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Reeling 2005: The 24th Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival opens tonight

Reeling 2005: The 24th Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival opens Thursday, November 3.
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The selection this year is diverse in style, subject and quality. Though Starbucks and Comcast be amongst the corporate sponsors all is not lost. Perhaps sensing the homophobic backwardness that currently afflicts so much of our nation both Canada and France have signed on as sponsors of Reeling.

The Chicago Independent Media Center will be providing coverage of select events and reviews of many of the films. Additionally, interviews with some of the filmmakers will be posted.

Reeling 2005 kicks off at the Music Box with Summer Storm, a German film about a young gay rower coming out during summer camp. The screening will be followed by an afterparty next door at Strega Nona. The combined ticket is a steep $45 or $12 for the film alone. The party better be great because the film is one of the lesser offerings of the festival. Much better this weekend are Cold as Summer, When I’m 64, Made in Secret and Gay Republicans.

The film festival will continue until 12 November closing at the Film Row Cinema of Columbia College with a screening of The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green. Monday, November 7 will bring the Women’s Centerpiece, Unveiled with the Men’s Centerpiece, Say Uncle, coming on Wednesday.

None of the four featured films are particularly striking but Reeling 2005 more than justifies itself with a slew of dynamite movies that received lesser billing. Check the review links for recommendations on what’s not to be missed, and what should definitely be avoided. Shows cost $10 each, $7 for matinees.

With the national spotlight shining bright on the topic of gay marriage, it’s no surprise to find commentary on the subject in several of this year’s films. The Gay Marriage Thing, Keep not Silent, Gay Republicans and Floored by Love all have something to say about though that last one isn’t really watchable. The most effective commentary though might come from a brief exchange in the speculative fiction flic Hard Pill, where a character muses about the positive effect institutionalized gay marriage might have upon the psyche of a gay teenager.

The crowd that enjoys independent cinema is one that would often be supportive to many causes of the left. One of the films, Hate Crime is being co-presented by the Gay Liberation Network. Many of these films are not only entertaining and/or informative in their own right but would make excellent opportunities to do outreach to a sympathetic crowd. Even if one doesn’t do outreach, the good films will still be worth going to.

 
 

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