The Joy of Life

Friday, September 16
Starline - 5:30 p.m.
$5 - buy tickets
buy festival pass

Scheduled to Appear: Jenni Olson

"An alchemical mix of landscape, sexuality, and suicide." --2005 Sundance Film Festival

"Simply stunning to behold." -- AfterEllen.com

As the founder of PopcornQ.com and author of the book, The Queer Movie Poster, Jenni Olson has long been in the forefront of queer filmmaking. This film, her first feature, is the culmination of years of thought, poetry, and photography and was a full year in the making on the streets of San Francisco.

The Joy of Life is a minimalist film, but a very deeply penetrating discourse on the twin impulses of physical yearning and emotional abandon in the fogshrouded city of San Francisco. The City is the actor, and Harriet 'Harry' Dodge is the narrator of Jenni's thoughts and summations, on everything from strapons to Frank Capra, from fisting to the dangerous allure of the Golden Gate Bridge.

This is a fascinating experimental work, gorgeously photographed and hypnotically paced. It will cling to you for weeks after as it takes you along Jenni's own path, staring in the streets while remembering lost loves, cold morning-afters, and longing for never forgotten friends.

This program contains mature themes.

Directed by: Jenni Olson
2005, USA, video, 65 minutes
film website

AWARDS
2005 Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award
-- Outfest, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
2005 Best US Narrative Screenplay Award
-- The New Festival, New York Lesbian and Gay Film Festival

Filth

Directed by: Wrik Mead
2004, Canada, video, 4 minutes
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. Cleaning? Or cleaned. The perception is yours to make.

Small Town Secrets

Directed by: Katherine Leggett
2004, USA, video, 8 minutes
Family ties are tested and strengthened as parents and children grapple with sexual identity in this award-winning film, which received an Honorable Mention from the shorts jury at Sundance this year.

Screening Sponsor: Suzanne Westenhoefer - square peg concerts
Day Sponsor: Engelmann Cellars