Reeling 2009: Reel Skin program

The three very different documentaries, part of Reeling's Reel Skin program, all dig into the euphorically trans-formative properties of skin and the way you adorn it—be it with animal hides, the sweetly painful vibrancy of ink, or even changing your gender representation to be comfortable in your own body. Admission: $10.00 ($8.00 members), tickets available online: http://reelingfilmfestival.tix.com * XXWhy (Manjula Bharati, India, 2008): An FTM from India navigates life in a world where it seems there’s no one else—publicly—like him. * Skin (Rhys Graham, Australia, 2008): From the documentary series, “Anatomy,” a gay man with full-body, botanically correct, flower garden tattoos, plans to preserve his skin after he dies through human taxidermy. * The Rise of Leathermen (Kim Munro, Australia, 2008): With three musical interludes, this part-fantasy documentary tracks Scott Watterson’s journey through his preparation for the Mr. Leather Australia New Zealand Competition. Delving into Scott’s personal reasons for wanting to compete, and his struggle with coming to terms with his own sexuality and sense of self after being sexually abused as a teenager, it also explores his motivation to accept himself after his experience of depression and becoming HIV positive. About Reeling: Reeling 2009, the second-oldest LGBT film festival in the world, will run November 5th through the 15th, showcasing innovative gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender films from around the globe. Reeling will take place at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema (2828 N. Clark St.), Film Row Cinema (Columbia College, 1104 S. Wabash Ave.), Music Box Theatre (3733 N. Southport Ave.), and the Festival’s home base at Chicago Filmmakers (5243 N. Clark St.). As always, Reeling continues to push boundaries and keep the festival’s programming fresh and culturally rich by presenting work from worldwide perspectives and in genres ranging from light-hearted comedy to introspective experimental. Our mission is to recognize the important artistic and socially relevant contributions LGBT filmmakers have made to our culture and to counteract stereotyping with valid, meaningful, and diverse portrayals of LGBT people. For film and event information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.reelingfilmfestival.org.

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