OIA LESBIAN FILM REVIEWS 2009

We’re off to the movies. Not just any movies though. The Out in Africa Film Festival 2009 has outdone itself once again with a collection of well-written, witty, thought-provoking, beautifully shot lesbian cinema. Don’t miss this annual lesbian fest, it’s a real goody this year and stars this Friday, 4 September.

THE CHINESE BOTANIST’S DAUGHTER
DIRECTOR: Sijie Dai
France/Canada 2006 105min

By far my favourite movie at the festival this year, the Chinese Botonist’s Daughter is a story about forbidden love that will truly sweep any romantic off her feet. Two young women, An and Mi Ling meet and fall in love after Mi Ling earns a place as a trainee to An’s father, a respected botonist. To stay together they devise a plan which sees Mi Ling marrying An’s military brother, who later becomes a catalyst for the women to finally declare their love for one another openly. Filming was prohibited by the Chinese government as the story is based on real life events that happened in the 80s. Director Sijie Dai shot the movie in Vietnam and the result is simply breathtaking. Every scene from the lush, splendid garden (Tanya Visser eat your heart out), the beauty and magnificence of the river and mountain scenes to the rich portrayal of Chinese culture and tradition as well as the haunting music and symbolic love gestures earns this movie the many awards its already won. Really and truly not one to miss, it the kind of film you’ll add to your DVD collection for sure.
• Rating out of five:
Show times:
JHB Sat 5th / 8.45pm ♥ Tue 8th / 9.15pm
CT Fri 11th / 6.15pm ♥ Sat 19th / 6.45pm

FAMILY
DIRECTOR: Faith Trimel
USA 2008 109min

Nearly two hours of lesbian drama was more than I could take from Family, an American film about several friends, all closet cases, in their 30s, who are persuaded to reveal their sexual identity to friends and family spear-headed by Felicia. Felicia, played by Trimmel, nearly got caught with a girl in bed by her mom, luckily there was room to stuff her in the closet by the time mom had turned the key. Her experience, and very pissed off girlfriend, forces her to come out and she wants all her closeted buddies to do it with her! Some of the lesbian coming outs were interesting and I specially enjoyed the black/white couple’s story with the pushy sister that thought the girlfriend was just a housemate/tenant and should be bullied to do things. I found myself mentally pushing the girlfriend to get a back-bone and tell her bossy sister to mind her own business. My least favourite was the Papi-type character. As a 30 something lesbian myself, I found it difficult to relate to most of these characters and their stories. The movie is just too long, the stories were a little stretched so this feature deserves nothing less than super jumbo popcorn and giant drink. I thought the film wasn’t a good representation of 30 something, first-world-country women, it was shot just last year but had a very 80s feel to it. I guess it’s not fair to judge every lesbian group film or series by The L Word but you kind of have to when you see a similarity. You be the judge and come back and tell us your thoughts after you’ve seen it.
• Rating out of five:
Show times:
JHB Sun 6th / 5.45pm + GUEST ♥ Wed 9th / 9.15pm + GUEST ♥ Sun 13th / 6.15pm
CT Sat 12th / 8.30pm + GUESTS ♥ Mon 14th / 6.15pm + GUESTS ♥ Fri 18th / 8.15pm

THE SATYR OF SPRINGBOK HEIGHTS
DIRECTOR: Robert Silke
South Africa 2009 58min

What a surprise to find this South African treasure amongst my pile of movies this year, and a really outstanding one at that. The Satry of Springbok Heights, a mythical creature of half man and half goat roams the corridors of this fictitious building based on an actual art noueau apartment block called Holyrood in Cape Town. He seems to be everything and anything the dysfunctional, troubled, always OTT residents of Springbok Heights need him to be. But the story doesn’t totally revolve around the movie’s namesake. The homeowners of this truly magnificent building are the meat in this mokumentary. Shot in doccie-style, writer, director, architect and current “Springbok Heights” resident Robert Silke interviews and films real-life journalists, architects and historians on the curvy, unusual design and structure intertwining the lives and loves of the current inhabitants as well as a few crazy street people. If you’re into architecture and human behaviour, you’ll more than likely find yourself doing what I did – Googling! I wanted to find out more about the characters and what had happened to all those people. Nothing should stop you from seeing this homegrown gem, the actors – all South African – are mostly gay and completely believable, the building’s history and design will simply blow your socks off, and the story will keep you glued to your seat. Book for this one, it’ll be a popular choice.
• Rating out of five:
Show times:
JHB Sat 5th / 5pm + GUEST ♥ Wed 9th / 6.45pm
CT Sun 13th / 5pm + GUESTS ♥ Tues 15th / 8.45pm + GUESTS

THE SECRETS
DIRECTOR: Avi Nesher
France/Israel 2007 120min

Religion, duty and love create conflict for two girls living at a Jewish seminary in the heart of Kabbalah-land – Safed. Both arrived for different reasons. Naomi, who is meant to already be married, have bared children and support her husband is ultra orthodox, rigid in her beliefs and family values and knows what she wants. Well at least she thinks she does until she meets wealthy and adventurous Michelle. Unified in their quest to help a mysterious but dying French woman, the two girls begin to study Kabbalistic text to help purify and free her before her life ends and instead uncover secrets about themselves. I loved this story. Slow moving, passionate, beautifully filmed in the mountains of the Upper Galilee. The story was powerful and empowering and made me see religious women differently. Ultimately this is a film for the inner feminist or the outer one if you wish. The Secrets opens up the struggle that women to face to be equal to men, to be, and be seen, as more than just submissive – against whatever culture, religion or social background. What surprised me and made me think about my personal responsibility to the people around me however, is the level of acceptance that finally comes from this beautiful romance, not only between the two girls but also from Michelle’s new orthodox husband. This is definitely one to add to your schedule of flicks you just must see.
• Rating out of five:

Show times:
JHB Sun 6th / 8.30pm ♥ Wed 9th / 7pm ♥ Sun 13th / 8pm
CT Sun 13th /8.30pm ♥ Thu 17th / 6.45pm ♥ Sun 20th / 8.15pm

The 16th annual Out In Africa Gay & Lesbian Film Festival takes place in Johannesburg (Nu Metro Montecasino) from 3 to 13 September and in Cape Town (Nu Metro V&A Waterfront) from 10 to 20 September. It features 17 international feature films and nine South African productions, five of which are world premieres. Visit www.oia.co.za for a full schedule of screenings.