Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
As you all know we are in the Gay Film Festival period and wondered how folks are feeling about the portrayal of Black Gay Men and Men of Color in general, in the entertainment industry? With The DL Chronicles being featured this year, and Noah’s Arc in limbo, do you feel we need a wider view of the experience and what would you like to see on screens- big and small?
Please paste this link into your browser for the link to the Film Festival Site:
www.phillyfests.com/piglff/home.cfm
4 Comments
We could always use more positive exposure in the media but given what limited offerings we have we should support Black SGL projects whenever we can. In this year’s Philly GL film Festival there are 4 Black male SGL films. Of the two that have shown as of today (July 14) Rag Tag was superb while Blueprint was good but somewhat flawed. Both are worth seeing however, especially Rag Tag. Rag Tag takes awhile to get going but the second half is extremely satisfying! Great script, excellent acting, and wonderfully edifying and realistic love story between two Black men.
I want to check out a movie this weekend. Anyone have any suggestions?
Of the films I have seen (Punks, Noahs Arc, DL Chronicles and others) there seems to be a somewhat stereotypical portrayal of Black Gay Men as pretty, chiseled bodied and fashion conscious..falling in love with those of like ilk. I realize that television and film is just that….and is prone to exaggeration for entertainment…but we all know this is not necessarily reality. I am particularly concerned that the more seedy and hidden side of the "DL" story is not being told. The men who spend inordinate amounts of time in dirty bookstores and theatres or parks…or the minister who screams about "homa-sexuals" from the pulpit and later is in his car cruising the meat rack (not to mention the entire "church sissy culture")….where are these stories? What about the great number of men who don’t have gym bodies or are not considered fly, thuggish, trendy, or bourgois enough to attract the attention of a suitor…yet desires intimacy just as badly as the doll babies we continue to see on screen?
Has anyone seen the film entitled ‘Black Beulahs’? It was a South African film and I didn’t get to see it last Sunday afternoon. The film was only shown once.
Also, has anyone else noticed that there seemed to be a trend of showing many of the Black/African themed films at odd times?