Gay and lesbian film festival gives voice to marginalized identities

GOING TO THE movies definitely seems to be one of Americans’ favorite pastimes.

But regardless of genre, they are almost all geared toward white heterosexuals.

Today we are often aware that people of color as well as women in general, have been marginalized in the history of filmmaking. While that is gradually changing, white heterosexuals can still presume that movies and the characters in them will be modeled after what is seen as normal or abnormal, by a white, heterosexual society.

Thus, there is a whole class of people who are all but ignored by the film industry. That is the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

But once a year, there is a place for that community to go and feast on an array of films, which are based on themes reflecting their lives.

That is because once a year, like Santa Clause, the “Reel Pride Festival” comes Fresno.

Here, people can see movies that are devoted to queer themes.

I attended my first Reel Pride Festival two years ago. I was taking a course titled “Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Studies” here at Fresno State. We were offered the chance to go to some movies for free, if we volunteered our help at the festival, so I volunteered.

I watched three full-length movies. One was about a young man who was molested as a child and gradually entered into prostitution. It depicted the highs and lows of his young life and was very intense; at times, disturbing, but ultimately very well done.

The second one was about a woman who fled from her homeland because she would have been either imprisoned or killed because of her lesbian lifestyle.

She took on the persona of a man while working in her new country. It showed how difficult her life was because of her homosexuality.

The character was well developed and it was easy to feel both compassion and outrage that she had to endure so much adversity simply due to her sexual identity in a narrow-minded society.

The third movie I watched was called something along the lines of “Boys and Their Balls.” It was a heartwarming story about young gay men coming out and, later in the movie, taking on a heterosexual boys’ football team.

It was tender and sometimes very funny. The fact that it was in German with English subtitles did not detract from it.

I expect this year to be just as good. Some of the more intriguing titles offered this year include: “Puccini for Beginners,” “Wild Tigers I Have Known,” “Sun Kissed and Love Me Tender,” and “Love Me True.”

Anyone is welcome at the event. It begins tonight, Sept. 13 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 17.

Some of the movies are at the Tower Theater and others are just down the street at the Starline Theater.

To get more information go to www.reelpride.com

Assuredly, the films will give voice to those whose experiences are oftentimes overlooked by mainstream media, making it a unique and rich alternative to our usual cinematic options.

And, in the heart of the Tower District, the ambiance promises to be at least slightly more stimulating than a night at Edwards Fresno Stadium.
See you at the movies.

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