3500+ Films - 2.5 million words – 1 million viewers! Founder and Curator Carmela selects some of our most entertaining, powerful and inspiring Bisexual films at We Are Moving Stories including documentary, drama, shorts about women, poly love, global, relationships, the films of Ruth Caudeli, bi-curious - and gender fluidity.
Total length of this section: 21 films.
<THE FILMS OF BRENDAN PROST>
Loretta’s Flowers - On a long summer’s day in Toronto, a young queer woman cycles between increasingly intimate encounters with three diverse individuals, but remains trapped in a pattern of insatiable longing. Length: 15 minutes. Writer/Director Brendan Prost:
“I’ve been surprised how unfazed people are by the main character’s level of disaffection. The pattern of disassociation and unrequited longing portrayed in the film seems to be taken for granted as a fact of modern life, like it’s been normalized. I think I see more tension at play than most people who watch the movie do.”
Heavy Petting - An eerie bifurcated character drama about a queer encounter between two lonely cat enthusiasts, and a macabre test of one’s social obscurity. Length: 17.39 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Brendan Prost:
“This is a film for people who have ever felt invisible or disposable, and have been driven to despair because of it. My work has always been primarily for young adults— whose experiences of alienation are especially acute. But, this film is especially for queer people who know the sting of marginalization and fetishization better than most. And, even more particularly for bisexual folks, whose suffering often goes unnoticed or is dismissed entirely.”
<WOMEN’S STORIES>
Treacle - When friends Belle and Jessie go away for the weekend and drunkenly hook up; what seems like an awkward slip up to firmly heterosexual Jessie, is, in fact, an incredible betrayal to bisexual Belle. Length: 17:59 minutes. Director Rosie Westhoff:
“The writer April has always been open when it comes to sexuality and very happy to answer questions when her friends build the courage to ask when they’re drunk. But, what she found was that quite often that drunk friend.”
@DATINGZOE - A digital comedy about not finding love. Length: Varies (3 episodes). Producer Lisa Cossrow:
“Most people can relate to the awkwardness of online dating. We thought it was also important to tackle topics within the LGBTQ community such as sexual and gender identity, the complexity of labels and the intimacy of relationships between two women. Each of our episodes is inspired by real dating stories.”
Suburban Wildlife - With one week left before the departure of their best friend, a close-knit group of university graduates are left facing decisions that will define the rest of their lives. Length: 85 minutes. Co-writer/Director Imogen McCluskey:
“We really wanted to make a film about people in their early 20s, which was written and made by people in their early 20s. Instead of a polished or nostalgic look back on youth, this film is messy and bold, and offers a message of acceptance and love. That it’s okay to explore your sexuality, it’s okay to be lost and feel alone. It’s okay to have trouble articulating your feelings, and sometimes you may hurt your friends, even if you love them. So the key question of the film concerns identity: do you ever really know yourself, unless you’re challenged by people you love?”
Seven Days - Seven Days is an anthology of seven women, a homeless teacher, wealthy housewife, single mother, social activist, polyamorist, sex worker and same-sex partner, a tour-de-force performance all played by one actress. Length: 1 hour 40 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Corey Kupfer:
“I always say I set out to make work that doesn’t reinforce what audiences already know to be true, but challenges expectations. There is a gap within mainstream film, lacking femininity, and that doesn’t just mean female artists or female characters but an entirely different way of experiencing story that isn’t driven by action or plot as is currently taught, but a receptive experience with emotional and intellectual journeys, among other things.”
<GLOBAL>
Public Intimacy (Intimidade Pública) - You cannot live someone else's life. Four seasons. Four stories. Four couples. Four tangled desires. A bathroom pickup burns on its own homophobia. A street walker succumbs to a lover. Blackmail and queer romance walk a dangerous path together. Madness takes over a woman’s libido. Length: 70 minutes. Director Luciana Canton:
“Would you go to the bottom of things when it comes to your sexuality and your heart?”
Easy Reappearance - Anne, a fity-year-old woman with a bourgeois mentality, listens to a message secretly intended for her husband: a man makes an appointment with him in a gay club where you must give the password, « Easy Reappearance »... Length: 16.50 minutes. Writer/Director Guillaume Levil:
“Easy Reappearance” is about love. And love, of course. In fact, as I always say, even if I speak about violence, or hamsters or I don’t know what else, I only speak about love, it’s the only thing that exists on earth. But this time I wanted to see the link between love and liberty. It’s the story of a woman who has always lived in a jail - the jail is in her brain. I wanted to film the revolution in this brain, and that’s why I had to be free in the way of filming too, and that’s why “Easy Reappearance” is sometimes a little strange!”
<POLY>
Two in the Bush: A Love Story - In this wise and witty look at the world of bisexuality, polyamory and dungeons, we are asked to consider what risks are worth taking for love. Length: 97 minutes. Co-Writer/Director/Co-Executive Producer Laura Madalinski:
“I can honestly tell you there is no other film like it. It follows a traditional romantic comedy structure, but with a few twists. The most obvious is that it’s about three people instead of two. We also explore the subjects of bisexuality, polyamory, kinks, and sex work in a way that is both honest and loving. There is a lot about this film that is fresh and different. It’s funny as hell, and will give you ‘all the feels’.”
Poly Love - takes a look inside polyamorous relationships by narrating a love story where exclusivity is not the rule. Length: 28 minutes. Director Michelle A. Flores:
“I can’t thank enough the Poly community who saw in Poly Love a story that depicts them the way they are, without sensationalism or stereotypes, but as normal, common people that decided to love more than one person.”
Cake - Eliza tries to explore her sexuality within her marriage with her husband Thomas by surprise ordering a female sex robot for them to share. But the sexbot is not the cure-all she had hoped for. Be careful what you wish for. Length: 9:22 minutes. Writer/director Anne Hu:
“You should watch Cakeif you like to laugh and if you like sex. hahaha. Seriously though, if you like stories that push the boundaries, that talk about the complexity of sexuality and relationships, and also a story with heart, you’ll enjoy Cake.”
<RELATIONSHIPS>
Gay Haircut - For a stand-up comic, a drastic life change can mean losing one’s entire act. Bisexual comedian Krista has decided her relationship with a trans woman is worth coming out over - but will she commit to an entire rebrand with one gay haircut? Length: 7.30 minutes. Director Jude Harris:
“Gay Haircut is a very silly comedy about a gay haircut that’s for anyone who has ever taken a surprising step outside of their comfort zone. It stars three funny stand-up comics and one funny stuntman from Jackass Forever.”
It Gets Better? - An older gay man is inspired to record a testimonial after watching a bisexual teenager’s video, assuring him that ‘it gets better.” Length: 11.20 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Stephen Riscica:
“I began writing this piece a little over 5 years ago. It’s inspired by Dan Savage’s It Gets Better YouTube campaign, a campaign that features a series of video testimonials for GLBTQ youth offering words of hope and inspiration to those who may be facing harassment or contemplating suicide.”
The Other Man - A modern, young bride flounders upon hearing that the best man used to be in love with her groom. With the wedding in chaos, she must confront the greatest threat to her marriage - herself. Length: 10 minutes. Director/Writer/Co-Producer Sher-Li Tan:
“One feedback that repeatedly comes up is the confusion over the sexuality of the groom. Someone often assumes the groom’s orientation (e.g. bisexual) in their feedback and other people chime in with their opinions. What is pleasantly surprising to me is that as quickly as it happens, the consensus quickly reached is that it is irrelevant to the story. I had expected a much greater resistance and for the confusion to be troubling, but generally most viewers are willing to accept a character’s unknown sexuality with little to no questions asked. It’s a heartening sign of progress. ”
The Summer of ABC Burns - Gem learns there is a lot she doesn’t know about her ‘best friend’ Drew. Length: 13 minutes. Writer/Director: Dannika Horvat:
“I was inspired to tell the story of Gem and Drew, based on my own experiences with the best friend/worst enemy dynamic that can occur in young female relationships. I was also drawn to explore a story that shows sexuality as more fluid and complex than the binary labels of gay and straight. I am also extremely passionate about stories involving young women within Australia that are sometimes dark and gritty but which are also universal in the experience of growing up.”
One-minded - Shenanigans occur in an apartment shared by two Korean women as one of them brings home a man that she picked up in a club and two thieves invade the place. Meanwhile, a fan oscillates and observes. Length: 20 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer Forest Ian Etsler & Sébastien Simon:
“With the bulk of the film staying within the apartment of the two female protagonists, we went to great extents to give as much depth and detail to the living space as possible. These two women had lived in Paris together and had a romantic relationship, but now are a bit older and are forced to socialize to life in their maternal country, South Korea. We wanted to give as much life to all those emotions that lie under the surface.”
After Oil - Their town crushed by a global oil crisis, Briar and her girlfriend Sarah fight to survive. When Josie Gannon tells Briar that her son has gone missing, Briar attempts to retrace his steps. Together, they find that Earl never completed his delivery route. As night sets in, they are close to giving up when they discover something far more sinister behind his disappearance. Length: 23.48 minutes. Co-Director/Co-Creator Jessica Naftaly and Writer/Co-Director/Co-Creator Shailyn Cotten:
“We always talk about how AFTER OIL has so many touchstones. Whether it be the “whodunnit” mystery aspect of it, the environmental thematic core, or the important representation that we as creators feel is so important, there’s something for everyone. For us, as bisexual filmmakers, specifically seeing a complex character like Briar Dunlap heading the series is one of the things that makes us the most excited to share this with others. As two queer women wanting to see themselves not just in media, but in the genre media that we consume, Briar represents what we craved to see growing up.”
<THE FILMS OF RUTH CAUDELI>
Between Walls - Isabella, Mario and Cristina search in an app to do a threesome. They meet in a motel room between sex and drugs. Are strangers the ones who know us the best? Length: 19.20 minutes. Director/Writer Ruth Caudeli:
“After shooting my first feature, I wanted to explore darker characters. I wanted to explore sexuality as a way of freedom, and especially, women’s sexuality and empowerment. ”
Second star on the right - Emilia is a 30-something bisexual woman who refuses to grow up as her female friends already did. Angélica, one of Emilia’s friends, is getting married. Her other friends, Clara and Renata, seem to have all their lives figured out: amazing jobs, family, kids… While Emilia is still living with her mother and trying to define her relationship with Mariana. She is also trying to survive as an actress and she teaches acting classes in a cheap school. She feels more comfortable with her students than with people of her age. Her life will be even messier when she is fired from her job and she is forced to live a ‘standard’ life. Angélica’s bachelorette party would reveal that not only Emilia is unhappy with her life. We are all hiding what we really are. Length: 1 hour 24 minutes. Interview with Writer/Director Ruth Caudeli.
<BI-CURIOUS>
Sell Your Body - A millennial horror story about student debt, dating apps, and a threesome gone wrong. Length: 11 minutes. Writer/Director Jaanelle Yee:
“Dating app culture is one that requires giving trust and intimacy to someone you’ve only texted a few times, sometimes only for an hour before meeting. I hope there is a relatable fear for everyone in the glimpses at a student exploited by the loan industry, predatory behavior that has become the norm in the dating scene, the need to present bi-curiosity as “sexy” to feel comfortable exploring it, and the ever-looming threat that trusting the wrong person on a night out can be the end of you. It all comes together whimsically sharp, because sometimes I need to just laugh at how terrible our culture can be.”
<GENDER FLUIDITY>
Picture Farm Film Festival - Brooklyn NY, March 24-26, 2017 Picture Farm is proud to announce the 2017 edition of the Picture Farm Film Fest, with a program made up of: Global Environment Issues for the Local Audience, Black Voices in Independent Film, Defying Gender Identity Labels and Untold Stories of Struggle & Change from Around The World. It is free for those who want to attend. Festival Director Winnie Cheung:
“Whether we notice it or not, fluidity in gender identity & sexuality is all around us but we still experience gender binarism, and heteronormative narratives in mainstream media. Whether it’s on TV, print or film we learn at a young age that girls should act “like girls” and only fall in love with boys and vice versa. Boys learn to tune out their femininity. We need more stories where the people in front and behind the camera are gender queer. For those who face discrimination because of their sexuality or gender, these stories can make a connection and make a difference. ”