Film Categories: Politics + Policy

  • Gloriously Free

    “Gloriously Free” is one of the first documentaries to explore the world of gay immigration, and the desperate search of five young men to find welcoming arms outside their countries of birth – where persecution and hatred of alternative lifestyles may lead to torture or death. What they find is Canada, leading the world as the safest haven for persecuted gays and lesbians. “Gloriously Free” is a powerful profile of gay immigrants to Canada. Among them are Al-Hussein from Jordan; Julian, blackmailed and blacklisted in his homeland of Mexico and a resident of Canada for three years; Bruno, who immigrated…

  • Liselda’s Birthday

    The death of her friend Corin spurs Liselda, a trans MTF, to recall her existence in Mexico. Her quest is to gain legal refugee status in order to obtain a sex change operation, acceptance and happiness in her adopted home of Toronto. In Spanish and English with English subtitles. Selected screenings: Inside Out Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival, Toronto, 2005; AluCine Latino Film & Video Festival, Toronto, 2005

  • Maricones

    Set in the marginal neigbourhood of Corongo and the cobblestone streets of Lima, Peru, “Maricones” unveils the many paradoxes and advances of a sexual revolution that is sweeping the world at the dawn of the 21st century. The documentary was inspired by the contradictions and preconceived assumptions of a machista society. Director/producer Marcos Arriaga challenges local beliefs by asking whether another world is possible. “Maricones” introduces us to Eusebio, 58, a gay man from the popular neighbourhood of Corongo where Marcos grew up. A former male prostitute and cabaret dancer, Eusebio is a neighbourhood personality who supports his deceased brother’s…

  • Mexican Refugee (Mexicano Refugiado)

    “Mexican Refugee” humanizes emigration, immigration and the political asylum experience. It is essential viewing for anyone interested in social justice and gay rights struggles in North America, particularly in Mexico. Five interwoven stories reveal the ironies between government policies, inadequate enforcement and international impunity for “unrecognised” human rights violations. Yet, with great determination and value for life itself, the individuals in this documentary inspire hope, perseverance and cultural survival across borders. Best Up and Coming Toronto Film or Video Maker Award, Inside Out Toronto Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival, 2005

  • Calling Nate

    Being a teenager isn’t easy, especially when you’re an 18-year-old gender rebel sorting out a kaleidoscope of conflicting advice and desires. Nadia Hluszko – a.k.a. Nate – comes by her confusion and transgender identity honestly: one of her moms used to be her dad, the other is addicted to the Osbornes. First-time documentary director Pamela Gawn chases the irrepressible Nate as she cycles through her part-time job at a used bike shop, suffers girlfriend turmoil, argues with both moms, and reveals a tragedy that changed her family forever. A poignant, sometimes achingly sweet coming-of-age story. Selected screenings and awards: Best…

  • Every Other Day of the Week

    “Every Other Day of the Week” wonders, plays with and ponders the where of dykedom today.

  • Underfoot & Overstory

    The Friends of Hickory Hill Park work to protect nearly 200 acres of unique urban parkland in Iowa City, IA. The organization’s mission statement must be produced, the inaugural calendar approaches. Nature images run parallel, collide and drift beside the demands of group writing and open space. “A film at once playful and thoughtful, visually deep and linguistically complex (and funny!). ‘Under Foot & Overstory’ weaves together a commmitment to activism with a love of looking at the natural world. The Friends of Hickory Hill Park, an Iowa City-based environmental group, work to protect a unique urban space and to…

  • nostalgia (april 2001 to present)

    “The picture of the world that’s presented to the public has only the remotest relation to reality…” – Noam Chomsky “In a colour fest of broken emulsions, the artist reconvenes a suite of feel good 50s adverts for a better life. A young boy on a bicycle, a blonde smiler on a tricycle, two men at a clothesline, the crisp border of neighborhood lawns appearing as if no one had ever set foot on them. The world is blank and the first line I lay across it is perfect, and then the second marks an intersection and the town is…

  • Super Super 8: Experimental Works for Educational Environments

    Available for purchase in the CFMDC Shop: https://www.cfmdc.org/shop. 1) 4x8x3 by Chris Kennedy (2004 / Regular 8 / 3 min.) 8mm unsplit. Streetcars circle. The ferry leaves and returns in one gesture. Camera and character dance. 2) All U Can Eat by Stevi Urben (2003 / Super 8 / 12 min.) Increasingly separated from his place of birth, a 70-year-old Jewish native of Quebec fuses personal and historical memory to create a sense of belonging. 3) Coolie Gyal by Renata Mohamed (2004 / Super 8 / 5.5 min.) In this coming-out story, an honest and sincere letter is read from…

  • Bombardement le port des perles, le

    A reworking of the trailer for the movie “Pearl Harbor,” using both handmade and digital techniques. Formally, “Le bombardement le port des perles” explores collage and found sound as voice-over.