Bears and More Highlight SF Queer Film Fest
The Fourth Edition of the SF Queer Film Festival just announced its program for August 23-25, 2024 and it looks ultra exciting!
In full transparency, I am the Director of Programming so of course I like most of the 64 features, shorts and webisodes playing in the program which will take place at Landmark’s Opera Plaza Cinema in San Francisco.
As a bear, I was on the hunt for bear content. There are not a lot of submissions featuring bears, but I did find some really good stuff so let’s talk about them first.
A Wonderful Life (8/24 6:30pm) is a sweet movie about two men who have unresolved feelings from the past. It unfolds sweetly before our eyes and stars bear-ish David E. McMahon.
In the Box of Chocolates shorts program (8/25 11:45am), bear Peter C. Bisuito, who is world famous as a comedian, showcases his softer side in I Remember, a heartwarming and wrenching story he wrote, directed and co-stars in. Not yet confirmed, but Bisuito is trying to come to the festival – it’s all based upon if he finds a venue to bring his stand-up comedy act so he can take full advantage of a trip to the West Coast.
Bears also make an appearance in WebOUT (8/25 4:15pm) , my curated web series program. We get a double dose of bears in HERE TV’s Not So Straight in Silver Lake, which features popular bear actor Charlie Harding. His love interest is played by everyone’s favorite cub, Tom Goss. WebOUT also features The Disappointments that does not run short of hot muscle bears with Rich Burns and Trevor LaPaglia. Besides these appealing stars, this web show is relatable and very well written – you won’t be disappointed with any of the entire web program. Burns and LaPaglia are scheduled to attend – hope that goes unchanged.
Other movies and shows of note include:
* Opening Night (8/23 6pm) features short film (Un)Free Will about angels that may have unfinished business and the feature A Moment for Love, which should become an instant cult classic thanks to its mix of high dramatics, outrageous costumes and circus-like antics. Creator Bobby Love promises to wear an over-the-top costume to opening night and he will bring along with him Adam Huss, who we’ve all spent years drooling over and, in this feature, he shows a more vulnerable side as well as proves to be quite the singer.
* Loud Love (8/24 at 2:15pm) is a beautiful documentary of a gay deaf couple from NYC who overcame prejudice and discrimination and became parents and opened a school to help other people in the deaf community. Quite the love story.
* F.LY. (8/24 4:30pm) is a modern period piece about two ex’s who are stuck living together temporarily due to COVID. The title makes sense at the end with a little help from RuPaul.
* Centerpiece Kuch Sapney Apne aka Dreams Such as Ours (8/24 6pm) is a very layered story of two men of different backgrounds – from India and Sweden- who face every challenge a relationship can in the hopes for them (and us) that love does survive.
* Aligned (8/25 1:30pm) makes you want to travel to Greece and since you’re still here, enjoy this beautiful tale of two male dancers who become dancer partners, making one question his sexuality.
* Under the Influencer (8/25 4:30pm) YES this article is aimed towards hairy gay men but we should not exclude a film of quality and this lesbian oriented film will create anxiety when an up-and-coming digital artist finds a famous artist is taking credit for her work!
* Moving In – A Modern Musical (8/25 6pm) brings together an exotic dancer, his female friend and her boyfriend that the dancer kind of likes – but does the “straight” boyfriend like him back? Find out the answers through songs! Fun for sure!
* Mother Father Sister Brother Frank (8/25 6:30pm) closes the festival with a bloody good time. Literally. The family is already dysfunctional but when Uncle Frank shows up see them work together in a bloody way to rid themselves of Uncle Frank. Oh – and it stars Mindy Cohn from The Facts of Life. Seems Natalie has a dark side after all.
There are tons of shorts and other great programs – get more information and tickets at http://www.sfqueerfilmfest.com. Many of the filmmakers will be present so this is your chance to take selfies and talk to them up close and personal.
