Since San Francisco is the granddaddy of American gay culture, it’s only fitting the city is home to the oldest LGBT film festival in the States. From June 14 through June 24 Frameline 36 will screen hundreds of new gay films, shorts, groundbreaking documentaries and even a retro screening of 1982’s Annie.

Among the more anticipated films is Gayby (trailer above), director Jonathan Lisecki’s quirky comedy about New York thirtysomethings Jenn and Matt (Jenn Harris and Matthew Wilkas) who decide to have a baby together—despite the fact that they’re longtime pals and Matt is gay. Based on Lisecki’s short film of the same name, Gayby promises to combine exploration of  serious friendship-boundary issues with Bridesmaid-style antics.

On June 20, it’s the Frameline debut of Love or Whatever, from director Rosser Goodman (Holding Trevor).  Tyler Poelle (at right in photo) plays a successful gay man whose life turns upside down when his long-term boyfriend unexpectedly dumps him—for a woman. Will a journey of self-discovery lead to new insights—and a new love? The comedy also stars  Kate Flannery (The Office), Michael Carbonaro (Another Gay Movie) and Jennifer Elise Cox, best remembered as Jan from the The Brady Bunch Movie.

Passionate Politics: The Life and Work of Charlotte Bunch is a harrowing documentary about lesbian activist and author Bunch, who has been fighting for our rights since the 1960s. Produced and directed by New York’s Hunter College professor Tami Gold, the 58-minute film plays June 15  along with A Force of Nature, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple’s (Harlan County, USA) documentary short about Ellen Ratner, an out lesbian and head of the Talk Radio News Service in Washington. Passionate Politics co-producer David Pavlosky is expected to attend a post-screening Q&A.

FTMs and the folks who love them are spotlighted in documentary Sexing the Transman, showing on June 17. Directed by transmale porn star Buck Angel (right), the film features interviews with both trans and cisgendered folk, including comedians Ian Harvie and Margaret Cho, about female-to-male transition and how it relates to identity and sexuality.

Michael Aker’s Morgan is a rather unique entry. It chronicles the life of gay cyclist Morgan Oliver (Leo Minaya) five month after a devastating bicycle accident leaves him paralyzed from the waist down. Morgan’s life takes a turn for the better after meeting Dean (Jack Kesy), a sensitive and quiet man Morgan begins a relationship with and someone who inspires Morgan to re-enter the same bike race that caused his tragic accident. Morgan will show on June 22.

Also showing are the Latin lesbian drama Mosquita y Mari, the David Lynchian Graupel Poetry, green-card-wedding flick I Do and the Palestinian melodrama The Invisible Man.

 

For more information and a complete list of all films, visit Frameline 36.

Photos: Rosser Goodman, Buck Angel Entertainment

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