Queer Film

Shabbat Dinner – Must See Gay Film

January 13, 2014 By Brandon 1 Comment

Last year I had the pleasure of interviewing Michael Morgenstern, the filmmaker behind Shabbat Dinner. After winning numerous awards as the film traveled throughout the film circuit Michael has released the entire film on Youtube for you to watch and interact with. Look below for instructions about how to submit your video response and get it featured by this award winning producer.

William and Virgo both have trouble telling their parents something they might not want to hear. Shabbat Dinner is not just a film about being gay or Jewish, it’s about struggling to figure out who you are.

#WhenIToldThem is a response video campaign to Shabbat Dinner, an endearing short film about two teens coming out.

To submit:

Watch Shabbat Dinner. Think about a similar moment you’ve had: coming out of the closet, revealing something about yourself, or making a difficult or unpopular decision. A vivid and descriptive story is always best.
Film a 30sec-3min video about your #WhenIToldThem using your webcam or another camera. Be sure to include this in the video’s description: “Response video to http://shabbatdinnerfilm.com. Make your own at http://WhenIToldThem.com”

Submit the video on Youtube or tweet it to us with #WhenIToldThem, and they’ll feature it on the site! Check out the other video responses on Youtube.

Beloved Murderer! – LGBT Film

September 6, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

For the most part I abhor seeing LGBT characters only being portrayed as complete demons, doormat pacifists, or squeaky-clean goody-two-shoes. Those depictions are not what I know, or have lived. The rainbow is too complex for that. I came across this short film while researching and it struck a chord.

Is love more powerful than fate?

July 29, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

In The Golden Pin (2009) Long, an avid swimmer, finds himself struggling between the expectations of his Asian family and the demands of his heart. His father wants him to marry soon, but his mother, haunted by a past romance, has other ideas. The film asks the question: Is love more powerful than fate? It seemed rather apt lately, particularly from a perspective of gay romance, so I thought I would share. What do you think, is love more powerful? Or is fate so tricky that love happens along the way?

Hold on Tight – Public Displays of LGBT Affection

July 22, 2013 By Brandon 1 Comment

Holding hands or kissing in public isn’t for everyone. When it comes to same sex relationships, showing your love outside of the home is sometimes a complicated personal choice. This short documentary moves between the public and private spaces in which lesbian and gay couples live, and explores small gestures of human connectedness. These gentle interactions not only carry a huge personal significance, but also the potent power to create social change. Yet, for most people, being affectionate beyond the hall door isn’t intended as a political statement – it’s an expression of love. ~ Anna Rodgers

Hold on Tight from Anna Rodgers on Vimeo.

Blood is Thicker – LGBT Cinema

June 25, 2013 By Brandon Leave a Comment

When a man’s gay brother is murdered, all his beliefs are tested.

A poignant movie about what happens when a family fractures, when a gay child runs because he feels he has no acceptance at home, and how his murder rips his family apart even further. Blood is Thicker is in production now but you can see the trailer below. [Read more…] about Blood is Thicker – LGBT Cinema

Interview with Filmmaker Michael Morgenstern

May 7, 2013 By Brandon 1 Comment

Welcome Michael Morgenstern, Writer and Director of Shabbat Dinner, a short film about gay youth. You can see the film online. It is a pay-what-you-want with 10% of the profits going to the Ali Forney Center which combats LGBT youth homelessness. (See the trailer below.)

Brandon: I really liked your film. Tell us what motivated you to create it.

Michael: Well, I’d been working on a TV pilot for years about growing up gay in Los Angeles at age sixteen. In the nineties, it wasn’t what it’s like now. There wasn’t a world for us–everyone who was out was older. As I worked on it, I was continually re-motivated to work on the script by all the articles in 2011 newspapers about gay teen bullying and suicide. Every time I read one I was powerfully affected to do something to reach these kids.

Brandon: How hard was it to make?

Michael: Every part of making a film, even a short one, is a challenge, and we set out diligently to find actors, locations, and a crew. I looked for theater actors, reasoning it would be easier to find an established and talented actor who was successful on stage and looking to get into film than it would to find an already established film actor. I sat down with my friend Matt, who listened to the character descriptions I gave him and came up with ten actors for each character. Then I looked up all their agents and called them. About sixty to 100 calls later…no joke…we had most of our actors. [Read more…] about Interview with Filmmaker Michael Morgenstern