Reeling 2010: Fit

Created to promote understanding and address homophobic bullying in Britain’s secondary schools, Fit explores the lives of a group of Adidas-clad pseudo-punks who are forced to take a dramatic dance class as punishment for acting out in school. Taught by an out and proud, take-no-prisoners male teacher in low-cut pink spandex, Loris (played by writer-director Rikki Beadle-Blair), the class forces the students to examine their attitudes about their peers and themselves. The film aptly touches on straight privilege, raging hormones, denial, homophobia in sports, gender stereotyping, and the hurtful and casual way that the word “gay” is flung about as a pejorative adjective. Sexuality is questioned and redefined—and perceptions are proven wrong and turned upside down—in the cast of interesting characters, that includes mixed race girly-girl Karmel, who has homophobic parents; footballer Jordan, who has a secret to tell his adoptive family; tomboy Lee, who doesn’t know her best friend as well as she thought; tap-dancing Tegs, who constantly gets tormented; and violent bully Ryan, who has hidden motives for his irrational actions. Sometimes you don’t know someone at all, even if you’ve known him or her your whole life. —Angelique Smith for Reeling Fit Rikki Beadle-Blair (UK, 2010, 108 min.) Reeling: The Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival, the second oldest film festival of its kind in the US, is presenting 54 programs over 10 days from November 4-13, 2010. Advance sales are available until the day before the show. After that, tickets must be purchased at the theater box office on the day of the screening. Regular Screenings: $10 ($8 members), Matinee Screenings (before 5:00 pm): $8 ($6 members).

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