When Troy (Murray Bartlett) returns to Los Angeles after a multiyear foray in Barcelona, he contacts Jonathan (Daniel Dugan), the object of his desire during a short-lived, intense summer fling f ive years earlier. Their still-smoldering connection is obvious from the first, but Jonathan tries to fight his desires while his live-in boyfriend Raoul (Adrian Gonzalez) approaches the situation with a hands-off approach. Meanwhile, Troy’s inability to make a commitment one way or the other complicates matters. Lovingly shot and languidly told, August uses the perspectives of all three men and a muddled timeline to tell their stories, successfully mixing Rashomon with a dash of Memento to give a unique twist to the romantic-triangle genre. Writer and director Eldar Rapaport. (Description courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival.)

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Zenne Dancer is inspired by the true characters and stories of Zenne Can and Ahmet Yildiz, who was murdered by his father July 18, 2008 in Istanbul. It is the contemporary story of three unlikely friends: Ahmet, a hyper-masculine gay (bear); Can, a male belly dancer (Zenne); and Daniel, a German photo-journalist. One day they meet Daniel, a German photojournalist newly arrived in Istanbul. The three of them forge a friendship and Daniel and Ahmet grow even closer, as a relationship begins to blossom between them. Soon, Ahmet’s hyper conservative family, suspicious and fearful of Ahmet`s sexual orientation, has hires a man to spy on him When Ahmet’s family discovers Ahmet’s plans to leave the country, they decide to defend their family honor. Zenne Dancer is an honest and unflinching look at living opening gay in Turkey, confronted by a systemic, institutionalized and culturally embedded homophobia.

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Called “The True Fairy of Rock & Roll” and “Hype of the Year,” Jobriath’s reign as the f irst openly gay rock star was brief and over by 1975. Now, 35 years later, Jobriath A.D. spotlights his life, music, groundbreaking influence and the new generations of fans slowly re-discovering him. A hymn to the enigmatic, cult glam rocker Jobriath, ‘I am the true fairy of rock’. His brief but fascinating career as an openly gay performer, sometimes called ‘the American Bowie’ is uncovered by this pioneering documentary which has a wealth of archive footage. Adored by Morrissey and The Pet Shop Boys, this is a celebration of a singer-songwriter whose legacy has been all-too-little appreciated; Jayne County, Gloria Jones, Jake Shears, Marc Almond and manager Jerry Brandt are among the interview subjects. Jobriath’s unashamed queerness was just too much for the early 70s. Director Kieran Turner has crafted a rewarding film as a lasting tribute to the creative talent of a major f igure. (Description courtesy of Brian Robinson, BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.)

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