What to Watch @ Atlanta's 'Out on Film' Fest

Out on Film, Atlanta's LGBTQ+ Film Festival is commemorating its 35th year with a fabulous lineup of eclectic films. The festival will offer a diverse selection of films from studio movies to indies to international to local productions as part of a carefully curated hybrid presentation that will take place September 22-October 2, 2022. 

Films include 40 features (23 narratives, 17 docs) and 16 shorts programs with 143 films representing 27 countries. 

Out on Film will open with Nicholas Stoller's highly anticipated "Bros," co-written by and starring Billy Eichner. Todd Flaherty's brilliant first feature, "Chrissy Judy" is the Closing Night presentation. Spotlight screenings include Micheal Rice's "Black As U R," Connie Cocchia's "When Time Got Louder," Daresha Kyi's "Mama Bears," and the world premiere of Yuval David's "Wonderfully Made – LGBTQ+R(eligion)." 

For information on purchasing passes, tickets, and additional details on Out on Film, please go to: Out on Film website.

EDGE had a chance to pre-screen a slew of the titles and highly recommend the following:

'Chrissy Judy'

Yes, "Chrissy Judy" continues to top my lists at LGBTQ+ Fests because it's simply glorious and heralds the arrival of a queer filmmaker to be reckoned with. Todd Flaherty, wearing many creative hats, portrays a New York drag artist who breaks with his close partner and must figure out who he is on his own. This dark comedy, lovingly photographed (in black and white by Todd's brother, Brendan Flaherty) digs deep in its exploration of a fragile soul and his missed opportunities. The results are exhilarating. Flaherty the director is assured and bold in his choices; Flaherty the writer, is incisive, sassy and authentic, taking stereotypes and inverting them; Flaherty, the actor? Perfection.

'Where Butterflies Don't Fly'

Czech Republic writer-director Roman Němec's superlative feature debut, "Where Butterflies Don't Fly" is one of my favorite queer films currently on the festival circuit, as well. This visually arresting work is loaded with homoerotic tension, and keenly deceives the viewer by lulling them into a familiar narrative before shifting dramatic gears and becoming a survivalist story where Daniel (Daniel Krejcík), an 18-year-old bullied misfit, is trapped in an underground cave with his gay teacher, Adam (yummy Jirry Vojta). What unfolds is a riveting, nail-biting, yet sensual film that boasts two terrific lead performances. In Czech with English subtitles.

'Wonderfully Made — LGBTQ+R(eligion)'

Emmy winner Yuval David has crafted an exceptional doc, "Wonderfully Made – LGBTQ+R(eligion)," that digs into the roots of LGBTQ+ hate in the Catholic Church, one of the largest religious organizations in the world and one that has blamed homosexuality for the horrific abuse of children and young adults. The framing device for the film is this desire to create a fine art project of new photographic iconography depicting Jesus as a member/ally of the LGBTQ+ community, representing diverse ethnicities, genders, races, sexualities, and identities. The final reveal of these images is truly mesmerizing.

'El Houb (The Love)'

Shariff Nasr's incredibly poignant, sometimes funny film, "El Houb (The Love)" examines the world of Karim (Fahd Larhzaoui), a Moroccan-Dutch man who is forced to come out to his uber-conservative Muslim parents, as well as his homophobic brother. Their collective anger and outrage force Karim to literally lock himself in the family closet as he attempts to reach them. He also ruminates on the damage his repression has had on himself and his boyfriend. "El Houb" is an exquisite, urgent film, and the final moments are nothing short of extraordinary. In English, Arabic, and Dutch, with English subtitles.

'Lonesome'

Another festival favorite, Craig Boreham's "Lonesome" centers on cowboy Casey (a remarkable Josh Lavery in his feature debut) who has fled his small farm community for the big bad city of Sydney (Australia), where he hooks up with uber-sexually active Tib (Daniel Gabriel). Their stormy relationship is quite sexually charged, but it's the quiet moments that mark this stunning film, which delves into the damage hatred and intolerance do to a person. Lavery delivers an intense and grounded performance.

'In from the Side'

Alexander Lincoln and Alexander King play gay rugby players who embark on a sizzling secret affair, even though both are partnered, in Matt Carter's ambitious and emotional feature "In from the Side." The film enthralls for the first three quarters of its 2-hour 14-minute running time, delving into the politics of sports as well as etching nicely-drawn character studies. It's only in the final quarter that Carter (who also co-wrote, co-produced, edited, shot and scored the film) turns to melodrama and allows moral judgement to overtake the narrative. Still, the uber-handsome Lincoln, onscreen for most of the running time, makes the journey more than worthwhile with his passionate performance. 

'Pat Rocco Dared'

Directors Morris Chapdelaine and Bob Christie have delivered a gift to the queer community by exploring the life and films of Pat Rocco, whose work as an activist, artist, moviemaker, and all-around entertainer broke gay ground in the late '60s and early '70s. His erotic movies featured nude males lovingly frolicking, kissing (a rarity to see onscreen), and genuinely enjoying themselves, a definite precursor to the hardcore gay films that would soon take over screens. In addition, Rocco managed to capture important moments in queer history. The filmmakers have reintroduced a pioneering LGBTQ+ artist to a new generation with this portrait.

'Jimmy in Saigon'

Out filmmaker Peter McDowell had an older brother, Jimmy, a Vietnam vet that died at age 24 while living as a civilian in Saigon. The circumstances surrounding his death, and his life, are the subject of McDowell's haunting endeavor, "Jimmy in Saigon," a work that exposes the secrets, lies, and taboos on love that existed a half century ago, as well as the self-hatred and homophobia inherent in both the Vietnamese and American cultures. As McDowell uncovers fascinating truths about his sib, he must also reckon with never really knowing the full story.

'Nana's Boys'

In Ashton Pina's two-hander "Nana's Boys," a Black gay male couple face revelations that will test just how strong their bond is. Amari (an excellent David J. Cork) awakens late on the morning of his 30th birthday conflicted about his life. His significant other, Q (Jared Wayne Gladly), is in a much better place, at least career-wise. Both men are thrown for a loop when an outside explosion forces a lockdown. The two must grapple with where they each stand in their relationship. The "reveals" aren't explored enough, and the film fizzles in its last quarter, but the actors keep the viewer interested.

'Love Without Fear (Amar Sin Miedo)'

Juan Jose Frausto's "Love Without Fear (Amar Sin Miedo)" is a mixed bag, but if you can get past the sometimes-clunky dialogue and odd tonal shifts, it has some insightful things to say about personal discovery, sexual exploration, and tossing out forced notions of sexual orientation. Josh Adams (handsome Andres Roma, playing an American even though he has a Spanish accent) travels to Taxco, Mexico, with his girlfriend, where he means to propose marriage. But when he meets sexy musician Leo (Alejandro Belmonte), his life is turned upside down. Frausto is obviously a talented director (a shower scene is particularly impressively framed) and the ending is just... ridiculously entertaining. In Spanish and English with English subtitles.