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Thursday, March 28, 2024
Reel Love

The Reel Love Film Festival is coming to Madison in a few weeks.

Keep it ‘Reel’ at LGBTQ film festival

So there’s a rad thing happening in Madison next weekend. Actually, rad doesn’t quite catch it. There’s an incredible thing happening next weekend in Madison.

You see, Nov. 21 through Nov. 24, the Reel Love Film Festival will be running in The Marquee in Union South. More than just Wisconsin’s most punnily named film festival, it’s also the only LGBTQ film fest in the state. Now in its third year, Reel Love continues to advocate for equality and tolerance, and it does so in the best way possible: through an incredible lineup of films.

Given that issues of gender and sexuality are, obviously, real issues that affect real people, documentaries provide us with a direct look at the truth of the matter, the actual stories of the men and women (however they choose to define those concepts) whose lives are affected by these issues every day.

Perhaps most tragic among these is “Valentine Road,” a film about a young boy who was murdered in his school, by another student, for who he was and how he identified himself, and the community’s reaction to his killing. Just watching the trailer had me physically upset, and the story of 15-year-old Larry King has the potential to be one of the most moving, powerful experiences of the weekend.

Less soul-crushing but equally political is “Love Free or Die,” a look at the first openly gay bishop in the history of Christianity, and his struggle to reconcile his faith and his sexuality. Clearly complicated, the film is guaranteed to spark a lot of heated discussion, which is after all one of the most important functions that this festival can fulfill.

“Wildness,” a documentary about the Silver Platter, a gay nightclub in Los Angeles, is described as having “a magical-realist touch,” blending performance art and examinations of safe spaces for creativity with an environment that takes on a life entirely its own. I have no idea how a documentary could pull that off, but I cannot wait to find out.

The final documentary screening over the weekend promises to be, if not the most moving or powerful, then at least the most shocking. “I Am Divine” details for the audience the life and times of Harris Glenn Milstead, better known as Divine, drag superstar and muse of cult cinema auteur John Waters. She took shock art, and performance itself, to an entirely new place, and this look at her personal life will be screening alongside “Girl Problems,” one of her many collaborations with Mr. Waters. I can’t say anything to prepare you for what they entail; just do yourself a favor, go watch the trailers and then strap yourself in for whatever ride these two innovators will take us.

In a similar vein, there’s going to be a sing-along screening of “Hairspray.” So John Travolta is going to get in drag, kick out some bitchin’ show tunes and we’re all gonna sing along. I don’t know what else I’d have to say. Absolutely ridiculous amounts of fun will follow. Be there.

Between the cult classics and incendiary documentaries stands a stack of purely stellar LGBTQ cinema. “Getting Go, the Go Doc Project” is a mockumentary about a man who pretends to make a film about his favorite go-go dancer in order to meet him—blending brilliant writing and formal innovation to push the envelope both thematically and cinematically.

“Vic+Flo Saw a Bear” is a Canadian film about two lesbian ex-cons trying to reassemble their lives in the backwoods of Quebec. Gorgeous northern scenery and powerful, psychologically complex portrayals of two women struggling, this can’t be anything except a dark, thoughtful drama that shouldn’t be missed.

“Cloudburst” is described as a lesbian road movie about an elderly couple on the run from a nursing home. The film’s official description uses the phrase “crackerjack lesbian couple.” Guys, how could you not want to see that? I cannot sell this film any better than that.

You might’ve noticed that we’ve come to a point where I’m just rattling off incredible films that’ll be playing at Reel Love. That’s of course because there are just TOO MANY. “Free Fall” is an intensely emotional look at two men, one with a wife and child, who fall in love. It’s the German “Brokeback Mountain.” “Reaching for the Moon” tells the story of the relationship between American writer Elizabeth Bishop and Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares. A gorgeous retelling of the lives of two fascinating people? Yes please.

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I could keep going. But I’ve made my point. The Reel Love Film Festival realizes the true power of cinema: not just to move people, but to move them to action, to move them to think, to advocate and scream for what’s right. It’s something amazing that we get to have here in Madison, so Nov. 21-24, clear your calendars to come support the LGBTQ community and see a handful of unbelievable films. All for free. For more information about the schedule, go to https://www.union.wisc.edu/wud/reellove.htm.

If you want to catch some of the Reel Love Film Festival with Austin, email him at wellens@wisc.edu.

Correction: Reel Love Film Festival is not the only LBGTQ film festival in the state. The 28th Milwaukee LGBT Film/Video Festival occurred Oct. 17-20.

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