April 30, 2019
What to See at Tribeca Film Fest this Week? (LGBTQ and Otherwise)
Frank J. Avella READ TIME: 10 MIN.
It's TriBeCa time! This is year 18 of the famed film festival and the lineup is stronger than ever. The Fest began last Thursday and continues through May 5. This year there are 103 feature films, including 81 world premieres, with 50% directed by women! 29% of the feature films are directed by people of color and 13% by individuals who identify as LGBTQIA.
"At Tribeca, we believe in amplifying fresh voices as well as celebrating the continued success of artists in the industry," said Paula Weinstein, Executive Vice President of Tribeca Enterprises.
This year LGBTQ visibility is better, if not great, with queer-led storytelling in a number of docs and some features. In addition, the inaugural, "Tribeca Celebrates Pride," will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Stonewall with a day long event on Saturday, May 4th, boasting varying programs including interviews with Neil Patrick Harris, John Cameron Mitchell, Asia Kate Dillon and Larry Kramer, as well as a curated program of seven shorts all culminating in the world premiere of the HBO doc, "Wig," which focuses on the art of drag.
The best TFF film I've seen so far is Tom Harper's "Wild Rose," keenly written by Nicole Taylor and starring Jessie Buckley (in a career-making performance) and the terrific Julie Walters as her mother. "Rose" tells the story of a young girl from Glasgow, Scotland, who wants to be a country music star. The film succeeds on all levels, continuously surprising and boasting two fantastic performances that must be remembered come awards season (has it begun yet?)
My second favorite film is creepy and disturbing, yet beguiling and quite clever. Joe Berlinger's "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" dares to present us with the charismatic and alluring Ted Bundy (embodied remarkably well by Zac Efron). This is not a lurid re-creation of his crimes, nor is it a visit inside his psyche. It is, in large part, a life seen through the eyes of Bundy's long-time girlfriend Liz (a mesmerizing Lily Collins), who fell in love with him but slowly realizes what he is. The film argues (paraphrasing Bundy) that the person you love and trust could turn out to be a serial killer.
One of the most moving and best docs places Linda Ronstadt in the pantheon where she belongs as one of the most important music artists of our time.
"Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice," directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman ("The Times of Harvey Milk," "The Celluloid Closet"), is a treasure trove for fans and features Ronstadt speaking about her life and career. In addition, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Don Henley, Aaron Neville, Dolly Parton and Bonnie Raitt pay tribute to the nine-time Grammy winner. And there's a poignant treat at the very end that brought me to tears.
Among the LGBTQ-themed narrative and documentary features, one of the definite highlights is Daniel Karslake's stirring and heartbreaking, "For They Know Not What They Do," which chronicles four faith-based true stories about the devastating effects of religious fundamentalism on LGBTQ children. Empathy and hope ultimately drive this truly important work.
"It's not going to stop until we stop them," are the challenging words of the controversial whistleblower Chelsea Manning (currently in prison again). In "XY Chelsea," Tim Travers Hawkins creates a riveting portrait of the trans woman who says she wanted to make the world a better place. Hawkins' film keenly examines how today's lightning speed info upload has created a dangerous quick-to-judge-and-condemn society.
A daughter examines her childhood, which includes the fact that her parents ran a gay porno shop for three decades in Rachel Mason's eye-opening "Circus of Books." Rich with revealing layers, this free speech odyssey includes interviews with Larry Flynt and past-porn king Jeff Stryker.
In "Gay Chorus Deep South," David Charles Rodrigues takes us along a post-Trump-election journey with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus through the Deep South. One of the most interesting aspects of the film is how it shines a light on the false assumptions we make about one another.
Upon its release in 1995, Paul Verhoeven's "Showgirls" was met with universal hatred. Director Jeffrey McHale chronicles how the film, like "Valley of the Dolls" and "Mommie Dearest" became a camp cult classic but might also deserve reexamination in his enjoyable and insightful doc, "You Don't Nomi." Is it misunderstood? A masterpiece-of-shit? I, for one, will watch it again, perhaps with a bottle of wine.
Jeanie Finlay's engrossing doc, "Seahorse," follows a trans man who decides to have his own baby. Finlay painstakingly presents Freddy's doubts, fears and joys as he maneuvers the difficult terrain known as familial relations.
"Halston," is yet another doc about an arrogant yet brilliant fashion designer. Director Fr�d�ric Tcheng leans more on the work of the enigmatic American talent than his personal life, which is a shame since he was gay and who we are is also shaped by whom we love.
As for LGBTQ-themed features, Hari Sama's semi-autobiographical "This is Not Berlin" ("Esto no es Berl�n)" is a beguiling, enveloping film about two teens, Carlos (Xabiani Ponce de Le�n) and his bud, Gera (Jos� Antonio Toledano), who find themselves traveling in the underground underbelly of the Mexico City arts scene in the 1980s, a time when sexual fluidity and exploration ran rampant. "Berlin" is a sexually explosive, energetic and dense work that warrants a second viewing (a high compliment).
Another narrative feature with gay themes (although to write about them may be seen as a spoiler) is Christoph Waltz's feature directorial debut, "Georgetown," based on a wacky true story about a Washington huckster (Waltz) who cozies up to a wealthy older socialite (Vanessa Redgrave) in order to climb the political ladder. Redgrave invests every scene with a gripping and emotional resonance. Annette Bening is featured as Redgrave's disapproving daughter.
A film that came super close to being gay-themed is Sebastian Schipper's compelling buddy movie, "Roads," where two messed up teens of differing classes and cultures (Fionn Whitehead and St�phane Bak) hit the road from Morocco to... where will they end up? The boys come so close to hooking up (at least through this viewers gayze) that it felt like a cheat that screenwriters Schipper and Oliver Ziegenbalg didn't have the courage to take it that one step further.
In Emily Cohn's millennial comedy "Crshd," three college besties make a pact to rid themselves of their virginity before the summer. Fiona (a wonderful Sadie Scott) crushes on one of the popular girls and it's their sweet romance that anchors the film.
Free love is given an injection of insanity-driven murder in, yet, another look at the Manson gang, this time with a focus on Leslie van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Susan Atkins, in Mary Harron's "Charlie Says." The power of the final scene overwhelms and shows what the movie could have been. Still, Hannah Murray, Matt Smith and, especially, Merritt Wever do superb work.
Midge Costin's "Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound," plays like a seminar in movie sound design, a tremendously entertaining and educational one that explores the filmic sound pioneers of the past with a deserved focus on the 1970s – showcasing the usual directorial suspects (Lucas, Spielberg) but also giving credit to Robert Altman (for the groundbreaking "Nashville") and Barbra Streisand (for "A Star is Born"). And the great Walter Murch's seminal sound mixing on Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now," is highlighted.
Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia daring dark comedy noir, "Initials SG" ("Iniciales SG)," presents a rather loathsome (but somehow likeable) aging Argentine porn actor/film extra (Diego Peretti) who ends up committing a horrific crime. The ever-amazing Julianne Nicholson (fast becoming queen of indies) lends support in this clever and crackers satire.
Two searing, intense performances by Juno Temple and Simon Pegg elevate Katharine O'Brien's "Lost Transmissions," a haunting if sometimes (fittingly?) maddening pic about two music artists suffering from mental illness trying to help each other.
"Breaking Away" meets "Stranger Things" in "Low Tide," Kevin McMullin's absorbing story about four larcenous teens that stumble upon real treasure on the Jersey shore. Keean Johnson, Jaeden Lieberher and Alex Neustaedter lead an impressive cast.
Michela Occhipinti's well-intentioned "Flesh Out" chronicles the bizarre (by Western standards) tale of a young Mauritian woman (Verida Beitta Ahmed Deiche) forced to put on ridiculous amounts of weight in order to please her impending groom, whom she barely knows.
Dolly Wells shows promise as writer-director with her debut film, "Good Posture" even if she commits the cardinal sin of casting Emily Mortimer and then underusing her. A little more Emily here would have gone a long way.
Tickets are on sale now for "Tribeca Celebrates Pride" and the screening of "Wig," .
Tickets for all events are on sale at
