Arts & Entertainment

Struggling as a young aspiring writer in London, Max forges a new identity for himself in the form of a ravenous sex worker: Sebastian. Opening himself up to a previously unexplored world, Max suddenly finds himself unburdened by expectations and invigorated by possibility. When he begins writing thinly-veiled stories about his double life, Max finds himself with the book deal he’d been dreaming of. But as his newfound experiences spur a creative output, Max must decide where he ends and Sebastian begins. With his confident sophomore feature, Finnish British writer/director Mikko Mäkelä (A Moment in the Reeds, Frameline42) isn’t afraid […]

Riley DIRECTED BY BENJAMIN HOWARD 2023 USA 93 MINS Centered on the clashing emotions and pent-up passions of a beloved high school football star, Riley is a powerful, compelling tale of a young man’s journey to discover who he is, what he wants, and where he’s going. Written and directed by Benjamin Howard, the film tells the story of a popular and talented young athlete who struggles with the all-encompassing anxiety of coming out. His overbearing dad and hyped-up teammates have a clear plan for Riley, but secret dreams and desires gnaw at his insides. Filmmaker Howard infuses this honest high school […]

Director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant were one of the most successful filmmaker partnerships ever. Together they made 44 movies since 1985 and their incredible resume includes such masterpieces as Shakespeare Wallah, A Room With A View, Howards End, The Remains Of A Day. They were also life partners and privately lived openly as a gay couple but kept that fact away from the public, and somehow the media.  Even so, they were responsible for the groundbreaking queer love story  Maurice back in 1987.  Based on the novel by E M Forster written in 1914 who also closeted, insisted wasn’t published until after he died in 1971.  It was a happy […]

It’s the early 2000s, so dust off your VHS camcorder and your punk audio cassettes and come along for the ride with The New Normals, a young queer Canadian indie band, as they escape their small town for the excitement and promise of Toronto. The lead singer, Evan, is a trans guy with a gift for songwriting and a desire to live life to the fullest. He writes the songs with his girlfriend Isis who plays the keyboard. They’ve got a cis guy drummer in love with a cis girl bassist. And then there is Lou, the introverted lead guitarist. […]