An annual showcase of gay-themed cinema. This is the goal set by the CinemArte association, with the support of the Municipality, Province, and Fondazione di Venezia, organizing 4 days of screenings concurrent with the 62nd Venice International Film Festival.
From September 5th to 8th, at the Astra cinema on the Venice Lido, the Gay Cinema Days will present 4 works among the best LGBT-themed productions in the world.
The review will open Hate Crime Directed by Tommy Stovall and starring Bruce Davison, Susan Blakely, and Giancarlo Esposito. This debut film tells the story of Robbie Levinson and Trey McCoy, a wealthy young couple in love, beloved by their families, and living in an elegant neighborhood of identical townhouses with gardens and parking spaces. They suddenly encounter intolerance, hatred, and hostility from their neighbor, Chris Boyd, the son of a preacher. The film is making its European premiere (info: www.hatecrimemovie.com).
The Days will continue with When I'm 64 by Jon Jones with Paul Freeman, Alun Armstrong, produced by the BBC, and with the European premiere of the documentary Little Man by Nicole Coon.
When the Beatles sang "When I'm 64," 64 was the beginning of the end: one more year of work, and a few more years to live. But many things have changed since the '60s, and the average life expectancy of a man is one of them. For Ray and Jim, it's the chance to try things they never dared in their youth. 64 is a new beginning (info: www.bbc.co.uk/drama/64.shtml).
Nicolas was born prematurely. He weighs only one pound and his heart is the size of an almond. Little Man It is the story of his small, big battle to survive, and with him also the director Nicole Conn and his partner Gwen Baba fight to prevent daily difficulties from compromising the love that united them (info: www.littlemanthemovie.com).
The Giornate will close with the beautiful Indian film, a first work, My Brother… Nikhil by Onir. Nikhil Kapoor is a swimming champion from the state of Goa, India. A hero and a role model for everyone. His father has worked his entire life to enable his son to achieve his goals. He is a proud father. His mother dotes on her son. His older sister is his best friend. But on August 8, 1989, Nikhil is arrested. The film is having its European premiere (info: www.mybrothernikhil.com).
At the end of the review, Thursday, September 8th at 8:00 PM, a conference entitled The Cinema of Differences — Notes and Visual Traces on Queer Cultures, will seek to lay the foundations for future initiatives involving the Municipality of Venice and the LGBT community. Speakers will include: Hon. Franco Grillini (DS MP), Hon. Franca Bimbi (Margherita MP), Hon. Titti De Simone (Rifondazione Comunista MP), Onir (director of "My Brother... Nikhil"), and Selina Robertson (director of the London G&L Film Festival).
Screenings at 9:00 PM at the Astra Cinema (Hall B) at Via Corfù 12, Venice Lido. Admission is open to all types of pass holders, subject to availability.
INFO
CinemArte Association
335.407.079
[email protected]
www.cinemarte.org
From "'nità" of 12/08/2005
HOMOSEXUAL CINEMA APPEARS IN THE LAGOON AND AIMS FOR THE OFFICIAL EXHIBITION
It's not part of the Venice Film Festival, but it is an "event" during the Venice Biennale: this year, for the first time, there will be Gay Film Days. Not yet a specific section—for that, a special agreement is expected to be established within the Venice Film Festival in future editions—but it will have an "official" name, and it will be held simultaneously with one of the world's most prestigious film festivals. Four national premieres will be screened at the Astra Cinema on the Lido from September 5th to 8th, including Little Man, a documentary by Nicole Conn that explores the difficulties she and her partner face in caring for a premature baby; Hate Crime by Tommy Stovall, the story of a young gay couple dealing with the fierce intolerance of a neighbor; When I'm 64, produced by the BBC; and My Brother... Nikhil by Indian director Onir.
The initiative was presented by festival director Marco Muller and a delegation from Arcigay, led by Franco Grillini and Daniel Casagrande, president of Cinema Arte di Venezia, who emphasized the cultural importance achieved by gay film festivals worldwide and in Italy. Over 350 gay films were screened at the Turin and Milan festivals, a sign of such great excitement that it is eager to showcase it—with a documentary label—at a prestigious venue like the Venice Film Festival.
Plan
CinemArte Association — Arcigay
with the contribution of
Foundation of Venice
Municipality of Venice
Department of Cultures of Differences
Cultural Activities
Film Activities Office
Province of Venice
Department of Culture
and Gay.Tv
with the patronage of the
National Union of Italian Film Critics
they present
HOMOSEXUAL CINEMA DAYS
Monday 5th — 9:00 PM / 9:00 PM
Hate Crime
by Tommy Stovall
with Seth Peterson, Bruce Davison, Chad Donella, Susan Blakely, Giancarlo Esposito
screenplay by Tommy Stovall
USA, 2005
duration 103'’
orig. vers. subt. It.
Synopsis
Robbie Levinson and Trey McCoy, a young, wealthy couple in love, beloved by their respective families, living in an elegant neighborhood of identical houses with gardens and parking spaces, suddenly clash with the intolerance, hatred and hostility coming from their neighbor, Chris Boyd, the son of a fundamentalist preacher.
One evening, Trey, leaving home for a late-night walk with his dog, is brutally beaten. Suspicion immediately falls on both Chris and Robbie. Without the help of the police and the relevant authorities, Robbie receives unexpected support to execute a daring and desperate plan that will uncover secrets that will shatter several lives and ultimately bring the criminal to justice, despite the consequences.
Cast
Bruce Davison received an Oscar nomination for his performance in “What About Willy?”, a role for which he won a Golden Globe; he also appeared in Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts,” “Six Degrees of Separation,” and “X-Men.”.
Susan Blakely won a Golden Globe for the miniseries “Rich Man, Poor Man” and appeared in “The Towering Inferno,” “Airport ‘79,” and “The Way We Were.”.
Giancarlo Esposito divides his time between cinema: “Malcolm X”, “Mo' Better Blues’, ”Do the Right Thing“, ’The Usual Suspects”, and TV: “NYPD Blue”, “Homicide”, “Law & Order”.
FIRST WORK
European Premiere
www.hatecrimemovie.com
Tuesday 6 — 9:00 PM / 9:00 PM
WHEN 'M 64
by Jon Jones
with Paul Freeman, Alun Armstrong
screenplay by Tony Grounds
GB, 2004
duration 90'’
orig. vers. subt. It.
Synopsis
When the Beatles sang "When I'm 64," 64 was the beginning of the end: one more year of work, and a few more years to live before peacefully reaching the end of existence. But many things have changed since the 1960s—and the average life expectancy of a man is one of them.
Ray and Jim look to their future. They were in their twenties when the Beatles were singing, and they lived in very different worlds: Jim was a primary school teacher; Ray was a notorious football hooligan. Forty years pass in a flash, and here they are, on the verge of sixty-four, wondering how they managed to age so much.
Jim, after a career like any other, has reached retirement age. Ray, for years now, has settled down to support his wife and family, but his wife is now dead, the children are grown, and he's starting to wonder if life as a taxi driver is really the best he can live.
Jim's retirement will bring them together, make friends, share experiences, and reexamine lifelong certainties and affections. Because 64 isn't an end. For Ray and Jim, it's the chance to try things they never dared in their youth. 64 is a new beginning.
Cast
Alun Armstrong appeared in Mel Gibson’s blockbuster “Braveheart,” Tim Burton’s “Sleepy Hollow,” “Van Helsing” and “Patriot Games.”.
Paul Freeman starred in Steven Spielberg’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “The Sum of Us” alongside Russell Crowe, and “The Hussar on the Roof.”.
www.bbc.co.uk/drama/64.shtml
Wednesday 7 — 9:00 PM / 9:00 PM
LITTLE MAN
by Nicole Conn
documentary
USA, 2005
duration 112'’
orig. vers. subt. It.
Synopsis
Nicolas was born prematurely. He weighs only one pound and his heart is the size of an almond. “Little Man” is the story of how the birth of a tiny premature baby brought a family to the brink of disintegration. During his small, great battle to survive, director Nicole Conn and her partner Gwen Baba also struggle to prevent the daily challenges, constant stress, and chaos of hospitals and emergency medical crises from compromising the love that unites them.
When does love for a human being become cruelty? What happens when you risk losing one love to save another?
Cast
Nicole Conn, director of “Claire of the Moon,” a seminal work in lesbian filmography, is the author of five novels and eight screenplays.
Awards
“Little Man” won Best Documentary at the New York Newfest, Los Angeles Outfest and Philadelphia G&L Filmfest, as well as Best Feature at the Miami G&L Filmfest.
European Premiere
www.littlemanthemovie.com
Thursday 8 — 9:00 PM / 9:00 PM
MY BROTHER… NIKHIL
by Onir
with Sanjay Suri, Victor Banerjee, Juhi Chawla.
screenplay by Onir
India, 2005
duration 120'’
orig. vers. subt. Eng. / It.
Synopsis
Nikhil Kapoor is the state swimming champion of Goa, India. A hero and a role model for all. His father, Navin Kapoor, has worked his entire life to enable his son to achieve his athletic goals. He is a proud father. His mother, Anita Rosario Kapoor, dotes on her son. His older sister, Anu, is his best friend. It's the picture of a perfect family: Nikhil is handsome, charming, and the idol of his teammates and friends. But everything is destined to change one sunny morning. On August 8, 1989, Nikhil is arrested.
The film tells the story of a man whose world suddenly collapses around him and he goes from being a beloved and popular guy to being shunned and ostracized by friends, family and colleagues.
FIRST WORK — European Premiere
www.mybrothernikhil.com
