The 32nd Annual NewFest, New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival, will take place October 16-27, 2020
120+ new films available to watch virtually throughout the United States, conversations, virtual events and more!
FORGOTTEN ROADS / LA NAVE DEL OLVIDO
(Nicol Ruiz Benavides, Chile , 2020, 71 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
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After her husband dies unexpectedly, meek 70-year-old Claudina (Rosa Ramírez) makes the journey to her daughter and grandson’s house in Lautaro, Chile. While she certainly doesn’t expect much from rooming in a house somewhat hostile to her presence, a budding romance with Elsa (Romana Satt), the married next-door neighbor who moonlights as a gay lounge singer, is one of the unexpected surprises that line her new path. As she remembers her past loves and forges new clandestine friendships with the young conspirators in her life, Claudina finds, at last, a new purpose. Director Nicol Ruiz brings her hometown to life in this delicate, young-at-heart romance, depicting Lauturo through its colorful corner stores, gossiping wives, and bordering-on-religious obsession with the UFOs that only come out by night. Ruiz’s tender eye, and Ramírez’s moving performance, make this delightfully and earnestly unconventional narrative an unmissable cinematic oddity that’s sure to charm. This film will be followed by a Q&A. Presented in partnership with Cinema Tropical.
ALICE JÚNIOR
(Gil Baroni, Brazil, 2019, 87 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
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Winner of the top prize at Mix Brasil, this one-of-a-kind charmer infuses the spirit of classic high school films such as Mean Girls and The Perks of Being a Wallflower with an electricity that will leave you buzzing with warmth and energy. Forced to leave the coastal city of Recife when her father gets a job in a small conservative town in the South of Brazil, transgender teenage social media star Alice Júnior's life is suddenly thrust into uncertainty and drab dread. Although she's far out of her comfort zone and facing the kind of resistance she never could have imagined, Alice is determined to take on Catholic school (and its uniform) with verve and wit and make the most of her new setting, religious classmates, and budding crushes. In her very first acting role, Anne Celestino Mota infuses Alice with an infectious relatability, inspiring confidence, and nuanced charm that demands great attention and suggests a bright future for the young actress. Powered by a spirited style rife with color, kitsch, and creativity, Alice Júnior is a celebration of rebellious youth and the potential for future generations to rethink outdated perspectives of gender, sexuality, and differences as a whole. This film will be followed by a Q&A.
YOUR MOTHER’S COMFORT / ACONCHEGO DA TUA MÃE
(Adam Golub, Brazil, USA, 2020, 75 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
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“Ele não - not him”. That’s one thing of which Indianara Siqueira, a trans sex worker and founder/mother of the lifesaving communal LGBT Casa Nem in Rio de Janeiro, is certain. No to the potential election of an authoritarian, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, racist, and science-denying regime of "Brazilian Trump" Jair Bolsonaro. In this essential and up-close documentary, award-winning NewFest alum Adam Golub (SKIN) follows Indianara's relentless organizing leading up to one of the most turbulent times in recent global memory. From her historic run for City Council (alongside the late, revered Marielle Franco), to her continuous fight to keep the trans sex workers of Casa Nem safe and housed, Indianara is a force of radical change. Unapologetically honest, thrilling, and personal, this Outfest Grand Jury Prize Winner for Best Documentary is best watched as an internationally-prescient anti-facist instruction manual in which the only acceptable end goal is freedom for all. The film will be followed by a Q&A.
DRY WIND / VENTO SECO
(Daniel Nolasco, Brazil, 2020, 110 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
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Fantastical sexual exploits that infuse hardcore reveries with surprising tenderness help lonely factory worker Sandro (Leandro Faria Lelo) pass the long days and scorching heat of inland Brazil’s dry summer season in writer-director Daniel Nolasco pulsating, neon-infused Tom of Finland-come-to-life wonderland of a film. Despite a meaningful friendship with a sharply observant colleague and an occasional lunchtime hook-up with a gorgeous young co-worker, Sandro longs for something more. When the leather-clad, muscle-bound Maicon (Rafael Theophilo) rolls into town, Sandro’s passion is inflamed, and takes him to places he’d only previously dared imagine. Exploring the fine line between innocent admiration and all-consuming desire, the film beckons viewers to dream just a little harder. This film contains sexually explicit content.
THE STRONG ONES / LOS FUERTES
(Omar Zúñiga Hidalgo, Chile, 2019, 98 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
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In the mood for love? The Strong Ones tells the romantic saga of a fisherman and an architect in the beautiful landscape of Southern Chile as they find love at the edge of the world. This confidently directed festival favorite, which took home both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at Outfest, spotlights the searing sexiness and electric chemistry of the two charismatic leads (Samuel González and Antonio Altamirano), while impressive cinematography highlights the majestic landscapes. This gentle and intimate love tale is the perfect selection for a date night with your own special someone, or perhaps a lover-to-be. This film will be followed by a Q&A.
SHORT FILMS:
BREAKWATER
(Cris Lyra, Brazil, 2019, 26 min.)
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A group of young lesbians from São Paulo go on a trip to a remote beach for the new year's celebration, where they relax, make music, and build an emotional refuge for themselves. They own their bodies and their memories, and they feel free. Presented as part of the Shorts: Til We (Can) Meet Again program.
CARO COMES OUT
(Brit Fryer and Caro Hernandez, USA, 2020, 12 min.)
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An experiment, and a comedy, about coming out to an entire Cuban family. Presented as part of the Shorts: Heirlooms + Histories program.
PLUS
(Andrew J Rodriguez, USA, 2019, 14 min.)
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NYC college student Zaire Ruiz has life under control, from college to boys. When he is suddenly diagnosed with HIV, Zaire carries this burden alone. Plus is a coming-of-age story of learning self-acceptance, self-worth, and the value of support systems. Presented as part of the Shorts: Black Family Matters program.
SCREENSHOTS FOR A GOODBYE
(Ruth Caudeli, Colombia, 2020, 10 min.)
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Andrea and Maca are facing the day after a break-up and struggle with all the difficulties that come with a goodbye between lovers. Presented as part of the Shorts: Girls Laughing, Loving, Fighting, F**king program.
SHÉÁR AVORY: TO BE CONTINUED
(Abram Cerda, USA, 2020, 26 min.)
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The coming-of-age story of Shéár Avory (pronouns: they/them/theirs), a 17-year-old aspiring social justice advocate in Los Angeles who navigates housing instability and familial dependency on their journey to adulthood. Presented as part of the Shorts: Free to Be Me program.
THE SECRET GARDENER
(Lorena Russi, USA, 2019, 3 min.)
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A garden party goes off the rails when ladies who brunch devolve into ladies who munch. Presented as part of the Shorts: The Gag’s All Here (2.0) program.
WAKING HOUR
(Nava Mau, USA, 2019, 13 min.)
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Sofia, a young trans woman, meets Isaac at a party. When he invites her to go home with him, Sofia must talk herself through her options. Presented as part of the Shorts: Beyond the Binary program.
