16 queer films at this year’s Tribeca Festival
There are dozens of LGBTQ features, documentaries, and shorts having their world premieres at this year’s Tribeca Festival. There are also queer episodic TV shows like “Kevin’s Series of Unfortunate Events,” and a 20th anniversary screening of director Malcolm Ingram’s documentary, “Small Town Gay Bar.” Here, in alphabetical order, is a rundown of more than … Read More
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There are dozens of LGBTQ features, documentaries, and shorts having their world premieres at this year’s Tribeca Festival. There are also queer episodic TV shows like “Kevin’s Series of Unfortunate Events,” and a 20th anniversary screening of director Malcolm Ingram’s documentary, “Small Town Gay Bar.”
Here, in alphabetical order, is a rundown of more than a dozen films by and about queer people playing at this year’s festival.
The queer content is downplayed in “Caity,” a frustrating drama about the title character (Chiara Aurelia), a 16-year-old who idolizes her father, Paul (Morgan Spector), who is in recovery. Caity helps Paul run The Clark Family Haunt, a haunted house, but she also covers for him as she discovers he is drinking again. When Caity finds herself attracted to Hannah (Jordan Hull), who has come to work at the Haunt, they engage in some flirting, but Caity is distracted by Paul’s relapse and the romantic advances by Sean (Christian Lees), another new coworker. These and other pressures overwhelm Caity, who internalizes her pain, which prompts her to lash out at her best friend, Petey (Michelle Mao) as well as her dad’s colleague, Todd (Zach Cherry). “Caity” is obviously a personal story by writer/director Lindsay Calleran, who uses split screens and picture-in-picture visuals to provide some flair to this coming-of-age story. But narratively, her film hits all the expected narrative beats of a scared teenager dealing with an addicted parent. Moreover, just raising the issues is not the same as addressing them, which makes watching Caity’s experiences an exasperating watch.
“Cotton Fever” is a gritty indie drama written and directed by Daniel Blake Schwartz, and expanded from his 2022 short of the same name. James (Kyle Gallner in a nervy performance) leaves rehab to go deal drugs on the streets and raise money so he and his pregnant girlfriend Dina (Sosie Bacon) can move into an apartment. Meanwhile, lesbian couple Sam (Chabely Ponce in a striking debut) and Manny (Ari Mora) rob folks to get the drugs they crave. A third storyline has Akil (Ronald Emile) trying to help folks on the street, but also struggling with his brother Sean’s (Melvin Lee Douglas) issues. “Cotton Fever” is compelling and disturbing as characters go in and out of rehab, elude — or get caught by — the police, and manage their fraught family situations. It is all very grim, and at times hard to watch, but it also very affecting.
“Ephemera” is a mostly playful two-hander set in Shanghai about Asher (Yvonne Shuyu Zhang), an actress, who asks her dance instructor, Tori (Shu-Yi), out for coffee after class. The women talk and eat, and talk and wander, and then eat some more, slowly getting to know each other. When Tori demonstrates her “spatiotemporal cube,” the screen shrinks to enclose her and Asher. There are other stylized moments, such as when the young women play out scenes inspired by other movies, or they encounter another couple speaking gibberish. However, true to its title, the relationship in “Ephemera” may not be lasting. The leads are attractive and watching them connect over the course of a single day provides a passable time filler.
[caption id="attachment_63575" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Asher (Yvonne Shuyu Zhang) and Tori (Shu-Yi) in “Ephemera," set in Shanghai.Tribeca Festival[/caption]
“Funk" is a high energy, music-themed drama from Brazil about MC Sabrina (Duda Santos), who dubs herself the “Kink Queen.” Sexually fluid, she is an ambitious freestyler from the favelas who twerks furiously. As she impresses DJ Jorginho (Rafael Delgado) — first on the beach, then at a party he throws — her “star quality” catches the eye of Alberto (Claudio Gabriel), who wants to manage her. But as she gains fame, Sabrina courts trouble, asserting herself as when she requests equal pay, and has difficulties with her mother, Priscilla (MC Nem). She also possibly loses her friends and herself to success. “Funk” is a familiar, even conventional story, but it remains satisfying because director Aly Muritiba (“Private Desert”) films the sexy bodies well and makes the music and concerts scenes memorable. As MC Sabrina, Santos delivers an outstanding performance.
“Human Theories” depicts dozens of awkward encounters between various people in New York City. Each vignette lasts only a few minutes, and some of the actors reappear in other episodes. The strength of queer writer/director Jess Zeidman’s film is that she knows where to place the camera—such as on a lazy Susan as friends dine out—and when to cut a scene for maximum dramatic impact. The stories range from absurdist, such as two gay men talking in funny accents, to downright uncomfortable as when a woman provides some honest feedback to her roommate. That the characters reveal themselves in just a few lines of dialogue or a simple action, makes “Human Theories” incisive about human nature and helps move the film along when the episodes are less interesting.
“Labrador - Autopsy of Silence” is an absorbing mystery from Canada that unfolds slowly and deliberately. Alupa (Christopher Angatookalook) and Alex (Alexandre Landry) work together on a freighter where Alupa is an engineer and Alex is a cook. Their relationship is secret—but some of the ship’s crew members are aware that Alex is having forbidden sex with Michelle (Gabrielle Poulin B.), the cargo ship’s First Officer. When Alex is killed, Alupa is a primary suspect. He, along with Michelle and Shakir (Jassinth Thiagarajah), the assistant cook, are questioned by the police, but no one is saying anything. Alupa, in particular, believes that anything he does—or doesn’t—say will backfire on him, emphasizing the danger for a gay Inuk man to be accused of murder. Director Rodrigue Jean’s atmospheric film provides considerable ambiguities even though it reveals whodunnit. His conceit to have Alupa seeing Alex’s ghost adds depth to their relationship, but it is the impact of Alex’s death on Alupa that makes this mystery resonate.
[caption id="attachment_63577" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Alupa (Christopher Angatookalook) and Alex (Alexandre Landry) in "Labrador - Autopsy of Silence."Tribeca Festival[/caption]
“Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders,” Jeffrey Schwarz’s engrossing documentary that investigates the origin, controversy, impact, and legacy of director/screenwriter William Friedkin’s 1980 thriller, “Cruising.” Even before its release, Friedkin’s negative portrayal enraged the gay community; activists protested both the production and release of “Cruising.” In “Mineshaft”—named after a popular private club from that time—Schwarz shows how Paul Bateson’s murder of Addison Verrill inspired Friedkin to write a film about a cop (Al Pacino) who goes undercover in New York’s gay leather scene to ferret out a killer. “Mineshaft” features commentary by the late Verrill’s sister, his partner Bob Geary, as well as a friend of Bateson’s to humanize the victim and his killer. Schwarz also includes interviews with Gay City News contributor Andy Humm, actors and gay men who appeared in “Cruising,” protestors, as well as filmmakers including Charles Lum and Todd Verow, and columnists Dan Savage and Michael Musto, to provide context on the film, the gay community, and “Cruising’s” place in our culture—then and now. The result is an illuminating case study of a divisive film that sparks re-evaluation.
“Something You Should Know About Me” is writer/director Andy Fidoten’s cute enough romcom about Al (EJ Marcus) a trans cartoonist with low self-esteem who heads out to a queer comics intensive (not “gay cartoon camp”) with his trans bestie, Jesse (Morgan Sullivan). At the program, however, Jesse forms a connection with Mason (Sydney Mae Diaz), which causing Al, who is secretly in love with Jesse, to get quite jealous. As Al tries to process his emotions in his drawing, he drinks too much, gets high with Fred (Julian Guerrieri), and participates in a literal dick-measuring contest against Mason. “Something You Should Know About Me” features a buoyant soundtrack that keeps the tone lively as Al suffers a series of humiliations. Viewers will hope the poor guy just catches a break. (Spoiler alert: he does!)
Out queer actor Harvey Guillén plays Paul, the title character in “That Friend,” a mild, not wild comedy, written and directed by Alex Wall and Will Sterling, about a couple Henry (Josh Brener) and Penny (Billie Lourd) whose vacation in Palm Springs designed to determine the next step in their relationship, gets sabotaged when the weirdly charming Paul tags along. When Paul’s drug-laced cigarettes are unintentionally distributed to strangers, Penny and Henry must find and give assistance to the rando smokers. But what should be a madcap comedy feels underwhelming and underdeveloped, providing more smiles than laughs despite the amusing Guillén’s efforts to be a real chaos agent.
The nimble (although some might say slick) documentary, “TikTok Never Dies,” by out gay filmmaker Hao Wu, examines the events leading up to and after the infamous TikTok ban in 2024. The popular Chinese-owned app was being scrutinized over national security issues. This prompted a Freedom of Speech fight that went all the way to the Supreme Court. Wu showcases three influencers—out gay Steven King, queer friendly Chloe Joy Sexton, and MAGA-aligned Topher Townsend—who participated in the lawsuit. The film shows how the app helped them and how the app helped the once-reluctant President Trump. (He extended the deadline for the ban to go into effect for almost a year after he took office.) Wu’s film may not change minds on social media, but it does raise points about its positive (lucrative) and negative (mental health issues) aspects. Wu also has various talking heads, from journalists to politicos, consider the extent of government overreach and Trump’s financial gains. “TikTok Never Dies” is a cogent doc for the curious.
[caption id="attachment_63576" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
In “Time Warp,” out gay theatre director Kenny Starling mounts a local shadow cast production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show."Tribeca Festival[/caption]
The affectionate documentary, “Time Warp,” is set in the conservative town of Rock Springs, Wyoming, where out gay theatre director Kenny Starling is mounting a local shadow cast production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The actors, who are either members of the local LGBTQIA+ community or queer allies, all acknowledge how hard it is to be who you are if you are queer in Rock Springs, WY. In fact, some conservative locals object to the production, leading to a debate at city hall. Director Allison Berg spends real time with Starling and his performers to show how the production creates a safe space and empowers them. The production is fun and the “Rocky Horror” message “Don’t Dream It, Be It” rings true. This is an inspiring film about living one’s truth in a region of the country where it is dangerous to do so.
“Turn It Up!” is a droll horror comedy about an indie band managed by AC (Justine Nelson), a lesbian with an unrequited crush on her bandmate, Court (Gwenlyn Cumyn). At their last gig on a lousy tour, AC has an encounter with a strange woman that gets metaphysical; it opens up another dimension. When the band literally plays a killer track, heads explode and there is a pervasive goo. Things get weirder, but AC is excited to receive an offer from Miss Vee (Liv Collins) to take the band to the next level. However, Court is suspicious and discovers Miss Vee is orchestrating a nefarious plan, which threatens her relationship with AC. “Turn It Up!” is a scrappy little Canadian film, and it will appeal to folks who appreciate its deadpan humor, gore, and animation, but one’s mileage may vary.
“Via Negativa” is an idiosyncratic drama about Dan (Young Mazino), a priest asked to leave his rectory who goes on a road trip. He is on a search for Father Bruno (Keith Kupferer), who abused Dan’s best friend, Paul (Samuel Summer), when they were young. As Dan embarks on his “meaningful search” he picks up an injured coyote and meets a handful of people, including Joe (Stanley Simons), a gay ex-Mormon, whom he kisses, triggering memories of Paul. Mazino delivers an engaging performance as Father Dan comes to terms with his complicated emotions over the course of his trip, but “Via Negativa” feels a both slight and overplotted.
A trio of queer shorts were available for preview.
“His House, Home” is a tender short about Luke (Oskar Smith) a young man who cares for this father, Malcolm (David Layde), who has MS. When Hermes (Rodrigo Ternevoy), a new caregiver, arrives—and is seen kissing his partner in the driveway—Malcolm expresses some homophobia. Luke, however, is struggling with his own same-sex attraction to the sexy, flirty Oscar (Domhnall Herdman), a customer in the shop where he works. Aisling O’Regan Sargent’s sweet short, written by Philip Emo, is economically told, capturing an intense moment of crisis and change for Luke, and Smith expresses his conflicts with his father, Hermes, and Oscar well, culminating in an affecting emotional moment.
“Kaya” is an inspirational sports drama about Nia (writer/director Isabel Lamers) who wants to make a Filipino martial arts team. Needing to develop and hone her skills, she asks the gay Malic (EJ Lipana) to train her. Cue a training montage where Malic gives Nia the self confidence that she needs to be competitive—especially since as a half-white woman, she feels a lack of belonging. While it traverses familiar territory in an unusual setting, “Kaya” is ultimately winning for its outsider energy.
“Whale 52 0 Suite for Man, Boy and Whale” is a poignant animated short about Kaufman (voiced by Bruce Vilanch), a volunteer whose charge Enam (Parker Allana Hughes) is a “selectively mute” young boy. They start communicating when Kaufman gives Enam a book and the boy writes about the titular whale that is the loneliest animal on the planet. This triggers Kaufman’s memories of his late partner while Enam feels isolated from his parents. “Whale 52” shows the connection that is forged as Kaufman and Enam share further, culminating in an unexpected revelation. The animation, by Bill Plympton, delivers all the feels.
“Tribeca Festival” | June 3-14 at various venues.
Asher (Yvonne Shuyu Zhang) and Tori (Shu-Yi) in “Ephemera," set in Shanghai.Tribeca Festival[/caption]
“Funk" is a high energy, music-themed drama from Brazil about MC Sabrina (Duda Santos), who dubs herself the “Kink Queen.” Sexually fluid, she is an ambitious freestyler from the favelas who twerks furiously. As she impresses DJ Jorginho (Rafael Delgado) — first on the beach, then at a party he throws — her “star quality” catches the eye of Alberto (Claudio Gabriel), who wants to manage her. But as she gains fame, Sabrina courts trouble, asserting herself as when she requests equal pay, and has difficulties with her mother, Priscilla (MC Nem). She also possibly loses her friends and herself to success. “Funk” is a familiar, even conventional story, but it remains satisfying because director Aly Muritiba (“Private Desert”) films the sexy bodies well and makes the music and concerts scenes memorable. As MC Sabrina, Santos delivers an outstanding performance.
“Human Theories” depicts dozens of awkward encounters between various people in New York City. Each vignette lasts only a few minutes, and some of the actors reappear in other episodes. The strength of queer writer/director Jess Zeidman’s film is that she knows where to place the camera—such as on a lazy Susan as friends dine out—and when to cut a scene for maximum dramatic impact. The stories range from absurdist, such as two gay men talking in funny accents, to downright uncomfortable as when a woman provides some honest feedback to her roommate. That the characters reveal themselves in just a few lines of dialogue or a simple action, makes “Human Theories” incisive about human nature and helps move the film along when the episodes are less interesting.
“Labrador - Autopsy of Silence” is an absorbing mystery from Canada that unfolds slowly and deliberately. Alupa (Christopher Angatookalook) and Alex (Alexandre Landry) work together on a freighter where Alupa is an engineer and Alex is a cook. Their relationship is secret—but some of the ship’s crew members are aware that Alex is having forbidden sex with Michelle (Gabrielle Poulin B.), the cargo ship’s First Officer. When Alex is killed, Alupa is a primary suspect. He, along with Michelle and Shakir (Jassinth Thiagarajah), the assistant cook, are questioned by the police, but no one is saying anything. Alupa, in particular, believes that anything he does—or doesn’t—say will backfire on him, emphasizing the danger for a gay Inuk man to be accused of murder. Director Rodrigue Jean’s atmospheric film provides considerable ambiguities even though it reveals whodunnit. His conceit to have Alupa seeing Alex’s ghost adds depth to their relationship, but it is the impact of Alex’s death on Alupa that makes this mystery resonate.
[caption id="attachment_63577" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Alupa (Christopher Angatookalook) and Alex (Alexandre Landry) in "Labrador - Autopsy of Silence."Tribeca Festival[/caption]
“Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders,” Jeffrey Schwarz’s engrossing documentary that investigates the origin, controversy, impact, and legacy of director/screenwriter William Friedkin’s 1980 thriller, “Cruising.” Even before its release, Friedkin’s negative portrayal enraged the gay community; activists protested both the production and release of “Cruising.” In “Mineshaft”—named after a popular private club from that time—Schwarz shows how Paul Bateson’s murder of Addison Verrill inspired Friedkin to write a film about a cop (Al Pacino) who goes undercover in New York’s gay leather scene to ferret out a killer. “Mineshaft” features commentary by the late Verrill’s sister, his partner Bob Geary, as well as a friend of Bateson’s to humanize the victim and his killer. Schwarz also includes interviews with Gay City News contributor Andy Humm, actors and gay men who appeared in “Cruising,” protestors, as well as filmmakers including Charles Lum and Todd Verow, and columnists Dan Savage and Michael Musto, to provide context on the film, the gay community, and “Cruising’s” place in our culture—then and now. The result is an illuminating case study of a divisive film that sparks re-evaluation.
“Something You Should Know About Me” is writer/director Andy Fidoten’s cute enough romcom about Al (EJ Marcus) a trans cartoonist with low self-esteem who heads out to a queer comics intensive (not “gay cartoon camp”) with his trans bestie, Jesse (Morgan Sullivan). At the program, however, Jesse forms a connection with Mason (Sydney Mae Diaz), which causing Al, who is secretly in love with Jesse, to get quite jealous. As Al tries to process his emotions in his drawing, he drinks too much, gets high with Fred (Julian Guerrieri), and participates in a literal dick-measuring contest against Mason. “Something You Should Know About Me” features a buoyant soundtrack that keeps the tone lively as Al suffers a series of humiliations. Viewers will hope the poor guy just catches a break. (Spoiler alert: he does!)
Out queer actor Harvey Guillén plays Paul, the title character in “That Friend,” a mild, not wild comedy, written and directed by Alex Wall and Will Sterling, about a couple Henry (Josh Brener) and Penny (Billie Lourd) whose vacation in Palm Springs designed to determine the next step in their relationship, gets sabotaged when the weirdly charming Paul tags along. When Paul’s drug-laced cigarettes are unintentionally distributed to strangers, Penny and Henry must find and give assistance to the rando smokers. But what should be a madcap comedy feels underwhelming and underdeveloped, providing more smiles than laughs despite the amusing Guillén’s efforts to be a real chaos agent.
The nimble (although some might say slick) documentary, “TikTok Never Dies,” by out gay filmmaker Hao Wu, examines the events leading up to and after the infamous TikTok ban in 2024. The popular Chinese-owned app was being scrutinized over national security issues. This prompted a Freedom of Speech fight that went all the way to the Supreme Court. Wu showcases three influencers—out gay Steven King, queer friendly Chloe Joy Sexton, and MAGA-aligned Topher Townsend—who participated in the lawsuit. The film shows how the app helped them and how the app helped the once-reluctant President Trump. (He extended the deadline for the ban to go into effect for almost a year after he took office.) Wu’s film may not change minds on social media, but it does raise points about its positive (lucrative) and negative (mental health issues) aspects. Wu also has various talking heads, from journalists to politicos, consider the extent of government overreach and Trump’s financial gains. “TikTok Never Dies” is a cogent doc for the curious.
[caption id="attachment_63576" align="aligncenter" width="700"] In “Time Warp,” out gay theatre director Kenny Starling mounts a local shadow cast production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show."Tribeca Festival[/caption]
The affectionate documentary, “Time Warp,” is set in the conservative town of Rock Springs, Wyoming, where out gay theatre director Kenny Starling is mounting a local shadow cast production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The actors, who are either members of the local LGBTQIA+ community or queer allies, all acknowledge how hard it is to be who you are if you are queer in Rock Springs, WY. In fact, some conservative locals object to the production, leading to a debate at city hall. Director Allison Berg spends real time with Starling and his performers to show how the production creates a safe space and empowers them. The production is fun and the “Rocky Horror” message “Don’t Dream It, Be It” rings true. This is an inspiring film about living one’s truth in a region of the country where it is dangerous to do so.
“Turn It Up!” is a droll horror comedy about an indie band managed by AC (Justine Nelson), a lesbian with an unrequited crush on her bandmate, Court (Gwenlyn Cumyn). At their last gig on a lousy tour, AC has an encounter with a strange woman that gets metaphysical; it opens up another dimension. When the band literally plays a killer track, heads explode and there is a pervasive goo. Things get weirder, but AC is excited to receive an offer from Miss Vee (Liv Collins) to take the band to the next level. However, Court is suspicious and discovers Miss Vee is orchestrating a nefarious plan, which threatens her relationship with AC. “Turn It Up!” is a scrappy little Canadian film, and it will appeal to folks who appreciate its deadpan humor, gore, and animation, but one’s mileage may vary.
“Via Negativa” is an idiosyncratic drama about Dan (Young Mazino), a priest asked to leave his rectory who goes on a road trip. He is on a search for Father Bruno (Keith Kupferer), who abused Dan’s best friend, Paul (Samuel Summer), when they were young. As Dan embarks on his “meaningful search” he picks up an injured coyote and meets a handful of people, including Joe (Stanley Simons), a gay ex-Mormon, whom he kisses, triggering memories of Paul. Mazino delivers an engaging performance as Father Dan comes to terms with his complicated emotions over the course of his trip, but “Via Negativa” feels a both slight and overplotted.
A trio of queer shorts were available for preview.
“His House, Home” is a tender short about Luke (Oskar Smith) a young man who cares for this father, Malcolm (David Layde), who has MS. When Hermes (Rodrigo Ternevoy), a new caregiver, arrives—and is seen kissing his partner in the driveway—Malcolm expresses some homophobia. Luke, however, is struggling with his own same-sex attraction to the sexy, flirty Oscar (Domhnall Herdman), a customer in the shop where he works. Aisling O’Regan Sargent’s sweet short, written by Philip Emo, is economically told, capturing an intense moment of crisis and change for Luke, and Smith expresses his conflicts with his father, Hermes, and Oscar well, culminating in an affecting emotional moment.
“Kaya” is an inspirational sports drama about Nia (writer/director Isabel Lamers) who wants to make a Filipino martial arts team. Needing to develop and hone her skills, she asks the gay Malic (EJ Lipana) to train her. Cue a training montage where Malic gives Nia the self confidence that she needs to be competitive—especially since as a half-white woman, she feels a lack of belonging. While it traverses familiar territory in an unusual setting, “Kaya” is ultimately winning for its outsider energy.
“Whale 52 0 Suite for Man, Boy and Whale” is a poignant animated short about Kaufman (voiced by Bruce Vilanch), a volunteer whose charge Enam (Parker Allana Hughes) is a “selectively mute” young boy. They start communicating when Kaufman gives Enam a book and the boy writes about the titular whale that is the loneliest animal on the planet. This triggers Kaufman’s memories of his late partner while Enam feels isolated from his parents. “Whale 52” shows the connection that is forged as Kaufman and Enam share further, culminating in an unexpected revelation. The animation, by Bill Plympton, delivers all the feels.
“Tribeca Festival” | June 3-14 at various venues. 
