The aGLIFF in person film festival had several headliners in their official program selections for the 35th annual festival PRISM 35 from August 24–28, 2022 in Austin, TX. Among the over eighty-five films including features, documentaries, and shorts were the Opening Night Film – All Man: The International Male Story (USA), the Narrative Centerpiece Film – Camila Comes Out Tonight (Argentina) and the Closing Night Film – You Can Live Forever (Canada). They are all excellent and are available for viewing through the PRISM 35 aGLIFF virtual component running now through September 5, 2022. For more information on the virtual festival badge to view the films available, visit agliff.org/badges.
ALL MAN: THE INTERNATIONAL MALE STORY | USA | 2022 | 83 minutes |
All Man: The International Male Story was a Spotlight Documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival where it had the World Premiere in June, followed by the Southwest Premiere in Austin, TX. The film is directed by Bryan Darling and Jesse Finley Reed, based on the screenplay by Peter Jones who began his career as a news and feature reporter for KVUE (ABC) in Austin. The film is narrated by Matt Bomer.
International Male, the clothing catalogue founded by Gene Burkard in the 70s, was a hit among male customers from all around, especially reaching a population that lived in smaller towns with no local places to shop and wanted to be more fashionable as the decade evolved. Interestingly, it was popular with the ladies as well, the ones seeking to spiff up their husband’s or boyfriend’s attire.
I find this documentary very interesting and insightful about a catalog I did not view at any point in my youth, but certainly would have enjoyed alongside my monthly copies of the Cosmopolitan magazines available to me in small town South Texas. I remember getting frowned upon for purchasing “that kind” of publication, so I know the eyebrows I would have raised had I been receiving the International Male clothing catalogue.
The documentary features an all-star cast of celebrity stylists, fashion influencers, and comedic actors, capturing the era of those decades when the 70s brought about so much change and the colorful ‘80s throwback style provides for plenty of eye candy for viewing what clothing became ever more popular.
CAMILA COMES OUT TONIGHT | Argentina | 2021 | 100 minutes | Southwest Premiere
What a fantastic film from writer/director Inés María Barrionuevo (co -writer Andrés Aloi) and the excellent cast Nina Dziembrowski, Maite Valero, and Adriana Ferrer to start the list. I have seen many films from Latin America over the years and this group of young cast members have a talent that is outstanding and will no doubt have promising careers to follow, given the dramatic range they each can deliver on the subjects the film tackles.
Camila has attended a liberal public high school and when forced to move to Buenos Aires because of family illness, she then attends a scholastic, traditional private institution. She proudly has a green handkerchief tied onto her backpack – a symbol of women’s rights, resistance, and pro-choice activism – but the new school’s rigid code does not permit such displays. Camila’s fierce rebellious nature flares up and she finds like – minded students to hang with. They quickly entice her with plenty of possible experiences to participate in – and that she does, much to the dismay of her mother who is facing the challenges of a dying mother and raising a younger daughter. Camila’s relationship with the local sassy popular girl (and ex-girlfriend to the school’s privileged local bad boy) goes to another level when she is challenged, and the school administration fails to help. Just wait to see how Camila starts the rebellion.
YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER | Canada | 2022 | 96 minutes |
This film from the writers and directors Sarah Watts and Mark Slutsky was an Official Selection at the Tribeca Film Festival in June and had the Southwest Premiere in Austin, TX.
High school student Jaime (Anwen O’Driscoll) has a father that suddenly died and a mother in crisis, so she goes to live with family – Beth (Liane Balaban) and husband, Jean-Francois (Antoine Yared) who is a Jehovah’s Witnesses aspiring leader of the local congregation they belong to. In high school, Jaime makes friends with a young man, Nathan (Hasani Freeman), as they find some things in common.
Jaime is forced to attend evening religious meetings and goes along, although very grumpy. That is until she becomes friends with Marike (June Laporte). Marike shows Jaime signs of willingness to develop an unexpected close relationship, but one she is more than willing to pursue. It is not long before the close-knit congregation takes matters into their own hands to change the course for these families.
All of the cast turn in excellent performances for their characters for this dramatic feature film that introduces the audience to young amazing talent. Anwen O’Driscoll is Canadian talent in theater, television series and some TV movies. She performs very well as this character who has so much going on in her life, finding love and facing life challenges head on. I look forward to seeing more of her work.
Source: aGLIFF, Tribeca FF