Best of the Fest

Date: Sunday, 10/17/2004
Time: 9:00 pm
Venue: Lincoln Theatre
Tickets: $9 (buy online now)

Type: Collection of short films

Metro Weekly Rating: (4 out of 5)

by Randy Shulman

BEST OF THE Fest offers the usual hodgepodge of shorts, some of which play elsewhere in the festival (and are reviewed in those programs), but most are so resolutely mediocre, you can't help but wonder: if these are the best of the fest, just how bad were the worst, the ones that never even stood a chance at a screening?

No matter, we chew on what we're served, and here we're offered a buffet whose selections include Straight, No Chaser () , an amusing if awkward trifle about a straight Jewish divorcee who inherits his drag-queen uncle's gay bar. The fact that star Bronson Pinchot acts with calm restraint is the movie's greatest flaw. Blessing () is an effective, poignant tale of a dying Mormon patriarch and his tacit acceptance of his gay son.

Blue-Eyed Moon () is a nine-minute animated Bulgarian entry in which objects perpetually morph into various women's body parts. All you can do is marvel at the transformations and think, "Damn, they must have great drugs in Bulgaria."

The Frog Princess () is a cute, blink-and-you'll-miss-it throwaway, while Just For Leather () is a stiff, silly nod to the leather community, who surely deserve better representation than this.

The finest of the bunch by far are Guinevere Turner's Hummer (), a frisky, winning tale of lesbian lust, and Far West (), a sweet and swift story of gay French teen who, visiting his grandfather's farm, learns to be himself. Both films are as touching and playful as they are graceful and eloquent.

Film Links:
· Reel Affirmations details

Festival Venue:
Lincoln Theatre
1215 U Street, NW; Washington, DC 20009. (202) 328-6000. (map)
Directly across from Green Line Metro / U Street-Cardozo station.

Tickets:
You may buy your tickets or passes in advance: Online at BoxOfficeTickets.com or by phone at (800) 494-TIXS (494-8497). Or you may visit the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U Street, NW, WDC); the DCJCC (1529 16th Street, NW, WDC); Lambda Rising (1625 Connecticut Avenue, NW, WDC); or Universal Gear (1601 17th Street, NW, WDC).
 

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For more info visit the official Reel Affirmations website.