Miami residents Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul will meet in the third round of the Miami Open presented by Itaú on Monday, March 28th. They are longtime friends and foes, having also met in the 2015 boys’ singles finals at Roland Garros (Paul won) and the US Open (Fritz won). Fritz is at a career-high No. 13 and Paul is at a career-high No. 37 in this week’s ATP Rankings. On Sunday, Fritz practiced on Court 10 at 1 pm and was followed on the same court by Paul at 2 pm. In between, they posed for photos. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Miami Tennis Ground

The Opa-locka Community Development Corporation (OLCDC) is thrilled to present a brand-new exhibition Beyond Tradition: Contemporary Sculptures from Africa, opening on February 26th, 2022, at The ARC in Downtown Opa-locka. The exhibition is curated by internationally renowned curator Tumelo Mosaka, the former lead curator for the Investec Cape Town Art Fair. The exhibition challenges Western cultural norms and perspectives of what contemporary African art is by presenting African sculpture in dialogue with works from some of Africa’s exciting artists. According to Mosaka, “In conceiving this exhibition, I wanted to turn a lens onto places less known in Africa, and in particular, Zimbabwe and Tanzania where artists have served as custodians as well as innovators. I want to bring a new understanding of the complexity and subtlety of African art and culture in contemporary times.” “The end result is, a realization that African artists are pushing beyond Westernized notions of the African Diaspora, toward a more global conversation about humanity and their place in the world and they are doing so in the most eloquent of ways,” concluded Mosaka. The exhibition takes advantage of OLCDC’s impressive holdings from its Karg Collection and features various stone and wood sculptures representing traditions from regions in Africa, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Tanzania, where carving tradition has a long cultural history. Featured artists include Sylvster Mubayi, Bernard Takawira and Edward Masaya, among others. Additionally, the exhibition will include paintings from famed artists Ouattara Watts, known for his large-scale canvas works that incorporate cryptic symbols, geometric designs and numerical sequences that speak to his cross-cultural identity and Malatanga Valente Ngwenya, a pioneer of modern African art with an aesthetic that is defined by a dense assembly of figures. “We are very pleased to be able to show wonderful, important pieces from our Karg Collection and to do so in curatorially meaningful ways,” said Willie Logan, OLCDC’s President and CEO. “Beyond Tradition is a world class exhibition, made possible by the generosity of William R. Karg, the brilliance of Tumelo Mosaka, and our commitment to providing quality arts programming to our South Florida community,” continued Logan. “As curator and educator, it gives me great pleasure to take the curatorial work of Tumelo Mosaka and develop substantive educational programming and community engagement,” said Adrienne Chadwick, Art Manager at the OLCDC. According to Chadwick, throughout the exhibition’s six-month run, she has prepared interactive programs that are designed to excite, engage, and educate visitors, including an art lecture, carving workshop, African marketplace, and Afro Beats party. Beyond Tradition is open to the public between February 26th and August 28th, 2022, at the ARC, which is located at 675 Ali-Baba Avenue in Opa-locka. The free exhibition is open every second Saturday from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. and by appointment any other time. To make an appointment or for more information, please visit www.olcdc.org/beyondtradition For more information about upcoming programming, please visit www.olcdc.org. BEYOND TRADITION ART More on the Karg Collection Donated by William R. “Bill” Karg in 2018, the Karg Collection consists of seventy works of sculpture, paintings, and works on paper from many of the African Continent’s most renowned, well-regarded contemporary artists. The Collection represents the life’s work of Bill Karg, a gallerist and collector, and expert in contemporary African art. Bill Karg founded the Contemporary African Art Gallery in New York City in 1987, where he exhibited and represented internationally recognized African artists from across the Continent, for more than thirty years. Karg has lived in Africa for extended periods and has worked on a range of development projects in various capacities for the World Bank, USAID, the United Nations, and various African governments. About The Opa-locka Community Development Corporation The Opa-locka Community Development Corporation (OLCDC) was established in 1980 to address the housing and the unemployment conditions, in the Opa-locka and North Dade County, Florida, communities. Its mission is to build a strong ecosystem that supports under-resourced communities in creating an equitable and sustainable economy. For more information about OLCDC, please visit www.olcdc.org. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Opa Locka

This past weekend, the City of Miami Gardens took South Florida by storm with its highly-anticipated 15th Annual Jazz in The Gardens Music Festival (JITG), which took place March 11th -13th, 2022, after a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The 2022 festivities began Friday, March 11th, with the Women’s Empowerment Luncheon featuring an inspirational talk with legendary Gospel Artist Yolanda Adams, hosted by South Florida based author and coach Natasha Mayne aka “The Vogue Attorney”. This intimate yet lively conversation focused on being a spiritual woman in today's turbulent world. Over 400 attended the colorful occasion and enjoyed a day of fellowship after the 2-year separation. Immediately following was the JITG Official Press Conference, hosted by Natasha Mayne, which included panelists Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris, Brittany Flores, President, Live Nation Miami, Shawn Gee, Live Nation Urban, Connie Kinnard, V.P. Multicultural Marketing, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, Miami Dade Commission Vice Chair Oliver Gilbert III, the former Miami Gardens Mayor, and Miami Gardens Assistant City Manager, Vernita Nelson. On Saturday, a jam packed audience enjoyed the Jazz in the Gardens music festival with unforgettable performances from Ron and Ernie Isley of the legendary Isley Brothers, Cheryl "Coko" Gamble, Leanne “LeLee” Lyons, and Tamara "Taj" George of SWV along with rap sensationBlack Thought of the Roots, who brought on DJ Jazzy Jeff and featured T-Pain and closing the show was the incomparable headliner Mary J Blige, who made three wardrobe changes during her two hour set. JITG was hosted by radio syndicated radio personality Rickey Smiley, who kept the crowd in stitches with his famous hilarious banter. On Sunday, the festival again presented unforgettable performances from Mark Allen Fenton, jazz saxophonist Mike Phillips, Stokley, formerly of Mint Condition, gospel sensation Jonathan Reynolds, Miami Gardens own, hip hop icon Rick Ross and headliner H.E.R. who sang all of her hits. Honoring a home-grown Miami Gardens legend: Rick Ross aka Rickey Rozay A special break in the festival came when Mayor Harris and the City Council dubbed March 13th to be “Rick Ross Day”, a fitting hontor to Miami Gardens hometown superstar Rick Ross who has become of one the most popular entertainers in the world in addition to being a prolific entrepreneur with interests in brands like WingStop, Rap Snacks, Belaire Champagne and more. "The return of Jazz in Gardens was a great experience. I’m grateful to everyone for all their hard work in making the festival a success, the sponsors, production team, staff, volunteers, attendees and of course – all the incredible artists who performed, “ said Mayor Rodney Harris. “The energy was amazing, and we definitely missed that these past two years. We are proud that we were able to share Miami Gardens with everyone who attended, and it was my honor to recognize the undeniable talent of one of our own, someone who grew up here and went on to become an international artist and businessman, Mr. Rick Ross. Declaring March 13th as Rick Ross "The Biggest Boss" Day in the City of Miami Gardens was an absolute pleasure for us.” For more information and the latest updates about Jazz in the Gardens, visit www.jazzinthegardens.com Photo credit: AJ Shorter Photography Media Inquiries: Suzan McDowell (305) 576-3790 suzan@circleofonemarketing.com About City of Miami Gardens The City of Miami Gardens celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2013. Miami Gardens is the 33rd city in Miami-Dade County. With a population of approximately 110,000, it is the third largest city in Miami-Dade County. Miami Gardens is a solid, working and middle class community of unique diversity. It is the largest predominantly African-American municipality in Florida and boasts many Caribbean and Hispanic residents. The City hosted the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl, the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl™, Super Bowl XLIV™, 2013 Orange Bowl and 2013 BCS National Championship game. The City has demonstrated steady growth in the areas of community and economic development, and has gained a reputation for being a hot destination in South Florida. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Miami GARDENS

Eastern Mediterranean-inspired Miami restaurant re-imagines the concept of afternoon tea service, serving spiked tea cocktails! A whimsical interpretation of the traditional tea service enjoyed throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, Byblos’ Habibi Marguerite spiked tea (a spiked strawberry tea made from Avión Reposado) marries exotic spices, teas and only the freshest ingredients. Tasting Notes: “The Habibi is about passion. Tequila is fire. The trick is to make the fire enticing. The cold smoke is the visceral, visual expression of the tequila. The strawberry elements, the cilantro, the clinking glass, the spiced almonds cool the fire so that is warm and enticing. The beauty of The Habibi is that, like passion, it is meant to be shared.” – Melissa Reigle, Beverage Manager at Byblos Miami Other spiked teas include: Edgeware Road made with Plymouth gin + Jojo’s black tea + fresh lemon juice, Seven Celestials made with Bulleit bourbon + Jojo’s black tea + cold pressed ginger + fresh peach juice and The Gypsy Queen’s High Tea made with Belvedere vodka + benedictine + Jojo’s hibiscus-rose tea + guava juice + angostura bitters. Price: Serves two or four $35 / $70 More on Byblos Following its Miami Beach debut in 2015, Byblos rapidly became one of Miami’s hottest dining destinations. The Toronto based Eastern Mediterranean concept is a landmark inside The Royal Palm, residing in two stories of the heritage Shorecrest Building. Byblos is located at: 1545 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit: www.byblosmiami.com By ML Staff | Images courtesy of The Dana Agency

“Home of the Hurricanes” fits the University of Miami (UM) like a glove. The school opened in 1926 in Coral Gables and has grown to be an internationally renowned force of nature. The main campus sits on 260 acres in Coral Gables, the “City Beautiful” that lies within the Miami metro area. UM is chock full of cultural and artistic treasures that inspire students, delight visitors, and are an integral part of Miami’s rise to prominence as the “Gateway to the Americas.” UM’s top-ranked School of Music dates back to the University’s opening and reflects the founders’ belief that music holds an essential place in a quality liberal arts education, and also in the quality of life for the larger community. Today, the School offers academic programs and public performances in every music genre you’ve ever heard, and a few that you probably have not. The 600-seat Maurice Gusman Concert Hall is an exquisite setting in which to enjoy faculty and student ensembles in performance year-round. Gusman Hall is the principal venue for the School’s annual Festival Miami, an acclaimed international celebration of music featuring Grammy winning guest artists and students who are well on the way to being Grammy winners of tomorrow. You'll want to see those shows in person, and you’ll want to keep Gusman’s live stream schedule handy for when you and your laptop are far away. The Weeks Center for Recording and Performance is known for close to perfect sound, thanks to its designer, the late Charles Paul Boner, a physicist, musician and master of architectural acoustics. You can listen for yourself most anytime, because the Center’s Clarke Recital Hall is used daily for recitals concerts, and ensemble performances by students and faculty who love playing to a live audience. Students perform in the production "Of Thee I Sing" at the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, which sits on the-260 acre main campus of the University of Miami. - Patrick Farrell for VISIT FLORIDA Season tickets to UM’s Ring Theater make an ideal gift for year-round south Florida residents. Since 1946, the university’s Department of Theater Arts has captivated audiences and launched the careers of students whose names are household words to theater aficionados everywhere. If you hear the lullaby of Broadway as you walk through the doors, it’s not your imagination. The Ring now bears the name of composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, UM Class of '53, who won Tony awards for “Hello, Dolly!” and “La Cage aux Folles.” You may also hear the footsteps of action heroes and villains. That, too, is not your imagination. Before they became Hollywood heavy hitters, Sylvester Stallone, Steven Bauer and Ray Liotta were UM students learning their craft from master teachers on the stage at The Ring. Speaking of movies, the Bill Cosford Cinema is a state-of-the-art facility offering a “diverse and discerning” array of films for serious movie fans of all ages and tastes. Under the loving and attentive care of UM’s School of Communications, the Cinema screens summer blockbusters as well as independent, international, experimental, documentary and classic cinema. Now in its seventh decade of provoking “critical reflection and serious consideration of film,” the Cinema is among the longest running art houses in the country. The 240 seat venue is ideal for conversation, and you never know when a megawatt star will step off the screen and on to the Cosford stage for an intimate Q & A. Students and faculty welcome visitors and encourage questions at the Gifford Arboretum, a working laboratory for the University’s tropical botany studies. The large collection of trees and plants have individual “name tags” and interpretative signage which make self-guided, spur-of-the moment tours easy and enjoyable. Guided tours and lectures are scheduled throughout the academic year. In 1950, the entire contents of what is now The Lowe Art Museum was housed in three UM classrooms. By 1972, The Lowe had attracted extraordinary philanthropic and public support and became the first university art museum in Florida to be accredited by the prestigious American Alliance of Museums. Today, The Lowe is one of just three Florida university art museums holding membership in the Association of Art Museum Directors. The Lowe boasts a 17,500-object collection recognized as one of the most important in the Americas, with strengths in Renaissance, Baroque, American, as well as Ancient and Native American art. The Asian collection features stunning examples of Chinese, Korean and Japanese ceramics. High art meets pop culture in glassworks by Pablo Picasso. Visitors taking a self guided walking tour of the 260 acre main campus of the University of Miami in Coral Gables can duck into one of the restaurants in the Donna E. Shalala Student Center, designed by the renowned Miami-based Arquitectonica, to get a drink or a bite to eat. - Patrick Farrell for VISIT FLORIDA The Lowe is a convenient location from which to begin a self-guided walking tour. PDF Fileof the UM campus. There are plenty of places along the route to eat, drink and catch some Florida sunshine. When you’re ready to cool off indoors, the UM libraries’ permanent and special collections provide ever-changing exhibits that are so entertaining, the kids won’t even notice they’re getting a first-class education. University of Miami 1320 S Dixie Hwy Coral Gables, Fla. 33124 305-284-2211 By By Florence Beth Snyder. Image courtesy of University of Miami. Special thanks to Visitflorida.org for content republishing

Madison Keys, a Founding Champion for the nonprofit organization Kindness Wins, announced today that she has awarded a ‘Medal of Kindness’ to Miami Open Tournament Director James Blake for his fervent support of cancer research since 2008, his outspoken encouragement for equality and commitment to tennis. “I could say a lot about why I admire James,” said Madison Keys. “He does so much to raise money for cancer research through his foundation and he’s a constant advocate for equality. I feel like the thing that stands out to me the most about him is his character. He is always looking to help, no matter the need, and with this medal I want to thank and recognize him for all he does to help others.” Keys and Blake appeared together on Tennis Channel from the Miami Open on Wednesday to talk about the Medal of Kindness initiative and Blake as a recipient. “I’ve had some really hard times in my career and he’s always one of the first people to reach out and send a message,” said Keys. “[He’s] just a really great person as well as a great tennis player and that’s always something I’ve tried to do and he’s always been a really big inspiration for me.” “Madi is doing an unbelievable job of taking the matches she wins on the court – and what you get from those matches is you get a voice – and using your voice for positivity is something that is so impressive,” said Blake. “She’s doing something really special with being positive through a time a lot of people can be pretty negative. I’m proud of her for so many reasons and this is just one of them.” This is the third Medal of Kindness Keys has awarded this year. She previously recognized Larry Salas for his efforts locally in the Coachella Valley and with the Indian Wells tournament, and Anne Wang, a teacher in California whose perseverance and ingenuity during the pandemic created a safe and successful environment for her students. Kindness Wins, which launched in early 2020, encourages and spreads kindness to others across the globe, and the Medal of Kindness goes to those individuals whose personal efforts have contributed to that concept. Today’s medal is one in a series of acts big and small that are being recognized by Champions Madison Keys, Mikaela Shiffrin and Oksana Masters on an ongoing basis, for individuals’ and organizations’ impacts on the world, big or small. Kindness Wins is a platform for kindness, on and off the field of play. By identifying and supporting professional athletes as our champions, and elevating organizations and individuals who show and encourage kindness through sport, we are demonstrating that even in the most competitive environment, acts of kindness are possible, and their outcomes are impactful. For more, visit https://www.kindnesswins.org/ About Kindness Wins Kindness Wins is a 501©3 nonprofit that acts as an umbrella organization for kindness, and it all starts with sport, a space where team and community are formed, and where individuals and their actions can have influence. By amplifying kindness through sport, we can affect change in society, and bring kindness to the masses. For more, visit https://www.kindnesswins.org/ and follow Kindness Wins on Facebook (facebook.com/KindnessWinsFoundation) Twitter (@KindnessWinsFdn) and Instagram (@KindnessWinsFoundation). About the Kindness Wins Champions Madison Keys is a Grand Slam finalist (2017 US Open), three-time Grand Slam semifinalist (2022 Australian Open, 2018 Roland Garros and 2015 Australian Open), and holds six WTA titles. She achieved a career-high ranking of No. 7 in the world. In 2016, she decided to create a nonprofit focused on girls called Fearlessly Girl USA. Her organization was committed to creating a kinder girl world – one girl at a time. Inspired by the kindness she has seen in so many of her competitors and fellow athletes, Madison chose to expand her commitment and relaunched Fearlessly Girl USA into Kindness Wins, a collaborative engine for Kindness. Two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time overall World Cup champion alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin joined Kindness Wins in May 2020 following the success of Kindness in Crisis: an online auction to raise funds for COVID-19 relief. A self-proclaimed introvert by nature, Mikaela has recently opened up on her own social media channels, especially following the loss of her father, Jeff Shiffrin, whose motto was “Be nice, think first, and have fun.” Mikaela believes the online world has the potential to be a place of positivity and support rather than a hub for cyber-bullying and that we all have the ability to make that transformation happen, starting with this message of spreading Kindness. Oksana Masters is an American multi-sport Paralympic athlete and medalist, competing in three different summer and winter sports, nine-time ParaNordic World Champion, and three-time ParaCycling World Championship medalist. Oksana was born in Ukraine with complications that later were linked to nuclear radiation exposure. Ultimately, her birth complications would lead to above-the-knee amputation of both of her legs. On her accomplishments and career, Masters says “I am so thankful I have been given a ‘second chance’ in life through my amazing family and the opportunity to fulfill my passion and hunger for racing and competing.” By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Miami Tennis Ground

Key West is celebrating its Bicentennial the whole month of March and The Marker Key West Harbor Resort is welcoming guests with live entertainment at its ideal location in the heart of Old Town Key West. Bicentennial events will occur throughout the month of March. In addition, The Marker Key West is offering guests: The Marker 200 Crush – a bicentennial-themed cocktail made with Orange Vodka and Orange Juice ($10) until March 30 A fun "I Spy 200" scavenger hunt on the property – In celebration of Key West’s 200th birthday, The Marker Key West Harbor Resort is offering guests an "I Spy 200" Instagram contest for hotel guests only. Guests must take selfies and tag The Marker Key West Harbor Resort in an Instagram post or story with all three “200” locations for a chance to receive their first well/ draft on the house. Red Stripe Reggae Rehab pool parties every Sunday in March The remaining days in March are filled with special events in honor of the two-hundredth anniversary of Key West such as a 200th Celebration Time Capsule, firework display, movie nights, and much more. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of The Marker Key West Harbor Resort

Villa Azur, Miami’s South of France-inspired culinary and entertainment destination known for its glitz and glamour, is celebrating its 10 year anniversary with a party set to rival the elegance of the French Riviera. The festivities kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 1st. Guests are encouraged to make way in their best all white ensemble for an evening party of incredible live music, beats by DJ Irie, stunning visuals, aerialist choreography and immersive experiences with Perrier-Jouët’s intricate, floral champagnes flowing throughout the night and so much more. Under the direction of Executive Chef Carlos Torres, the cuisine embraces a true Mediterranean dining experience and allows guests to indulge in specialty dishes including delicious appetizers such as Truffle Burrata and Seared Octopus. Savory and delectable entrees include Pates a la Meule, served table side in a parmesan wheel and Cognac Flamed; Dover Sole Meunière, also prepared table side; or the larger than life Tomahawk Steak, a 42 oz. steak roasted to your liking and served with both bordelaise and béarnaise sauce. Guests can enjoy the celebratory dinner in the romantic dining room or open-air courtyard. Reservations are required and can be made by emailing Villa Azur at reservations@villaazurmiami.com or calling (305) 763-8688. By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Villa Azur

Internationally acclaimed as one of the largest LGBTQ+ cultural festivals in the world, OUTShine returns to unite the community through premier social events and programs that inspire, entertain and educate. More than 45 international features and documentary screenings, three shorts programs, exclusive virtual showings, picturesque venues, Cocktails & Cinema Happy Hours and incredible parties make this year a must-see, must-do! This year’s festival will also honor Patricia Velásquez, a Venezuelan actress, model, and philanthropist with its Vanguard Award. Velásquez is best known for her portrayal of Anck-su-namun in The Mummy (1990) and its sequel, The Mummy Returns (2001). She has been in numerous other films including The Curse of La Llorona (2019) and television shows including Arrested Development and The L Word. She is the founder of the Wayuu Taya Foundation which is dedicated to aiding Venezuelans struggling along the Colombian border. She was appointed the UNESCO Artist for Peace and is a Goodwill Ambassador at the Organization of the American States. “This year’s OUTshine Film Festival theme is ‘Find Yourself Here.’ Audiences of all ages and backgrounds can find themselves represented and reflected in our films and can enjoy this experience with friends and family to spark meaningful conversations,” said Mark Gilbert, board chair and interim executive director of OUTshine Film Festival. “Additionally, for the first time, in partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, we’re reaching out to various Latin American visitors with special travel packages to connect them via culture and film to our already diverse Hispanic community.” This year’s festival opens in spectacular style on April 22, at 7 p.m., at the Black Archives - Historic Lyric Theater, with the South Florida debut of the African-American comedy-drama B-Boy Blues, based on the 1994 groundbreaking, and beloved classic book by James Earl Hardy. Class and culture clash when a college-educated journalist from Brooklyn and a homeboy-bike messenger from Harlem fall in love. Described as Moonlight meets Queer As Folk, this unapologetic celebration of African-American gay men will leave you wanting more. An opening night party will follow the film. The next night, at 8 p.m., at Regal Cinemas South Beach, OUTshine focus on romance with its Ladies Spotlight Film, Anaïs in Love. This romantic French comedy follows 30-and-broke Anaïs. She has a lover, but she’s not sure she still embraces him. She meets Daniel, who immediately falls for her. But Daniel lives with Emilie – whom Anaïs also falls for. This is the story of a restless young woman. And the story of a profound desire. Post-viewing, attendees can enjoy an after-party. On April 28, at 8 p.m., enjoy a feast for the senses at Miami Beach Botanical Gardens during the premiere of the festival Centerpiece film, Girl Picture (TYOT TYOT TYOT). This Sundance Film Festival Audience Award winner follows three girls coming of age in Finland. It paints a heartwarming story of friendship, and of three exhilaratingly headstrong individuals trying to wrestle dreams from reality and redefining relationships and sexuality along the way. In Finnish-French with American subtitles. An after-party will follow. For the Men’s Spotlight film, it’s an evening of erotic romance on April 30, at 8:30 p.m., at Regal Cinemas South Beach as two young men make a connection neither of them expects or knows how to navigate in the Australian feature Lonesome. This film takes audiences on a thrilling, hedonistic, erotic journey, depicting two characters, who not only seek sexual fulfillment but also acceptance and a meaningful bond. OUTshine wraps it all up on May 1 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Sandrell Rivers Theater with the Closing Night film Cop Secret, an Icelandic action comedy, and its annual film awards soiree. Gilbert added, “As part of our inclusive mission, we’ve lowered admission packages, and we’re offering special pricing and at-home viewing options to reduce the financial burden for all.” OUTrageous, OUTspoken, and OUTstanding, this year’s OUTshine Film Festival Miami is presented by Lexus, Gilead and Miami-Dade County. Tickets start at $8 for individual films with group discounts and additional offers available. For more information and to purchase tickets and packages, visit www.outshinefilm.com. FEATURED FILMS ALBATROSS Drama, Period Piece, 1950’s Director: MylesYaksich Runtime: 97 minutes USA, 2021 LOGLINE: At the request of family, a socially outcast couple attends dinner at the imposing home of an unexceptional artist and questionable psychiatrist, only to find themselves evaluating the stability of their relationship and to those around them. SYNOPISIS: Two seemingly separate narratives, spanning some 30 years converge at a dinner party between two newly introduced couples in 1959 New England, revealing that the attendees know much more about one another than they first thought. The film is a dark, character-driven drama, which examines the concept of self (identity, ethnicity, and sexual orientation) in the context of society while illustrating the compromises individuals are willing to make to feel as though they belong. Not your typical period drama, Albatross takes a stylized look at current issues through a lens of 1959 and is a deeply personal story about timeless issues; race, gender, sexuality, and belonging. ALL OUR FEARS Feature, Lesbian, Youth, Fantasy Director: Lukasz Ronduda Runtime: 94 minutes In Polish with English subtitles Poland, 2021 NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE LOGLINE: Triggered by an unexpected tragedy, gay artist and activist Daniel, who is also a deeply religious man, tries hard to make the local community grieve together. SYNOPISIS: Daniel is a very well-respected young artist torn between his small village community, urban art galleries, the Catholic church, and his gay identity. When his lesbian friend commits suicide after suffering from homophobic heckling, Daniel's life mission becomes to redeem his community with an ultimate work of art -- as well as not to lose Olek, a local man he loves despite him not being able to embrace his sexuality. Based on real events, All Our Fears is a moving story of an artist raised in the countryside and very engaged in the activities of the Catholic Church that refuses to accept him and others like him. ALL YOU NEED Drama, Comedy, Romance, Gay, Foreign, TV Series Director: Benjamin Gutsche Runtime: 150 minutes In German and English with English subtitles Germany, 2021 LOGLINE: The long-standing relationship that is suddenly put to the test. The mountain of financial debt that keeps growing. The one-night stand that won't let go. The dream of a lifetime that threatens to burst like a soap bubble. The great love that remains unrequited. The dramedy series deals with universal themes that everyone can identify with. Only this time, the characters are gay. SYNOPISIS: All You Need tells the story of four gay men in Berlin and their search for security and love. Medical student Vince lives with web designer Levo in a shared apartment. The two are best friends and yet different. Vince uses dating apps and has never had a long relationship. And Levo believes in love and intimacy. When Levo moves to the stuffy suburbs to live with his new partner Tom, something starts to change for Vince, too when he meets the fitness coach Robbie. He is not only brash, sexy, and mysterious, but also completely different from what he first thought. The status change from "single" to "relationship" poses challenges for everyone. https://www.bavaria-media.com/product/729396 ANAIS IN LOVE Feature, Lesbian, Comedy, Romance Director: Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet Runtime: 98 minutes In French with English subtitles France, 2021 LOGLINE: Anaïs is thirty and broke. She has a lover, but she’s not sure she loves him anymore. She meets Daniel, who immediately falls for her. But Daniel lives with Emilie – whom Anaïs also falls for. This is the story of a restless young woman. And the story of a profound desire. SYNOPISIS: Thirty, broke and boundless with romantic energy, Anaïs hurtles through life and lovers with abandon. After moving on from her exasperated boyfriend, she sparks an affair with Daniel, a much older book publisher. When that inevitably fizzles out, she has a chance encounter with Daniel’s longtime partner Emilie, a brilliant novelist. Smitten, Anaïs crashes a weekend writers’ retreat that Emilie is attending. As an attraction between the two women gradually becomes mutual, fate reveals itself to have other plans. Anais In Love is a steamy, sunny romance that offers a delightfully different kind of spin on quarter-life plight..and one you will enjoy watching! B-BOY BLUES Drama, Comedy, Romance, Gay, Black Director: Jussie Smollett Runtime: 103 minutes USA, 2021 LOGLINE: Based on the 1994 groundbreaking, classic, and beloved James Earl Hardy book by the same name, class and culture clash when a college-educated journalist from Brooklyn and a homeboy-bike messenger from Harlem fall in love. B-Boy Blues celebrates the Black same-gender-loving men in New York. SYNOPSIS: Mitchell, a successful college-educated journalist, finds himself falling for the smoking hot Raheim, a Harlem bike courier and b-boy. Despite his friends’ misgivings and several red flags, Mitchell is enraptured by the incredibly sexy and smooth Raheim, but the repercussions of their mutual obsession will affect his work, friendships, and family. With so much eye candy you won’t be able to look away as well as a story brimming with drama, romance, heart, and charisma. Moonlight meets Queer As Folk, B-Boy Blues will captivate you from start to glorious finish and leave you wanting more, more, more in this unapologetic celebration of African-American gay men. Synopsis adapted from Mardi Gras Film Festival https://www.instagram.com/bboybluesthefilm/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dAKw_10tvw BESTIES (LES MEILLEURES) Drama, Romance, Lesbian, Foreign, Director: Marion Desseigne-Ravel Runtime: 80 minutes In French with English subtitles France, 2022 LOGLINE: Nedjma, a Parisian teenager, spends her summer with her squad. Her life changes when she falls in love with Zina, a girl from the opposite gang. Torn apart, she must make a choice that will ultimately define who she is. SYNOPISIS: Nedjma, a teenager living with her mom and sister, spends the summer with her squad. She sees her life turned upside down when she meets Zina, new to town and from another gang. They are rivals in broad daylight, but lovers in secret. Nedjma is sucked into a spiral, torn apart between the values of the hood and her own desire, which no one around her can possibly understand or let alone tolerate. She will have to make a choice that will ultimately define who she is and what she wants. Besties is truly a story about love, at all costs. BLOOD-RED OX Supernatural, Romance, Gay, Foreign, Director: Rodrigo Bellott Runtime: 94 minutes In Spanish and English with English subtitles Bolivia/USA, 2021 LOGLINE: A Lebanese American journalist and his boyfriend travel to Bolivia where the trip takes a bizarre turn as one of them starts having strange visions and loses his mind over the presence of a giant blood-red ox. SYNOPISIS: Amir and Amat are invited to a trip into the South American rain forest, but the pleasant visit to Bolivia quickly takes a bizarre turn as Amat starts having strange visions and loses his mind over the ghostly presence of a giant blood red ox. Amir must save his boyfriend from paranoia, but he will quickly realize he can't trust anything or anybody - as he might be losing his mind too. Belott was inspired by the work of Bergman and the early horror films of the 60s and 70s. The film attempts to play with the essence of the genre while touching on contemporary environmental themes and mental health. CAMILA COMES OUT TONIGHT (CAMILA SALDRA ESTA NOCHE) Drama, Romance, Lesbian, Foreign, Director: Ines Barrionuevo Runtime: 100 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles Argentina, 2021 LOGLINE: Camila is a passionate young woman who has to leave her liberal environment for a traditional conservative school in Buenos Aires. There, she will find unlikely allies and strong foes in her fight for a better world - and maybe love as well. SYNOPISIS: When her grandmother becomes seriously ill, Camila is forced to move to Buenos Aires. Changing a liberal public high school for a traditional private institution will only increase Camila’s premature but fierce temperament. While coping with the turbulence of adolescence she discovers her feelings for Clara, a classmate with a secret. A feminist revolution is about to start. Camila Comes Out Tonight is a vivid tale of the whirlwind of feelings that is adolescence, as well as an intimate portrait of the contradictions of the Argentinian society. It touches on major topics such as sexuality, abortion, through the personal story of a young woman trying to find her place in society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmNJugZ2Lsk CANDELA Drama, Gay, Foreign, Mystery, Drag Director: Andres Farias Runtime: 93 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles Dominican Republic, 2021 LOGLINE: The lives of three strangers -A high society girl, a lonely lieutenant, and a drag queen cabaret performer- intertwine on the eve of a hurricane following the mysterious death of a young poet and drug dealer. SYNOPISIS: A hurricane threatens the Caribbean and affects the lives of three strangers who become intertwined in the streets of Santo Domingo: Sera Penablanca, a girl from Dominican high society who goes to the slums every night to interact with strangers; Lieutenant Perez, a corrupt policeman who investigates a case in an attempt to repair the broken relationship with his daughter; and Candela, a performer from a poor cabaret seeking justice. The three are united by the mysterious death of Renato Castrate, poet and drug dealer. Candela’s neon lit visual style follows the unfolding cause and effect of each character’s actions, leading to a shocking finale. that will leave you stunned and ponderous. https://www.facebook.com/filmcandela/ https://www.instagram.com/candelathefilm/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfIMmkdYmxA COP SECRET (LEYNILlOGGA) Comedy, Action, Romance, Gay, Foreign, Director: Hannes Thor Halldorsson Runtime: 98 minutes In Icelandic with English subtitles Iceland, 2021 LOGLINE: Macho guy Bussi, is the best and most reckless cop in the Reykjavik police force. When, after thwarting a bank heist, he’s paired up with Hördur, the best and sexiest cop in the county, sparks start to fly, professionally and personally. SYNOPISIS: Cop movie clichés have been sent up before, but this Icelandic action comedy takes the homoerotic subtext of so many buddy movies and unapologetically comes “out” all guns blazing. Rival law enforcers, rough-edged Bussi and slick hunky, ex-model Hördur reluctantly join forces to stop criminal mastermind Rikki Ferrari. Desperate as they are to stop Ferrari’s bank heists, they may just, despite Bússi’s initial denial, want each other even more. Cop Secret embraces the genre’s more ludicrous tropes and gleefully squeezes them tighter. While a hard-hitting action flick, at its core is a tender romance. If Michael Bay made a gay Lethal Weapon…this would be what it looks like. THE DIVIDE (LA FRACTURE) Drama, Comedy, Romance, Lesbian, Foreign Director: Catherine Corisini Runtime: 98 minutes In French with English subtitles France, 2021 LOGLINE: Two women on the verge of a breakup, in a hospital, are further stressed on the night of a big demonstration by the overwhelmed staff and by angry, injured protestors who land up besieging the building. SYNOPISIS: Raf and Julie, a Lesbian couple on the brink of breaking up, find themselves in an emergency ward after Raf slips and fractures her elbow. Yet in addition to elbows and arms, the hospital is attempting to mend its own fractured wing as the ER falls into collapse with the Yellow Vest protest tearing through Paris. Their encounter with Yann, an angry, injured trucker and demonstrator, will shatter certainties and prejudices. Outside, tension escalates….It's going to be a long night! The Divide, conveys, through an astonishing feat of coordination and choreography, the sheer exhaustion of spending a few hours in an emergency ward, in a mix of devastating humor and sheer emotion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCH2iX6nDg4 Winner Queer Palm (Best GLBT Film) - Cannes Film Festival Everything of value (ALLES VAN WAARDE) Drama, Romance, Gay, Foreign, Homophobia Director: Stanley Kolk Runtime: 92 minutes In Dutch with English subtitles Netherlands, 2021 LOGLINE: When two men get beaten up late at night, an ambitious female detective tries to uncover what really took place. Her urge to discover the truth pushes the men to reveal their true feelings for each other to their loved ones and the church community. SYNOPISIS: Documentary, fiction and making-of intertwine in this associative tale about a violent incident in a close-knit village, where many things are best left unsaid. Two men are beaten up by a group of youngsters, for their alleged sexual orientation, which later is confirmed to be a gay bashing. But why do the victims refuse to report the crime? When the conservative church community in the village plays a major role the filmmaker, uses interviews and reconstructions, to find out what actually happened. Everything of Value is an insightful film on the role of religion and community and the effect on combating or perpetuating homophobia. FINLANDIA Narrative, Third Gender, Romance, Foreign Film, Director: Horacio Alcala Runtime: 117 Minutes In Spanish with English subtitles Mexico/Spain, 2021 LOGLINE: A devastating earthquake hits Oaxaca. After that, nothing will be the same for the lives of the Muxes, the third gender: neither man nor woman. Finlandia is filled with sumptuous, colorful costumes, gorgeous scenery and beautiful, kind people just trying to live their lives as who they are. SYNOPSIS: A devastating earthquake hits Oaxaca causing an emotional tremor in the lives of people with secrets, and hidden relationships that will materialize amongst the screams, debris, and dust. After this earthquake, nothing will be the same for the lives of the Muxes…a third gender: neither man, nor woman. The first body found after the earthquake belongs to Delirio, an elderly spiritual mentor for the young Muxes. She is a pioneer that has fought for decades so that people like her could find their place in a patriarchal and sexist society. With gorgeous, bright, colorful costumes and personalities equally colorful, Finlandia is the film not to be missed in this year’s festival. http://theaurora.eu/finlandia/ https://vimeo.com/422111391/073d2ec296 FESTIVALS: Guadalajara Film Festival, Minneapolis - St Paul Latino Film Festival, Beijing GLBT Film Festival THE FIRST FALLEN (OS PRIMEROS SOLADOS) Drama, Romance, Gay, Foreign, AIDS Director: Rodrigo de Oliveira Runtime: 107 Minutes In Portuguese with English subtitles Brazil, 2021 LOGLINE: At the turn of 1983 in a small Brazilian town, a group of gay men and women celebrate New Year’s Eve with no idea of the approaching evil. The biologist Suzano knows something terrible is disrupting his body. Uncertain of his future and desperate at the lack of information, Suzano reaches out to artist Rose and filmmaking student Humberto, both equally ill. SYNOPISIS: New Year’s Eve of 1983. A group celebrates without certainty about the future. Suzano, a biology student who has just returned from studies abroad, knows that something very wrong is beginning to upset his body. The first known victim of the AIDS virus in the city, Suzano faces the desire to better understand the disease and seek a cure, while trying to protect his sister Maura and nephew Muriel from the impact of the disease on the family. The First Fallen follows the first year of the explosion of the epidemic in Brazil through its victims and the community of support and solidarity that is formed around them. FRAMING AGNES Documentary, Historical, Trans Director: Chase Joynt Runtime: 75 minutes In English Canada, 2021 LOGLINE: After discovering case files from a 1950s gender clinic, a cast of trans actors turn a talk show inside out to confront the legacy of a young trans woman forced to choose between honesty and access. SYNOPISIS: In 1958, a young trans woman named Agnes entered a study about sex disorders at UCLA to get the gender-affirming care she needed, by any means necessary. Her story was long considered to be exceptional until never-before-seen case files of other patients were found in 2017. Directed by Chase Joynt (No Ordinary Man) and featuring an all-star cast of transgender artists and performers, Framing Agnes uses re-enactment and genre-blurring storytelling techniques to breathe new life into previously unknown people who redefined gender in the midcentury. AUDIENCE AWARD: NEXT (SUNDANCE), NEXT INNOVATOR AWARD PRESENTED BY ADOBE—CHASE JOYNT (SUNDANCE) GIRL PICTURE (TYOT TYOT TYOT) Feature, Lesbian, Youth, Romance Director: Alli Haapasalo Runtime: 100 minutes In Finnish and French with English subtitles Finland, 2022 LOGLINE: Mimmi, Emma, and Rönkkö are girls at the cusp of womanhood, trying to draw their own contours. Over three consecutive Fridays, two of them experience the earth moving effects of falling in love, while the third goes on a quest to find something she’s never experienced before … pleasure. SYNOPISIS: Best friends Rönkkö and Mimmi are busy beating back the darkness of the Finnish winter with an irrepressible lust for life and love. With her quirky wit, Rönkkö stands out and has no trouble getting the boys’ attention. When Mimmi loses her temper, you might find yourself on the wrong end of her hockey stick. But when she falls in love with the graceful figure skater Emma, everything suddenly seems bright and easy. Girl Picture tells a story of friendship, and of three exhilaratingly headstrong individuals trying to wrestle dreams from reality and redefining relationships and sexuality along the way. Audience Award in the World Dramatic Competition – Sundance Film Festival JIMMY IN SAIGON Documentary, Mystery, Gay, Director: Peter McDowell Runtime: 89 minutes USA, 2022 LOGLINE: Jimmy in Saigon explores the mysterious life and death of James Austin McDowell, a Vietnam veteran who died at age 24 in 1972 as a civilian in Saigon. Painting an elegiac portrait, director Peter McDowell uncovers family secrets surrounding Jim’s drug use and sexuality, getting to know his brother who died when Peter was only 5 years old. SYNOPISIS: Jimmy in Saigon is a feature documentary by filmmaker Peter McDowell who chronicles the story of Jim, his eldest brother, and a Vietnam War veteran. In 1972, when Jim was 24 and Peter was only 5, Jim died under mysterious circumstances while living as a civilian in Saigon. Through over 200 of Jim’s letters, candid interviews with Jim’s friends and family, and filming of the truth-seeking journey that led him across the United States, Vietnam, and France, Peter creates an elegiac work that examines grief, family secrets, war, drug use, sexuality, and healing, amounting to a celebration of a short but powerful life. Website: jimmyinsaigon.com Email: peter@petermcdowell.com Facebook: facebook.com/jimmyinsaigon Twitter: @jimmyinsaigon https://vimeo.com/371008456?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=11213050 LONESOME Drama, Romance, Gay, Erotic Director: Craig Boreham Runtime: 95 minutes In English Australia, 2021 LOGLINE: Two young men make a connection neither of them expects or knows how to navigate SYNOPISIS: Casey, a hot, hunky young man from the countryside running from a small-town scandal, finds himself down and out in the big city of Sydney. When he meets Tib, a young city lad, struggling with his own scars of isolation, there’s chemistry, not only sexually but also emotionally as both men find something they have been missing. Can they overcome their own insecurities and let the other in or are the walls they have built too strong to knockdown? Lonesome takes audiences on a thrilling, hedonistic, erotic journey, depicting two characters, who not only seek sexual fulfillment but also acceptance and a meaningful bond. MAKE ME FAMOUS Documentary, Artist Director: Brian Vincent Runtime: 93 minutes USA, 2021 LOGLINE: A madcap romp through the 1980's NYC art scene amid the colorful career of painter, Edward Brezinski, hell-bent on making it. Filmed in NYC, Detroit, San Francisco, Ireland, Berlin and the Cote d'Azur. SYNOPISIS: An investigation of Detroit-born Edward Brezinski, charismatic Lower East Side painter on the fringe of success, who thwarted his career with antics that roiled NYC's art elite. The film reveals a unique snapshot of the 1980s art explosion while unearthing the truth of Brezinski's mysterious death in the Cote d'Azur. This documentary brings forward a popular era while unearthing many artists, photographers, and stories that you may not already know. The 1980s art scene is famous for break-out artists, but many others made a powerful impact. Make Me Famous is an intimate look at the art world's attitude towards success and failure, fame and fortune, notoriety, and erasure. MAMA BEARS Documentary, Youth, Parenting Director: Daresha Kyi Runtime: 90 minutes In English USA, 2022 LOGLINE: Spread across the country but connected through private Facebook groups, over 30,000 conservatives, Christian mothers call themselves “mama bears” because of how ferociously they fight for the civil rights of their children and the entire LGBTQ+ community. SYNOPISIS: Spread across the country but connected through private Facebook groups, they help one another overcome the teachings of their churches and call themselves “mama bears” because of how ferociously they fight for the civil rights of their children and the entire LGBTQ community. Although they may have grown up as fundamentalist, evangelical Christians, mama bears are willing to risk losing friends, family, and faith communities to keep their offspring safe—even if it challenges their belief systems and rips their worlds apart. Shot in a poetic, deeply intimate style, Mama Bears uses social media posts, home movies, photographs, interviews, and cinema verité footage to explore the complex intersections of politics, religion, faith, and true, unconditional love. MANSCAPING Documentary, Trans, Gay, Artist, Black Director: Broderick Fox Runtime: 62 minutes USA/Canada/Australia, 2022 LOGLINE: Black American artist Devan Shimoyama, Canadian transman barber Jesse Anderson, and Australian fetish barber Richard Savvy are three queer men reimagining the traditional barbershop and styling new conceptions of masculinity along the way. SYNOPISIS: Devan Shimoyama is a Black American artist, whose barbershop painting series draws upon Afrofuturism and drag to envision the Black barbershop as a more inclusive space. Jessie Anderson is a young transgender Canadian barber and proprietor of Big Bro’s Barbershop, where trans, gender nonconforming, and queer customers know they won’t have to ‘go back into the closet’ to get a haircut. Richard Savvy, Australia’s ‘naked barber’, is a fetish barber/porn actor, and former ‘Sydney Mr. Leather’ who invites you to leave your shame and clothes at the door. Their stories, artistry, and activism model ways we can cut through the toxicity of male fragility in favor of social inclusion and personal freedom. MAYFLY (EFIMERA) Feature, Lesbian, Youth, Fantasy Director: Luis Mariano Garcia Runtime: 87 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles Mexico, 2021 LOGLINE: Deeply affected by the death of a schoolmate, Emilia, a senior student with the ability to see people close to death glowing, begins a romantic relationship with Renata, a laid-back girl who will make her question the way she lives. SYNOPISIS: Emilia is a teenager with the ability to see those close to death shine…literally shine. As she grapples with this gift/curse, her rigid nature begins to transform and soften after meeting Renata. Together, they make plans although unexpected circumstances force the two of them down surprising paths. We have all seen the coming-of-age story, but not like this. Mayfly takes the genre and puts it on its head lacing the proceedings with fantasy and magical realism, but the whole time avoiding the cliches and stereotypes all too often associated with the genre. é MONEYBOYS Drama, Gay, Foreign, Director: C.B. YI Runtime: 120 minutes In Mandarin with English subtitles Austria/France/Taiwan, 2021 LOGLINE: A young man, Fei, makes a living in the big city working as a hustler. His world collapses when he realizes that his family accepts his money but not his homosexuality. Broken-hearted, Fei struggles to create a new beginning in his life. SYNOPISIS: Moneyboys examines the tight-knit community of gay hustlers in Beijing. The film centers on Fei, a hustler who sends much of his money back home. But while returning to his village, Fei is humiliated by his father’s friends and family. They want his dirty money but prefer to disavow him completely. Life back home now impossible, Fei fully commits himself to his gay hustler friends. He eventually hooks up with Long, a young man from his village who has moved to Beijing to start over. But he has never gotten over Xiaolai, his mentor and first love, who disappeared after being brutally injured while protecting Fei from a violent john. MY EMPTINESS AND I (MI VACIO Y YO) Drama, Trans, Foreign, Director: Adrian Silvestre Runtime: 98 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles Spain, 2022 LOGLINE: Raphi is young, androgynous, and naive. In Barcelona, she begins a gender transition as well as an arduous journey to find her true identity. SYNOPISIS: After moving from France to Spain, Raphi fantasizes about romances with princes and about starting a traditional family. However, that is only fantasy. She works in a call center in Barcelona, struggles with dates that often turn embarrassing, and is diagnosed with gender dysphoria. We follow this trans woman as she makes her transition during this essential and confusing period. We see her in her everyday life, as she talks candidly with colleagues, queer friends, and the men she meets through apps. Despite all the advice she receives, it turns out that it is mostly time and experience that will help her embrace her place in this world. ADRIANSILVESTRE.WORDPRESS.COM https://vimeo.com/551238462 ONCE A YEAR IN BLACKPOOL SANDS Drama, Comedy, Romance, Gay, Based on a True Story Director: Karlton Parris Runtime: 105 Minutes In English United Kingdom, 2021 LOGLINE: Blackpool 1953. Two young gay Yorkshire miners, Eddy and Tommy, on their annual holiday there, meet transvestite James Elbridge who is summoning up the courage to do the fabled walk from pier to pier. SYNOPISIS: Once a Year on Blackpool Sands is a moving comedy-drama about the love, identity, and courage of the LGBTQ community during the first walk towards Gay Pride in 1950s England. Based on the real-life events of Yorkshire coal miners and secret gay lovers, Tommy, and Eddy, who spend their annual week holiday at a quirky B & B in Blackpool, along with a few other alternative members of society. The film takes the viewer on a rollercoaster journey through the North of England to the beaches of Greece and follows each character’s fight for equality and freedom in an age that still deemed being gay, or “different” as a crime. PAT ROCCO DARED Documentary, Films about Filmmakers, Gay, Erotic Directors: Morris Chapdelaine & Bob Christie Runtime: 89 minutes Canada, 2021 LOGLINE: In this colorful trip back in time, filmmaker and activist Pat Rocco shares his incredible life story as one of Hollywood's original boundaries pushing gay pioneers and the man credited with the first on-screen same-sex kiss...and he didn’t stop there. SYNOPISIS: Playboy Magazine called Pat Rocco the “King of the Nudies”, but Rocco was much more than an erotic filmmaker. He was an activist, artist and hopeless romantic. Rocco sold his all-nude male films in the backs of local papers till a film festival screened his films making him an instant hit. Rocco continued to pump out more films pushing new boundaries with each one. In A Very Special Friend Rocco dared to screen the first kiss between two men ever seen on a big theatre screen. Artistic, erotic, and highly romanticized, his films were controversial not for their explicitness but rather their bold political and artistic expression. Pat Rocco Dared brings you up close and personal with the man and his films. PHANTOM PROJECT (PROYECTO FANTASMA) Drama, Comedy, Gay, Foreign, Fantasy Director: Roberto Doveris Runtime: 97 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles Chile, 2022 LOGLINE: Pablo is a 30-year-old gay man, and an aspiring actor who works as a simulated patient and in odd alternative therapy sessions to make ends meet. As his life continues to spiral, his housemate vanishes, saddling him with more debt and mounting problems, including a dog and a cardigan possessed by a ghost. SYNOPISIS: Pablo is a young actor who dreams of acting in a film, but in order to pay the bills he has to work as simulated patient in medical schools, and weird sessions of alternative therapies. Not only is his career stuck, his life also seems to be spiraling. He is still in love with his successful ex-boyfriend and his roommate disappeared without paying the rent, leaving behind several problems... among them, a ghost. This is the start of Pablo's journey through his Ñuñoa neighborhood, meeting new friends and allies, finding out that the path to fulfill his dreams will be more tangled and stranger that he thought. POLYAMORY FOR DUMMIES (POLIAMOR PARA PRINCIPIANTES) Comedy, Romance, Foreign Director: Fernando Colomo Runtime: 98 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles Spain, 2021 LOGLINE: A boy so shy and conservative feels attracted by a girl who practices polyamory, and she has several love relations at the same time with many people. SYNOPISIS: Satur and Tina are married, and Berta enters their life. In the end, however, Satur is pushed out and Tina and Berta have an affair. Manu is a loser who tries to embark on a relationship with Amanda, who at the same time is involved with Alex, Claudia and Marta and Esteban, with whom they are all co-raising two children. Everyone seem to be living many different lives but all of them will have a lot to learn from each other. When you thought you knew everything about sex…Polyamory for Dummies makes you think again…but also makes you laugh a lot. PRIVATE DESERT (DESERTO PARTICULAR) Drama, Romance, Gay, Foreign, Trans Director: Aly Muritiba Runtime: 120 minutes In Portuguese with English subtitles Brazil/Portugal, 2021 LOGLINE: A policeman on forced leave, travels the North of Brazil desperately in search of his internet love affair who's apparently gone missing. The search will bring about new revelations and challenge the love. SYNOPISIS: 40-year-old Daniel has been suspended from active police work and is under internal investigation for a violent episode while on duty. When Sara, his internet love affair, stops answering his texts he decides to drive north in search of her, starting on what is apparently a fool's errand. Upon arrival, he shows Sara's picture around, but nobody seems to recognize the woman. He receives a break when a guy appears saying he can put the two in touch, but, under very specific conditions. This is a journey filled with the perils of toxic masculinity and homophobia and plenty of twists along the way. BRAZIL'S OFFICIAL SUBMISSION TO THE 94TH ACADEMY AWARDS THE SCHOOLMASTER GAMES (MAGISTERLEKARNA) Drama, Romance, Gay, Erotic, Foreign Director: Ylva Forner Runtime: 82 minutes In Swedish with English subtitle Sweden, 2022 LOGLINE: High school intrigue and pulsating eroticism at a boarding school where it’s straight to be queer. It’s a stylistically impeccable film filled with enough bitchiness and fabulousness to satisfy everyone. SYNOPISIS: The school year at St. Sebastian, exclusively populated by queer guys, has just started. The much-desired Charles enters a secret sexual power game orchestrated by the strict schoolmaster, who is tortured by memories from a time long before the erotic acceptance that currently prevails at the boarding school. When the competition for the prestigious singing event tightens, friendships crack and the utopian existence begins to fall apart piece by piece. Based on a novel and inspired by high school films and gay porn, The Schoolmaster Games illustrates a world where sexuality is free, but power games simmer beneath the surface. SOFTIE (PETITE NATURE) Drama, Gay, Foreign, Director: Samuel Theis Runtime: 93 minutes In French with English subtitles France, 2021 LOGLINE: Sensitive, curious, and intelligent, ten-year-old Johnny stands out from his family and tough neighborhood. Things change when a new teacher, fresh from the big city, takes over Johnny’s class. Mr. Adamski believes in Johnny and wants to open a new world to him. SYNOPISIS: The 10-year-old blond Johnny stands out: he seems not to fit in with his tough but at times completely overwhelmed mother, Sonia, nor in the social settlement in north-eastern France where they have recently moved to. The sensitive boy goes through the world with a curious eye and is interested in things far beyond his age. When Jean, a new teacher, takes over Johnny's class, someone finally recognizes his potential and begins to encourage him. The boy feels so comfortable with Jean, however, that his affection soon pushes the boundaries of what is permissible. In Softie, director Samuel poignantly tells of the complex experiential world of an extraordinarily charismatic child. SUBLIME Drama, Gay, Foreign, YOUTH Director: Mariano Biasin Runtime: 100 minutes In Spanish with English subtitles Argentina, 2021 LOGLINE: Manuel lives in a small coastal town. He plays bass in a band with his best friends. One of them is Felipe, with whom he shares a strong friendship. Unbreakable bond. Until the time comes to put it to test. SYNOPISIS: In his dreams, bathed in a brilliant glow, Manu and his best friend Felipe are inching closer and closer together, yet they never kiss. A confusing desire, as Manu is dating Azul. In Mariano Biasin’s Sublime, a desire simmers beneath the surface of 16-year-old Manu’s everyday life, his emotional turmoil constantly revealing itself, during his attempt to find the right chords for his latest lyrics and in his flights of melancholic introspection, at band practices or during supper with his parents. Cautiously, with increasing resignation, Manu keeps trying to solve the conundrum: how do you avoid losing something precious, when it’s the very thing tearing you up inside? THE SWIMMER Narrative, Gay, Romance, Foreign Film, Sports Director: Adam Kalderon Runtime: 90 Minutes In Hebrew with English subtitles Israel, 2021 LOGLINE: Speedos, water, desire… and only one ticket to the Olympics. The race is on to see who wins the ticket and if Erez can win Nevo’s heart. SYNOPSIS: Erez, a rising star in the Israeli swimming scene, arrives at a godforsaken training camp held in a boarding school, where the one to win the competition gets a ticket to the Olympics. There he meets the beautiful and talented Nevo, who awakens subconscious desires in him. However, their swimming coach does not believe in friendship between competitors. Warned to stay away from Nevo, Erez is still too attracted to him. In between practices, he attempts to act upon his feelings and understands that winning a medal is less important than winning Nevo’s heart. The Swimmer is tender and tense with an ending unlike any you will see this year…in a good way. SWING RIDE (CALCINCULO) Drama, Foreign, Director: Chiara Bellosi Runtime: 96 minutes In Italian with English subtitles Italy/Switzerland, 2022 NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE LOGLINE: For each of us, there's a reason to jump on the ride, but when it starts spinning fast, it's like flying and we don't want to get off. This is what happens to Benedetta when she meets Amanda and follows her into her world. SYNOPISIS: Benedetta, 15, lives in rural Italy with her parents and her two little sisters. When a funfair sets up nearby, she meets fairground worker Amanda who lives a self-determined life and defies gender norms. Benedetta is fascinated by the older Amanda’s self-confidence and independence. The two have a cautious friendship, not one fueled by grand emotions but rather by genial affection, curiosity, and unspoken acknowledgment. Quiet moments and precise observations lend this coming-of-age film both its poetry and a pervasive sense of lightness. Swing Ride takes a tender look at an unusual friendship whilst unfolding a tale of self-discovery and breaking free. TOWARDS HAPPINESS (FINO AD ESSERE FELICI) Drama, Comedy, Romance, Gay, Foreign, Director: Paolo Cipolletta Runtime: 94 minutes In Italian with English subtitles Italy, 2022 LOGLINE: Andrea is a labor consultant and his married life with Lucia is on the rocks. Once a week Andrea crosses the border into the Neapolitan nightlife to give life to Octavia Meraviglia: the most famous drag queen in Naples. SYNOPISIS: Andrea is a forty-year-old labor consultant with a nice job, who lives an apparent ordinary life with his wife Lucia and eleven-year-old son Tommaso. Their marriage is winding down, crushed by a suffocating routine. But not everything is as it seems. Andrea has a profound secret; at night he transforms into a fabulous drag queen performing at a Naples bar. While this seems to be the art form of a gay man, Andrea is still dealing with his own sexual identity. Add the presence of the ambiguous figure Ciro, Andrea’s best friend, the question of Andrea’s sexuality is even more complex. WANDERING HEART (ERRANTE CORAZON) Drama, Romance, Gay, Foreign, Break Up, Mental Health Director: Leonardo Brzezicki Runtime: 112 minutes In Spanish and Portuguese with English subtitles Argentina/Brazil/Spain/Chile/The Netherlands, 2021 LOGLINE: Santiago, a gay man dominated by his demons and passions, embarks on a desperate and frantic search for a single thing: to love and be loved. His emotional crisis is compounded by his daughter’s impending departure from his life. SYNOPISIS: Gay single father Santiago has reached a tipping point in his life. Reeling from a bitter breakup, Santiago is also facing the impending departure of his daughter Laila, with whom he shares a close yet emotionally charged relationship. As the fear of being alone threatens to swallow him whole, his behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Over the course of a chaotic summer divided between Argentina and Brazil, Santiago must learn to let go of Laila so each can find their own freedoms. Drawing complex, empathetic characters and employing unaffected dialogue, this emotionally affecting drama is a story about the intense longing to love and be loved. WET SAND Drama, Romance, Gay, Lesbian, Foreign Director: Elene Naveriani Runtime: 115 minutes In Georgian with English subtitles Georgia, 2021 LOGLINE: A village on the Georgian Black Sea is full of friendly people convinced they know each other. One day, Eliko is found hanged. His granddaughter Moe comes to organize his funeral. She is confronted with a web of lies and the tragic consequences of Eliko’s hidden love life, The truth however frees Moe’s capability to love. SYNOPISIS: In this melodrama on the coast of the Black Sea, Eliko, an old and timid man, who was not widely liked by his neighbors, has committed suicide. His granddaughter Moe, a young woman from the capital, is called in to arrange his funeral. She finds support in Amnon, the beach bartender who seems to have known Eliko better than one would think, and in Fleshka, the other "quirky" character in the village. Together, they form a complex and touching trio as they face the bigotry of a community rooted in toxic conformism. Wet Sand is Elene Naveriani's second feature and a poetic Georgian ode to resistance to anti-LGBT discourses. https://wetsand-film.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZYkvaU4Y6A WHAT WE KNOW (LO QUE SABEMOS) Drama, Romance, Gay, Foreign, Director: Jordi Nunez Runtime: 98 minutes In Catalan with English subtitles Spain, 2021 US PREMIERE LOGLINE: Carla, a young waitress, dreaming of a better life, is invited to spend an afternoon at the beach with Victor, an attractive, captivating classmate, and his peculiar friends. Between both appears an immediate attraction, which grows intensely and deeply, and that will change their lives forever. SYNOPISIS: Carla, a recent Venezuelan immigrant arriving in Valencia, dreams of a better life. She is in love with the uber-popular, hunky, Victor. An afternoon at the beach with Victor and his friends, including a very charismatic gay friend who takes Carla under his wing…will result in an increasingly intense and profound attraction between Carla and Victor. Enter Marina, an attractive and enigmatic young woman whose obsession is not to fall into mediocrity, and whose passion for Victor has no bounds. Friendship, love, and desire meet in a journey through time, marked by the first steps towards maturity and disenchantment, which appears when life really begins. A journey whose destiny will entail some sacrifices. WHO WE LOVE Drama, Comedy, Romance, Lesbian, Gay, Youth Director: Graham Cantwell Runtime: 92 minutes Ireland, 2021 LOGLINE: Who We Love tells the story of Lily and Simon, best friends who navigate the troubled waters of school life and explore Dublin’s vibrant and sometimes dark LGBTQ+ scene under the sharp eye of reluctant mentor Oonagh. SYNOPISIS: The story of Lily, a girl with a secret, on the cusp of becoming a young woman. With her gay best friend, the fiercely loyal and flamboyant Simon, she navigates the treacherous waters of school life. When a misunderstanding with the beautiful and popular Violet leads to a vicious attack, Lily is faced with the greatest challenge of her young life. The team responsible for the film wanted to being a story to life that they wish they had seen at Lily’s age, and we are better for their effort. Who We Love is a film about coming of age and coming out! WILDHOOD Drama, Comedy, Romance, Gay, Road Movie Director: Bretten Hannam Runtime: 108 minutes In English and Mi'kmaq with English subtitles Canada/Germany, 2021 LOGLINE: Fleeing from their abusive father, Link and his younger half-brother set off in search of Link’s Mi’kmaw mother, whom they had been told was dead. Along the way, Link discovers community, identity and self-acceptance in this beautiful Two-Spirit odyssey. SYNOPISIS: Fleeing from their abusive and neglectful father, Link and his younger half-brother Travis set off in search of Link’s mother. Along the way they encounter Pasmay, a Mi’kmaw dancer, also estranged from his family. A growing attraction between Link and Pasmay, and exposure to Mi’kmaw culture, help Link see a future for himself. Remarkable performances and beautiful cinematography make for an exquisitely touching and engaging film that’s part road movie, part romance, all told from a queer Indigenous perspective. Writer-director Bretten Hannam has created an award-winning tale that tackles difficult subjects with delicacy, sweet humor and emotional complexity, all while avoiding clichés and stereotypes. JEANNETTE Documentary, Lesbian Director: Maris Curran Runtime: 77 minutes USA, 2021 LOGLINE: Jeannette tells the story of Jeannette Feliciano, a competitive bodybuilder and queer single mother, who struggles to cope with trauma after surviving the mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub. Shot in striking and intimate vérité, the film embraces the strength, hope and humor of an incredible woman's journey of healing. SYNOPSIS: The film begins in the aftermath of the PULSE Nightclub shooting — after the news cameras have packed up and life is meant to return to normal. Jeannette Feliciano’s curtains are closed; she can’t escape the weight of her survivor’s guilt, but she concentrates on getting strong – for herself, her son, and her community. We follow Jeannette as she designs a bootcamp for fellow survivors, prepares to compete in a bodybuilding competition and travels to Puerto Rico, her homeland, to aid her sister and her wife in the wake of the devastation from Hurricane Maria. The film is structured as a journey of healing for Jeannette. VIRTUAL ONLY ADVENT OF MARY (ADVENTO DE MARIA) Drama, Trans, Foreign, Youth, Religion Director: Vinicius Machado Runtime: 103 minutes In Portuguese with English subtitles Brazil, 2021 LOGLINE: Maria, an 11-year-old transgender girl, tormented by the search for her identity, faces religious and family pressure until she meets Lena, her new neighbor. A pure friendship, free from judgments and prejudices, moves Maria to discover and understand her true self. SYNOPISIS: Maria tries to be a boy and do the traditional, macho, boy things, but it doesn’t feel right. She is deeply religious even being an altar boy as a way to be closer to God, and trying to help with the gender confusion. In the end, it will take a new neighbor for Maria, to be unapologetically Maria. Brazil is well known as a religious and conservative country making it a fitting backdrop for Advent of Mary with its main character struggling against both the church and community. The story may be familiar, but not the intensity and vigor in this film. https://www.facebook.com/Advento-de-Maria-102950397715953 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBH3sDcQDNM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBH3sDcQDNM BRIDESMAN Comedy, Romance, Gay, Series, Director: Julian Buchon Runtime: 59 minutes USA, 2021 LOGLINE: Follows Terry, the man-of-honor intent on stealing away his best friend Judith's husband-to-be before the couple can make their vows. SYNOPISIS: Armed with zero shame, bizarrely iconic fashion choices, and hilarious one-liners covered in a thick layer of vocal fry, comedian Jimmy Fowlie steals the show in this first-ever series produced by Grindr. Fowlie plays Terry, the self-absorbed gay man-of-honor at his best friend Judith’s wedding. When Terry decides he must have Judith’s gorgeous husband-to-be for himself, he secretly plans to break up the ceremony…but first he’ll have to contend with Judith’s scheming other best friend, Muriel, and her army of wedding planners. Don’t miss this chance to watch the entire series — filled to the brim with priceless sight gags and endlessly quotable dialogue! HOMEBODY Narrative, GenderQueer, Youth, Meditation, Comedy, Director: Joseph Sackett Runtime: 75 Minutes USA, 2021 LOGLINE: A genderqueer body-transfer fantasy about a little 9 year old boy who sends his spirit into his babysitter's body and gets to live life as a women for a day SYNOPSIS: 9-year-old Johnny is a sensitive boy who adores his babysitter, Melanie, or does he want to be her? When a YouTube video teaches Johnny about Free-Spirit Meditation, the ability to send your spirit out of your physical body, Johnny sends his spirit into Melanie. He can see through her eyes, speak through her mouth, and move around in her body. It’s a dream come true: Johnny-as-Melanie gets to be a woman for a day. But as the pressures of pretending to be someone else stack up, Johnny-as-Melanie gets himself in way over his head. Homebody just might be the Freaky Friday of the new millennium. FESTIVALS: OUTFEST YOUNG AND AFRAID (NATTEBARN) Documentary, Lesbian, Trans, Bisexual, Mental Health Director: Petter Aaberg and Sverre Kvamme Runtime: 100 minutes In Norwegian with English subtitles Norway, 2021 LOGLINE: Petter (24) is standing on top of a bridge and is about to end his life, but he is stopped by the police at the last minute. This potential ending, will be the beginning of a therapeutic journey with best friend, fellow film student and co-director Sverre. SYNOPISIS: Young and Afraid is a raw film about young people fighting their demons. In the autumn of 2017, bisexual Petter (24) was standing on top a bridge, preparing to end his life, when he was stopped by the police. This started a therapeutic journey with his best friend, Sverre. Equipped with a film camera, they scour the streets of Oslo, befriending people struggling with their own problems, from drug addiction to accepting their sexuality. The filmmakers want to shed light on how people cope with the challenges they face. By trying to understand their destructive patterns, Petter becomes aware of his own. SHORTS 1 Gay, queer, questioning, non-binary, the spectrum of the community is represented in these fantastic shorts that run the gamut of emotions! BOOM AND BLOOM Director: Stefan Langthaler Runtime: 24 minutes In German with English subtitles Austria, 2022 In the Austrian Alps, father and son set out on a hike to finally climb to the top of their emotional world. COME Director: David McShane Runtime: 6 minutes UK, 2021 Meeting new people can be awkward, so mutual understanding of the situation goes a long way. This beautiful animation delicately shows the very real social poetry in app-facilitated hook-ups. F^¢K ‘€M R!GHT B@¢K Director: Harris Doran Runtime: 12 minutes USA, 2021 A queer, Black Baltimore rapper must outwit his "out to get him" day job boss toin order to avoid being fired after he accidentally takes drugs. DASH Director: Rory Fleck Byrne Runtime: 15 minutes Ireland, 2021 A small-town stable man struggles with his femininity amidst a rugged rural landscape. As his favorite horse is set to be euthanized at the end of the week he is forced to make a decision. Will he continue to live like this? COMING OUT WITH THE HELP OF A TIME MACHINE Director: Naman Gupta Runtime: 21 minutes USA, 2021 When coming out to his traditional Indian parents, Sid uses his time machine to reset the day trying to make sure everything goes perfect. THE SUCCESSFUL THAWING OF MR. MORO (LYCKAD UPPTINING AV HERR MORO) Director: Jerry Carlsson Runtime: 14 minutes In Swedish with English subtitles Sweden, 2021 Milo Moro finds out that his ex-partner Adrian, who has been cryopreserved for the past 43 years, can be thawed and brought back to life. When the staff from ScandiCryonics arrives to pick up the cryo-container with Adrian's body, Milo realizes he might not be ready for Adrian to return. STOCKHOLM Director: Tom Wright Runtime: 10 minutes UK, 2021 A young gay man embarks on an unusual first date in a conquest to take control of his past. SHORTS 2 Coming of age, coming out on your wedding day, a writers retreat becomes a voyeuristic paradise, the trauma of celebrating your birthday at a pool party with hunky guys...when you are NOT one, an animated ode to a gender fluid musical genius and a a drug induced trip back into your memories.....it's not your average evening but it is all in these great shorts. TWO-HEADED CALVES (Kälber mit zwei Köpfen) Director: Benjamin Kramme Runtime: 28 minutes In German with English subtitles German, 2022 Two-Headed Calves is Johannes and Marie’s wedding video. For Johannes, the marriage is supposed to mark the start of a new life, and in the end it does, just differently than expected. BREATHE Director: Harm van der Sanden Runtime: 5 Minutes No Dialogue Netherlands, 2022 A visual short coming of age story of young boy Bram discovering his sexuality. BRUTAL Director: Sam McConnell Runtime: 13 minutes USA, 2022 Jack Roth (Cheyenne Jackson) - once the hottest star of cable news - stumbles upon a "newsworthy sex scandal" and ends up facing off against all sides, including the corporation he works for. L’HOMME INCONNU Director: Anthony Schatteman Runtime: 22 Minutes In Dutch and French with English subtitles Belgium, 2021 After the success of his first novel, thirty-something Flemish writer Louis is suffering from writer’s block. Hoping that a new place will inspire him, he sets out for the Côte d’Azur. One day he sees a couple making love on the beach. They introduce themselves as Melanie and Tommy. It is Tommy who arouses something in Louis. Unsure what to do with this desire, he decides to write down his lustful feelings, until he becomes completely obsessed with Tommy. The extreme plot twists in Louis’s story begin to bleed into reality. HOTTER UP CLOSE (formerly SWIMSUIT) Director: Leland Montgomery Runtime: 14 minutes USA, 2022 On the eve of his 30th birthday, a gay slacker must overcome his crippling insecurities to find love. REFEEL Director: Omer Harel Runtime: 19 minutes In Hebrew with English subtitles Israel, 2021 For their sixth anniversary, Dekel sweeps Neri into a journey through their memories with the help of a new drug which makes you re-experience memories. This trip reaches a breaking point when they go back to a joint sexual encounter which floods Neri with feelings he tried to suppress. LIPSTICK OF THE BRAVE Director: Bill Plympton Runtime: 6 minutes USA, 2022 Lipstick of the Brave represents the animated journey of Madstone Rowan, composer and performer, as they find inspiration in rock and pop music which inspired them to move beyond the gender binary and embrace their non-binary self. Through Bill Plympton’s poignant animation, homage is paid to the songs and artists that lifted Madstone on their journey as the film seeks to connect with the audience in a way that inspires the viewer to see their own sense of personal power as a part of a world that collectively embraces all expressions of gender and sexuality. The animation is set to the music written and sung by Madstone Rowan. SHORTS 3 I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more...but I also cried some more. Whether up or down, the emotional rollercoaster of these shorts is always worth the ride. I HOPE YOU KNOW Director: Alexia Dalla Rosa Runtime: 25 minutes USA, 2022 A story following the journey of Sara, a young woman struggling after losing her boyfriend, Thomas, to suicide. As Sara accompanies Thomas's childhood friend, Jane, up to Northern Ontario for his funeral, the two girls must rely on each other to get over their grief, insecurities, and the questions they both hold. BLUNT Director: Hisonni Mustafa Johnson Runtime: 20 minutes USA, 2021 In this dialogue-driven episode, an interracial lesbian couple attempts to ease the racial tension between them and their parents using the power of straight talk and a little bit of Cannabis. DRAGGED UP Director: Laura Jayne Tunbridge Runtime: 19 minutes UK, 2021 Dragged Up is a comedy-drama about family, identity, and drag that sees a shy and awkward tomboy use, drag to find the inner confidence she needs to show her family who she truly is. FAREWELL Director: Maria Akesson Runtime: 5 minutes In Swedish with English subtitles Sweden, 2021 Agnes and Ellen fell in love and spent the following 50 years together. One day Ellen dies and their dreams of moving on together shatters, this is where the story of determined Agnes starts. KEEP/DELETE Director: Kryzz Gautier Runtime: 19 minutes USA, 2022 In a future world where memories are handled like computer files, two lovers decide to undergo a procedure and have their entire relationship wiped from their brains. POWERS Director: Paige Morrow Kimball Runtime: 24 minutes USA, 2021 A budding artist in her 60s spreads joy in her urban community by hanging sculptures on telephone poles with messages of positivity. Afraid to get caught, she disguises herself as a man, hanging them anonymously. Through her random acts of kindness she comes into her own as an artist and makes peace with her troubled past. This heartwarmingheart-warming story reminds us that it’s never too late to discover one’s true passion. SHORTS BEFORE FEATURES: Before FRAMING AGNES DASH Director: Rory Fleck Byrne Runtime: 15 minutes Ireland, 2021 A small-town stable man struggles with his femininity amidst a rugged rural landscape. As his favorite horse is set to be euthanized at the end of the week he is forced to make a decision. Will he continue to live like this? Before BESTIES TANK FAIRY Director: Erich Rettstadt Runtime: 10 minutes In Mandarin with English subtitles Taiwan, 2021 In Taiwan, "song wa si de" are workers who routinely supply gas tanks to street vendors and old residential buildings. The magical Tank Fairy delivers her tanks unlike any other - with sass, stilettos, and a healthy helping of glitter. Her arrival upends the life of Jojo, a lonely ten-year-old who dreams of dancing and drag. Outcast by classmates and misunderstood by his stern, single mom, Jojo is inspired to live out loud by his fierce, propane-toting fairy godmother. Tank Fairy is a musical extravaganza that encourages us all to embrace our authentic selves. Before JEANNETTE POWERS Director: Paige Morrow Kimball Runtime: 24 minutes USA, 2021 A budding artist in her 60s spreads joy in her urban community by hanging sculptures on telephone poles with messages of positivity. Afraid to get caught, she disguises herself as a man, hanging them anonymously. Through her random acts of kindness she comes into her own as an artist and makes peace with her troubled past. This heartwarming story reminds us that it’s never too late to discover one’s true passion. Before Manscaping FUNERAL QUEEN Director: Marty Madden Runtime: 16 minutes USA, 2021 This documentary short explores the lives, loves and extraordinary passions of Santa Fe Funeral Director/Drag Queen, Marie Antoinette Du Barry and her relationship with her grandmother while discovering an unexpected link between drag performance and grief. Before Who We Love WARRIOR (a pridelines film) Director: Angelica Bourland Runtime: 20 minutes USA, 2022 Nineteen-year-old Luis Garcia has lived his life appeasing his parents by trying to honor their every wish. When he is confronted with life altering news it is through the help of found family that Luis gains the strength to become the Warrior he was destined to be.

Check out these eateries that promise to please your pickiest family members. Ms. Cheezious delivers award-winning grilled cheese sandwiches that are far more sinful than mom used to make. Their temptations include a Southern Fried Chicken & Waffle Melt, a Crabby Cheese Melt, and even a S’mores Melt, a concoction of roasted marshmallows, chocolate hazelnut spread and graham cracker crumble on sourdough. You can indulge in the melted deliciousness at their location in the historic MIMO district of Miami. (7418 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, (305) 989-4019) A surefire hit for a family meal is pizza, and Ironside Kitchen Pizza knows how to do it right, preparing their creations with fresh ingredients and cooking them in a wood fired oven. It’s situated by a vibrant courtyard where your kids can play while you keep an eye on them from the patio. (7580 NE 4th Ct, Miami, (305) 531-5055) The Glass & Vine is nestled among graceful trees close to the bay in Coconut Grove's Peacock Park. It’s next to a playground, so the little ones can frolic while mom and dad nosh on fare like short rib pappardelle and carbonara fries with black truffle crema and bacon. Its kids menu offers dishes like chicken tenders, pasta and cheeseburgers. (2820 McFarlane Rd, Coconut Grove, (305) 200-5268) Boredom is not an option at the 20,000-square-foot Kings Dining & Entertainment center. It encompasses 14 bowling lanes, foosball, and a private karaoke suite, and features an award-winning menu and cocktails. (3450 Northwest 83rd Avenue suite 152, Doral, (844) 494-9400) Imaginative pizzas like truffle-honey pizza highlight Crust’s menu, but it also offers traditional favorites and simpler fare like meatballs that will keep your fussy-eaters happy. Included in OpenTable’s 100 Best Restaurants in America for two years, the eatery is sited in a scenic area by the Miami River. (668 NW 5th St. Miami, (305) 371-7065) By Lauren Tjaden. Image courtesy of Miami Convention. Special thanks to Visitflorida.org for this story reprint

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler's Big Face Coffee is the official coffee for players at the Miami Open, happening now through April 3 at Hard Rock Stadium. Yesterday, Jimmy was on-site in the player’s café serving up fresh coffee drinks to players like MADISON KEYS and FRANCIS TIAFOE. JIMMY taught 2020 US Open Champion EMMA RADUCANU how to make a latte! The 12oz hypercold IO.A-DMBZ BIGFACE canned coffee, alongside espresso drinks and the Big Face flight will be available on site by the Club 72 for VIP ticketholders, at the Miami Open for the next two weeks! By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Jimmy Butle's Big Face Coffee

On Saturday, March 19th 2022, Louis Aguirre hosted The Little Lighthouse Foundation’s Hearts & Stars Gala 2022: Roaring Twenties with a special performance by five time Grammy Award Winning singer-songwriter-producer, CeeLo Green at Miami Design District’s Jungle Plaza. Over 1,500 people from all over the world including philanthropists Moishe Mana, Harley Lipman, Bob Zangrillo, Bill Dean, Marc Leder, Nigel Kneafsey and Jon Jansheski enjoyed casino-style gambling, a roaring twenties vibe, including a hidden speakeasy, sounds from DJs Anna Boo and Noel, a top shelf open bar featuring Tito's Handmade Vodka, Casamigos Tequila, Olmeca Altos Tequila, Malfy Gin, Bacardi Rum, Elijah Bourbon, Antica Fratta and Victoria Cuvee from Tita Italia, Bodvár Rosé, Stella Artois, Michelob Ultra, Q Mixers, Fiji Water, LaCroix, and Celsius energy drink, as well as tastings from some of South Florida’s top restaurants — including KOSUSHI, Delicious Caterer, Coyo Taco, House of Mac, Potions in Motion, and CHICA. Guests enjoyed Calvisius Caviar from Tita Italia in the Aroma360 VIP Lounge. On stage between performances, Swire Properties’ Kieran Bowers was recognized as LLF’s Shining Light Award winner and Global Empowerment Mission was honored as the LLF’s Volunteer Partner of the Year. The live on-stage auction consisted of an incredible luxury villa stay from LVH Global and 4 seats on ZERO G’s specially modified Boeing 727 G-FORCE ONE ® aircraft, which achieves weightlessness for its passengers, raising over $80,000. One lucky winner took home a raffle package including a Sunset Cruise from JAF Marine and Jose Frias, a $5,000 luxury spa treatment package from Taja Drip, a Basketball signed by all 2022 Miami Heat Players, “Party Like a Rockstar Basket” from Hard Rock Hollywood, and a $2,500 Gift Certificate from E11even. LLF raised hundreds of thousands of dollars at the Gala for its programming including over $200,000 in donations on stage as part of the Encyclopeda.com matching programing from donors including Timothy Sanders, Harley Lipman, Mark and Kristina Pickard, Justin Keener, Joshua and Jenni Coba, John and Louise Barnett, Joe and Anna Michalczykk, George French, Alan Teh, John Richard, Chris Monteleone, Adrien Allez, George Bachiashvili, David Kim Young, Marco Liuzzo, Kateryna Sochka, Duane Miranda, Aaron Resnick, Dan Goodstadt, Nick Cardoza, Nick Sarnicola and Rich Rinella. The Gala was produced by Live It Productions International, an award winning global, event production and design company, who has helped produce the 2012 London Olympic Closing Ceremony, Los Premios MTV (Latin America), the NFL Honors, the ESPYs, the Kennedy Center Honors, and many other notable live events. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of World Red Eye