunk and I like to be
the only queen at a table, but I tried to get over it and
sober up a bit. Hopefully I wasn't to much of a bitch.
At some point, I looked over and saw some folks from aGliff
including Jimmy Bolton, the director of "Eban
and Charley," so I went over to say hi. Jimmy is a super
sweet guy and really cute in an impish sort of way. I had
spoken to him a bit after the screening of his film, so it
was nice to talk to him in a social setting and tell him how
much I enjoyed his film yet again. "Eban and Charley" is one
of those films that slowly grows on you causing you to think
much about it after seeing it. Currently, I can't wait to
see it again. Jimmy was close to a distribution deal so I
hope he lets me know when everything is finalized.
Jimmy and Bruce Weatherford, who is on the aGliff Board
of Directors, and I also discussed "Punks" and the music in
Jimmy's film. The lead actor in "Eban and Charley," Brent
Fellows, sings a song in the film that is just wonderful and
I was hoping that this was actually him singing, which, in
fact, it turns out to be. Fellows may be persuing a music
career in the future and he has that whispy, sorrowful style
that reminds one of Elliot Smith, Ben Lee, Nick Drake or Grant
McLennan. I really liked his voice and the song in the film,
which Bolton wrote, is quite beautiful, really poignant yet
subtle.
Saturday, I somehow managed to get out of bed before noon
and go get Xanna so we could see "The
Brian Epstien Story." I was surprised this was 2 1/2 hours
but it flew by. Afterwards, I went home and my gal pals Jan
and Mary came buy to pick me up a little later. We were going
to eat before going to see "Paragraph
175" at the Dobie. Jan suggested Au Bon Pain in one of
the hotels as a place to get a sandwhich and we had a light,
late dinner. After the show, we went out to eat again at Wan
Fu on Oltorf. Jan had a Poo-Poo Platter which actually comes
with a bowl of fire. That was a new one on me.
Wednesday night, I met up with Xanna and Ann and Jan and
Mary for "Aimme and
Jaguar." It was the first time they all had met. it's
funny because Xanna and Ann have been together for 7 years
and they are like an old married couple. Very comfortable.
Jan and Mary have been together about a year, and they are
like newlyweds, which, in fact, they are. The contrast is
quite interesting. Unfortunately, "Aimme and Jaguar"
wasn't. They all left me alone to see "Water
Drops on Burning Rocks" by myself.
Also during the week, I somehow managed to see a lot of
films including "Urbania,"
"Swallows"
and "The Eyes
of Tammy Faye."
aGliff 2000 was quite fun. I liked almost every film I got
to see. The opening trailer for the festival was really cool,
featuring the Film Grrrl and the Film Boi characters. The
music on this trailer is awesome. It always kicked off the
screenings with flare. Too bad the switch from video projection
to 35mm at the Arbor often left the viewer with really bad
sound problems to work through. This was a technical problem
that sabotaged almost every screening I went to at the Arbor
that featured a 35mm print.
Other than that, the only other complaint I have about the
festival has nothing to do with aGliff themselves. Nope, it's
the article that the "Austin Chroncile" ran about it. That
article featured a still from "101
Rent Boys" focusing on a nude man holding his "number"
(assigned to each of the 'rent boys' by the film's directors)
in front of his most interesting asset. Why does the media
insist on putting the most lurid and innapropriate images
out there when they talk about gay and lesbian issues? It's
ridiculous. It's so 80's. This was the worst film of the festival
and certainly the least relevant. With so many awesome films
featuring so many extraordinary actors and compelling images
we were yet again relegated to the level of prurient perverts
by the media. Shame on you Chronicle! I expected more from
an alternative publication!
Alas, my time to rant is over. aGliff 2000 is but a fond
memory. I can't wait for aGliff 2001!
Official aGliff 2000 Film Festival winners:
Best Feature Film: SORDID LIVES director Del Shores
Best Documentary: LIVING WITH PRIDE: RUTH ELLIS @ 100 -
director Yvonne Welbon
Best Girls' Short Film: STRAIGHT DOWN THE AISLE: CONFESSIONS
OF LESBIAN BRIDESMAIDS directors Christine J Russo & Kelly
Hankin
Best Boy's Short Film: CRUSH director Phillip J Bartell
Check out Xanna's comments on aGliff 2000 at http://www.technodyke.com/features/agliff.asp
lodger2000
Notes
from aGliff 2000 Part One: The only
thing worse than an impatient group of queens is a hot, sweaty,
impatient group of queens.
Notes
from QT Quatro - The Quentin Tarantino Film Festival at
the Alamo Drafthouse
The
Calendar
The Austin
Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Films
The
Eyes of Tammy Faye - She was a true Christian. She seems
to only have love in her heart for people - all people. And
it is easy to love Tammy Faye in return.
Swallows
- This film doesn't swallow. It just licks at the head until
we get bored and fall asleep.
Aimee
and Jaguar - The story and exposition in this film is
so convoluted and impossible to decipher that I can't even
tell you why it's called "Aimee and Jaguar."
Water
Drops on Burning Rocks - Hey, I'll admit it, I'm a sucker
for this film. I love Fassbinder.
Lost
at the Pershing Point Hotel - The film suddenly becomes
meaningful, deep, romantic, strange and troubling.
Urbania
- It is a ripe and delicious fruit with a zest full of bitter
sting and tangy surprise.
Paragraph
175 - It does open a door to a deep and troubling history
that we, as gay men and lesbians, must explore and remember.
Punks
- Is without a doubt the most fun gay movie to come along
since "Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert."
The
Brian Epstein Story - Not quite as enlightening and detailed
as one might hope.
The
Journey of Jared Price - I don't think I've seen a gay
film that was this romantic and sweet natured since "Maurice."
The
Wolves of Kromer - Quite possibly the most inventive,
interesting and unique gay film I have seen in years.
Eban
and Charley - It's about an older man who has a romance
with a teenage boy. It speaks in defense of such relationships.
There. You know right now whether you want to see it or not.
Burlesque
King - This film is, at times, so compelling because it's
mores and ideals are far from what is considered typically
American.
Psycho
Beach Party - While one, at first glance, might think
the film isn't "gay" enough, further reflection makes this
thought seem an unfair initial response.
101
Rent Boys - This film meanders all over the place with
not a coherent thought in sight.
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