Inside Out Film Festival: Shift Two

As promised toward the tail end of last night's post, here is the rundown of the Inside Out Film Festival chez Buddies in Bad Times on May 24th. Toronto is a blur of creative, innovative queer filmmakers, writers, actors, and other glitterati at the moment and donning the official volunteer t-shirt at these screenings is quite the trip. I've had the distinct privilege of viewing a stellar cross-section of classic queer cinema and the two films from Monday night fit firmly in this category.

So, let's get started, shall we?

The Watermelon Woman (1996)

The Watermelon Woman marked Cheryl Dunye's first feature debut on the film festival circuit of the late 90s even while it ignited fierce political debates on American soil for its queer content and government-aided funding. Dunye's film crosses the boundaries between traditional movie and documentary-influenced techniques thus creating a disorienting, delightful blur between the concepts of truth and fiction. The Watermelon Woman charts Cheryl's research of an unnamed, uncredited black actress from the golden era of 1930s Hollywood, a woman who adopted "mammy" roles under the title "The Watermelon Woman." As Cheryl delves further into the details of the actress's life and sexual identity, the hopeful filmmaker's life grows complicated after she falls for a rich, white girl (Guinivere Turner) which in turn stresses her relationship with best friend, Tamara.

Dunye occupies a vital place in LGBT film -- she is one of the few queer filmmakers to portray the lives of black, queer women and to explore interracial relationships and the threat of racism present in queer communities across North America. Despite the loaded issues she incorporates into her scripts, Dunye is able to find subtle humour and offers a loving, insider's critique of lesbian culture.

Viewers at the Buddies in Bad Times screening were treated to a private Q&A session with Cheryl Dunye herself once the film finished. She was engaging, intelligent, and sharp with her observations on her place in queer cinema and her message was one of encouragement to all the queers with cameras in the audience. Her overarching theme was one of action -- in the digital age, kids with cameras can chart their own experiences or create artistic visions on a thin dime. Rather than reserving her place with the glitterati, she wanted to inspire others to enter the medium and launch new debates of their own. Dunye also held her Canadian premiere of her new film, The Owls (2010), at the Isabel Bader Theatre later that evening. I would have loved to catch it, but there was another flick waiting for me at Buddies....

20 centímetros (2005)

Inside Out revisted their 2006 Closing Gala film, 20 centímetros, the vivid, colourful, and stunning gem from filmmaker Ramón Salazar. The Inside Out Festival Guide describes the film's cinematic appeal as a fusion of "Spanish camp, Hollywood musicals and neo-realism in a Technicolor wrapping" -- I can imagine no clearer description of such a wild and delightful film as this.

20 centímetros charts the life of Marieta (Mónica Cervera), a narcoleptic pre-op trans woman who works the streets of Madrid as a prostitute to earn the cash she needs for her operation. While she dreams of a stable future and the promise of a reliable income, Marieta's narcoleptic slips prevent her from holding down traditional work. Instead, her blackouts cast her into a world of elaborate, brightly-choreographed numbers set to the classics performed by Queen, Madonna, Dusty Springfiled, and Ani DiFranco among others.

After collapsing at a local market one morning, Marieta meets Raul (Pablo Puyol), a fruit stocker also known as El reponedor with "an ass like a perfect peach." Their first connection ignites into an intense physical relationship in which Raul celebrates those same 20 centimetres Marieta is so anxious to leave behind.

In the end, Marieta must decide what she desires most: a chance at love with a gentle, gorgeous man, or the chance to become the woman she dreams of.

Though the plot might sound dark and ominous at first glance, Salazar injects his film with energetic flamboyance and a hopping soundtrack for fans with a taste for musical movies and theatre flare. Even the skeptics will find the film both charming and colourful, a perfect wrap-up to an exciting long weekend.

***

So there -- another volunteer shift down and more fun to follow. Oh, and P.S. -- I know I missed the beloved Tunes for Tuesdays segment this week. Trust me, I will more than make up for that gaffe next Tuesday. Stay tuned because there is something very, very special in the works.

'Til then, bonne nuit.

Miz Moffatt: Volunteerism-Junkie

OH. MY. WORD.

How to summarize a weekend spent in the vast world of volunteerism and Toronto-based excitement?

It was overwhelming, stunning, exhausting, and oh-so-rewarding on numerous levels. I felt alive crossing the streets of Toronto and barreling across railroad tracks and through subway lines to find new adventures throughout our fair city. The weather was blissful, the crowds were pulsing and polite, and I discovered I am not the wallflower I paint myself to be.

So, let's start where we left off with the May 22nd recap, shall we?

Sunday, May 23rd/2010

It is now official -- I am a fully-credited, bona fide volunteer for The Harbourfront Centre, Toronto's artistic and cultural hub located on the steps of Lake Ontario. The main event for the May long weekend was the HarbourKids circus-themed celebration. Indeed, clowns and performers of all sorts were on hand in addition to a host of colourful, varied activities to engage the wee ones and activate their imaginations.

Granted, I was wary of what I had signed up for. Me + children = Recipe for disaster. I am controlled, anal-retentive, and quiet. Children tend to lack these qualities. Chalk the experience up as Lesson the First: the kids were fantastic. On Sunday, I helped out with an indoor animation flipbook station. A professional animator taught groups of 24 kids how to draw a simple, two-page animation of a frog in a clown hat jumping on his lily pad. I was in charge of signing kids up for the half hour lessons and I got to try my hand at animating, too. Serious, I was shocked over how focused the groups were and just how proud all of them were with the end results.

What is this? Am I reconciling my differences with children?

Weird.

The one flaw with the station: we were the only ones who required sign-up times. Parents would register their kids and either A) Bail out on the slot without alerting us, or B) Arrive ten minutes after the next session started. It was a touch frustrating to juggle, but it's easier to keep a light attitude when you are a volunteer, I find. And folks are less inclined to get cruel with people choosing to volunteer their free hours to a free weekend event. So, thumbs up to all involved.

***

In the evening, we had the extended Moffatt clan over to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of an Aunt and Uncle and to also celebrate the May birthdays (me, the Cuz, and another Uncle). I arrived home from the volunteer shift exactly five minutes before our guests arrived. Oh, GO Train and your ill-timed maintenance. I was two hours later than the scheduled arrival time. *Sigh*

Anyhow, regardless of the mad dash, us Moffatts still had exclusive, great times. The Cuz and I exchanged first impressions of The Eleventh Doctor on Doctor Who and we talked about other sci fi wonders and general Hollywood buzz. It was still warm out and the sky was taking on that rosy, early evening haze and I nursed a Sleeman's Honey Brown as we all caught up.

Dinner consisted of tapas appetizers and a three-mushroom/arugula/balsamic reduction pizza pour moi and some type of stuffed chicken for all the omnivores in the house. So. Delicious. I wish I could eat like this on a regular basis. Of course, we followed it all with three types of cake, ice cream, and a giant fruit platter, you know, as you do.

Dad bought a pack of sparklers and a small group of us took to the backyard for some fun. Lil' brother and I were pretending to LARP while "attacking" one another with lightning bolts from our wands. My Aunt tried to trace her name into the night sky and Ruby (the Sister's basset hound) ran between us all, barking at the embers filling the air. As kids, Victoria Day always = SPARKLERS. It was lovely to revisit it all and discover I still had that inhibition in me.

Monday, May 24th/2010

Monday was quite the intense crush of action. I spent the morning planting beans with children and spent the evening watching a Spanish musical about a pre-op trans woman. Eventful start to the week, no doubt.

So yes, I returned to The Harbourfront Centre and dug in to the Cirque Dirt Fairy Garden station. Since it was fairy-themed, I donned a pair of pillowy wings covered in pink sequins. It clashed appropriately with the bright yellow gardening gloves I also procured. Pinnacle of fashion right here, people.

I will be the first to admit I do not know the first thing about gardening. I know you need to water plants and I know plants need sunlight to grow. Yep. That would be the extent. But our facilitator, Garden Jane, knew a smart trick or two about all the potted flowers, the decorative additions, and the actual planting process of the beans we were handing out to all the young'uns. It was a steady stream of visitors and, again, the enthusiasm of the kids was amazing. I helped out with planting the Ireland Creek beans and watering them before the kids took them home to care for. It was a quick four hours -- and I got to take in the gorgeous morning air with our outdoor station this time around.

***

I spent a couple of hours wandering the Church/Yonge area before the next shift with the Inside Out Film Festival. Activities included:

• Late lunch/early dinner at one of the Pizzaiolo locations in Toronto. Oh, dear readers -- I dream of this pizza. It's gourmet and affordable and fresh, all wrapped into a slice of sheer perfection. I recommend the Spinotta slice to all the vegetarians out there. It's layered with crisp spinach, marinated tomatoes, and goat cheese. *Drools at the recollection*
• Quick stop at The Glad Day Bookstore on Yonge St. I went there with O'Neill back in 2008 and the store is just as I recalled it. It's a small, independent bookstore specializing in queer lit and other LGBT publications. Readers can find anthologies, queer-authored novels, political texts, historical collections, magazines, independent zines, and so much more.

I reported for duties at Buddies in Bad Times once again and donned the Inside Out Film Festival t-shirt once more to appease the queer masses descending on our lil' theatre. I covered the screening of The Watermelon Women (1996) and 20 centímetros (2005) and reveled in more queer film gems throughout the night.

***

I will have to save details for tomorrow evening as I am still recovering from the hustle and bustle of the weekend activities (aka. I am right tired and about to collapse). All in all, it was a splendid, hectic weekend and I look forward to more times like these to follow.

Buddies in Bad Times: What A "Drag"

OH, TORONTO -- I love that cities tend to have such an air of potential to them. It's so simple to stumble across scenes or situations you were not expecting and it always seems to turn out for the best.

Last night was most certainly one of those occasions.

Hmm, point form, perhaps?:

• Headed to Ship Sharp's pad for 8:30 pm. Updated one another on our lives as dictated by the last two weeks. Ship Sharp's current working schedule makes me flinch. I mean, I need to kick myself into gear to match her energy levels and personal drive -- but I am still recovering on behalf of her and her intense workload.
• Rocked the jasmine tea (with bubbles!) and some popcorn. Narrated the thoughts of Buddy the Cat and his attempts to obtain popcorn.
• Introduced Ship Sharp to the sheer awesomeness of Lady Gaga's current single, "Telephone." Decided that music musts for the evening included: Plenty of Gaga, Beyonce, Rihanna, and Britney.
• Highlight: Ship Sharp and I waiting at the door, scratching the glass, and compelling Lady Gaga to dictate our evening.
• Rob and Ryan rolled into the townhouse complex at around.... 10:30 pm or 11 pm? Can't quite recall. Cruised into Toronto with the tracks at full volume. Whoever designed the lights for the CN Tower must have known about our plan -- we took it as a good omen that the CN Tower was washed in purple lights. Decided we could transform the car into a mobile club should our end destination prove to be a bust. Sang along to numerous Gaga tracks and some other fantastic gems.
• Arrived at Buddies in Bad Times to discover -- A PREMIUM DRAG SHOW! Yes, a collection of drag queens ruled the roost for most of our excursion. And, oh goodness, it was most excellent. The Hytes Sisters (Farenheit and Heavenly Heights) were the main performers for the evening, both bringing rather different styles with them. Heavenly was more focused when it came to the performance aspect, occasionally interacting with the crowd for a coy moment or two. Farenheit made it very clear that the stage was hers and we all best watch her every move. She was fantastic, though -- she stopped an obnoxious guy from dancing, she was sharp and full of sass if someone tried to heckle, and I was impressed with her ability to knock back drinks. She picked me out and got me to down the rest of my drink and she even managed to sass me when I was saucy enough to offer the empty bottle back.
• Note: I am one of those people who gets picked out at drag events, without fail. I am an approachable character, I suppose.
• Dancing started rather late, well after midnight. We were treated to Beyonce and a remixed Lady Gaga track, so we did quite well on the music. Highlights include: Ship Sharp's shoppin' cart dance, Ryan's fixation on buttons, and Rob's expert circle blocking abilities (gotta close ranks against the creepers, you know)

All in all, it was a fantastic evening. Now, ladies be warned -- the Buddies in Bad Times Cabaret tends to favour the gents. There are a handful of queer girls who attend, of course. But, the demographic is skewed toward the gay gents and their straight gal pals. Honestly, though, the atmosphere is a welcoming one. I tend to feel at home in theatre settings given that drama-related background of mine, so spending the night in an arts-intensive spot felt great.

The one drawback: Not a great beer selection. Hmm. Though, again, the bar shied toward mixed drinks as opposed to the bottle selection. I shake my head at all beers with a citrus flavour brewed into it. Serious, that's what lemon/lime slices are for.

I'm charged to start exploring more locations and checking out the Toronto nightlife further. Once The Advocate returns from Vancouver and once Ship Sharp's schedule mellows a touch, I vote we get back out there for a second round of shenanigans.

Ah, how I missed it.

***

OLYMPIC UPDATE:

Congrats to another gold medal athlete on Team Canada:

• Jon Montgomery, Men's Skeleton (Gold, Feb. 19)

I wish I could find a photo from his victory walk -- I saw footage of it on the news and a woman in the crowd handed him a pitcher of beer for his efforts. Serious. The man was still in his Spandex uniform and there he was strolling through the Olympic Village downing a pitcher of beer. So awesome and so freakin' Canadian all in one go.

I [heart] the Olympics.

Night on the Town: Buddies in Bad Times

Reasons I am a lucky son-of-a-gun:

• Received a premium Valentine via snail mail from The Advocate this week AND received two of her three special care packages this afternoon. Vancouver is being shipped here to the GTA in pieces which I am thankful for.
• Heading out this evening with Ship Sharp to experience the Toronto queer clubbin' scene for the first time. I cannot express how excited I am to see what T.dot has to offer a lil' gay gal like myself.

First stop on Miz Moffatt's Exploration: Buddies in Bad Times. I attended a show there when I was a bright, young first year kid and I loved it. It was the first time I'd been to the central hub of queer theatre here in Toronto -- I don't know if it's the same purple building from 2005, but I know the atmosphere will be the same.

So there, I return to Buddies for the first experience of queer club life. Who knew that one venue would hold such a vital position in one girl's coming out experience?

Should be excellent times, contrary to the name of the theatre. Will update tomorrow.