Carlos is spending the summer in the country with his family in order to help out with things. Perhaps he won’t even be returning to the capital, as economic prospects are hardly rosy there either. Extremadura on the other hand, sparsely populated and for a long time one of the most neglected regions in Europe, is experiencing a tentative upturn. Tourism and modernisation rub shoulders with almost archaic customs and a conservative, mostly elderly population here. Sleepless Knights depicts all this in casual, unobtrusive fashion, in images that have at times a truly otherworldly beauty. The central theme is the love story between the newly returned Carlos and the young policeman Juan. “You don’t look like you’re from here,” remarks Juan when they meet. “I’m not from here,“ replies Carlos, “I live in Madrid.” Whether to be from here or elsewhere is a decision that many here have to make. Extremadura, Madrid, maybe even Munich? This uncertainty suffuses their love story with a peculiar sense of tension before the backdrop of a seemingly relaxed, uneventful summer. It is only the old men striding through the austere landscape in their strange knight costumes who remain blissfully untroubled.

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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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Set during a tumultuous period of FrenchCanadian history, Funkytown follows the lives of eight people who are linked to a world famous Montreal nightclub called The Starlight in the late 1970s, when disco, casual sex, cocaine, and corruption reigned supreme. The action pivots around Bastien (Patrick Huard), a larger-than-life TV personality with a heroic appetite for booze, drugs, women, and outlandish clothes. We also follow aspiring singer Adriana, who has her sights set on record producer Gilles as her ticket to fame, and club dancer Tino, who becomes confused about his sexuality when he meets the openly gay Jonathan. By 1980, as the disco lifestyle fades, the characters feel the hangover acutely and are forced to make some difficult life choices. With many characters based on real-life figures from the era, Funkytown is a realistic portrait of Montreal.

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