CATCH A QUEER MOVIE AT THE CASTRO, THEN JOIN THE REVELRY
San Francisco’s Pride Week would not be complete without taking in a movie at Frameline, the most renowned LGBTQ film festival in the world.
For the entire week, the festival will be playing movies day and night, packing in crowds at the Castro, Roxie and Victoria theaters, all within a short walk to many other Pride activities. The East Bay gets in the act, too, with showings at the Elmwood in Berkeley and the Piedmont in Oakland.
Here are some of the films worth checking out: The Lavender Scare: Most people think of the Cold War paranoia of the 1950s as a witch hunt against communist sympathizers, but this compelling, well-made documentary highlights that it was gays and lesbians who took the brunt of this hysteria. We see lives ruined, but the touching finale leaves you with a sense of resiliency. 11 a.m., Sunday, June 18, Castro; 2:15 p.m., Saturday, June 24, Piedmont. Prom King, 2010: This sexy comedy concerns an ultraromantic young man whose sense of idealism is challenged as he awkwardly — and humorously — navigates the unromantic world of online hookups. 1:30 p.m., Monday, June 19, Castro. Chavela: This is a definitive documentary about unapologetic lesbian rebel Chavela Vargas, who had affairs with Ava Gardner and Frida Kahlo, collaborated with filmmaker Pedro Almodovar, and became one of Mexico’s most beloved singers. The archival interviews of Chavela are a revelation. 6:30 p.m., Monday, June 19, Castro; 7 p.m., Thursday, June 22, Piedmont. I Dream In Another Language:
Surreal, spiritual and exquisitely photographed, this beautiful film about a lost language — and a lost love — goes on a spellbinding journey into the rain forests of Mexico. A love triangle is at the heart of a mysterious — and mystical — story that’s enchanting. 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 20, Castro. Becks: San Francisco native Lena Hall soars in this bittersweet, often funny tale about a down-and-out singer who returns home and stays with her ex-nun mother, the everreliable Christine Lahti. In between mommy issues and a romance with a restless housewife, Hall electrifies with her songs. 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 21, Castro. Whitney: Can I Be Me: With reels of intimate behind-thescenes footage, this devastating documentary shows how homophobia and racism contributed to the downfall of the great singer Whitney Houston. It’s a cautionary tale of the damage that can be done when we’re not allowed to be ourselves. 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 22, Castro.
Beach Rats: This sexually charged, well-acted Euro-style narrative, which concerns an aimless Brooklyn youth trying to come to terms with his sexuality, is hardly the feel-good movie of the year, but it’s a powerfully rendered reminder that coming of age can be harrowing, and hurtful to others, even in our purportedly more open-minded country. 7 p.m., Thursday, June 22, Roxie. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson: Part detective story, part history lesson and part tribute, this formidable documentary centers on the mysterious death — and amazing life — of Stonewall legend and trans rights pioneer Marsha P. Johnson, whose body was found floating in the Hudson River in 1992. A riveting slice of LGBTQ history — and very relevant today. 9:30 p.m., Thursday, June 22, Piedmont; 3:45 p.m., Saturday, June 24, Castro. Signature Move: This engaging melting pot of a movie combines a cross-cultural lesbian romance, Mexican wrestling and Pakistani mores — in Chicago. The scene-stealing Shabana Azmi, as a snoopy, homebound mother who always has a pair of binoculars handy, is a standout in a film that offers a different take on what coming out means. 6:30 p.m., Friday, June 23, Castro; 6:45 p.m., Saturday, June 24, Piedmont.
After Louie: In one of his best roles to date, Alan Cumming plays Sam, an AIDS activist who is stuck in the 1980s but who reconnects with the world when he meets Braeden, a Millennial whose life isn’t as carefree as it seems. A nice way to close the festival. 7 p.m., Sunday, June 25, Castro.