Inside Out 2019: ROCKETMAN Opens 29th Edition of Toronto LGBT Film Festival

OPENING NIGHT

ROCKETMAN, directed by Dexter Fletcher. (UK/ USA) - Rocketman is an epic musical fantasy about the incredible human story of Elton John’s breakthrough years. The film follows the fantastical journey of transformation from shy piano prodigy Reginald Dwight into international superstar Elton John. This inspirational story - set to Elton John’s most beloved songs and performed by star Taron Egerton - tells the universally relatable story of how a small-town boy became one of the most iconic figures in pop culture. Rocketman also stars Jamie Bell as Elton’s longtime lyricist and writing partner Bernie Taupin, Richard Madden as Elton’s first manager, John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Elton’s mother Sheila Farebrother. With Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Madden, Taron Egerton.

CLOSING NIGHT

LATE NIGHT, directed by Nisha Ganatra. (USA) - Canadian Premiere. Written by Mindy Kaling, directed by Nisha Ganatra (whose film Chutney Popcorn capped off Inside Out in 2000), and starring Emma Thompson, Late Night might seem too good to be true. When late-night talk show host, Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson) is accused of being “a woman who hates women,” she hires her first and only female staff writer, Molly (Mindy Kaling).This lack of inclusion is only the tip of the iceberg for the show, which is also suffering from low ratings and an unsupportive network. Wanting to prove that she is more than just a diversity hire, Molly sets out to help Katherine and to save her show, one punchline at a time. Late Night tackles misogyny and white privilege, while taking a closer look at the complicated working life of women with and without power. With Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, John Lithgow.

CENTERPIECE GALA

ARMISTEAD’S MAUPIN’S TALES OF THE CITY, directed by Alan Poul. (USA) - Canadian Premiere. Inspired by the books of Armistead Maupin, Netflix’s Original Series, Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City, begins a new chapter of this beloved story. Mary Ann (Laura Linney) returns to present-day San Francisco to celebrate Anna’s 90th birthday, and is reunited with her daughter Shawna (Ellen Page) and ex-husband Brian (Paul Gross), twenty years after leaving them behind to pursue her career. Fleeing the midlife crisis that her picture-perfect Connecticut life created, Mary Ann is quickly drawn back into the orbit of Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis) and the residents of 28 Barbary Lane. Spanning nine novels and multiple television series, Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City for Netflix brings us back into the queer world of San Francisco where so much has changed. What has remained constant are Anna and her chosen family. The Centrepiece Gala will screen the first episode, followed by an onstage conversation with showrunner Lauren Morelli (Orange is the New Black), Murray Bartlett (Looking), and Paul Gross (Due South).

WOMEN’S GALA

GOOD KISSER, directed by Wendy Jo Carlton. (USA) - International Premiere. What’s a girl to do when her girlfriend suggests a date with a very alluring stranger? This three-way fling is deliciously unveiled in Good Kisser, a new film by Wendy Jo Carlton (whose Jamie and Jessie are Not Together played at the Festival in 2012). Awkward Jenna reluctantly agrees to a threesome with her girlfriend Kate and a mysterious, sophisticated woman named Mia. Over the course of a sultry summer evening, sparks fly, games are played, promises are broken, and secrets are revealed. Nothing will ever be the same. Is Jenna in over her head? Will Jenna and Kate’s relationship survive the night? All bets are off when it comes to good kissers. Good Kisser lays bare a hot relationship in transition—and you will never look at a Popsicle the same way again. With Julia Eringer, Rachel Paulson, Kari Alison Hodge.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

SELL BY, directed by Gary Jaffe. (USA) - World Premiere. Sell By proves that love is a dangerous game for a group of self-absorbed friends who are trying to navigate their own romances. Nobody said love was easy. Adam (Scott Evans) and Marklin (Augustus Prew) seem to have the world in the palm of their hands, but their love life could use improvement. Marklin’s rise as a social media influencer, and Adam’s struggle to switch from ghost painting to creating his own work, has caused a rift between them. As their five-year relationship grows colder, they must decide whether to go all in or explore other options. Meanwhile, Cammy (Michelle Buteau) is failing to find her way in the world of online dating, and Haley (Zoe Chao) has to fend off an almost-legal student who’s hot for teacher. In this hilarious, heartfelt film, Sell By emphasizes that vanity, with all its problems, can also get in the way of love. With Scott Evans, Augustus Prew, Michelle Buteau, Zoe Chao.

YOU DON’T NOMI, directed by Jeffrey McHale. (USA) - International Premiere. You Don't Nomi traces the redemption of director Paul Verhoeven’s film Showgirls, from notorious flop to cult classic. When it was first released in 1995, Showgirls was met by critics and audiences with near universal derision, which included thirteen record-breaking Razzie Awards nominations. You Don’t Nomi brilliantly draws on archival footage and thoughtful commentary to chart the film’s eventual rise to a more favourable notoriety. Leaving no stone unturned, we relive many memorable scenes from Showgirls, while digging deeper into the film’s darker side. It will not surprise anyone that many of the people interviewed onscreen are gay, including well-known super fan, Peaches Christ. Is it a masterpiece or pure garbage? McHale’s documentary answers the very important question: can’t it be both?

PREMIERES

A DOG BARKING AT THE MOON, directed by Xiang Zi. (China/Spain) - Canadian Premiere. Unhappiness can become such a habit that we forget about its root cause. In her assured and lyrical debut feature, writer-director Xiang Zi introduces us to a family living with sorrow at its core, although the source of that sorrow may not be all that it seems. Ever since she was young, Huang Xiaoyu (Gaowa Siqin) has been cheering for her parents’ divorce, particularly in light of evidence that her father might be gay. Arriving home from the United States to have her first child, Western husband at her side, Xiaoyu already seems demoralized. Her father is cheerful but absent, and her mother, played by veteran actress Renhua Na, is a bundle of nerves and disgruntlement. As the curtain pulls back, we can see that secrets (although her father’s were less well kept) run in the family. Revealing the story over various time periods, Xiang invites the viewer to act as a fly on the wall, enticing them to watch as astutely observed moments unfold in the history of a family who have barely been able to keep up appearances. Teddy Jury Award, 2019 Berlin International Film Festival

ADAM, directed by Rhys Ernst. (USA) - International Premiere. Adam, the much awaited first feature from director Rhys Ernst (Transparent), brings Ariel Schrag’s unconventional boy-meets-girl novel to life, giving us a nuanced look at sexual identity in the early 2000s. Awkward high schooler Adam (Nicholas Alexander) does not have a way with women. When an opportunity arises to spend the summer in New York with his older sister Casey (Margaret Qualley), he seizes the chance to spread his wings, meet women and finally gain some experience. His plan is thwarted by the fact that Casey mostly attends L Word parties and marriage equality marches. When he tags along to a party with his sister’s queer friends, he meets Gillian and, hoping she likes men, strikes up a conversation. When Gillian mistakes Adam’s gender identity, he can’t quite bring himself to correct her error and the two grow closer. Before long, what began as a simple misunderstanding evolves into a complicated mix-up, proving how out of his depth Adam truly is. Ernst and Alexander carefully break down a complicated character and create an honest, engaging and raw coming-of-age story. Official Selection, 2019 Sundance Film Festival. With Nicholas Alexander, Margaret Qualley, MJ Rodriguez, Chloë Levine.

BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, directed by Hannah Pearl Utt. (USA) - International Premiere. When Rachel Gurner’s charming date walks her to her front door and asks if she has roommates, she quietly admits that she does. What she doesn’t admit to is that she lives above a small theatre with her father Mel, her sister Jackie (played by hilarious co-writer Jen Tullock), and her preteen niece, Dodge. It’s a real romance killer. The truth is Rachel has no time for relationships. She takes responsibility for almost every aspect of her family’s lives, from housekeeping to managing their upcoming theatre show. When Mel suddenly passes away, everything they know is put in jeopardy. If this isn’t enough, their father’s outdated will reveals that the mother they believed to be dead is, in fact, alive and is playing a lead role in a popular soap opera. Hannah Pearl Utt writes, directs, and stars in this family drama that gives us license to poke a little fun at life’s misfortunes. Official Selection, 2019 Sundance Film Festival. With Jen Tullock, Judith Light, Mike Colter.

BIT, directed by Brad Michael Elmore. (USA) - World Premiere. Desperate to get away from her small-town roots and find a like-minded community, Laurel hits the road for Los Angeles as soon as she graduates from high school. Sure, people in L.A. are different, but do these people seem extra different? Yes, they do, because they are vampires. On her first night out in the city, Laurel attends a warehouse party and befriends a mysterious group of punk feminist women, led by the intimidating Duke. Laurel is surprised to have met her people so quickly, but her luck turns when one of them feeds on her blood and leaves her for dead. Waking up and realizing she might have become a vampire, Laurel confronts the women who converted her and is given a choice: go back to a boring life or join an ultra-cool vampire squad. Could it possibly be that simple? Of course not. Starring trans actress Nicole Maines as Laurel, Bit is supernatural, super feminist, and super queer. Not to mention the most fun you’ll have at the movies this year.

THE BLONDE ONE (UN RUBIO), directed by Marco Berger. (Argentina) - Canadian Premiere. Things grow hot and heavy between roommates Gabriel and Juan in this steamy, heartfelt film from acclaimed Argentinian director, Marco Berger (Plan B; Absent; Taekwondo). Gabriel is attracted to his roommate and co-worker, Juan. But what chance does Gabriel have, given the number of women streaming in and out of Juan’s bedroom? Overcoming his shyness, Gabriel takes a risk and makes the first move. To his surprise, he finds Juan eagerly responsive. But as their relationship intensifies, Juan wonders if he can give Gabriel what he wants—to bring their relationship out into the open. Marco Berger sets the story in the characters’ everyday lives, and shows subtle signals of attraction as well as the pervasive homophobia and machismo that impacts Gabriel and Juan’s deepening love.

FROM ZERO TO I LOVE YOU, directed by Doug Spearman. (USA) - In this entertaining romantic dramedy, commitment-phobic Pete (Darryl Stephens, Noah’s Arc) and married-with-children Jack unexpectedly fall for each other, and life becomes suddenly complicated. Pete, a gay man living in Philadelphia, has a history of involvement with married men. Enter Jack, with a wife and kids in the suburbs. When sparks fly, Pete must ask himself if he can handle yet another relationship with a married man, while Jack will have to decide if he’s ready to leave his wife. As Pete nears his decision, an opportunity arises that causes him to question whether he is better off with, or without, Jack. Featuring strong chemistry between the leads, director Doug Spearman (Hot Guys with Guns) creates authentic characters in this highly engaging, obstacle-filled romance.

THGROUND BENEATH MY FEET (Der Boden unter den Füßen), directed by Marie Kreutzer. (Austria) - Canadian Premiere. The Ground Beneath My Feet is a masterful thriller that looks at the intersection of mental health and womanhood through the experiences of Lola (Valerie Pachner), an ambitious workaholic on the verge of a nervous breakdown. A ruthless and skilled consultant, Lola is on the brink of her dream promotion. Everything is put in jeopardy, however, when her sister, who lives with paranoid schizophrenia, attempts suicide. Forced to balance work and her sister’s care while trying to hide family matters from co-workers, Lola is stretched beyond her limits. Exhausted and suspicious of everyone around her, including her boss and secret lover, Elise, Lola begins to lose her grip on reality. Marie Kreutzer’s nuanced portrait of Lola explores the very fine line between order and chaos, balance and instability.

KNIVES AND SKIN, directed by Jennifer Reeder. (USA) - Canadian Premiere. In Knives and Skin, Jennifer Reeder takes the classic American high school movie and turns it completely on its head, adding magical realism, pop-song choirs, and a feminist twist. At first glance, this rural Illinois high school seems like any other: popular football players and their cheerleader girlfriends, marching band nerds, the feminist loner, and the unassuming kid in the mascot costume. But when their peer Carolyn Harper goes missing, the students are forced to confront the cracks in the façade, along the way revealing their true selves and new, unexpected connections. The disappearance also exposes parent’s secrets and highlights the town’s overriding dysfunction. Part teen comedy, part musical and part thriller, Knives and Skin is the badass feminist high school movie we have all been waiting for. With Kate Arrington, Tim Hopper, James Vincent Meredith, Tony Fitzpatrick, Marika Engelhardt.

SAINT FRANCES, directed by Alex Thompson. (USA) - Occasionally things happen in life that make us feel as if the universe is enjoying a cruel joke at our expense. At the onset of a hot summer in Chicago, and having had no time to recover from or process a recent abortion, Bridget begins a job as nanny to stubborn six-year-old Frances. With Bridget’s life in disarray and Frances struggling to adjust to the birth of a baby brother, the two begin to form a bond. But as Bridget moves more deeply into the world of Frances and her moms, her personal relationships suffer and she loses sight of life outside of her job. Featuring standout performances across the board—most notably from six-year-old Ramona Edith-Williams—Saint Frances is a film about family in all of its forms.

SECOND STAR ON THE RIGHT, directed by Ruth Caudeli. (Colombia) -.Young at heart and lost in life, Emilia is far from having it all figured out. She’s unemployed, in a relationship she won’t commit to, and the odd one out in her friend group in almost every way possible. As an actor whose theatre work is high in concept but low in attendance, Emilia teaches acting classes while she awaits her big break. When she is unexpectedly fired, she is forced to take a job working for her best friend Angelica. As Emilia sinks more deeply into a comfortable life, she grows further away from herself. If this isn’t enough to manage, she is also trying to figure out exactly what her relationship with Mariana is. Everything comes to a head at Angelica’s bachelorette party, where a few too many drunken truths are revealed. With clear vision, director Ruth Caudeli spotlights the highs and lows of female friendship, and masterfully answers the question: does growing up have to mean giving up?