Alternative Film Guide

Mala Noche (1985) was Gus Van Sant’s first feature film. Its stream-of-consciousness narrative may be off-putting to some, but Tim Streeter’s performance as a Portland man madly in lust-cum-love with a Mexican immigrant (Doug Cooeyate) should impress just about everyone.

Todd Haynes‘ all-star homage to Bob Dylan, I’m Not There, was considered innovative by some, tedious by others. Others yet found it both innovative and tedious. Academy Award-nominee and Venice Film Festival winner Cate Blanchett (pictured) is one of the many Bob Dylans in the film.

Directed by Ferzan Ozpetek, Saturno Contro / Saturn in Opposition received 5 nominations (including 1 win) for the Italian Film Academy’s David di Donatello. The story of a group of sophisticated Romans who band together when one of them is taken ill, the film stars David di Donatello nominee Margherita Buy, Stefano Accorsi, Ennio Fantastichini, David di Donatello best supporting actress winner Ambra Angiolini, and Pierfrancesco Favino.

"Hidden in the seclusion of a botanical garden in rural China, two young women fall tenderly in love. But their plans for a shared future put their fragile existence under threat." That’s Däi Sijie’s The Chinese Botanist’s Daughter, starring Mylène Jampanoi and Li Xiaoran.

The "Obsessions" program features a series of shorts about, well, obsessions, including Michael Palmieri’s Sing Me Spanish Techno ("Classy music video featuring the music of the New Pornographers and a drag queen who pulls"), Matthias vom Schemm’s My Little Boy ("In Berlin 1933, a gay photographer has a chance to flee but refuses to acknowledge what’s happening"), David Quantic’s Dish — which sounds like a horror flick ("Gay men talk frankly about their Oprah obsession"), Sidney Karger’s Daddy ("a gay man discovers he is pregnant"), and André Hereford’s The Naked-Boy Business, vol. 1 (above, "Can straight boys tell you what a beautiful man looks like? Vox pops and Peter Berlin styled poser").

Two documentaries: Michael Jacoby’s feature Ten More Good Years and Cynthia Wade’s short Freeheld. The former deals with "the challenges facing the ageing Stonewall generation" while the latter revolves around "a lesbian policewoman whose dying wish is to see her pension go to her girlfriend." Ironically, Freeheld’s Oscar 2008 win was announced by US military servicemen — who, if attracted to others of their sex, can’t tell anyone about it.

More details at the festival’s website