Here I go! I'm kicking off my film reviews of the 33rd Annual Frameline Film Festival here in sunny San Francisco! For my first film, I attended a screening of a set of shorts from filmmakers across the world. Topically, they're a very interesting and compelling grouping, though from a cinematography point of view the films were at times lackluster. But I'm glad I attended! You'll see why...

"BUSTED"
Director: Poh Si Teng
Trevor's Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars

Busted (or, Pecah Lobang) documents the experiences of mak nyah (male to female transgender) women living in Malaysia, and their troubles with Shariah law that forbids crossdressing. Curiously, they allowed sex change operations for many years in the 70s and 80s, but the Islamic Council issued a fatwa in 1983 outlawing the procedures, putting an end to the surgeries and also making it impossible for trans people in Malaysia to change their gender on their Identity Cards. This of course poses all sorts of problems for transfolks, most notably securing reliable employment. The film hits on a number of issues, and is useful for folks who are interested in trans legal issues, Malaysia, or Islam. In particular, the film raises very interesting questions about the varying ways that Shariah gets enforced in different countries -- sex change operations are perfectly legal in Iran (see my review of last year's Be Like Others). But while the film was politically poignant, I was left with questions. Most notably, are there transgender men in Malaysia? Is their plight similar or different? It wasn't clear. But on the whole, this film was a gem for the way it documents the stories of unheard voices.

Here's a clip. You can purchase the film here.

"KRUDAS"
Director: Opie Boero-Imwinkelried
Trevor's Rating: 2 / 5 Stars

Krudas is a colorful documentary featuring a Cuban lesbian hip-hop duo, who also happen to be lovers. It's a fascinating topic, ripe for analysis for the ways that the group eloquently attack patriarchal and homophobic assumptions about what it means to be a hip-hop artist, what it means to be a Cuban, and what it means to be a woman. Unfortunately, I didn't think the filmmaker did the pair justice. The film lacks a coherent storyline, and wanders aimlessly from person to person without really developing any particular idea to fruition. Instead, you get a random array of complicated ideas that makes for a very frustrating watch. I wanted this film to be so good! But it wasn't. It's a great topic, and the artists deserve praise. But the film feels sloppy and almost incoherent. Nevertheless, Frameline picked up the film for distribution, and you can purchase it here.

"QUEER SARAJEVO FESTIVAL 2008"
Directors: Cazim Dervisevic, Masa Hilcisin
Trevor's Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars

This short film is a compelling take on Sarajevo activists' efforts to jumpstart a queer film festival in a country (Bosnia and Herzegovina) not known for being particularly queer-friendly. I was struck immediately by the radical rhetoric of the activists organizing the festival -- the festival's website claims the event is a "multimedia, five-day event intended to disrupt, redefine, transgress, fulfill and affirm sex, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identities, gender identities, gender expression, and all other concepts the meaning of which is assumed and accepted as absolute truth." Organizers planned for the festival to take place during Ramadan, which caused quite a controversy among religious conservatives who are shown spouting homophobic vile throughout the film. The festival appeared to be getting off to a fabulous start, with 400 or so people attending the art show that kicked things off. But slowly a protesting crowd begins to gather outside the venue, and they grow increasingly violent and angry. (I think they were shown shouting something like, "FAGGOTS DIE! WE WILL FUCK YOUR MOTHERS' CUNTS.") Eventually all hell breaks loose, with the protesters beating film festival attendees and the police doing little to protect them. One of the guest judges, Andrejs Visockis, was attacked and nearly blinded by the mob (find his account of the night on his blog, here). It's a fabulous window into a homophobic culture that may seem distant or altogether archaic to American viewers, but it's a healthy reminder that violent homophobia is not a thing of the past. The film at times strays, indulging in tangents that weaken its narrative construction. But its story is incredibly compelling, and a must-see for anyone invested in global human rights for queers. You can read about the festival on the organizers' website here.

"WELCOME TO MY QUEER BOOKSTORE"
Director: Larry Tung
Trevor's Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars

I LOVED this movie! What a divine and fabulous short film. It's a simple idea: Make a short film about the power of the one and only queer bookstore in the Chinese-speaking world, and document its sociological impact in a Taiwanese community where there are few resources for queers. It's a simple idea with a huge payoff. The hero of this film is Gin Gin's Bookstore's owner, "JJ" Lai Jeng-Jer, who was sued by conservatives for distribution of "obscene" material. Taiwanese activists used the lawsuit to their advantage, putting together a fundraiser that raised more than twice the money needed to pay the fines levied against the bookstore. Throughout the film, JJ gleefully walks through his store, telling viewers about the significance of all the various items he carries in his store. I have to say, I was so thrilled when JJ picked up a prostate massager and sung its glories for giving users new ways to experience anal pleasure. He's amazing. But the waterworks really flowed when he stood beside a section of sports bras, eloquently speaking about how important sports bras are for butch lesbians in Taiwan who use them to bind their breasts. These weren't just goods for sale, these were politics for JJ. God bless him. And God bless this film!