Netflix is using its gargantuan programming budget ($6 billion in the last year) to produce and distribute a wide array films and TV series. One of their latest purchases is the rights to the documentary, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, from How To Survive A Plague director, David France, according to Variety.

Through the prism of her death, the film looks at Johnson’s life as a trans individual (Marsha’s own gender identity differed at different times in her life, as did her preferred pronoun use), who was one of the most best known ‘street queens’ in New York in the 60s, 70s and 80s, including being an integral part of the Stonewall riots. She also teamed with Sylvia Rivera to co-found the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), becoming an increasingly prominent activist for various causes, mostly linked to gay liberation, trans rights and HIV/AIDS activism.

However, ‘Marsha P. Johnson was found floating in the Hudson River in 1992 and the NYDP initially ruled Johnson’s death as a suicide. The film follows crime-victim advocate Victoria Cruz’s efforts to reexamine what happened [many believe Johnson was murdered] and measure the challenges that still face the community.’

France comments, “Almost single-handedly, Marsha P. Johnson and her best friend Sylvia Rivera touched off a revolution in the way we talk about gender today. Their names should be household words. But Marsha’s life was cut tragically short and Sylvia died shortly thereafter, the victim of a broken heart. Getting to know their story through the investigation undertaken by Victoria Cruz, a seminal activist in her own right, has been one of the great honors of my career. Now, with Netflix as our distribution partner, I am confident the legacy of these tremendous women will never be forgotten.”

Netflix plan to release the movie on the streaming platform worldwide later this year, although no date has currently been announced. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and will also been screened this month’s LA’s Outfest.

A few days ago we posted the trailer for Robin Campillo’s 120 Beats Per Minute, which was screening in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Well, the viewers in the French city certainly liked the movie, as while it missed out of the Palm d’Or (which went to the controversial The Square), it picked up the second biggest award at the fest, the Gran Prix. The jury was presided over by out Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.

It also picked up the Queer Palm, for the best LGBT movie, as well as the prestigious Fipresci award for the best film at the festival from the International Federation of Film Critics. Reviews have been almost universally positive, with many already hailing it as a new gay classic.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Early 1990s. With AIDS having already claimed countless lives for nearly ten years, Act up-Paris activists multiply actions to fight general indifference. Nathan, a newcomer to the group, has his world shaken up by Sean, a radical militant, who throws his last bits of strength into the struggle.’

The movie is based around director Robin Capillo’s own experiences with the activist group, and is told in docudrama style.

You can take a look at the full list of winners in the main competition at Cannes below: [Read more…]

How would your friends react if you told them you’d never had an orgasm? That’s the predicament at the centre of the new movie, The Feels, which is currently seeking crowdfunding help on Kickstarter. The makers are hoping to raise at least $25,000 to help finish off post-production and get it to audiences.

So what’s it all about? Here’s the synopsis: ‘The Feels is an improvised comedy about a group of girlfriends (and one dude) on a lesbian bachelorette weekend in wine country. Andi (Constance Wu) and Lu (Angela Trimbur) are excited to celebrate their upcoming wedding with their closest friends. On the first night, the brides and their friends get wasted, and Lu admits to everyone that she’s never had an orgasm. This admission comes as a complete surprise to Andi and derails the weekend in unexpected and poignant ways. It causes everyone to reflect on trust, love, and their journeys to experiencing their first orgasm.’

Director/Co-writer Jenée LaMarque (who previously made The Pretty One starring Zoe Kazan and Jake Johnson) comments, “I’m excited about this subject matter (LOL) because the female orgasm is something that is relatively taboo, and rarely discussed in our culture. And while the film’s concept could have been executed in a very broad, and predictable way, we’ve taken a grounded, improvised approach that explores the underlying dynamics that allowed this “orgasm deception” to take place.”

She adds, “Looking at the statistics on representation of women in film and television can be really discouraging. But it is my intention in my career to “be the change” that I want to see in the world. And that is why our movie was purposefully engineered to create opportunities for women, POC and the LGBTQ community. We are proud to say that we have an 80% female cast and a 68% female crew.”

Take a look at the fundraising video below, and if you want to help out, head over to Kickstarter. [Read more…]