Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Win The Gay-Themed Movie About Us On DVD!

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The gay-themed Brazilian movie About Us is out on DVD and VoD now in the UK courtesy of TLA Releasing. We’ve teamed up with them to give away three copies of the film on DVD in this competition!

When Diego left Brazil for California to attend a film school, he didn’t just leave his home town, he also left Matheus- a handsome young man with whom he was madly in love.  Ten years later he returns, intent on writing a novel about their relationship- using a camera instead of a pen.

This heartfelt biopic tracks this moving journey, deftly illustrating how deep, abiding passion can lead to both great heights, and tragic lows. Click here to watch the trailer.

For your chance to win About Us on DVD, answer the question below and fill in your details, then press submit! The competition closes on March 11th, 2018, so get answering and good luck. [Read more…]

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Thelma (DVD Review) – Lesbian sexuality awakens & so do supernatural powers

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Joachim Trier’s follow-up to his much-praised movie, Louder Than Bombs, has found much acclaim. It’s the sort of intriguing film that builds tension by living in a moral grey area and maintaining an enigmatic, sexual air.

Thelma (Eili Harboe) is a young woman who’s led an incredibly sheltered life. Her strongly religious parents have completely controlled her existence, but now she’s getting her first taste of freedom by going away to university. As she settles into college life – which still includes the need to contact her parents everyday so they can keep an eye on her – she starts to have feelings for one of her female friends. [Read more…]

Brazil’s Hard Paint (Tinta Bruna) Wins Prestigious LGBT Film Teddy Award At Berlin Film Festival

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The Teddy Award is one of the most prestigious gongs in the LGBT film calendar. An official part of the Berlin Film Festival, the prize has been given to plenty of great movies, including Ira Sachs’ Keep The Lights On, Marco Berger’s Absent, Lisa Cholodenko’s The Kids Are All Right, John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig And The Angry Inch, the wonderful The Way He Looks, and Sebastian Silva’s Nasty Baby, starring Kristen Wiig.

As proof of what a good springboard it can be, last year it was won by A Fantastic Woman, which had its world premiere at the 2017 Berlin Film Festival. It is currently competing for Best Film Not In The English Language at the Oscars.

This year’s award has now been handed out and has gone to the Brazilian movie, Hard Paint (Tinta Bruna). The film comes from directors Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon, who have previously worked together on LGBT projects such as the movie Seashore, and the provocative short film, The Last Days Of Zanzibar.

Here’s the synopsis for Hard Paint from the Teddy website: ‘Pedro earns a living in chat rooms. The image resolution may not be perfect but when Pedro transforms himself into NeonBoy in front of the webcam he still manages to create the desired impression. Slowly, this young man dips his fingers into pots of coloured paint and glides them across his naked body. Glowing in the dark, NeonBoy follows his users’ commands until he agrees to meet one of them in a private chat room for money. But things change when Pedro’s sister Luzia moves out of their shared apartment and he notices that somebody is imitating his performances.

‘He agrees to go on a date with his mysterious rival. This rendezvous will have far-reaching consequences. As with all of the previous films by directing duo Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon, we find ourselves again in Porto Alegre in northern Brazil, where we encounter young queers in search of intimacy, community and security. The elegantly interwoven virtual images and protagonists’ stories may take us away from the real world, yet in actuality we remain in an increasingly homophobic Brazilian society to whose misfits this sensitive, affectionate portrait in three acts is dedicated.’

Take a look at the full list of Teddy Winners below. You can also head over to the awards’ website here. [Read more…]

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Michael And Michael Are Gay Web Series Needs Your Help To Look At The Messiness Of Open Relationships

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Michael Feldman and Michael Rachlis​ went slightly viral a few years ago with their marriage proposal, which took place during the curtain call of a play. Now they’re planning something a little different, with a six-part web series called Michael And Michael Are Gay, which will look at various things, most notably the issues that arise from open relationships.

In order to get the series completed, they’ve launched a Seed & Spark campaign in the hope of raising $40,000. As usual, there’s a range of perks on offer.

They write, They write: “In the current media landscape, we don’t see our story of marriage reflected. This is an opportunity for queer storytellers (and a straight female director) to be in the driver seat and unapologetically tell queer stories. It will also feature a racially & ethnically diverse cast of LGBTQ actors. Michael & Michael are Gay is a six-episode scripted web series inspired by the real lives of its creators – two neurotic Jews named Michael who fell in love and decided to make it official.  The series will explore the lives and unique challenges of two loveable, sex-positive misfits, trying to navigate what marriage looks like between two men in the 21st century.  It will also be an opportunity to tap into an impressive pool of LGBT talent to combine their powers (Captain Planet-style) to tell a story that is no holds-bar, unapologetically, and gratuitously GAY (Just like Captain Planet).”

As the clip from the pilot episode below shows, that LGBT talent includes EastSiders creator Kit Williamson and his real-life hubby John Halbach, and Youtuber Michael Henry. Take a look at that teaser below, and if you like what you see, head over to Seed & Spark to help out.

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Stephen Fry Reveals He’s Been Battling Prostate Cancer

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Since he quit hosting QI and moved with his husband to LA, we haven’t seen quite as much of British national treasure Stephen Fry as we have before. He also recently stepped down from hosting the BAFTA Film Awards for the first time in several years, being replaces by Joanna Lumley. It turns out one of the reasons he’s been quieter in the last couple of months is because he’s been dealing with protate cancer, which he has desribed as an “aggressive little bugger”.

In a video and on Twitter where he describes the “rather unwelcome and unexpected adventure” he’s been on, he’s keen to add that he has now had his prostate removed and it doesn’t seem to have spread. He also thankfully adds, “For the moment I’m fit and well and happy and I just wanted to let you know because rumours had started to swirl.”

Fry says that the cancer was discovered when he went for a routine flu jab before Christmas. It was indeed a particularly harsh form of the disease, given a score of 9 out of 10 on the Gleason Scale, which ranks the agressiveness of prostate cancers. He has since had his prostate and 11 lymph nodes removed, and “As far as we know it’s all been got.”

He adds, “Here’s hoping I’ve got another few years left on this planet because I enjoy life at the moment and that’s a marvellous thing to be able to say, and I’d rather it didn’t go away.”

Fry also pays tribute to his “darling, darling husband”, Elliott Spencer, who has been “just marvellous”. You can see Stephen’s video about his cancer below.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with over 40,000 new cases diagnosed every year. You can find out more about the disease and its symptoms on the NHS website. [Read more…]

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Iris Prize LGBT Film Festival Announces Event Celebrating Black Queer Oscar Nominee Dee Rees

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Director Dee Rees filming Colonial Gods

Back in 2007, the very first winner of the prestigious Iris Prize LGBT short film award was Dee Rees, for her excellent Pariah. Since then she’s gone on to make a feature length version of that short, and directed Quuen Latifah in a biopic of singer Bessie Smith. This year she became the first queer black woman to be nominated for a screenplay Oscar, for the much praised Mudbaound, and is already planning the Gloria Steinem biopic, An Uncivil War, with Carey Mulligan.

Now Iris has revealed plan for an event to celebrate Rees’ Oscar recognition of Dee Rees. Alongside Rees and co-writer Virgil Williams’ Best Adapted Screenplay nomination, Mudbound is also up for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for, Best Achievement in Cinematography and Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures.

After winning the inaugural Iris Prize in 2007, Rees returnes to Cardiff to take her place on the Iris Prize jury the following year. In 2009, she made another visit to Wales where she made the short film Colonial Gods, the first Iris Production produced with the Iris Prize.

The planned event – Iris Celebrates Dee Rees – will take place at the Atrium, University of South Wales, where guests will have a chance to send their best wishes to Dee Rees at a special screening of her Iris Production, Colonial Gods, as well as the documentary An American Eye on Butetown, which follows the making of the film back in 2009.

Andrew Pierce, Iris Prize Chair, commented, “I’m immensely proud of everything Dee has achieved since her win at Iris back in 2007. I was a member of the first Iris jury and to be honest we were a little annoyed with Dee at the time. The simple idea for Iris was to create an LGBT short film competition. Dee’s competing short film however was so good, it became obvious she would win! So, the element of surprise was lost when she was announced the winner!”

“For those who have followed Dee Rees since those early days in both her and Iris’ careers it will come as no surprise that she is now being honoured with the highest accolades in the world of filmmaking. Her feature Mudbound is nominated in 4 categories at the 2018 Academy Awards – including a personal nomination for Dee in Best Adapted Screenplay alongside co-writer Virgil Williams.”

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said, “Huge congratulations to Dee Rees and the production team on Mudbound’s four Academy Award nominations. This really is a huge achievement and we are incredibly proud of Dee and her ongoing links with Wales. I wish Dee every success at this year’s awards and look forward to seeing more of her work produced here in Wales.”

The Iris Prize – Cardiff’s International LGBT Short Film Prize is supported by The Michael Bishop Foundation and at £30,000 continues to be the only LGBT short film prize in the world which allows the winner to make a new film. In 2016 and 2017 Iris was identified as one of the top 50 film festivals in the world by Movie Maker Magazine and promoted by BAFTA to ‘A’ list festival status alongside Cannes and Sundance by officially being recognised as a qualifying festival for the BAFTA awards.

The Iris Celebrates Dee Rees event on Sunday 4 March at 5pm is supported by University of South Wales and the Welsh Government.

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The Ice King Director James Erskine Discusses His Film About Gay Olympic Skater John Curry

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“What would it be like to grow up in a society that said you cannot be who you are?” A provocative premise to derive from a sports documentary, or at least one ostensibly about sports, and not an entirely expected one. Yet, for many, such a thought lies at the heart of a life lived in fear and self-doubt. It is what Winter Olympic gold medal-winning ice skater John Curry created from these potentially self-destructive qualities that inspired Emmy-nominated director James Erskine to explore his life and career in The Ice King, a new documentary due for release in the UK on February 23rd.

Curry earned his status as an international sports celebrity through the early 1970s as a revolutionary character in figure skating, transforming the sport from a simple display of physical prowess into an art form. He won Olympic, World, European and British Championship medals, permanently changing the worldwide public’s perception of the sport. Yet Erskine recalls his recollection of Curry as being only vague prior to embarking on the documentary, with his primary inspiration coming from author Bill Jones’ 2014 book, Alone: The Triumph and Tragedy of John Curry: “This was an amazing story and I thought, ‘I must make it!’” [Read more…]

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BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival Announces Its Full 2018 Programme

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Rupert Everett’s The Happy Prince will screen at BFI Flare 2018

BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival unveiled its 32nd edition’s full programme tonight. One of the most significant and long-standing film events in the world’s LGBTQ+ calendar, BFI Flare will present over 50 features, more than 90 shorts and a wide range of special events, guest appearances, discussions, workshops, club nights and much more. Tickets go on sale via bfi.org.uk/flare to BFI Patrons, Champions and Members from 26th February and General Public on 5th March. The festival itself takes place March 21st to April 1st 2018.

Tricia Tuttle, Artistic Director, BFI Festivals, comments, “Queer cinema has never offered more richly complex and diverse characters and stories than we have seen in the last few years and that shines through in the quality of Festival that the programme team have put together. This diversity has also inspired us to update our Festival name to BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival. That Q+ reflects shifts in cultural conversations around identity, but also the Festival’s own ethos as welcoming and inclusive.”

Last week it was revealed that the festival will open with Tali Shalom-Ezer’s My Days Of Mercy, starring Ellen Page (Juno, Inception, Freeheld) and Kate Mara (House Of Cards, The Martian). It will then close with the European Premiere of Steve McLean’s stylish and sexy Postcards From London.

It’s now been announced that the Centrepiece Screening of the Festival is the World Premiere of UK feature documentary, A Deal with the Universe, the debut from former BFI Flare programmer Jason Barker, which tells the inspiring tale of a very different kind of pregnancy. The Special Presentation is Robin Campillo’s modern queer classic, 120 BPM, a rousing, heart-breaking account of AIDS activist group ACT-UP: Paris. The Special Event in collaboration with The Art Machine is Rise: QTIPOC Representation and Visibility in Film is a special one-day series of talks and workshops, providing a platform to examine the importance of inclusion and the stories of queer people of colour, both on and off the screen.

A number of themes and highlights emerge including a showcase of works by and about queer D/deaf and disabled people:

  • The World Premiere of Laura Marie Wayne’s heart-breaking documentary Love, Scott is a sensitive and moving portrait of a young man left paralysed after a homophobic attack. The film charts the impact of the attack over the year, following his life changing ordeal.
  • Stumped (dir. Robin Berghaus) is an extraordinary documentary which tells the story of comedian Will Lautzenheiser, a young film professor who prevails over the loss of his limbs with humour and revolutionary medicine.
  • Pulse (dir. Stevie Cruz-Martin) features a young disabled man embarking on a radical transition.
  • Fighters of Demons, Makers of Cakes is an unconventional and fantastical collection of shorts curated by Sandra Alland, which examines LGBTQ+ disabled, neurodiversity, chronically ill and/or D/deaf lives.

Filmmakers explore the diversity of LGBTQ+ families in a number of films in the Festival:

  • Jason Barker’s heartfelt and documentary A Deal with the Universe is a very personal chronicle of becoming a parent. Drawing on the filmed diaries made over the last ten years that document both Jason’s gender transition as well has his parental journey. This film is ground-breaking in terms of its intimate insights into gender identity and new parenthood.
  • Paternal Rites (dir. Jules Rosskam) questions how to approach an abusive past in this contemplative mix of home movies, collages and interviews.
  • Belgian documentary F.A.M.I.L.Y investigates the concept of family through the children of same-sex couples.
  • Shorts programme Trans Family Matters is a broad spectrum of stories, encompassing challenges, triumphs and personal breakthroughs.

HIV/AIDS has been a central concern of queer filmmakers since the 1980’s. The programme reflects on the rich history of AIDS on screen in a number of ways:

  • Multi award-winning Robin Campillo’s feature film 120 BPM is an extraordinary account of ACT-UP Paris in the 1990’s.
  • Mediations in an Emergency is a free access, all day event reflecting on the representation of HIV/AIDS on screen. Highlights will include clips of little seen material from the BFI archive, a look at awareness posters from the V&A.
  • BFI Flare Programmer Brian Robinson gives an illustrated talk on Cinema of Aids featuring 30 years of the virus on screen and we will be screening classic AIDS films Buddies, Silverlake Life: The View from Here and A Home at the End of the World.2018 sees the welcome return of BFI NETWORK @ Flare Mentorships in partnership with BAFTA. The programme offers UK-based LGBTQ+-identified emerging filmmakers strong professional networks and better understanding of the market. Now in their 4th year, the Mentorships have connected filmmakers to the heart of the industry – with 2017 Mentors including Sundance Grand Prize-winner, Desiree Akhavan, Russell T Davies and Tom Harper. And we were thrilled to see participant Harry Lighton recognised by BAFTA at the 2018 Awards with a nomination for his short film, Wren Boys. The 2018 participants will be announced at this year’s Festival.

Alongside this, the Festival’s Industry Programme returns, once again offering a range of panels, workshops and masterclasses exploring issues in LGBTQ+ film production, distribution and exhibition from development and crowdfunding to casting and exhibiting internationally, alongside in-conversation discussions with individuals who have made a major contribution to LGBTQ+ representation in the mainstream, and examinations of UK and US television landscapes.

The Festival is further divided into three sections: HEARTS, BODIES AND MINDS. Highlights in the programme include:

HEARTS include films about love, romance and friendship. The Happy Prince, written, directed and starring Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde. The heartfelt and passionate biopic also stars Colin Firth and Emily Watson. Love, Simon (dir. Greg Berlanti) is a warm and witty coming out drama which tells the story of a closeted high-schooler who fears his best-kept secret might be revealed. The Festival’s Love, Simon premiere is supported by SKY. Mario (dir. Marcel Gisler) is a story of love and heartbreak on and off the pitch for two young football players. Close-Knit (dir, Naoko Ogigami) concerns a trans woman who realises her deep desire for motherhood. Restored to celebrate its 30th anniversary: James Ivory’s Maurice is a sumptuous restoration of the E.M. Forster gay novel. Montana (dir. Limor Shmila) is a compelling story of a young woman confronting old traumas and hidden truths in her childhood home. Becks (dir. Elizabeth Rohrbaugh, Daniel Powell) stars Broadway star Lena Hall as a musician who finds herself back in the hometown she left behind. The Wound (dir. John Trengove) tells the story of a lonely factory worker, who joins the men of his community to initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood. The film won the BFI London Film Festival Sutherland Award.

BODIES include stories of sex, identity and transformation. The diverse selection of films includes: Conversations with Gay Elders, directed by David Weissman (We Were Here) is a fascinating documentary conversation with a gay, older man about his life before and after Stonewall. Trudie Styler’s directorial debut Freak Show is this year’s Interbank LGBT Forum Special Screening and stars Alex Lawther as an unrepentant high school outsider. The Carmilla Movie (dir. Spencer Maybee) is a feature length to the hit web series which follows the exploits of Lesbian vampire Carmilla. The World Premiere of Scottish documentary filmmaker Tristan Aitchison’s Sidney & Friends is a candidly poignant account of intersex and trans life in Kenya. The World Premiere of Tomorrow Never Knows (dir. Adam Sekuler) is a thought provoking documentary about a transgender person who decides to undertake a conscious death, following their Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The World Premiere of Uncle David 2 (dir. Gary Reich) bold and adventurous sequel to Uncle David.

MINDS feature reflections on art, politics and community. The 34th (dir. Linda Cullen, Vanessa Gildea) is a documentary about the battle to extend marriage equality to same sex couples in Ireland. James Crump directs Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco, a compelling and colourful documentary about the bisexual illustrator who forever changed the fashion world. The World Premiere of Southern Pride (dir. Malcolm Ingram) is a timely documentary about two towns in Mississippi organising Pride events in Trump’s America. Dear Fredy (dir. Rubi Gat) is an inspiring documentary about a heroic gay Jewish sportsman who ended up in Auschwitz. Susanne Bartsch: On Top (dir. Anthony&Alex) is a fantastic look at the fashionista and socialite who re-imagined the New York party scene in the 1980’s. The World Premiere of Cherry Grove Stories (dir. Michael Fisher) a documentary about Fire Island, once called the gayest place on earth.

Find out more about the full programme of screening, talks, club nights and more over at the BFI Flare website.

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Queerama Trailer – A century of Gay Rights & desires on film, crafted from the BFI archive

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The UK is very lucky to have the British Film Institute, which has long believed that one of the key parts of its mission is to collect moving images that document the breadth of British life. Best of all is that they have collected and commissioned solely what’s popular or morally mainstream, which means that they have been archiving LGBT content even before gay male sex was legalised, and have continued to broaden their collection.

That has now resulted in Queerama, from director Daisy Asquith, which was crafted from the treasure trove that is the BFI National Archive. Queerama travels through a century of gay experience, encompassing persecution and prosecution, injustice, love and desire, identity, secrets, forbidden encounters, sexual liberation and pride. Weaving in the lyrics and music of John Grant, Goldfrapp, and Hercules and Love Affair, Asquith guides us intimately through the relationships, desires, fears and expressions of gay men and women against the backdrop of a century of incredible change.

Queerama offers a wealth of unknown newsreel and amateur film, alongside the sub-textual references scattered throughout 20th century cinema, the sexual liberation of the early 21st century queer and transgender scene, and the gay parenting and marriage campaigns of recent years.

Following numerous festival screenings and a TV broadcast in BBC Four’s Storyville strand, Queerama is released on DVD in the UK by the BFI on 26th March. Extras include a filmed director interview and four short films. You can take a look at the trailer below. [Read more…]

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Russell Tovey Reveals His ‘Completely Unexpected’ Engagement To His Hunky Boyfriend

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If any of you out there were hoping that one day Rusell Tovey would be your husband, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. The Quantico and Looking star has revealed he’s now engaged to his boyfriend, Steve Brockman.

Tovey confirmed the news saying Brockman was the one to propose and it took hm by surprise. He adds, “Completely unexpected but very very happy and looking forward to having a proper party to celebrate when back in London.”

The History Boys and Being Human actor has been dating Brockman for some time, although he’s been rather discreet about the relationship while never hiding it. Brockman is a rugby player with the Kings Cross Steelers, and as many sites hve been keen to point out, he also has a bit of an x-rated past as ‘Ryan Stack’ over at Randy Blue.

As the engagement came out of the blue, there’s no news on when they might get married. But right now Tovey says that he’s, “Over the moon.”

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