“Black As U R”: Theater/film director Micheal Rice drops in at barbershops, chats up young kiki performers and then spends time with an addicted sex worker. So let’s shine a spotlight on 10 smaller gems that haven’t received as much ink but deserve it. Those screenings are already in most filmgoers’ radars.
The fest kicks off with a sneak peek at the first two episodes of the Amazon Prime series “A League of their Own” (adapted from the 1992 film of the same name) and wraps up June 26 with a screening of François Ozon’s “Peter von Kant,” starring Isabelle Adjani.
The collection of 125 narrative features, documentaries and shorts often defy, dare and challenge, with most steering clear of standard tropes and talking points. This year’s slate attempts to shake out hard truths about such matters as living in Brazil, being gay and Black and Brown, and other introspective topics. An encore online program is available June 24-30.
The shift in queer cinema is reflected in the robust lineup at the 46th annual Frameline LGBTQ film festival, which runs June 16-26. The narrative road most LGBTQ-themed movies used to travel went something like this: A sheltered, often shy person experiences a sexual awakening and finds tentative passion/love and and begins the never-easy journey towards coming out.