Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Filmography
Updated June 2008

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To find titles acquired after this filmography was last updated, use keyword searching in ALADIN; for example, keyword search: (GLBT OR LGBT OR gay OR lesbian? OR homosexual? OR transgender? OR transsexual? OR "sexual orientation" OR queer OR homophobia) AND eaun. This search may be performed by clicking here.

See also: Body Image / Self Perception / Self Image Filmography

Documentaries | Feature / Narrative Films

Documentaries

After Stonewall (2005, 88 min.). After Stonewall, the sequel to Before Stonewall, chronicles the history of gay and lesbian life from the riots at Stonewall in 1969 to the end of the century. Narrated by Melissa Etheridge. DVD 1081

AIDS in the barrio = Eso no me pasa a mi (1988, 30 min.). Discusses the causes and effects of AIDS in the Hispanic community through interviews with AIDS sufferers, their families, and members of the community at large. Drug abuse, cultural attitudes toward condom use and toward homosexuality, and the economic causes of drug abuse in the barrio are covered, as well as the role of family and friends in comforting and helping AIDS victims. Measures to prevent the spread of AIDS to wives and women friends of drug users and bi-sexual men are also discussed. VHS 3073

Aileen Wuornos: the selling of a serial killer (1992, 87 min.). True story of the first female serial killer in the U.S., Aileen Wuornos, and the opportunists who used her story. They include the woman who adopted Aileen while she was on trial and then sold Aileen's story, the lawyer who convinced Aileen to plead no contest, and Aileen's lesbian lover who got her to confess. VHS 6965

And the march continues! = Y sigue la marcha andando! (1997, 30 min.). Interviews covering the standing of lesbians in Mexico. DVD 3122

Assault on gay America: The life and death of Billy Jack (2000, 60 min.). On February 19, 1999, in Sylacauga, Alabama, 39-year-old computer programmer Billy Jack Gaither was brutally beaten with an axe handle. His throat was cut, and his body was set on fire. One of his convicted killers, Steven Mullins, testified he killed Gaither because he was "queer."  Film looks at why gays like Gaither and Matthew Shepard have become the target of such brutality and what is the source of this kind of hatred? Uses interviews with Gaither's family, friends and killers to explore whether there are possible links between the forces that drove Billy Jack's killers and the forces that fuel homophobia in the general law-abiding public. Explores his killers' motivations, including trial testimony that one of them, Steven Mullins, may have had a secret homosexual sex life. Also offers an examination of homophobia -- anti-gay attitudes, fears and beliefs -- and also the religious argument against gays. [Summary taken from PBS website]. VHS 6341

Ballot measure 9. (1995, 72 min.). Documentary look at Ballot Measure 9, a 1992 anti-gay amendment to the Oregon constitution sponsored by the Oregon Citizens' Alliance led by Lon Mabon. The Oregon initiative which would have prohibited and revoked laws which protect homosexuals from discrimination failed by 53-47 percent margin. Filmed over 8 months, documentary includes campaign speeches, rallies, television news clips, interviews with representatives from both sides and portions of the anti-gay videos produced by the Citizens' Alliance. VHS 5102

Barbara & Tibby: a love story in the face of hate (2004, 38 min.). "Chronicles the lives of Barbara & Tibby, one couple who has shared 39 years of love together. Their dream: to live simply, to live together, to enjoy functional whole lives and to contribute to their community. After overcoming years of prejudice and discrimination in the name of love, Barbara & Tibby found 'their place' in Virginia. Effective July 1, 2004, they were officially no longer welcome. This law slipped into effect with very little notice. The oppressive consequences are far-reaching. Barbara & Tibby must leave their home and their beloved community -- and move to another state where the political and social climate is less hostile." -- from container. Chronicles the lives of Barbara & Tibby, one couple who has shared 39 years of love together. After overcoming years of prejudice and discrimination in the name of love, Barbara & Tibby found "their place" in Virginia. After the passing of state law 20-45.3, effective July 1, 2004, they were officially no longer welcome. DVD 1291

Before stonewall: the making of a gay and lesbian community (1986, 87 min.). A social history of homosexuality in America from the 1920s to 1969, showing how this group has moved from a secret shame to the status of a publicly viable minority group. Tells how a group consciousness coalesced after the 1969 police raid on Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, and the three-day riot that followed gained them national publicity and the birth of the gay movement. DVD 894, VHS 1935

Black nations/queer nations?: Lesbian and gay sexualities in the African diaspora (1996, 52 min.). On March 9, 1995, a historic conference of scholars and activists took place in New York City about the state of affairs among lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people of African descent. Film uses pop culture images and film clips as well as highlights from the conference to explore such themes and topics as: black and queer identify, black nationalism and homophobia in black communities. VHS 5167

Bomgay: A collection of six short films (1996, 11 min.). First gay film from Indian where people can still be sentenced to life imprisonment for the homosexual act. VHS 6819

Boy I am (2006, 72 min.). Follows the transitions of Nicco, Norie and Keegan, three young New Yorkers from different race and class backgrounds, as they prepare and undergo female to male transition surgery. Reveals the conflict over the place of trans-males within the lesbian community. DVD 2605

Boy named Sue (2000, 57 min.). This documentary chronicles the transformation of a transsexual names Theo from a woman to a man over the course of six years. The film successfully captures Theo's physiological and psychological changes during the process, as well as their effects on his lesbian lover and community of close friends. VHS 7496

Boys' shorts. The new queer cinema: Frameline's lesbian & gay cinema collection (1996, 119 min.). Showcases six gay short movies produced in the 1990s. Resonance: exploration of a gay-bashing in the back streets of Sydney. -- RSVP: portrait of loss punctuated by the haunting voice of Jessye Norman. -- Anthem: collage of erotic images that celebrates the lives of African American men. -- Relax: film about one man's fears and fantasies regarding HIV testing. -- Billy Turner's secret: comedy about a young black man coming out to his homophobic roommate. -- The Dead boys' club: tribute to the 1970s world of promiscuity and disco balls from the perspective of gay life the 1990s. VHS 3013

Brandon Teena story (1999, 88 min.). Documentary film about Teena Brandon, who arrived in rural Falls City, Nebraska, in 1993 and assumed a new identity as a young man named Brandon. When Brandon went to jail for forging checks, his identify as a woman was revealed. Three weeks later Brandon was brutally raped and beaten by two men. Two weeks after that the same men murdered him along with two other people. Film looks at Brandon's coming of age struggle with identity and how his gender ambiguity induced feelings of betrayal, confusion and hostility among residents of a town in America's heartland. VHS 6374

Breaking the code (1997, 90 min.) The story of Alan Turing, British mathematical genius and designer of the computer that broke the German Enigma code during World War II, whose admittance to homosexuality at a time when it was illegal presented problems for him, for his family, for his colleagues, and for the State's preoccupation with national security. VHS 7580

Brincando el charco: portrait of a Puerto Rican (1994, 55 min.). Brincando el charco contemplates the notion of "identity" through the experiences of a Puerto Rican woman living in New York. In a mix of fiction, archival footage, processed interviews and soap opera drama, this film tells the story of Claudia Marin, a middle-class, light-skinned Puerto Rican, lesbian, photographer/videographer who is attempting to construct a sense of community in the U.S. VHS 7808

Brother outsider: The life of Bayard Rustin (2002, 84 min.). One of the first "freedom riders," an adviser to Dr. Martin Luther King and A. Philip Randolph, organizer of the March on Washington, intelligent, gregarious and charismatic, Bayard Rustin was denied his place in the limelight for one reason--he was also gay. This is a film biography of his life. VHS 7302

Butterflies on the scaffold = Mariposas en el andamio (1995, 74 min.). "This award winning, remarkable documentary offers a rare view of day-to-day life for gays and transvestites in Cuba today. Butterflies on the scaffold follows a group of working class drag queens in the Havana suburb of La Guinera. They gained their neighbors' respect and became an integral part of the community by forging a coalition with the female leaders of the local construction brigade and performing in the workers' dining room...." VHS 7312

Campus culture wars: Five stories about PC (1993, 86 min.). Examines five controversial incidents at universities around the country involving conflicts of values and "political correctness." Cases involve the use of racially insensitive language, gay rights and religious expression, pursuit of multi cultural ideals, sexual harassment in the classroom, and radical feminism. Includes interviews and dramatizations. VHS 2537

Castro: A documentary. Neighborhoods, the hidden cities of San Francisco (1997, 86 min.). Chronicles the history of the Castro district from a working class neighborhood to the center of gay and lesbian life in San Francisco. VHS 5334

CBS Reports: The Homosexuals (1967, 58 min.). Mike Wallace hosts a social documentary on homosexuality in the United States. The program investigates some of the medical, legal, and social aspects of homosexuality in the 1960s. Includes interviews with several homosexual men who describe their experiences as well as interviews with people in Boise, Idaho where a newspaper editorial sparked a one-year investigation, ruining many lives in the process. Also included is an interchange between author Gore Vidal and Columbia University professor Albert Goldman on the effects of homosexuality on society in general. DVD 3770

Celluloid closet (1996, 102 min.). Documentary exploration of sexual myths and the evolving attitudes toward homosexuality and sex roles. Using footage from over 120 films, film documents the changing face of cinema homosexuality from cruel stereotypes to covert love to the activist triumphs of the 1990s. Many actors, writers and commentators provide anecdotes regarding the history of the role of gay men and lesbians on the silver screen. VHS 4594

Coming out under fire (1995, 71 min.). Nine gay men and lesbians who were in the United States military service during World War II discuss their experiences with the military establishment. Includes declassified documents, archival footage and photographs. VHS 5101

Coming out, coming home: Asian and Pacific islander family stories (1996, 44 min.). Four families, the Baos, Lews, Yees and Mobleys, talk about the lives, their feelings and their experiences after a child came out as a gay or lesbian. VHS 4930

Coming out: Psychotherapy with gay and lesbian clients (1995, 40 min.). Dr. Christine Browning presents the typical stages and characteristics of the coming out process, examining the therapy issues and techniques demonstrated in two simulated therapy sessions conducted by Dr. Christine Padesky.  Dr. Aaron T. Beck, founder of Cognitive Therapy appears briefly, endorsing the use of this intervention with gay and lesbian clients. VHS 4943

Cruel and Unusual (2006, 65 min.). A documentary about transgender women convicted and incarcerated in men's prisons in the United States. Interviews to lawyers and prison custodians reveal the level of violence these women have to face from the inmates, as well as from the authorities which do not recognize their condition as a medical disorder. DVD 3969

Daddy & papa (2002, 57 min.). A documentary exploring the personal, cultural, and political impact of gay men who are making a decision that is at once traditional and revolutionary: to raise children themselves. Taking us inside four gay male families, this documentary traces the critical issues that inevitably intersect their private lives, the ambiguous place of interracial families in America, the wonder and precariousness of surrogacy and adoption, the complexities of marriage and divorce within the gay community, and the legality of their own parenthood. DVD 1569

Damned if you don't (1987, 42 min.). This portrait of a lesbian nun combines narrative and experimental techniques, as well as footage from "Black Narcissus," an earlier film with a similar theme. VHS 6713

Dangerous living: coming out in the developing world (2005, 60 min.). Explores the lives of gay and lesbian people in non-Western cultures, where most occurrences of oppression receive no media coverage at all. DVD 1527

Dear Jesse (1999, 83 min.). Gay North Carolina filmmaker Tim Kirkman's open letter to his closed-minded senator, Jesse Helms. VHS 6195

Desire: Sexuality in Germany, 1910-1945 (1989, 88 min.). Presents the events that led to the Nazi extermination of lesbians and gay men: the body and nature worship cult; the deification of same-sex friendship; the growth of gay bars; and the persecution of sexual radicals. Through archive film, photographs, and interviews, this documentary shows how the Nazi's made it their official policy to eliminate all homosexuals. VHS 5427

Different kind of black man: On being gay (2001, 19 min.). Interviews with successful, black gay men about their ideas and feelings on such issues as sexuality, masculinity and their perception of and their role within the black community. VHS 6847

Diversity. Psychotherapy with gay and lesbian clients (1995, 46 min.). This program highlights personal accounts of gay and lesbian people from diverse ethnic groups. Then three professionals in this area, Dr. Olivia Espen, Dr. Vickie Mays and Dr. Terry Gock offer their views on the empirical and clinical issues associated with multiple discrimination. Culture-specific clinical issues for African American, Asian American and Latino gay clients are presented. Finally, Dr. Christine Padesky conducts a cross-culture therapy session with a Korean American lesbian which demonstrates the assessment and treatment of culture-bound issues. VHS 4944

Eunuchs: India's third gender (1991, 50 min.). The film interviews a couple, Dinesh, a male, and Kiran, a eunuch who dresses as a female and fulfills a housewifely role.  The film also features a eunuch community that supports itself by the traditional roles of faith healing and blessing ceremonies celebrating major life events. It also shows a community in Bombay where eunuchs can no longer support themselves in the traditional manner but instead have turned to prostitution. Two new recruits are admitted into this community in a traditional Indian wedding ceremony. VHS 2465

Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (2006, 82 min.). An overview of the recent history of gay and lesbian cinema, from Kenneth Anger's pioneering Fireworks (1947) to Ang Lee's Brokeback mountain (2005). Where documentaries about earlier times looked at the closeted world, "Fabulous!" celebrates films featuring gay characters and those made by out directors on homosexual themes. DVD 3999

Fall of '55 (2005, 82 min.). A critical analysis of a gay sex scandal that occurred in Boise, Idaho in 1955. Therein, a group of male prostitutes (some as young as 15) began informing to the police on their clients, most of whom were married family men. DVD 4437

First comes love (1991, 22 min.). Wedding preparations and ceremonies of three heterosexual couples, interspersed with written statements on which countries do not allow homosexual marriage, and also the statement that in 1990 Denmark was the first country to legalize homosexual marriage. Uses no spoken words, but instead the words and songs of Janis Joplin, the Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt and others. VHS 6811

Flag Wars (2003, 90 min.). "Flag Wars" is a poignant account of the politics and pain of gentrification. Working-class black residents in Columbus, Ohio fight to hold on to their homes. Realtors and gay home-buyers see fixer-uppers. The clashes expose prejudice and self-interest on both sides, as well as the common dream to have a home to call your own. VHS 7285

For love and for life: The 1987 march on Washington for lesbian and gay rights (1989, 60 min.). Documents the Oct. 11, 1987, march for freedom, justice and life by a half million lesbians and gay men. VHS 1506

Forbidden Fruit (2000, 30 min.). This docu-drama examines long held taboos about sexual identity and lesbian love in African society. VHS 7899

From a secret place (1993, 40 min.). Young lesbians, gays, and their families describe their own coming out experiences clearly and poignantly. VHS 5637

Further off the straight & narrow new gay visibility on television 1998-2006. (2006, 61 min.). Surveys network dramas, sitcoms, reality shows, and premium cable programming to show how the portrayal of GLBT characters is often marked by ambivalence and tension. The film cautions that although GLBT characters and plotlines have become more prevalent and complex in recent years, the images and stories portrayed continue to be shaped by narrow commercial imperatives. The film argues that the evolution of GLBT representations should be seen as a recognition of GLBT consumers and gay taste by advertisers rather than as a sign that the struggle for gay equality has been won. DVD 2450

Gay agenda. (1992, 20 min.). Presents the opinions of doctors, scholars and formerly gay men on the gay liberation movement and life-style. VHS 2171

Gay Cuba (1995, 57 min.). A look at homosexuality in Cuba, featuring interviews with lesbians and gays. VHS 3919

Gay for a day (1988, 35 min.). Two documentaries by Tom Palazzolo dealing with gay issues. "Gay for a Day" is the story of the 1976 Gay Pride Parade; "Costumes on Review" presents a gay Halloween party. VHS 844

Gay power, gay politics (1980, 60 min.). CBS Reports' unflattering xenophobic portrayal of the gay liberation movement that resulted in a widespread criticism of the network for inaccuracies and irresponsible journalism. DVD 3447, VHS 6669

Gay Republicans (2005, 62 min.). Follows a handful of gay Republicans who, during the 2004 election, often had to decide if being gay is more important than being Republican. DVD 489

Gay sex in the 70's (2005, 72 min.). Focuses on the sexual promiscuity among gays in New York City after the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969 but before the AIDS crisis hit in the 1980s through the use of candid first-hand interviews, photographs and films of the era. DVD 2129

Gay teens. Psychotherapy with gay and lesbian clients (1995, 47 min.). Film combines the voices of leading professionals with those of gay adolescents to present an insightful look at several aspects of the gay teen experience - such as suicide, school, coming out as an adolescent, parents, and psychotherapy. Teens from a variety of backgrounds share their experiences and perspectives. The mother of a gay son talks about acknowledging and raising a child with unique developmental needs. Dr. Virginia Uribe, founder of Project 10, challenges teachers and school administrators to acknowledge the needs of gay youth. Dr. James Green and counselors Weiser and Petersen offer their psychotherapeutic insights. VHS 4945

Golden Threads (1999, 56 min.). Profiles the life of 93-year old lesbian activist Christine Burton, founder of a global networking service for mid-life and elder lesbians. Gives a groundbreaking, intergenerational picture of sexuality, life choices, and aging. VHS 6610

Hidden life (2006, 60 min.). In May 2005, readers of Spokane's Spokesman-Review awoke to a startling story: Spokane's Republican mayor Jim West had been leading a double life. In public, he was a conservative politician who had co-sponsored legislation forbidding gays from teaching in public schools. But in private, the paper reported, West spent hours trolling for young men on the Internet, sometimes using the trappings of his office as bait to lure them into more intimate relationships. The story briefly made national headlines and ultimately destroyed West's political career. But FRONTLINE producers Rachel Dretzin and Barak Goodman look beyond the headlines to find a story that is much less clear than it initially seemed. Featuring access to all sides of the story and close readings of the mayor's Internet chats and other documents, "A Hidden Life" examines a man's struggle with his sexual identity, a newspaper's controversial online sting, and the growing tension between a politician's private life and the public's right to know in an age of online communications. DVD 3153

Hide and seek (1996, 64 min.). An exploration into lesbian adolescence in the 1960's. VHS 6710

History, theory and research: Psychotherapy with gay and lesbian clients (1995, 42 min.). Documentary looks at the history of medical, psychoanalytic and behavioral approaches used to "treat" gay and lesbian people and at the issues that led to the depathologizing of homosexuality. Contemporary bias in psychotherapy is reviewed, the main theories on the development of sexual orientation and the latest research on the biology of sexual orientation and its implications for psychotherapists are presented. Rob Gentry, the first openly gay mayor in the U.S., tells his personal story of professional abuse. Historic footage is used to illustrate earlier treatments. VHS 4941

Homophobia in the workplace (1993, 59 min.). Brian McNaught explains the losses for everyone when homophobia exists at the workplace, at school, or anywhere in society. He offers keys to overcoming ignorance in a homophobic work setting. VHS 6150

I am my own woman: the life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf = Ich bin meine eigene Frau die Lebensgeschichte der Charlotte von Mahlsdorf (1993, 91 min.). East German Lothar Berfelde, a.k.a. Charlotte Mahlsdorf, is a transvestite and proud of it.  In this film, "Charlotte" serves as a guide through his own life story, as he coaches young actors through the dramatized sequences of this documentary.  Illustrates the persecution homosexuals endured during the Nazi and post WWII eras. VHS 3354

I can't marry you (2004, 57 min.). This educational film explores the real life stories of 20 long term gay and lesbian couples, and reveals the obstacles they encounter due to not being able to marry in the U.S. Hosted by Betty DeGeneres, mother of comedian, Ellen DeGeneres. DVD 1539

I shall not be removed: The life of Marlon Riggs (1996, 58 min.). A film biography of Marlon Riggs, the gifted, gay, black filmmaker who produced documentary films addressing issues of identity among Afro-Americans and gays. Clips from his films show how he evolved a unique experimental documentary style, mixing poetry, criticism, the personal and the political. It also documents his long battle against AIDS until his death in 1994 and includes interviews with family, friends, and co-workers. VHS 4724

Improper conduct = Mauvaise conduite (1984, 110 min.). This anti-Castro documentary includes interviews of Cuban refugees and historical film footage. Among those considered "antisocial" by the Castro regime were political and artistic dissidents and homosexuals. VHS 7071

It's elementary: Talking about gay issues in school (1996, 78 min.). An exploration of what happens when experienced teachers talk to their students about lesbians and gay men. Students are asked to consider issues related to homosexuality at six elementary and middle schools. Presents footage of classroom activities and discussions with students exploring questions and issues presented to them by teachers and guest lecturers who come into their classes. Discusses school-wide presentations, activity-days, and how these events affect faculty, parents and teachers. DVD 4050, VHS 4531

Juchitan queer paradise (2002, 64 min.). "This is a fascinating portrait of Juchitan, a small Mexican city near the Guatemalan border. Here homosexuality is fully accepted; gays are simply a third gender. If a boy shows a predisposition to homosexuality his family will rejoice and be thankful for receiving what is considered a blessing. In Juchitan a man who wants to be a woman only has to dress like a woman to be considered and treated as a woman by the entire community. The film profiles three gay people: a teacher, a hairdresser and a shop owner."--Container. VHS 7260

Juggling gender: Politics, sex and identity (1992, 27 min.). Features Jennifer Miller, juggler and director of Circus Amok. Miller speaks of her life and struggle as a lesbian woman who happens to have a moustache and beard. Includes scenes of circus performances, a gay rights parade, Miller interacting with friends, family, and strangers. VHS 3680

Laramie project (2002, 96 min.) In October 1998, 21 year-old Matthew Shepard was found savagely beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming. This film is a dramatization of a town forced to confront itself in the reflective glare of the national spotlight, responding with love, anger, sympathy, support, and defiance. DVD 2341

Last call at Maud's (1993, 77 min.). A look at the world's longest running lesbian bar, Maud's in San Francisco. Film interweaves rare archive film of the gay bar scene in the 1940's, the vice raids of the 1950's, the gay counter culture of the 1960's and "coming out" in the 1970's up until the bar closed its doors in 1989. VHS 3926

Lavender limelight: Lesbians in film (1997, 57 min.). Intimate conversations with lesbian film directors, including clips from their works, in which they explore their sexual identity, discuss growing up gay, and share their inspirations and techniques of filmmaking. VHS 5196

Licensed to kill (1997, 77 min.). A riveting journey into the minds of men whose contempt for homosexuals led them to murder. Videotaped confessions, home and police videos of gay bashings and murder scenes, news reports and graphic evidence from police files are fused together with interviews by the filmmaker with seven convicted killers. VHS 6867

Living with pride: Ruth Ellis @ 100 (1999, 60 min.). Documentary with narrative recreations about the life and times of Ruth Ellis who was born July 23, 1899, in Springfield, Illinois, the oldest "out" African American lesbian. "Film chronicles Ruth's life through interviews, memories of younger friends, photographs, archival footage and vivid dramatic recreations of her past. The recreations scenes are shot in 16mm and super 8 film. In addition actual archival and newsreel footage is used to contextualize the social, political and technological changes that Ruth Ellis has witnessed. Actors for the recreated scenes were drawn from A Real Read--Chicago's own African American gay, lesbian, bi and trans performance group." [Parts of summary taken from the Sisters in the Life website: http://www.sistersinthelife.com/ruthellis/about_film] VHS 6161

Looking for a space: Lesbians & gay men in Cuba = Buscando un espacio : los homosexuales en Cuba (1993, 38 min.). Examines the treatment of lesbians and gay men in Cuba from the early years of the Castro Revolution to the present. Through interviews with several gay Cubans, this film gives the perspectives of current residents of Cuba on questions of political ideology and sexual identity. VHS 6415

Looking for Langston (1992, 47 min.). A surreal dramatization, including documentary film clips, of Langston Hughes' milieu in the Harlem of the 1930's. Film attempt to reclaim him as an important Black gay in American culture. Original footage of the Cotton Club in the 1920's and period blues music set the scene for this examination of attitudes toward homosexuality then and now. VHS 5617

March on Washington (1993, 29 min.). "Documents the April 1993 March on Washington for Lesbians, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation, one of the largest civil rights rallies in American history, featuring interviews, excerpts from speeches and musical performances."--Distributor's flyer.  VHS 5396

Meditation on Langston Hughes (1902-1967) and the Harlem Ranaissance with the poetry of Essex Hemphill and Bruce Nugent (1906-1987) (1992, 45 min.). A tribute to Langston Hughes, this film attempts to reclaim him as an important black gay voice in American culture. VHS 5617

Middle sexes: redefining he and she (2006, 75 min.). Sensitively explores the controversial subject of the blurring of gender as well as the serious social and family problems--even dangers--often faced by those whose gender may fall somewhere in between male and female. DVD 4450

Milind Soman Made Me Gay. (2007, 27 min.). A film that explores the memory-scape of four South Asian gay men living in Washington DC; one Hindu, one Muslim, one Christian and one Sikh to reveal how each negotiates his sexual desire with his cultural and religious background. Underneath the nostalgic explorations of life back home lie harsh realities of homophobia and racism in America, and an on-going struggle to find a place of belonging. DVD 3167

Muxes: Authentic, intrepid seekers of danger = Muxes: Auténticas, intrépidas y buscadoras de peligro (2005, 101 min.). Among the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico, boy babies who are born in a certain position, or little boys who prefer to play with girls, are raised as women, and are known as Muxes (pronounced "Mooshays"). The Muxes of Juchitán are proud of their identity, enjoy their lives, laugh at themselves as well as at "straight" society, and admit their own foibles freely. They call themselves "Authentic, Intrepid Seekers of Danger," and have banded together to lead the fight against AIDS in Oaxaca. In this documentary, they talk frankly about their experiences of acceptance and rejection, and their successes in finding freedom, love and delight in their special identity. DVD 2126

No regret = Non, je ne regrette rien (1993, 45 min.). Five gay Black men who are HIV-positive discuss how they are battling the double social stigmas surrounding their infection and homosexuality. VHS 5597

No secret anymore: the times of Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon (2003, 57 min.). "Chronicles the lives of two women who have been partners in love and political struggle for half a century. San Francisco icons, Del and Phyllis are known as the founders of the modern lesbian civil rights movement. No Secret Anymore follows them through six decades, tracing the emergence of lesbians from the fear of discovery to the expectation of equality."-WomanVision website. VHS 7542

Off the straight & narrow: Lesbians, gays, bisexuals & television. Video resources for the 21st century (1998, 63 min.). Film examines the growth of gay images on TV. Leading media scholars provide the historical and cultural context for exploring the social implications of these new representations. Challenges viewers to consider the value and limits of available gay images: who is represented, what they get to say, and how people respond to them. VHS 5362

Orientations: Lesbian & gay Asians (1984, 56 min.). A dozen Canadian gay men and women of different Asian backgrounds speak frankly about their lives as members of a minority within a minority. They tell about coming out, racism, cultural identity and challenge the stereotype of Asians as quiet and passive. VHS 5169

Our house a very real documentary about kids of gay and lesbian parents (2000, 56 min.). Interviews with five families from New York, Arkansas, Arizona, and New Jersey describing their experiences of living in households led by gay and lesbian parents. VHS 7753

Out in suburbia (1988, 28 min.). Eleven lesbian women discuss their lives, including marriage, motherhood, discrimination, stereotypes, and female roles. VHS 3624

Out of the past (1998, 70 min.). Documentary looks at the struggle for lesbian and gay rights in the United States through profiles of the lives of a number of people including: Michael Wigglesworth, a Puritan cleric; Sarah Orne Jewett, a lesbian novelist; Henry Gerber, an early 20th century gay activist who sought to organize the first gay rights organization in the United States; and African American Civil Rights figure Bayard Rustin. Also included is the more contemporary story of 17-year-old Kelli Peterson who worked to form a Gay Straight Alliance in East High School, Salt Lake City, Utah. Uses archival film and photographs plus readings from journals and diaries. VHS 5535

Out takes (1989, 13 min.). "Gay sensibility, homophobia and gender roles on broadcast TV are OUTlined by juxtaposing scenes from two popular children's shows from the US and Japan, and an OUTraged critic's campy critique." A montage of scenes from the television broadcasts of: Pee Wee's Playhouse with Paul Reubens, At the movies with Rex Reed, and Maido Osawaga Seshimasu (We're always making trouble). VHS 6162

Paper Dolls = Bubot niyar (2006, 80 min.). After closing the border to Palestinian workers, Israeli authorities enticed foreigners to fill gaps in the job market. Filipinos in various stages of gender transition came as caregivers to elderly, orthodox Jewish men, but are still outsiders. DVD 4336

Paradise bent: boys will be girls in Samoa (1999, 50 min.). An exploration of the Samoan Fa'afafine , boys who are raised as girls, fulfilling a traditional role in Samoan culture. The film shows how in the large Samoan family there may be one or two Fa'afafine s who are not only accepted but appreciated. They share the women's traditional work of cooking, cleaning, and caring for the children and the elderly. "Paradise Bent" brings up issues of culture and gender and the complexities of sexual identity. VHS 7348

Paragraph 175 (2000, 81 min.). Historian Klaus Muller interviews survivors of the Nazi persecution of homosexuals, many of whom were interred in concentration camps during World War II because of the German Penal Code of 1871, Paragraph 175, which states: An unnatural sex act committed between persons of the male sex or by humans with animals is punishable by imprisonment; the loss of civil rights may also be imposed. DVD 542

Paris is burning (1990, 71 min.). Story of the young men of Harlem who originated "voguing" and turned these stylized dance competitions into glittering expressions of fierce personal pride.  A story of street-wise urban survival, gay self-affirmation, and the pursuit of a desperate dream. DVD 1650, VHS 1793

Paris was a woman (1996, 75 min.). Through a combination of still photos, archival film footage, and interview commentary this film documents the creative community of French, English and American women, many of whom were lesbians, who gravitated to the Left Bank in Paris during the early part of the 20th century. Among those the film profiles are: Collette, Djuna Barnes, Gertrude Stein, Romaine Brooks, Marie Laurencin, Bernice Abbot, Gisele Freund, Sylvia Beach, Adrienne Monnier, Janet Flanner, Natalie Clifford Barney. VHS 5148

Paul Monette: The brink of summer's end (1997, 90 min.). A biographical documentary which was shot over three and a half years, explores Paul's life and work from his seemingly idyllic New England boyhood, and his closeted adolescence to his development into a successful writer, committed lover and activist, until his death from AIDS in February, 1995. VHS 5869

Period piece (1996, 30 min). Women of various ages (8-84) and ethnicities share how they felt when their menstrual cycles first started. Old educational films are revisited in new ways to show humorous and historical views of this rite of passage. This film explores the general discomfort around the subject of menstruation and the pain girls experience as they negotiate relationships with their bodies and their culture. VHS 4263

Period: the end of menstruation? (2006, 54 min.). "This timely and necessary documentary interviews physicians, health practitioners, cultural critics, and a variety of women from around the country who fall on both sides of the menstrual suppression debate: from those who maintain that technology should make menstruation virtually obsolete to those who see menstruation as defining the essence of being female"--Container. DVD 3898

Playing the part. (1994, 38 min.). In live film sequences interspersed with still photos, Mitch McCabe contrasts her upper-middle-class family life in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, with her student life at Harvard and humorously describes her difficulty in admitting her lesbianism to her family. VHS 3835

Political funerals (1995, 29 min.). This documentary begins with images from David Wojarowicz's, an AIDS activist, own New York funeral as his body is carried through public streets in an open coffin. The home-movie edginess adds to the documentary's sense of immediacy and to its humanity. Next is the D.C. funeral of Tim Bailey which provoked a bizarre confrontation with police. The message of this documentary is that "the AIDS crisis is a political crisis". VHS 7112

Positive = Positiv (1990, 80 min.). Documentary showing New York City's gay community's response to the AIDS crisis; portrays both individuals and groups that have chosen to act and speak out about the AIDS epidemic. VHS 2959

Pride & prejudice: The life & times of gay & lesbian youth (1992, 24 min.). The interviews and discussions describe the experiences of gay youths in Toronto, including their family relationships and the prejudice they have encountered.  The film also discusses the history of homophobia. VHS 4131

Pride divide (1997, 57 min.). Film explores the gender gap between gays and lesbians - a conflict that is often fraught with irony as their struggle of male versus female mirrors many traditional conflicts inherent to straight relationships. Looks at issues around male domination versus female submission; promiscuousness versus commitment; exaltation of the body versus the spirit: AIDS versus breast cancer support. Looks at the subtle chauvinism by gay activists who excluded lesbians from their political and social life, especially in the 1950s. VHS 5545

Psychotherapy with gay and lesbian clients (1995, 208 min.). A video series based on the collaborative efforts of mental health professionals with research and experience on psychotherapy with gay and lesbian individuals. The purpose is to provide information to students and to other mental health professionals. VHS 4941-4945

Question of equality (1995, 4 videocassettes: 55 min. each). Using archival footage and interviews, this video set documents the hard-fought gains and heartbreaking losses in the struggle for gay and lesbian equality. VHS 6840

Real Ellen story (1998, 52 min.). Examines the controversial television Sitcom "Ellen" in which a major character reveals that she is a lesbian. Includes interviews with actors and ABC/Disney executives. VHS 5662

Red without blue (2007, 74 min.) "Red Without Blue is the groundbreaking documentary about the indestructible ties of family. This visually arresting film chronicles the close, yet sometimes strained relationship between identical twins Mark and Alex as Alex undergoes a transformation into a woman named Clair. Captured over a period of three years, RWB documents the twins and their parents, examining the Farleys' struggle to redefine their family." - Cover. DVD 1247

Relationships--presenting issues. Psychotherapy with gay and lesbian clients (1995, 33 min.). Part 1: Dr. Gail Bernstein discusses some of the typical myths and characteristics of same-gender relationships, compares similarities and differences with heterosexual couples and also compares lesbian couples with gay male couples. Perspectives are offered on working with same-gender couples. Several lesbian and gay partners speak about their personal relationship experiences -- Part 2: Film focuses on issues that psychotherapists must be aware of to work with gay and lesbian clients such as: the implications of internalized homophobia, the use of hypothesis testing and affirmative psychotherapy. Also looks at presenting problems, issues and the developmental levels that gay and lesbian clients typically bring to the therapist. VHS 4942

Remarkable case of John Joan 1997. 1 videocassette (30 min.). At eight-months-old Baby John was the victim of an accident during circumcision that left him with almost no penis. At age two, based on the theory that nurture rather than nature creates sexual identity, Dr. John Money at John Hopkins University recommended that John's testicles be surgically removed and that he be brought up as a girl. His family agreed and John was raised as "Joan." Despite the fact that John was miserable in his female persona, Dr. Money published a report on the success of this particular sex assignment. When John learned the truth about his birth, he made several suicide attempts and cut off contact with Dr. Money. Later he underwent reconstructive surgery that enabled him to resume his life as John. VHS 5546

Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story (2005, 87 min.). March 24, 1962: Rival boxers Emile Griffith and Benny Paret entered the ring for their anticipated world title bout. Earlier Paret allegedly taunted his homosexual opponent with a slur. That night Griffith beat Paret to death in the ring. Tells the story through archival footage and new interviews with journalists, historians and others, and Griffith himself. DVD 1768

Robert Mapplethorpe (1988, 53 min.). Opens with actress Kathy Acker reading excerpts from A Season in Hell by Arthur Rimbaud.  Robert Mapplethorpe, his friends and associates, and art critics discuss his photography that is hung in many major museums despite the issues of sex, violence and race it raises. Mapplethorpe states that he "captured something at a certain time about a certain place, New York, and that can't be captured anymore... Things have changed."  Program includes many of his black and white photographs, particularly those of the gay male community in New York City in the late 1960s and early 1970s. VHS 874

Rock Hudson's home movies (1994, 63 min.). Using clips from Rock Hudson's films and employing a narrative commentary from beyond the grave, the filmmaker invents an eclectic form of biography in which he explores the illusory nature of Hudson's screen image and society's attitudes towards Hudson as a homosexual. VHS 4092

Sacred lies, civil truths (1993, 58 min.). Gay community's response to the religious right's "Gay Agenda." Comprised of film clips of and interviews with lesbian and gay people with the aim of putting a human face on their plight. VHS 2176

Scout's Honor (2001, 60 min.). Documentary examining the Boy Scouts of America policy against gays in the organization. Focuses on Steve Cozza, boy scout and activist against the policy, and relates the stories of others removed from the Boy Scout organization for being gay or for working to have the policy eliminated. "Moving from Petaluma, Calif. to the Supreme Court, the film chronicles a modern interpretation of the Scouting ideals of courage, citizenship, and honor." VHS 7162

Screaming queens: the riot at Compton's Cafeteria (2005, 57 min.). "Screaming queens tells the little-known story of the first known act of collective, violent resistance to the social oppression of queer people in the United States -- a 1966 riot in San Francisco's impoverished Tenderloin neighborhood, three years before the famous gay riot at New York's Stonewall Inn."--container. DVD 2142

Se lucen/They shine: on being gay in Mazatepec, Morelos, Mexico (2002, 14 min.). A documentary on gay life in Mazatepec, a small Mexican town in the township of Morelos. Includes footage by four gay men who are given disposable cameras and a video camera and asked to tell their own stories. Focuses on the Mojiganga, the one day of the year when gay men are given free license by the town to be who they are. DVD 3160

Sex, drugs, & democracy (1994, 87 min.) Dutch documentary that features a series of interviews with a wide variety of people as it explores the limits of personal freedom through an uncensored look at morality and politics in Holland today. In Holland, prostitution is legal, gay equality is a matter of course, abortions are paid for by the state, comprehensive sex education is an accepted part of the school curriculum, marijuana is openly sold, and clean syringes and methadone are distributed to drug addicts. Capital punishment and guns are forbidden. In Holland the rates of drug use, addiction and AIDS transmission are declining, and Dutch society has the lowest rates of abortion, teenage pregnancy, and imprisonment in the world. VHS 4647

Sex: Each one of us (1989, 26 min.). Many of our attitudes concerning sex, women, and homosexuality come from the Greeks. This program examines our modern views concerning these topics and gives us insight into how ancient Greece was freer in its attitudes towards sex. However, even though the Greeks pursued sexual freedom, this program demonstrates that Greek society was not the sexual utopia that many have believed. VHS 1142

Sexual orientations in perspective (2001, 65 min.) Themes discussed include the conceptualization and development of sexual orientations and such orientations in relationship to other aspects of human diversity. VHS 6638

Shinjuku boys (1995, 53 min.). Film looks at a Japanese subculture involving cross-gender and prostitution. The "boys" of the title are actually cross-dressing women who frequent a Tokyo nightclub. VHS 4520

Silver screen: color me lavender (1998, 100 min.) An exploration of the way Hollywood dealt with or ignored issues of homosexuality during its so-called Golden Age, when the studio system reigned supreme. A funny and occasionally rude re-examination of the subterfuges by which Hollywood has alluded to and at the same time avoided an issue that it could not even name, much less identify, it is at the same time a serious survey of gender issues and how they were perceived and perpetuated by the Hollywood dream factory from the 1930s up to the 1960s. DVD 680

Silverlake life: The view from here (1993, 99 min.). An extraordinary video diary of living with AIDS. Told with guts and humor by longtime companions Tom Joslin and Mark Massi, this powerful documentary celebrates the human spirit while capturing the emotional challenges of living with a fatal illness. Video diary of gay couple Tom Joslin and Mark Massi as they react to Tom's dying of AIDS. They interview friends and family about their feelings on being gay and about AIDS. Follows Tom through treatments to his death, and Mark's coping with his loss of Tom afterwards. DVD 2779, VHS 2414

Southern comfort (2000, 90 min.) Toccoa, Georgia. Robert Eads is a 52-year-old wise-cracking cowboy who was born female and transitioned into living as a man after bearing two sons. Fifteen years later, he has fallen in love with Lola Cola, a vivacious and magnetic woman who was born male. Together they are coping with Robert's terminal case of ovarian cancer. DVD 631

Speak up!: improving the lives of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender youth (2001, 30 min.). "Explores what these students have done to transform their schools into safer and more welcoming environments. Interviews with students, parents, teachers, administrators and national activists highlight not only the need for transformation, but offer resources and advice for those actively working for change"--Container. VHS 7700

Stop the Church (1990, 24 min.). Documentary film exploring the planning and execution of the disruption of a service at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral in 1989 by the radical gay rights group, ACT UP. The filmmaker brings the audience into the Cathedral during the protest as well as into the planning sessions of ACT UP, New York. VHS 3909

Straight from the heart (1994, 24 min.). Parents of gay children tell of their struggles with homophobia. VHS 3467

Summer in my veins: A documentary (1999, 41 min.). Nish Saran, recently tested for HIV, travels across the U.S. with his family who are visiting from India and reveals his gayness to his mother during the journey. VHS 6680

Sunflowers (1997, 50 min.). An exploration of the sexual identity of a group of gay men in Pasuquin, a rural Philippine village. In 1975 they formed the Sunflower Society in order to promote their image in the community. Each year they perform in drag in an annual traditional Christian festival (the Santa Cruzan) that they organized in their village. The Sunflowers discuss their childhoods, coming out issues, and their relationships with "straight" men in the community. VHS 4847

This Way Out (2004, 32 min.). "This highly personal documentary tells the story of three individuals who escaped persecution at home based on their homosexuality to claim refugee status in the United States. Kahunya, who grew up on a mission station in Kenya where his father is a Bishop; Ana Claudia, a famous sports caster in Brazil; and Arslan, who was born into a noble family in Pakistan. Their combined stories are a powerful illustration of the universality of homosexuality, regardless of cultural origins, and the vulnerability faced by lesbians and gays in most parts of the world. The intolerance they encounter forces them to suppress their true identities not only from government officials, but from their closest family and friends. Filled with self-loathing and questioning, they walk a dangerous emotional tightrope that drives each to flee their homelands in search of a dignified existence to live openly as homosexuals. Besides portraying eloquent accounts of Kahunya's, Ana's, and Arslan's experiences, the film questions what kind of asylum the U.S. provides for them and what kind of freedom they have found." -- from www.CinemaGuild.com In Brazil, between 1980-1999, a homosexual was murdered on average every 3 days. In Kenya, homosexuality is criminal, punishable up to 14 years in prison. In Pakistan, homosexuality is punishable by long prison terms, or under Islamic law, up to 100 lashes or death by stoning. More than 85 countries in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America currently have laws prohibiting homosexuality. Approximately 12 countries offer asylum based on grounds of sexual orientation, the United States is one of them. This documentary follows the lives of two gay men and one lesbian who have come to the United States seeking asylum. VHS 7736

Thomas Mann AKA Die manns: verfall einer familie (1992, 45 min.) Documentary examines the life and work of German literary icon Thomas Mann. Begins with Mann's nomination for the 1949 Goethe Prize. His symbolic representation of Germany in exile after the war, and his status as a representative of the liberal, humanist tradition, are juxtaposed against Mann's private life. From the suicide of his eldest son, to his own homosexuality, the program explores the dual identity of Mann as representative of post-war Germany and also as private citizen. VHS 5569

Times of Harvey Milk (1986, 88 min.). A portrait of the life and career of Harvey Milk, a charismatic grass-roots activist, and one of the first avowed homosexuals elected to political office.  Through television news footage and interviews, follows him from his early days as a Castro Street businessman to his murder, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, in 1978.  Relates these events to the ongoing movement for gay rights in the United States. VHS 284. DVD 1267

Tongues untied (1989, 55 min.). Derogatory accusations, judgments, and jokes in our culture are met head-on by this video about black, male, and gay identity. Poetry, personal testimony, and drama unite to oppose the homophobia and racism that attempt to split a person into opposing loyalties. VHS 1327. DVD 2775

Transgeneration (2005, 300 min.) Follows four American college students as they prepare for gender reassignment. They discuss their lives, their hopes and setbacks, and deal with varying reactions from family and friends. DVD 2065

Trembling before G-d (2001, 84 min.) "An unprecedented feature documentary that shatters assumptions about faith, sexuality, and religious fundamentalism. Built around intimately told personal stories of Hasidic and Orthodox Jews who are gay or lesbian, the film portrays people who face a profound dilemma"--Container. DVD 735

Turned out: Sexual assault behind bars (2003, 57 min.). This video is a shocking but insightful expose of the taboo subject of homosexual rape and homosexual relations in prison. It features frank and often graphic interviews with inmates at correctional facilities throughout the U.S. Prisoners also discuss the underground economy, the sociology of power and lust, and the sexual exploitation of inmates by prison guards, while interviews with a prison warden and family members of inmates reveal the general awareness of sexual assault within our prison system and the culture of silence which enables its perpetuation. VHS 7459

Two or three things but nothing for sure (1996, 12 min.) Acclaimed author Dorothy Allison is profiled in this moving, inspiring film. Combining poetic imagery with powerful readings, it evokes Allison's childhood in the poor white American South of the 1950's, her birth as a writer and feminist, and her coming to terms with a family legacy of incest and abuse. VHS 1335

Two spirits: Native lesbians and gays (1992, 26 min.). The present status of, and attitudes toward, Native American lesbians and gays is examined. Uses excerpts from "Mujeria II : primitive and proud," "Honored by the moon," and "Me, and Mr. Mauri.". VHS 5168

Tying the knot: the union that's dividing America (2004, 83 min.) Tying The Knot poignantly explores the ferocious political battle in the U.S. over equal marriage rights. It uncovers the meaning of marriage, focusing appropriately on rights, privilege, and love. DVD 1524

Understanding sex (1994, 52 min.) Has reproduction choreographed the dance of life? In this program experts including an evolutionary biologist, a botanist, a psychobiologist, zoologists, and doctors probe the subject of plant, animal, and human sexuality. Topics run the gamut, including the effects of hormonal cascades on sexual development and pair-bonding, the evolution of sexual reproduction as a form of gene repair, the vital role of attraction, assisted conceptions and genetic engineering, homosexuality and sexual orientation, and even the use of virtual reality for cyber-sex. Uses computer imagery to complement the program. VHS 6184

Union in Wait (2001, 28 min.). This film takes a very personal look at Susan Parker and Wendy Scott's relationship and the controversy that would make their private life anything but private. Susan and Wendy are members of Wake Forest Baptist Church. In 1999, the couple decided they wanted to have a union ceremony in Wake Forest University's Wait Chapel, but the University told them no. Susan, Wendy, their church, and many others joined together to fight the school's decision in what would become a controversy that divided a community in North Carolina and made national headlines. VHS 6203

Venus boyz (2004, 103 min.) Venus Boyz takes the viewers on an extraordinary journey into the universe of female masculinity. Filmed in New York City and London, this eye-opening documentary uses the performances of drag kings - as a starting point into the topic of transgendering. DVD 895

Voices from the front: America 1988-1991 (1994, 90 min.). Documentary about AIDS activism in the United States from 1988-1991. Includes coverage of demonstrations and interviews with AIDS activists seeking to change public consciousness, expose the failure of the health care system, and challenge government inaction and neglect concerning AIDS. VHS 3908

Watermelon woman (1997, 79 min.). Mock-documentary. While looking for a suitable subject for her first film, aspiring black lesbian filmmaker Cheryl (Cheryl Dunye) runs across "Watermelon Woman" - an African-American bit player in an old movie. Cheryl decides that she must have been the lover of a white female director and sets out to find the truth while conducting her own affair with a rich white woman. VHS 5002

We are dad (2005, 68 min.). Chronicles the story of Steven Lofton and Roger Croteau and their extended family of five foster children. Back in the 80s, these two pediatric AIDS nurses took in four African American infants with HIV whom nobody wanted, and fostered them as their own. One child was born HIV positive, but at age 3 he tested HIV negative, and the state of Florida reclassified him as adoptable. As Florida is the only state with a blanket ban on gay adoption, this disqualified the family. The case of Lofton v. State of Florida, which challenged Florida's ban on adoption by gay couples, went all the way to the Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case and let the Florida law stand. DVD 3517

We love our children: Parents of gays speak up (1995, 23 min.). A multi-ethnic group of parents whose children are gay share the difficult process of understanding and accepting their children for who they are. Like their children, parents of gays must deal with the potential emotional reaction from family and friends. This can create a formidable challenge to parents as they strive to maintain a comfortable and loving relationship with their gay children. VHS 3780

When democracy works (1996, 30 min.) Examines the radical right wing in the U.S. featuring case studies on the Right: David Duke's campaigns for political office in Louisiana; the conservative drive to pass anti-gay Amendment 2 in Colorado; and the anti-immigrant Proposition 187 and anti-Affirmative Action initiatives in California. Looks at democracy's role in combating these movements. VHS 6932

Word is out: Stories of some of our lives: American independents (1992, 130 min.). Twenty-six lesbians and gay men from different backgrounds discuss how they deal with their sexuality and with society's attitudes towards them. VHS 4166

Woubi Cheri (1998, 62 min.) "Woubi Cheri is the first film to give African homosexuals a chance to describe their world in their own words. Often funny, sometimes ribald, but always real, this documentary introduces us to gender pioneers demanding their right to construct a distinct African homosexuality"--California Newsreel Web site. VHS 5940

You don't know Dick: Courageous hearts of transsexual men (1997, 58 min.). Provides honest and riveting portraits of six men (Michael, an artist; Ted, a computer executive; Stephen, a  police officer; Max, a writer; James, a leader in the transsexual  community; and Loren, a photographer) who once were women. Through their commentaries and the experiences of partners, friends, and family emerges an unforgettable story of self-discovery. VHS 4604

Zero budget (1996, 27 min.). Looks at the emergence of lesbian feature filmmakers in the U.S. and how they produce films on a small budget. Interviews with directors Rose Troche (Go Fish); Sharon Pollack (Everything Relative); Kimberley Pierce (Stone); and Alex Sichel (All Over Me) as well as with producer Dolly Hall, executive producer Christine Vachon and writers Sylvia Sichel and Guinevere Turner. VHS 4784

Zero degrees of separation (2005, 90 min.). "Takes viewers on a unique journey through the complex lives of Israeli and Palestinian gays and lesbians in inter-ethnic relationships. Though living on the margins of society, these couples defy the odds, existing in the midst of conflict with a gentle humanity and mutual respect" -- film's website. DVD 2639

Feature / Narrative Films

20 centimeters = 20 centímetros (2005, 113 min. ).Welcome to the vibrant world of Marieta/Adolfo - a narcoleptic, pre-op transsexual woman who longs to remove her last eight inches. DVD 2456

All over me (1997, 95 min.). In New York's Hell's Kitchen Claude and her best friend Ellen come of age in an urban culture which has many pitfalls for young women. Even if you don't decide you love your best friend. DVD 2011

Amour de femme (2004, 89 min.). Jeanne, a happily married, 35-year-old osteopath with a 7-year old son meets a pretty dancer named Marie at a party arranged by her husband. While Marie is much younger than Jeanne, there is an immediate chemistry between them. The two soon become close friends and Jeanne decides to start taking a dance class taught by Marie. But when Marie starts to fall in love with Jeanne and decides to kiss her, Jeanne discovers she too loves Marie. Jeanne must now choose between the happy family life she currently maintains and her new love. DVD 4374

As good as it gets (1998, 139 min.). Melvin Udall, a cranky, bigoted, obsessive-compulsive writer living in New York City, finds his life turned upside down when neighboring gay artist Simon is hospitalized and his dog is entrusted to Melvin. In addition, Carol, the only waitress who will tolerate him, must leave work to care for her sick son, making it impossible for Melvin to eat breakfast. VHS 5088

Bad Education = La Mala educación (2004, 105 min.) Traces the effects of sexual abuse and religious schooling on the lives of two lifelong friends. DVD 2448

Beautiful thing (1997, 90 min.). Set in London's lower class suburbs, this is the story of a teenager who has discovered that he's gay and his love for another teenager who lives next door. VHS 6237

Before night falls (2000, 134 min.). A look at the life of Reinaldo Arenas, from childhood in Cuba to his death in New York City. His writings and homosexuality get him in trouble with Castro's Cuba and he spends two years in prison before leaving for the United States. DVD 486

Better Than Chocolate (1999, 102 min.). Free-spirited Maggie meets the woman of her dreams just hours before her mother Lila and brother Paul move in with her. DVD 4346

Bigger Splash (1974, 105 min.). "1971: the artist David Hockney is well on his way to art world super-stardom. Filmmaker Jack Hazan, camera rolling, follows Hockney from London to New York to Los Angeles--capturing the artist as he struggles to create what would prove to be some of his most enduring works: those featuring Hockney's model and lover, Peter Schlesinger. Straddling the boundary between documentary and fiction, A bigger splash tells the story of Hockney's breakup with Schlesinger and its effect on Hockney, his work, and his close circle of friends"--Container. DVD 2190

Bitter tears of Petra von Kant = Die Bitteren Tranen der Petra von Kant (1972, 124 min.). Petra von Kant is a successful fashion designer who carries on a melodrama of erotic attractions with two other women in her claustrophobic apartment. DVD 1389

Blue (1993, 76 min.) "Over the blue screen (an homage to painter Yves Klein, as well as a metaphor for blindness, for paradise, for oblivion), Derek Jarman lays bare his physical and spiritual state in a narration about his life, his struggle with AIDS and his encroaching sightlessness ..."--Container. VHS 4701

Born in flames (1983, 80 min.). A futuristic fable of feminist turmoil still brewing ten years after the Second American Revolution. When Adelaide Norris, the black radical founder of the Woman's Army, is mysteriously killed, a diverse coalition of women - across all lines of race, class, and sexual preference - emerges to blow the System apart. With their fury growing and all peaceful options exhausted, women overcome divisions of race, class, and sexual orientation to form a guerilla movement to take over control of the media. DVD 3947

Boys don't cry (1999, 116 min.). Teena Brandon alters her appearance to appear as a man, and assumes the name Brandon Teena. She moves to a tiny Nebraska town and begins making new friends under her new identity. All goes well until her new friends discover her secret. Based on a true story about hope, fear, and the courage it takes to be yourself. DVD 90

Boys in the Band (1970, 119 min.). A heterosexual is accidentally invited to a homosexual gathering at a birthday party, and tension builds as tempers fray. VHS 2624

Boys life 2 (1999, 79 min.). Four short films originally produced 1994-1996.  [Must be the music] "Four teenage friends on a night out on the town in L.A. sets  this vibrantly honest portrayal of urban gay youth."  [Nunzio's second cousin] "A young gay Chicago police detective exacts his own brand of darkly comic justice when he summons a young gay-bashing attacker to his mother's house in the suburbs for pasta faguille."  [Alkali, Iowa] "Young farmer Jack Gudmanson unearths an artifact buried deep in the soil of his family's farmland, leading him to seek the truth about his missing father's clandestine identity and providing him with the courage to come to terms with his own sexuality."  [The dadshuttle] "A vivid and poignant short film about a father and son.  Junior lives in the big city, works in a club, and likes performance art.  Senior lives in the suburbs, works as a roofer, and attends family picnics on battlefields.  After a holiday meal, Senior drives Junior to the train station.  They navigate not only the roads but each other, as Junior delivers news that will forever alter the course of their lives."--Container. DVD 286

Brokeback Mountain (2005, 135 min.). It's 1963, a time in the United States when life was simple, straightforward and the lines between the sexes and sex roles were crisply drawn and severely delineated. Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist find themselves thrown together when they are hired to tend sheep in the remote area of Brokeback Mountain, Wyoming. Because of the job, the two are forced to spend many hours together alone in the wild. Ennis and Jack are inexorably drawn to each other through their proximity, loneliness and through a shared lack of tenderness and emotion in their lives and are emotionally, physically and psychically bonded to each other almost from the start. DVD 1924

Brother to brother (2004, 90 min.). Critically acclaimed drama that invokes the glory days of the Harlem Renaissance. As an elderly man, poet Bruce Nugent meets a young, black, gay artist struggling to find his voice, and together they embark on a journey through his inspiring past. DVD 1399

Burnt money = Plata quemada (2000, 125 min.). When two gay thugs Angel (Eduardo Noriega) and El Nene (Leonardo Sharaglia) join a plan to hold up an armored truck with a group of seasoned gangsters, their love and loyalty to each other is tested. Angel is wounded by police gunfire during the robbery, forcing El Nene to kill them all in a fit of rage. Things become complicated when they escape to Uruguay and the police threaten to torture the driver's moll if she doesn't tell them where they are. With their pictures plastered on the cover of every paper, drowning in drugs and alcohol, the gang begins to bicker. Against his boss's wishes El Nene leaves the apartment and roams the streets where he meets a prostitute named Giselle (Leticia Bredice) in whom he begins to trust. DVD 599

But I'm a cheerleader (1999, 86 min.). Megan's super normal suburban existence is filled with friends, pom-poms and rah-rah enthusiasm until her parents suspect that she may, in fact, be showing deviant tendencies. DVD 4347

Celestial clockwork = Mécaniques célestes (1995, 83 min.). A beautiful young woman abruptly leaves her life in Venezuela for Paris, to pursue her long-lived dream to be a singer. Along the way she encounters an eclectic assortment of bizarre characters including a gay clairvoyant, an eccentric psychoanalyst, a Puerto Rican witch doctor and a jealous roommate determined to bring her down. But Ana is determined to get what she wants, no matter what it takes. VHS 6797

Chasing Amy (1997, 113 min.). Follows the complications of love and friendship among three New Jersey comic book artists, Holden, Banky his partner, and Alyssa, the woman of Holden's dreams who at times prefers other women. VHS 5479

Children's hour (1961, 108 min.). When a vindictive little girl is disciplined in an exclusive girl's school, the child twists an overheard comment into slander. She accuses her teachers of lesbianism and her gullible grandmother spreads the gossip. Outraged, Karen and Martha fight back in court, but a child's lie is hard to disprove. DVD 2346

Chutney Popcorn (1999, 92 min.). When her older sister discovers that she can't have children, Reena can finally do something her perfect sister can't, so she seeks her mother's approval by getting pregnant and having a baby for her sister. DVD 266

Closet = Le placard (2000, 85 min.). François Pignon, a very bland sort of man who works as an accountant in a condom factory, is about to be fired. His new neighbor comes up with an idea to prevent such a thing from happening: he creates photos and then spreads the rumor that François is gay so that the factory management might be afraid they'll be sued for sexual discrimination. Of course, nothing happens as it should, but the changes in François Pignon's life-- and other people's too - is drastic! DVD 4054

Colonel Redl = Oberst Redl (1984, 142 min.). "In the early part of the 20th Century, Alfred Redl ruthlessly rises from his peasant background to become a high-ranking member of the Imperial Austrian military. But when Redl is sent to spy on the Russian Empire, his espionage is compromised by his secret double life as a homosexual. As the world perches on the brink of war, Redl finds himself trapped in a web of deception where honor, grandeur and greed can only be betrayed by one final shocking act of fate" -- Container. DVD 908

Come undone = Presque rien (2000, 98 min.). Come Undone tells the story of two young French boys who begin a passionate relationship that boils over and threatens to destroy both their lives. Mathieu is a quiet 18-year-old boy spending the holidays with his depressed mother. He gets involved with the more experienced Cédric. Their relationship sets off an emotional firestorm in Mathieu as he moves towards adulthood and independence. DVD 884

Coup de grace = Der Fangschuß (1976, 97 min.). Set in Latvia in 1919 at the end of the Russian civil war, a Prussian soldier rejects the advances of an aristocratic woman. She retaliates by joining the Bolsheviks. DVD 967

Cruising (1980, 102 min.). Based on a series of grisly slayings that occurred in the sadomasochistic-heavy leather gay scene of Manhattan's West Village in the early 70's. Pacino plays an undercover cop assigned to penetrate this male S & M subculture. Dressed in black leather, gestapo cap and chains, he hopes to draw an attack from the psychotic killer by posing as a victim. DVD 3132

Death in Venice (1971, 131 min.). Film tells the story of a man obsessed by ideal beauty. Gustav Aschenbach (Dirk Bogarde) is a distinguished man, a world-famous composer and conductor who embodies all the civilized virtues of the European culture he represents. Yet on a solitary rest holiday in Venice, he spies a beautiful young boy - and abandons himself to a secret passion that carries him to his doom as the city is gripped by a cholera epidemic. VHS 4249

Desert hearts (1991, 96 min.). Vivian is a repressed English professor who goes to Reno in 1959 for a quickie divorce. She spends the weeks waiting for final divorce papers at a dumpy dude ranch, where she meets Cay, a beautiful young casino worker. The two develop a friendship that stirs desires in Vivian she cannot deny. Slowly their attraction deepens into bold sensuality as they develop a bond that renews their hearts--and breaks all the rules. VHS 2825

Diary of a Male Whore (2001, 15 min.). The film "...can be read as a metaphorical account of the Palestinian-Israeli "dialogue" or so-called "peace-process." A haunting tale of a young man's sexual awakening and commodification..." -- from container. VHS 7123

Different from the others = Anders als die andern (1919, 50 min.). A prosperous man encounters a sleazy blackmailer who discovers that he is gay. Released in 1919, this film is an amazingly frank depiction of a homosexual relationship. Banned at the time of its release, later burned by the Nazis, the film was believed lost for more than forty years. DVD 2453

Don't Tell Anyone = No se lo digas a nadie (1998, 120 min.). Based on the alleged autobiography of gay Peruvian talk show host Jaime Bayly, this is the story of Joaquin, a troubled youth from a well-to-do family in Peru, who must overcome the domineering influences of his macho, racist father and obsessively religious mother to discover his true sexual nature. DVD 782

Dottie gets spanked (1993, 30 min.). A stylized, bittersweet nod to his childhood fascination with I Love Lucy. Deep in the heart of pre-hippie 1960s America, young artistically-inclined Steven Gale is obsessed with Dottie Frank, wacky star of the eponymous hit sitcom The Dottie Show. While his mother gently encourages the boy's fixation, his father grows increasingly frustrated by his son's apparently "sissified" interests. DVD 1137

Early frost (1985, 97 min.). Tells the story of an American family trying to cope with the news that their son is dying of AIDS. The parents must deal with the double shock of learning that their son is gravely ill and homosexual. VHS 4180

Education of Shelby Knox (2005, 76 min. ). A riveting tale of one girl's mission to bring sex education to schools in her ultra-conservative Texas town of Lubbock. DVD 3710

Edward II (1992, 91 min.). "Edward II embraces the essential dramatic themes of passion, murder, and unrequited love. Steven Waddington plays the monarch as a man whose destiny hangs on his overpowering passion and lack of responsibility to the British throne. He rebuffs his wife, Isabella, lavishing affection on the handsome Gaveston -- a choice that ultimately seals his fate." VHS 2026

Entertaining Mr. Sloane (1970, 90 min.). Black comedy about a handsome, obliging criminal (McEnery as Mr. Slaone, a young man who murders those who displease him) who becomes the guest and love interest of a both a frowzy widow (Reid) and her homosexual brother Ed (Andrews). This bizarre ménage is threatened when the pair's father discovers the identity of his children's new obsession. VHS 368

Far from Heaven (2002, 107 min.). Cathy is the perfect 50s housewife, living the perfect 50s life: healthy kids, successful husband, social prominence. Then one night she surprises her husband Frank having sex with another man, and her tidy world starts spinning out of control. In her confusion and grief, she finds consolation in the friendship of their African-American gardener, Raymond--a socially taboo relationship that leads to the further disintegration of life as she knew it. DVD 684

Farewell my concubine (1993, 172 min.). Story that spans more than 50 years in the lives of two men at the Peking Opera, friends since childhood, and the woman who comes between them. Also an absorbing drama of the period in Chinese history from the warlord era through the Cultural Revolution. DVD 436

Fire (1996, 108 min.). Banned in India, this film was the first to confront lesbianism in that country. Radha Kapur (Azmi) is in a barren, arranged marriage to an amateur swami who seeks enlightenment through celibacy. Her life takes an irresistible turn when Mundu (Chowdhry), her beautiful young sister-in-law, seeks to free herself from the confines of her own loveless marriage and they find solace and love in each other's arms. DVD 184, VHS 5298

Fireworks (1947, 20 min.) available on The films of Kenneth Anger Volume 1. DVD 3296

Fox and His Friends AKA Fist-fight of freedom = Faustrecht der Freiheit (1975, 123 min.). Rainer Werner Fassbinder directs and stars as a gay lower-class carnival performer known as Fox the Talking Head, who strikes it rich by winning a lottery. Then he has an ill-fated romance with an elegant upperclass lover. DVD 1568

Fresh kill (1994, 80 min.). Film juxtaposes lives of individual residents of New York City with the poisoning of their environment through nuclear testing in the Pacific, ocean pollution and local toxic landfills. Shareen Lightfoot (Choudhury) and Claire Mayakovsky (Erin McMurtry) are two young lesbian parents caught up in a global exchange of industrial waste via contaminated sushi. A ghost barge, bearing nuclear refuse, circles the world looking for a port. Household pets start to glow ominously and then disappear. The sky opens up and snows soap flakes. People start speaking in tongues. The crisis escalates when a multinational corporation is implicated and the couple's daughter mysteriously vanishes. VHS 6208

Funeral Parade of Roses = Bara no soretsu (1969, 105 min.) Eddie and the transvestite Leda both have sexual desires on bar manager and drug dealer Gonda. Gonda fears Leda will expose him to the police if he does not give in to his advances. When Leda commits suicide, Eddie and Gonda are free to engage in their homosexual yearnings for each other. When Gonda discovers he is Eddie's father, he kills himself with a knife. A distraught Eddie uses the same knife to cut his own eyes. DVD 2289

Garden (1990, 90 min.). The film recreates the story of the Passion with the figure of Christ replaced in some sequences by two lovers, who are arrested, humiliated, and tortured. Jarman attempts to examine the role of the Church in the persecution of homosexuality, while treating Christ with great reverence and respect. VHS 6617

Go fish (1995, 83 min.). A humorous and sensual look at love among a small circle of young gay women. Kia (McMillan), a professor, is involved with Evy (Melendez). They would like Kia's roommate, Max (Turner), to meet a woman. Kia sets her up with Ely (Brodie), an ex-student of hers who is in the process of terminating a long-distance relationship. They finally go out on a date and everyone insists on getting all the details. VHS 4138

Happy together = Chun gwong cha sit (1997, 97 min.). Lai Yiu-fai (Tony Leung) and Ho Po-wing (Leslie Cheung) are a pair of gay lovers living out the waning days of their relationship as expatriates in Buenos Aires. As they explore a city rich with diverse cultural influences, their romance is brought to life in a way both realistic and universal. DVD 739, VHS 6034

Heavenly Creatures (1994, 99 min.). When circumstances bring together two bright and highly imaginative teenage schoolgirls they quickly form an unwavering bond, creating a fantasy world that only they can share. Disturbed by the intensity of the friendship, their parents threaten to keep them apart. The girls vow to stay together, devising a secret plan that leads to shocking consequences. DVD 678

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001, 95 min.). Based on the smash hit New York show, this is a high-energy rock musical in the tradition of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This is the story of Hedwig, an ambitious glam-rocker who comes to America determined to find fame, fortune, and his "other half." DVD 301

Higher learning (1995, 126 min.). First-term freshmen get a crash course in diversity, identity and sexuality. VHS 5056

I, the worst of all = Yo, la peor de todas (1990, 107 min.). This historical drama tells the story of Juana Ines de la Cruz, one of the greatest poets of the Spanish Siglo de Oro. In order to pursue her passion for writing, Juana enters the convent. There, she develops an intimate relationship with the vicereine, who inspires her poetry. But when the forces of the Inquisition invade the convent, the women have only each other to turn to. DVD 1162

I, you, he, she = Je, tu, il, elle (1974, 90 min.). Julie stays in a virtually bare room writing a long love letter, with which she becomes increasingly frustrated. She hitchhikes along the Brussels highway, where she is picked up by a truck driver. Arriving at the apartment of her former lesbian lover, Julie spends the night, but silently leaves the apartment next morning. VHS 6464

If these walls could talk 2 (2000, 97 min.). "Three couples over three different decades are bonded by the depth of their passions, their unconventional love and a house that might offer up their stories"--Container. Dramatizes the lesbian experience in America in three different decades. "1961" features Redgrave as an older lesbian who is left out of the decision-making process in the wake of her partner's sudden death. "1972" looks at the lesbian role in the feminist movement of the 1970s through the eyes of a college-age couple. "2000" features DeGeneres and Stone as a lesbian couple trying to conceive a child. VHS 6774

Journey = Sancharram (2006, 107 min.) Despite her love for her best friend, Kiran must marry the boy chosen by her family. When Delilah discovers the truth, the two women begin a secret romance. DVD 3694

Karmen Gei (2001, 83 min.). Karmen escapes prison through her lesbian relationship with the warden. She then wrecks the marriage and career of a police corporal by making him her lover and co-conspirator in a smuggling ring. She abandons the corporal who, in a fit of jealous rage, stabs her. Contains much singing and dancing. VHS 7214

Kiss of the spider woman (1986, 119 min.). A complex look at the relationship that develops between two men with radically different perspectives on life. Flamboyant Molina, a homosexual (Hurt), and political prisoner Valentin (Julia) share a prison cell in an unnamed Latin American dictatorship. To pass the time, Molina entertains Valentin with narratives from old movies. VHS 379

Kissing Jessica Stein (2001, 97 min.). Fed up with her fruitless search for "Mr. Right" and tired of blind dates from hell, attractive journalist Jessica Stein whimsically responds to a classified ad-- from Helen! Making and breaking new rules of dating as they go, the two women muddle through an earnest but hilarious courtship that blurs the lines between friendship and romantic love. DVD 1986

Kizuna (1994, 60 min.). (Japanese Anime) Ranmaru Samejim is a very handsome and legendary school fencing champion whose sports career comes to an abrupt end after he is mistakenly run over by a car intended to kill his boyfriend, Enjoji, the son of the mafia don in Osaka. Because of Enjoji's unwavering love and encouragement. Ranmaru is able to successfully recover. After a few years of living and loving together, they happen to learn that Enjoji's half brother, Kei Sagano, is not only living near them but has enrolled in the same college to be closer to Ranmaru his secret love. Kei's presence causes some conflict for the happy couple. After a long talk with Masanori Araki, Kei's substitute father, Kei realizes that he has no chance whatsoever of stealing Ranmaru from Enjoji—back of container. DVD 709

L Word Seasons 1-4 (2007). A group of lesbian and bisexual women experience life in Los Angeles. DVD 3351-3366

Labyrinth of passion = Laberinto de pasiones (1983, 100 min.) "A camp melodrama/comedy about Sexilia (a nymphomaniac), Sadec (a gay Islamic terrorist), Riza Niro (the son of the emperor of Tiran), and Queti (the daughter of a dry-cleaner). When Riza Niro discovers that Sadec and his colleagues are after him, he disguises himself as a punk rocker, and falls in love with the stunning Sexilia, his first straight relationship. Meanwhile Queti, Sexilia's "biggest fan", helps Sexilia come to terms with her new life-style." -taken from imdb.com. VHS 7948

Law of desire = La ley del Deseo (1987, 102 min.). Explores the relationships of a gay movie director, who has a transsexual brother, and two lovers, one of whom murders the other and takes the director's sister (brother) hostage in order to see the director one more time. DVD 2442

Lilies (1996, 96 min.). "In 1952, a Catholic bishop makes an exceptional visit to a prison to hear a dying inmate's confession. Once inside the chapel, the bishop is taken hostage by Simon, a childhood friend. With the aid of his fellow inmates, Simon's version of the events that took place forty years earlier are reenacted. The action moves seamlessly through time between the crude prison and the actual events of 1912. The drama culminates on the tragic night when both men's fates were decided."--Container. VHS 5716

Lipstick (2002, 10 min.). "Emily is your average teenage girl. She hangs with her friends. Plays soccer. Looks forward to graduation. And thinks about boys...and girls. This is Emily's story of coming out."--Container. VHS 7280

Living End (1992, 85 min.). Focuses on the relationship between Jon and Luke, a pair of young, HIV-positive gay men, who find themselves bound together by circumstances and embark on a torrid love affair while on the lam in a desolate, quasi-surrealistic American wasteland. When Jon announces he's had enough of the romantic fantasy and is returning home, he finds himself at gunpoint and at the mercy of the unstable, unpredictable Luke. DVD 4231, VHS 5438

Lost and delirious (2001, 104 min.). The story of three adolescent girls and their experience with first love and the discovery of sexual passion. DVD 4349

Maedchen in Uniform = Mädchen in Uniform (1931, 90 min.). Living in the prison-like confines of a Prussian boarding school for the daughters of army officers, a young girl finds herself choked by the institution's strict regimentation and rigid discipline. Under the unbending rule of a matriarchal staff, she falls in love with the school's only caring teacher. When the principal finds out about the affair, she is isolated from the rest of the students and is driven from her unhappiness to attempt suicide. VHS 4223

Mala Noche = Bad Night (1985, 78 min.). The story of Walt, a shabby clerk in Portland, Oregon, and his obsession with the sixteen-year-old Johnny, an illegal immigrant from Mexico. DVD 3268

Maurice (1996, 95 min.). Set in pre-World War I England, this film concerns the coming of age of two young men who meet at Cambridge and fall in love. Maurice and Clive struggle with the desires of their hearts and the rigid constraints of society. VHS 6235

Metrosexuality (2002, 200 min.). Young Kwame, a sexy, straight 17-year-old is trying to get his two dads, Max and Jordan, back together again. That is, when he's not trying to attract the attention of the girl of his dreams. Kwame's two gay best friends aren't having an easier time of it either, what with boyish Dean having a crush on daddy Max, and punky Banbi unable to get his older boyfriend Robin to settle down. Add Max's lesbian sister and Max and Jordan's new love interests and you're in the middle of a hip, fun, music-filled soap opera. DVD 559

Michael AKA Chained: The Story of the Third Sex (1924, 86 min.). A great, aging artist succumbs to despair when the young model and pupil he adores leaves him for a woman. Although the story is discreetly played at a father/adopted son level on the surface, the homosexual subtext is quite clear in this early Dreyer film made in Germany. DVD 2451

Mysterious Skin (2004, 99 min. ) At age 8, Neil and Brian played on the same baseball team in their small Kansas hometown. Now 10 years later, Neil is a hustler and Brian a nervous introvert who believes he has been abducted by aliens. As their lives intersect, they discover a shared past shrouded in mystery. DVD 2496

Oranges are not the only fruit (1997, 165 min.). The coming-of-age story of Jess, the adopted daughter of a deeply religious woman, who grows up isolated and insulated in the north of England in the 1960's. Jess's love for another girl scandalizes her mother, the church and community who set out to flush the evil from her. Jess is forced to realize she has her own mission to save the world - for love and understanding. VHS 4481 pt. 1-2

Our lady of the assassins = La Virgen de los sicarios (2000, 100 min.). An older writer, Fernando, returns to his hometown, Medellin, Colombia. There he falls in love with 16-year-old assassin, Alexis. After Alexis is killed, Fernando hunts for his killer in the Medellin slums and falls in love with Wilmar, a boy who resembles Alexis. DVD 342

Parting glances (1986, 90 min.). A homosexual love story set in Manhattan. As Michael's friend Nick is dying of AIDS, his current lover is about to leave for Africa. DVD 3452

Philadelphia (1993, 125 min.) Two competing lawyer join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops, their courage overcomes the prejudice and corruption of their powerful adversaries. DVD 3107

Pink mirror = Gulabi Aaina (2002, 40 min.). A colorful funny look into the Indian homosexual closet, this film pits two Indian drag queens against a westernized gay teenager in a battle to woo a handsome hunk. Underneath the humorous exterior, the film is an exploration of the Indian gay landscape and understanding of the deep, humanly tender bondings that exist between drag queens who form unique non-patriarchal families. DVD 3692

Place without limits = El lugar sin limites (1998, 110 min.). Exploration of machismo and homophobia in Latin American through the story of La Manuela. When his daughter is threatened by  macho truck driver Pancho,  La Manuela steps in wearing high heels and a gorgeous dress to divert Pancho's attention. VHS 6719

Poison (1990, 85 min.). Part horror film, part drama, part exposé, with an offbeat morality Poison examines the motives behind a seven-year-old boy's murder of his father, relates the story of a scientist who isolates the sex drive in liquid form, and graphically explores the sexually obsessive relationship between two prison inmates. DVD 690

Priest (1994, 98 min.). A young Roman Catholic priest in a Liverpool parish must learn to deal with the issues of homosexuality and incest, as well as conflicts between his vows and his conscience. DVD 1994

Privilege (1990, 103 min.). Interweaving the real and fictional, the personal and political, the filmmaker delves into concepts such as sexual identity and unequal economies of race, gender, and class while making a film on menopause. VHS 1668

Queer as Folk Seasons 1-3. (2003). The Showtime series about a group of gay men and women living day-to-day in Pittsburgh, PA. DVD 3331-3347

Querelle (1982, 109 min.). Rainer Werner Fassbinder's final film; a stylized, delirious interpretation of Genet's story of a proud and tough loaner, the sailor Querelle who becomes involved in drug-smuggling, sexual adventures and murder. Originally shot in English; also released in a German-dubbed print as "Querelle--ein pakt mit dem Teufel". DVD 3560

Quinceañera (2006, 91 min.) Magdalena is 14 and anxiously awaiting her 15th birthday where she'll celebrate her quinceañera. Her world starts to crumble when she discovers her pregnancy after not being able to fit in her gown for her quinceañera. Soon, she's kicked out of her home, abandoned by her family, and abandoned by her baby's father. Magdalena is then taken in by her great-granduncle, Tomas and her gay, often-in-trouble cousin, Carlos. There she finds a new family and life. DVD 2454

Road to Love (2002, 70 min.). This romantic drama follows a young and apparently straight French-Algerian student, Karim, on a sociological quest to find gay Muslims. Through his investigations, the likable and handsome Karim meets a number of gay Arabs, from self-focused Youssef to sexually aggressive Mustapha. But it is handsome flight attendant Farid who leaves a lasting impression. While the friendship between Karim and Farid slowly intensifies, Karim is forced to confront the fact that his investigation will not only reveal the fascinating history and culture of gay Muslims, but also his own homosexuality. DVD 1121

Rocky horror picture show 1998. 1 videocassette (100 min.). A mad mix of classic horror/sci-fi/ B-movie/rock music super-charged sensuality and outrageous fantasy. It's the story of an "ordinary" couple and one unforgettable night at the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a mad-scientist from the planet Transsexual. Brad and Janet have arrived on a special night, the night Dr. Furter's beautiful creature, Rocky, the adonis humanoid created for the release of Frank's tension, was to be born. Includes the songs: Time warp, Dammit Janet, and Wild and untamed thing. DVD 279, VHS 6238

Rude (1996, 90 min.). Set in the Jamaican community in inner-city Toronto, film tells three separate stories featuring (1) a young boxer (Richard Chevolieau) who participates in a gay-bashing, (2) a wall artist just out of jail on drug charges (Maurice Dean Wint) who finds his wife has become a cop and his brother is still dealing and (3) a young woman (Rachel Crawford) who has an abortion and also loses her lover. The stories are tied together by Rude (Sharon M. Lewis), the DJ on the local pirate radio station. VHS 5228

Rules of the road (1993, 31 min.). Story begins with the narrator's lover buying a station wagon. Film looks at how our dreams of freedom, pleasure, and security are often symbolized by the automobile. VHS 6711

Scorpio Rising (1964, 28 min.) on The films of Kenneth Anger Volume 2. DVD 3297

Sex in chains = Geschlecht in fesseln (1928, 90 min.) When Sommer accidentally kills a nightclub patron harassing his wife Helene, he's sentenced to three years in prison. Denied the comforts promised in their marriage, the young newlyweds risk their future and find release where they can -- Sommer in the arms of a handsome fellow prisoner and Helene with the boss whose kindness becomes her only solace. DVD 2452

She hate me (2004, 139 min.) Executive John Henry "Jack" Armstrong gets fired when he blows the whistle on his bosses' business dealings. Desperate to make a living, he accepts his lesbian ex-girlfriend's offer for cash to impregnate her and soon he has a line seeking his services. DVD 4405

Shortbus (2007, 102 min.) An exploration into the lives of several characters living in New York as they navigate the comic and tragic intersections between love and sex. Male and female, straight and gay, they find one another - and eventually themselves - when they all converge at a weekly underground salon called "Shortbus," a mad collision of art, music, politics, and polysexual carnality. DVD 2568

Show me love = Fucking Åmål (1998, 89 min.) "Story of Agnes, Elin and their teenage friends growing up in the small town of Åmål. Nothing ever happens until Elin shows up at Agnes' birthday party and Elin's life takes an unexpected turn. Stuck in the middle of two love interests, Elin tries to come to terms with her real self, and the courage it takes to be different"--Container. DVD 3839

Silence (1993, 95 min.). A forceful narrative of two sisters; one is a frustrated lesbian with no future, the other a free-loving mother of a 10-year old boy. VHS 6502

Smell of burning ants (1994, 22 min.). The film raises gender issues and provokes the viewer to reflect on how our society can deprive boys of wholeness. Through the formative events of a boy's life, we come to understand the ways in which men can become emotionally disconnected and alienated from their feminine side. Illustrates how boys are socialized by fear, power and shame. VHS 3843

Strawberry & chocolate = Fresa y chocolate (1994, 104 min.). David, a student at Havana University, is devastated when his girlfriend marries someone else.  When he meets a gay artist, Diego, he is drawn to his cultured lifestyle and a friendship forms between them. VHS 3612. DVD 1163

Swoon (1992. 95 min.). A film noir "thriller" that presents the true case of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, brilliant young men from good Jewish families, who were convicted for murdering a 13-year-old boy. VHS 6521

Tarnation (2003, 88 min.). A multitude of family snapshots, Super-8 home movies, old answering machine messages, video diaries, early short films, snippets of '80s pop culture, and dramatic reenactments are used to create an epic portrait of an American family travesty. Begins in 2003 when Jonathan learns that his schizophrenic mother, Renee, overdoses on her lithium medication. He is shot back into his real and horrifying family legacy of rape, abandonment, promiscuity, drug addiction, child abuse, and psychosis. He grows up on camera and finds his escape in musical theater and B-horror movies. A look into the future shows Jonathan as he confronts the almost unbearable love he shares with his tragically damaged mother. DVD 2055

Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000, 106 min.). An anthology of 5 loosely connected and interwoven stories showing how women deal with the variety of problems that each faces in her life. A doctor looking after her invalid mother who realizes that her own life is passing her by. A wealthy bank manager dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, a workaholic boyfriend, and a street woman who dispenses advice that hits too close to the truth. A single mother debating starting a relationship with the dwarf who moves in across the street. A fortune teller struggling with her grief and depression as she cares for her lesbian lover who is dying from cancer. A woman police detective confronted with her own loneliness as she watches her blind sister date, and investigates the suicide of an old school friend. DVD 3663

Tipping the Velvet (2002, 178 min.). Set in the 1890's, the story of a lesbian love affair between a music hall male impersonator and a young woman smitten by the music hall life. DVD 2924

Torch song trilogy (1989, 120 min.). Chronicles a New Yorker's search for love, respect and tradition in a world that seems not especially made for him. Set in the 1970s, film looks at the relationships of a gay, Jewish New Yorker with his bisexual lover, with the fashion model he believes is his one true love, and with his overbearing mother. VHS 3012

Totally f***ed up (1994, 85 min.) The story of the troubled world of gay and lesbian teenagers who hang around empty parking structures and deserted car washes and agonize about drugs, sex, dating, suicide, violence, family and gay identity. DVD 1533

Transamerica (2005, 104 min.) Bree Osborne, a pre-operative transsexual, learns she fathered a child back when she was Stanley Osborne. The wheels of fortune take Bree and her teenaged son on a cross-country trip that will change both their lives. DVD 2064

Trevor (1994, 18 min.). Trevor is a teenager who is discovering his homosexual desires. He is ignored by his parents and teased by his classmates. His only solace is his Diana Ross records. VHS 3346

Tropical malady = Sud pralad (2005, 118 min.) Tropical malady chronicles the mystical love affair between a young soldier and the country boy he seduces. Local legends claimed the boy was turned into a mythic beast. The soldier journeys alone into the jungle in search of him. DVD 3848

Vera (1987, 87 min.). The story of a woman brought up in an orphanage in Brazil who adopts male dress and mannerism as a means of achieving power over the other residents. When she is released from the orphanage, she must struggle with her sexuality and her identify. She continues her life as a man and even considers a sex change operation. VHS 839

Vereda tropical (2005, 105 min.). Manuel Puig, author of Kiss of the Spider Woman, spent the later years of his life in Rio de Janeiro. Here, Manuel freely expressed his homosexuality and pursued an insatiable love of writing, romance, and an illicit affair with a powerful diplomat. DVD 1465

Victim (1997, 100 min.). This dramatization of the problems of the criminalization of homosexual acts between consenting adults was the first British film to concentrate on male homosexuality and was made with the specific intention of supporting the new recommendations of the 1957 Wolfenden Committee for the partial decriminalization of male homosexual acts. Film tells the story of Melville Farr (Bogarde), a successful barrister, who places his career on the line by 'coming out' in order to expose a blackmail racket. VHS 5064

Victor Victoria (1991, 134 min.). A starving singer in Depression-era Paris is convinced by an equally hapless performer that she may have more luck on the transvestite circuit as a woman passing herself off as a man imitating a woman.  In her deception, she captures the heart of a Chicago nightclub owner whose romantic feelings toward her collide with his macho personality. VHS 2558

Vive l'amour = Ai qing wan sui (1994, 118 min.). May, a chic and seductive real estate agent, and Ah-jong, a street merchant, meet by chance and begin to use a vacant apartment for their impulsive sexual liaisons. A bizarre love triangle is created when a shy young gay man hides in the same apartment and spies on the couple. VHS 6070

Wedding banquet = Hsi yen = Xi yan (1993, 108 min.). Comedy about the age-old conflict between parents and their children. In New York, the Taiwanese half of a gay couple hopes to end his parents' matchmaking by announcing that he's engaged. What he doesn't count on is that they'll fly in to meet the bride and plan the nuptials! DVD 1873, VHS 6236

What's underground about marshmallows?: Ron Vawter performs Jack Smith (2000, 60 min.). Constitutes the second half of Vawter's performance piece "Roy Cohn/Jack Smith". The full work consists of two linked monologues: the first, a portrayal of a classic Roy Cohn after-dinner speech for the Society for the Protection of the American Family; the second, recorded here, Vawter's version of Smith's own performance-of-the self, "What's underground about marshmallows?", originally performed by Smith in 1981. VHS 6633

When night is falling (1995, 94 min.) A love triangle between an English professor, a theologian, and a circus performer. Camille, a classical mythology professor at a Christian college, must choose between her fiancé, Martin, a fellow theologian, and her new love, Petra, a flamboyant and daring circus performer. DVD 4348

Wild reeds = Les roseaux sauvages (1997, 110 min.). A poignant coming-of-age story set in southwest France in 1962.  Sensitive young François is uncertain of his sexuality as he finds himself more attracted to his classmate Serge than to his platonic girlfriend Maïté. An older boy, Henri, is drawn into the circle, further complicating relationships. Through their passage into adulthood, the four experience a series of sexual and political conflicts as they explore the mysteries of the human heart. DVD 272

Wilde (1997, 116 min.) Notorious poet and playwright Oscar Wilde devours all that life has to offer, but there's only so much that late Victorian England will tolerate. As Wilde delves into a taboo world of unrealized homosexual desire, his life rapidly becomes a turbulent charade. He cannot escape the repercussions wrought by a "pure" society, nor will he hide in shame for being true to his nature. DVD 543

XXY (2007, 90 min.) The dramatic story of a 15-year-old hermaphrodite, born with what the doctors call 'ambiguous genitalia,' whose parents moved from Buenos Aires to an isolated cabin outside of Piriápolis, Uruguay, to protect their child from prejudice. DVD 4085

Yossi & Jagger (2004, 71 min.). A sociological study of two men in the Israeli army who are lovers. The others in the unit react to their situation, suspecting, but not always understanding. One will leave the military soon, a few months away, as a snowy and desolate outpost is guarded from attack. DVD 988

You'll get over it: growing up is hard (2002, 86 min.) In this coming-of-age drama, popular 16-year-old high school student Vincent (Julien Baumgartner) excels on the swim team and dates a pretty girl named Noemie (Julia Maraval). His family, his teachers, and his coach all love and admire him, but in one respect, he's misleading them all. This becomes all too apparent when Benjamin (Jeremie Elkaim) moves to town, and seeing through Vincent's facades, pursues him. Vincent's classmates see the two of them together, rumors abound, and somebody completes the "outing" process by spray painting "Vincent is a fag" on one of the schoolyard walls. The swim team ostracizes Vincent, his closest friends are angry about the deceptions, and his parents don't know what to say. Perhaps it's too much for a 16-year-old kid to sort out by himself. DVD 1015

Zero patience (1994, 100 min.). Film tells a tall tale of love and loss, sex and science, history and hysteria in the age of AIDS. Director Greyson revives renowned Victorian Sir Richard Burton who constructs a sensationalist multimedia museum display focusing on Patient Zero, the gay French-Canadian flight attendant accused of bringing AIDS to North America. VHS 5437