What "That's Entertainment" did for movie musicals, "The Celluloid Closet" does for Hollywood homosexuality, as this exuberant, eye-opening movie serves up a dazzling hundred-year history of the role of gay men and lesbians have had on the silver screen. Lily Tomlin narrates as Oscar-winning moviemaker Rob Epstein ("The Times of Harvey Milk" and "Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt") and Jeffrey Friedman assemble fabulous footage from 120 films showing the changing face of cinema sexuality, from cruel stereotypes to covert love to the activist triumphs of the 1990s. Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Curtis, Harvey Fierstein and Gore Vidal are just a few of the many actors, writers and commentators who provide funny and insightful anecdotes.
Gerd Hansen, 55 (1987)
In the short documentary GERD HANSEN, 55 Jochen Hick talks about an aging gay masseur and the times before AIDS. The film was premiered at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen in 1987 and received the Prize of the German Film Critics.
The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (1896)
A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.
The Mind of a Murderer: Part 1 (1984)
A look into the mind of one of the Hillside Strangler murderers, Kenneth Bianchi.
The Mind of a Murderer: Part 2 (1984)
A look at the trial and the use of psychiatric evidence in the criminal proceedings of mass murderer 'The Hillside Strangler' Kenneth Bianchi.
Isabelle Huppert: Personal Message (2020)
Isabelle Huppert is one of the most famous French actresses. In this portrait she reflects in voice over on her movies and her craft. She seems to like characters that are neurotic, dramatic and even dangerous. Huppert considers every character a means to discover things about herself.
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History (2008)
The history of Hollywood musical movies, from the very beginning until the 21st century, hosted by Shirley Jones.
Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation (2021)
The parallel lives of writer Truman Capote (1924-84) and playwright Tennessee Williams (1911-83): two friends, two geniuses who, while creating sublime works, were haunted by the ghosts of the past, the shadow of constant doubt, the demon of addictions and the blinding, deceptive glare of success.
House of Pride – Ballroom Boudoir (2021)
Montreal artistic collective House of Pride takes you behind the scenes of innovative performances in drag, dance and the performing arts. A queer film that plays with gender in a provocative, avant-garde, innovative and legendary way while celebrating female power!
Rize (2005)
A documentary film that highlights two street derived dance styles, Clowning and Krumping, that came out of the low income neighborhoods of L.A.. Director David LaChapelle interviews each dance crew about how their unique dances evolved. A new and positive activity away from the drugs, guns, and gangs that ruled their neighborhood. A raw film about a growing sub-culture movements in America.
Ungochani (2010)
A young film maker's journey through one of Zimbabwe's greatest taboos. A young woman media studies student is fascinated by the uproar about homosexuality in Zimbabwe, and the people her society condemns. Courageously, Porcia sets out to approach a taboo by looking compassionately at the lives of gay people in Zimbabwe.
T (2016)
A collage of film archives that gives an account of the artistic and territorial militancy of a group of transvestite militants during the years prior to the enactment of the gender law in the Argentine Republic.
General Idea: Art, AIDS and the fin de siècle (2008)
"GENERAL IDEA: Art, AIDS and the fin de siècle is a humorous, informative and ultimately poignant documentary about General Idea. Formed in 1969, they produced art that targeted and mimicked media, consumerism and celebrity, creating a revolutionary new spirit of art making. Interviews with AA Bronson, the sole survivor of the trio, lends personal relevancy to this story of art and sexual politics. GENERAL IDEA: Art, AIDS and the fin de siècle is a tale of love, fame, overwhelming loss and, ultimately, renewal." -AGO.net
Visible: Transgender Youth Stories (2020)
Two teenagers seek the fullness of their identities with time on top and normality against it. First hand testimony of transgender kids and the support of their family.
Coming Out Under Fire (1994)
A historical account of military policy regarding homosexuality during World War II. The documentary includes interviews with several homosexual WWII veterans.
Tarnation (2003)
Filmmaker Jonathan Caouette's documentary on growing up with his schizophrenic mother -- a mixture of snapshots, Super-8, answering machine messages, video diaries, early short films, and more -- culled from 19 years of his life.
Translatina (2010)
The result of three years of production, more than 100 hours of filming, and interviews with people from 15 nationalities, Translatina paints an alarming portrait of the realities faced by transgender people in Latin America. Through a series of testimonies from civil society representatives and other stakeholders, this full-length documentary offers a realistic look at the challenges faced by transgender people in accessing education, work, justice, health care, and other services. It also shows how non-governmental organizations in Latin America are starting a dialogue with governments to demand opportunities for inclusion of transgender people, and how such initiatives may result in significant changes to ensure the rights of the population.
Where's My Roy Cohn? (2019)
Roy Cohn personified the dark arts of American politics, turning empty vessels into dangerous demagogues - from Joseph McCarthy to his final project, Donald J. Trump. This thriller-like exposé connects the dots, revealing how a deeply troubled master manipulator shaped our current American nightmare.
Political Animals (2016)
The story of four pioneering lesbian politicians and the battles they fought to pass a wide range of anti-discrimination laws.
Last Men Standing (2016)
“Last Men Standing,” the first feature-length documentary from The San Francisco Chronicle, Northern California’s largest newspaper was selected for entry into a series of prestigious LGBT festivals being held in the U.S. and Canada this spring. One of the few newspapers to write, direct and produce a feature-length documentary, this film follows the lives and experiences of eight long-term AIDS survivors.