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Didi's Research Team
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Date Posted: 09:41:32 07/08/03 Tue
 "In a hundred years of movies, homosexuality has only rarely been depicted on the screen. When it did appear, it was there as something to laugh at-or something to pity-or even something to fear. These were fleeting images, but they were unforgettable..."-Vito Russo, author of "The Celluloid Closet"
THE BEST friend who gives sound advice, the drag queen who always has a witty remark, the cute girl who just happens to like other girls, the psychopathic killers.
There's just no escaping the stereotype gay and lesbian characters in popular movies.
Rupert Everett's scene-stealer in "My Best Friend's Wedding" was the most recent landmark role. The gay best friend was a pivotal character in succeeding movies such as "The Next Best Thing," "Woman on Top," and "The Object of My Affection." Before then, gay characters were mostly just flamboyant, big-haired (and sometimes big-chested) drag queens. Remember "The Birdcage," "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar," and "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert?"
As for the lesbian characters, everyone falls in love with them-for example, Amy in "Chasing Amy," Maxine in "Being John Malkovich." Then there are the homosexual psychopaths of the murdering kind, like the ones in "Basic Instinct" and "The Silence of the Lambs."
Just as gays and lesbians are stereotyped in films, so too are their relationships. Movies like "Philadelphia" and "Boys Don't Cry" often portray homosexual relationships as controversial, or as issues. Rarely are these connections shown for what they really, simply are-love stories, romantic encounters, meaningful interactions.
Thankfully, there are a number of notable films in an overlooked genre of cinema that dare to challenge the norm: "Happy Together," "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss," and "Wild Reeds."
Also in this list is Stanley Kwan's Lan Yu, which marks its Philippine premiere at the 5th annual Makati Cinemanila International Film Festival. This gay romance from Hong Kong tells the story of Lan Yu, a poor Beijing university student, and his chance meeting with the older and successful Handong, which leads to a life-altering sexual initiation.
Lan Yu falls deeply in love as Handong showers him with expensive gifts, in spite of the older man's insistence that he is not looking for a life-long companion. An Official Selection at Cannes, Lan Yu has screened in over 45 international exhibitions, including the prestigious Sundance, Toronto, London, Rotterdam, Goteborg, Thessaloniki, and Tokyo Filmex film festivals. It has also won seven awards, including the Taipei Golden Horse for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Audience Award.
The Asian premiere of "Swimming Pool," the latest by celebrated French director Francois Ozon, is also scheduled during Makati Cinemanila. "Swimming Pool" is a provocative film that tackles the relationship between two women. Sarah is a rigid and conservative, yet successful, mystery writer whose life and new novel take a dramatic turn when she meets her publisher's sexy, free-spirited daughter, Julie. The first of Ozon's movies to be made in English, "Swimming Pool" had its world premiere at the recent Cannes International Film Festival.
Makati Cinemanila has always heralded the new and alternative in world cinema by screening movies that would otherwise never be shown in the Philippines. The Academy Award-nominated "Y Tu Mama Tambien," a milestone movie that touched upon homosexuality and starred Mexican it-boy Gael Garcia Bernal, for one. The coming-of-age tale of a sexy threesome embarking on the road trip of their lives drew gasps from audiences when a scene of two boys kissing flashed before their eyes.
"Peony Pavillion," the breakthrough film from China by director Yon Fan, is a love story between female cousins. The film won Best Picture at the 13th Milan and Bologna International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and was declared Best Picture in Time magazine's Best Films of 2001.
Last year, Makati Cinemanila presented "Erotic Tales," a renowned series of short films created by Regina Zeigler who claims, "If it's not erotic, it's not interesting." This year, the festival brings "Erotic Tales" back, with the Asian premiere of "Porn.com" by Bob Rafelson, "An Erotic Tale" by Dito Tsintsadze, and "Did You Ever Have Sex Like This?" by Justin Leonard Stauber. This controversial series explores the erotic and sensual in both hetero and homosexual encounters.
Founded in 1999, Makati Cinemanila International Film Festival is an annual project of the City of Makati under Mayor Jejomar C. Binay and the Independent Cinema Association of the Philippines (ICAP) founded by Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz VI.
By Beia Formoso
Inquirer News Service
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Ang taray ko naman mayruon pala akong research team! Sino kayo? Grabe ha! Nice article though. Pero please can everybody watch EDEN! It is a gay film not making a big deal about being gay. It is such a great movie. Thank you darling whoever you are (hugs)
Hello Ate DIDI, naku ayaw ni Madam Bola Bola ng ganyan , mukhang ina-agawan na siya dito ng eksena at papel sa pagrereport ng mga Valitang showbiz.Mukhang kamukha ni Gul Bangad yong girlilay na niyayakap dito sa post. Mukhang luhaan at medyo iiwanan na ng lalaki ?
Juskoday! Hoy Ate Kirih...maldita ka..hindi ko siya kamukha kasi mas daring ako sa kanya...kung kamukha ko iyan..pinakita ko na ang foodhay ko !!!!!!
Didi's research team? Taray nga ng Diday. May mga pay ba yan or provided ba yan ng mga digicam? Ay! ano ba yang nasabi ko. Me and my not so big mouth again.