See & Hear
Annual LGBTQ film fest is a highlight of Pride celebrations
We serve up highlights of S.F. Pride, including the Frameline film festival featuring Udo Kier in ‘Swan Song.’
One of the biggest attractions of Bay Area Pride celebrations remains San Francisco’s annual LGBTQ film festival, Frameline. Due to the pandemic, last year’s program was mostly online. This year, in its 45th iteration, Frameline is mixing live screenings at the Roxie and Castro theaters, two shows at San Francisco’s Oracle Park (yes, the home of the Giants) and four drive-in showings, as well as a deep slate of streaming offerings.
The theme of this year’s 17-day fest is “All Kinds of Queer,” and the 50-plus features it offers is a testament to that billing.
For the first time, there will be two Oracle Park screenings: Palo Alto native Jon M. Chu’s exuberant musical “In the Heights” (Friday) and Amazon Prime’s eagerly awaited adaptation of the London musical “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” (Saturday). Both films start at 8 p.m. ($24.99$44.99).
The festivities kick off at 9 p.m. today at the West Wind Solano drive-in in Concord with a screening of the excellent documentary “Fanny: The Right to Rock.”
Can’t make any in-person and drive-in events? Don’t fret. The bulk of the programming, including “Homegrown” (showcasing shorts from Bay Area filmmakers) will be available to stream June 17-27.
Here are a few must-sees. “Fanny: The Right to Rock”: The feature kicking off this year’s festival is an illuminating documentary on the sexism, racism, ageism and homophobia that confronted members of Fanny, which many consider the first allfemale rock band. Director Bobbi Jo Hart doesn’t futz around here, adopting a traditional approach by concentrating on interviews. That no-fuss style works well as band members reflect on everything from their musical origins in Sacramento to the highs and
lows of their rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. It’s a tender, intimate portrait of these groundbreakers as they prepare to release a reunion album in their 60s. Be prepared to get misty-eyed. Details: 9 p.m. today; West Wind Solano Drive-in, Concord; streaming June 17-27.
“Boy Meets Boy”: There’s no way to ignore influences of Richard Linklater’s classic “Before” trilogy and Andrew Haigh’s 2011 sexy gay romance “Weekend” in every frame of Daniel Sanchez Lopez’s promising feature debut, a low-budget indie woven around two 20-something gay men (Alexandros Koutsoulis and Matthew James Morrison) making an instaconnection and then spending 48 hours flirting, talking and peeling back each other’s emotional layers. “Boy Meets Boy” is light on action and long on talk, and that’s fine since the dialogue is interesting and sometimes provocative. Details: streaming June 17-27.
“Jump, Darling”: Up-andcoming drag performer Russell (Thomas Duplessie) gets dumped by his boyfriend and, after a bad, drunken night, drops in on grandma (Cloris Leachman) and
decides to stay a spell, in a move that has unexpected benefits for both. There’s not much new territory explored here but what’s surprising is the emotional power of Phil Connell’s touching feature. That’s largely due to the legendary Leachman, in her last film role. Details: Screening 6 p.m. June 26 at the Castro, San Francisco; streaming June 17-27.
“Firebird”: This based-on-atrue-story romantic drama is a three-hankie heartbreaker, recounting the clandestine love of two Cold War-era Soviet air force men in Estonia. Actor Tom Prior stars as Sergey, a disillusioned private smitten with a base commander
(Nicholas Woodeson), whom he becomes a driver for. He also co-wrote and co-directed the film. The result is a glossy and classy melodrama that soars with passion and is elevated by strong production values, heartfelt performances and a story arc that journeys to unexpected destinations. It’s gorgeous to behold and worth a trip to the Castro to see on the big screen. Details: 2:30 p.m. June 27 at the Castro, San Francisco; streaming June 17-27.
“Language Lessons”: Even if you’re sick of Zoom (and who isn’t?), expect to be thoroughly taken with the shot-on-screens conversations that make up this two-hander about the relationship between a Spanish-language teacher (Natalie Morales) and a wealthy, married and gay Oakland man (Mark Duplass). After tragedy strikes, their playful relationship deepens and evolves, unearthing insecurities, idiosyncrasies and misperceptions. The two stars work wonders together and Morales shows a deft touch as both director and as a co-screenwriter, along with the talented Duplass. The ending is forced but
“Language” captures the nuances of a complex friendship. Details: streaming June 17-27.
“Nico”: Sara Fazilat gives a thunderbolt of a performance as Nico, a confident German-Persian lesbian working in Berlin as a caregiver. Her effusive personality radically changes after a racially motivated attack lands her in the hospital and leaves her with deep psychological wounds. Director Eline Gehring and co-screenwriter Fazilat convey the brutality of the act without being overly explicit, interested more on depicting the emotional damage than the physical scars. Fazilat impresses in every scene as we see how the incident changes her. But her journey is not without hope, fortunately, and a few surprises. Details: streaming June 17-27.
“Swan Song”: German actor Udo Kier is positively delicious in a Auntie Mame-like performance as a Sandusky, Ohio, former hairdresser and drag performer who skedaddles from an eldercare facility so he can work his magic on the corpse of his former frenemy (Judith Light). Strutting and strolling along the streets, Pat Pitsenberg (Kier) meets new friends while exchanging barbs with old rivals (including Jennifer Coolidge). Todd Stephens’ film vacillates from the comic to the bittersweet with sloe gin ease, thanks to Kier, who’s sassy and bitchy when he needs to be. Details: streaming June 17-27.