WIDE VARIETY @ LATINO FILM FESTIVAL TIL MARCH 22ND

by Leo E. Laurence

Mission Valley -- With four screens and 161 films, the Latino Film Festival underway now in the UltraStar Cinema in the Mission Valley Hazard Center literally has something for everyone: drama, comedy, animation, Cine Gay, and shorts from all over Latin America, Spain, Peru, Chile, Columbia, Argentina, Mexico and the U.S.

"The economy isn't affecting us that much," says founding executive director Ethan van Thillo. "We are having great crowds every day."

"It started as a student film and video festival, primarily focusing on Chicano and Latino student work from the U.S., Spain and Latin America," explained van Thillo. There was only one screen at a Horton Plaza theatre.

"Now we have four screens and 161 films and are growing every day," he added.

Half of the $250,000 annual budget of the Media Arts Center in Golden Hills which produces the film festival comes from ticket sales. The attendees are key. Tickets cost only $9.50 general admission and $7.50 for students, seniors, the disabled and the military.

Surprisingly, one of the most outstanding films screened in this year's festival is in its special program, Cine Gay. International gay films rely much less on nudity and sex than do those produced in Hollywood.

In a dramatic "coming out" story called Fuera de Carta (Coming Out by Card), an older, flaming queen who owns and operates a nice restaurant in Spain. Everything is going well for Maxi (Javier Camara), an openly Gay and highly respected chef until his ex-wife drops off their two young children and pressures from work begin to haunt him.

There is little sex and nudity, but lots of pure drama and powerful acting. There are the a flaming queen and his HOT, young, soccer-player boyfriend; plus the usual homophobics. Maxi is estranged from his teenage son, but tears will come to your eyes as they re-discover love and each other.

All the movies have excellent English sub-titles.

If you want to get away from the usual Hollywood are of guns and explosions in every film, and want to see fantastic cinematography and great drama, go to the UltraStar Cinema in the Hazard Center at I-163 and Friars Road for the Latino Film Festival.
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Copyright by San Diego News Service, 2009, (619) 757-4909

WORLDWIDE GAY LIB MOVEMENT IS 40 AT NOON WED., MARCH 4TH

by Leo E. Laurence

When young, "militant" members of the Committee for Homosexual Freedom (C-H-F) in San Francisco hit the States Steamship Line in the city's financial district at high noon on the first Wednesday of March in '69, our now-worldwide Gay-Lib movement was born. The famous Stonewall riots in New York City, which was not a civil-rights action, followed three months later.

At least two of those gay pioneers live in San Diego.

The C-H-F was demanding that States Line rehire Gale Whittington, a cute, blond, 19-year old who had worked in the company's mailroom. He was fired when his photo - as a Gay - appeared in the popular, weekly, underground newspaper, the Berkeley Barb.

Eventually, the C-H-F targeted such other stores as Tower Records and Macy's department store for homophobic, company policies.

At the time, the homosexual community (the word "Gay" didn't become popular until much later) was totally closeted. Its leaders angrily opposed the revolutionary activites of the C-H-F.

Indeed, most of the active and financial support for the C-H-F came from straights all over the nation.

Unexpectedly, the Black Panther Party became a strong C-H-F supporter, trained some of its members in non-violence and provided protection to the new, gay militants.

For more details, contact Leo E. Laurence at (619) 757-4909 or e-mail at leopowerhere@msn.com.
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Copyright 2009 by San Diego News Service (619) 757-4909