Sunday, May 8, 2022

Queer Palm Cannes 2022


It's back! The Queer Palm Film Festival is in full force for 2022!

Heading the jury for the Queer Palm 2022 awards is the French director,
Catherine Corsini. The winner last year for her film, ‘The Fracture (La Fracture)’. Catherine is the sixth woman to preside over the jury in the twelve years of the Queer Palm Film Festival existence following in the footsteps of Elisabeth Quin, Julie Gayet, Desiree Akhavan, Sylvie Pialat, and Virginie Ledoyen.

Catherine Corsini will be joined by four jurors: the actor Djanis Bouzyani, the journalist Marilou Duponchel, the Swiss director Stéphane Riethauser and the Australian producer Paul Struthers.

Created in 2010 by the film critic, Franck Finance-Madureira, the “Queer Palm" each year rewards one long film and one short film from the competition dealing with LGBT, queer or feminist themes, among all the Cannes selections.

As always, this is a prime opportunity to promote LGBTQ film content in the city of Cannes at a time when the eyes of the world are on the famous film festival.


Below is a list of the 17 features and 12 short movies that will compete this year for the Queer Palm from May 17 to May 28, 2022, in both English and French.


LONG METRAGES / FEATURES
OFFICIAL SELECTION / COMPETITION

THE ALBUMS by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
LES AMANDIERS de Valeria Bruni Tedeschi

Close by Lukas Dhont
CLOSE de Lukas Dhont

ZHENA CHAILOVSKOGO de Kirill Serebrennikov
ZHENA CHAILOVSKOGO de Kirill Serebrennikov

Pacification by Albert Serra
PACIFICTION de Albert Serra

OFFICIAL SELECTION/SOME LOOK
SELECTION OFFICIELLE / UN CERTAIN REGARD

Burning Days by Emin Alper
BURNING DAYS de Emin Alper

Saim Sadiq of Joyland
JOYLAND de Saim Sadiq

CAFTAN BLUE by Maryam Touzani
LE BLEU DU CAFTAN de Maryam Touzani

Lola Quivoron ROUNDING
RODEO de Lola Quivoron

OFFICIAL SELECTION / SPECIAL SESSION
SELECTION OFFICIELLE / SEANCE SPECIALE

FEMINIST REPOST by Marie Perrenès and Simon Depardon
RIPOSTE FEMINISTE de Marie Perrenès et Simon Depardon

OFFICIAL SELECTION / MIDNIGHT SESSION
SELECTION OFFICIELLE / SEANCE DE MINUIT

MOONAGE DAYDREAM by Brett Morgen
MOONAGE DAYDREAM de Brett Morgen

OFFICIAL SELECTION / PREMIERE CANNES
SELECTION OFFICIELLE / CANNES PREMIERE

DODO of Panos H. Koutras
DODO de Panos H. Koutras

IRMA VEP by Olivier Assayas
IRMA VEP de Olivier Assayas

CHRONICLE OF A LION
CHRONIQUE D’UNE LIAISON

PASSENGER by Emmanuel Mouret
PASSAGERE de Emmanuel Mouret

A FIFTEEN OF FILMERS
QUINZAINE DES REALISATEURS

CRAZY FIRE by Joao Pedro Rodrigues
FEU FOLLET de Joao Pedro Rodrigues

A VARON by Fabian Hernandez
UN VARON de Fabian Hernandez

Léa Mysius' 5 DEVILS
LES 5 DIABLES de Léa Mysius

Lionel Baier's DERIVE OF THE CONTINENTS (SOUTH)
LA DÉRIVE DES CONTINENTS (AU SUD) de Lionel Baier

COURTS METRAGES / SHORT MOVIES
Official selection
COURTS METRAGES / SHORT MOVIES
Sélection officielle

THE FIRE AT LAKE de Pierre Menahem
LE FEU AU LAC de Pierre Menahem

GAKJIL by Sujin Moon
GAKJIL de Sujin Moon

La Cinef (formerly Cine Foundation)
La Cinef (ex-Cinéfondation)

FENG ZHENG (The Silent Whistle) de LI Yingtong
FENG ZHENG (The Silent Whistle) de LI Yingtong

THE PASS de Pepi Ginsberg
THE PASS de Pepi Ginsberg

Ruby Challenger MUMLIFE
MUMLIFE de Ruby Challenger

Fifteen of the Makers
Quinzaine des Réalisateurs

ARIBADA of Simon(e) Jaikiriuma Paetau and Natalia Escobar
ARIBADA de Simon(e) Jaikiriuma Paetau et Natalia Escobar

YOUNG GIRLS BURY THEIR LIFE de Maïté Sonnet
DES JEUNES FILLES ENTERRENT LEUR VIE de Maïté Sonnet

Week of criticism
Semaine de la Critique

LAS CRIATURAS THAT MELT BAJO EL SOL (Creatures that melt in the sun)
by Diego
Céspedes
LAS CRIATURAS QUE SE DERRITEN BAJO EL SOL
(Les Créatures qui fondent au soleil) de
Diego Céspedes

WILL YOU LOOK AT ME (Dang Wo Wang Xiang Ni De Shi Hou / Look at Me)
de Shuli Huang

WILL YOU LOOK AT ME (Dang Wo Wang Xiang Ni De Shi Hou / Regarde-Moi)
de Shuli Huang


WE XERXES' THRONE (On the Throne of Xerxes) by Evi Kalogiropoulou

ON XERXES’ THRONE (Sur le trône de Xerxès) de Evi Kalogiropoulou

SWAN IN THE CENTER of Iris Chassaigne
SWAN DANS LE CENTRE de Iris Chassaigne

Yann Gonzalez's ID cards
HIDEOUS de Yann Gonzalez

For more information, contact Queer Palm.

Thursday, May 5, 2022

La Connexion - The Gay Holiday Resort

Over the past decade, France has increasingly become known for the options available in terms of gay holiday resorts throughout the country.

But alas, not all resorts are the same. Some are located in a specific area with a very limited number of activities and resources both in and out of a resort.


Of late though, it has been brought to my attention, a beautiful, reasonably priced resort that offers a myriad of options for its guests, that being, La Connexion. Ideally based in the commune of Peymeinade close to the perfume capital of Grasse. 


This vacation resort is 100% gay owned and operated by Ömer and Mark, an enterprising couple of Dutch and Turkish origins who have set up this gorgeous boutique property that caters to a variety of international guests offering an unlimited amount of amenities available.


Set in the relaxing countryside surrounded by olive groves, forests, and rivers, this is your chance to retreat to a peaceful environment and start that novel you’ve always wanted to write, mingle and entertain with others or even enjoy your honeymoon with your loved one.

At La Connexion you are free to be yourself and have the perfect vacation as you wish it to be.


And whatever you have always wanted to experience in the French Riviera, is all within reach with La Connexion being your home base.


Ömer and Mark’s property can host up to 16 guests in 5 self-catering apartments and studios, each with its own private entrance and terrace. And since the resort is private with no prying neighbors, there is the magnificent heated and clothing-optional swimming pool to enjoy which is also lit up at night for those seeking the opportunity to also swim nude under the moon and the stars.


Each of the rentals has a TV with Netflix, Gay & Gay Adult TV, and WiFi. Three of the apartments contain a living room, bedroom, and bathroom. There is also a comfortable sleeping sofa in each apartment's living room for two extra guests so bring some friends. And they have two studios available with private bathrooms.


Have a dog? Bring your pet along! Mark and Ömer also have a friendly dog and understand that pets are like family and your dog will be safe while being able to exercise on their fenced property of 7500 m2 behind the villa with no traffic to worry about or you can also head to one of the hiking trails in the forest.


Ömer and Mark and no strangers to the hospitality world as they also operate GaySail, a gay sailing company offering worldwide gay nude sailing cruises, and they have also previously owned a gay B&B in Amsterdam but prefer the lifestyle of the Cote d’Azur.


When it comes to food and drinks, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are on offer. Along with delicious drinks and snacks by the swimming pool. Ömer is a great chef and has many years of experience as one of the onboard cooks for their GaySail Cruises. If it is local cuisine you are after, fine dining suggestions are available in the area for your convenience.


And as they say, one of the best parts of a holiday is the new experiences. During your stay at the serene La Connexion, you will find that throughout the nearby picturesque villages of Grasse, Tourrettes, and Le Bar-sur-Loup, you can explore the local flea and food markets, and do some shopping. For nature lovers, you can hike, swim, and even go rafting at Les Gorges du Loup, La Siagne, Lake Saint Cassien, and Les Gorges du Verdon.



To add even more sparkle to your trip, the city of Cannes with its luxury shopping, sandy beaches, and that clear blue Mediterranean Sea is only a 35-minute drive away, with the city of Nice just up the coastline with its nightclubs and cruising bars. You’ll also find that the Nice International Aiport is only a 40-minute drive to La Connexion.




If skiing is your sport of choice, the Isola 2000 ski resort is only a 2-hour drive away.


Now is the best time to plan your next holiday so make sure to check out the La Connexion website and book early!

Monday, April 25, 2022

Native Spaces - The Ideal Way To Book Your LGBTQ Event In France!

With some of the most beautiful, natural vistas from the most remarkable, lush countryside locations in France down to the varied landscapes and beaches next to the glorious shades of the warm, blue Mediterranean Sea. It’s no wonder that the Cote d’Azur is such an international travel destination known around the world for those in the LGBTQ community to come experience for themselves.

To add to this most enticing way of life by offering prime property event rental locations in all of France is Native Spaces.

Seeing a direct link missing in the regional market for corporations, event planners, and individuals who are seeking a place to hold a pop-up event, wedding, photoshoot, and filming, along with offsite team building locations, or even just a special place to hold a private dinner party and reception, Native Spaces stepped up to the plate and has meticulously created a secure platform of verified properties specially tailored that could cover if not one but all aspects of any such a rental request whether on land or even by yacht.

Native Spaces is the one-stop company in France with a solid reputation geared toward most anything your lifestyle requires and is considerate of all aspects of what your request might entail, with an extensive list of property selections available in a myriad of architectural designs and surroundings to suit your ideas and needs.

The concept is very straightforward, no matter what kind of property event space you are looking for, Native Spaces has an array of choices available in which to book directly and confidently at your fingertips.

One of the ways to help you make your choice is to simply head to the filters section where you can add your specific keywords to help narrow down the search quickly by choosing the type of property and amenities you are seeking. There is also an online map indicating the general area of where a property is situated to help you pinpoint what location will work best according to your requirements.

Also, if you own a villa or establishment in France and are interested in how to convert your property into more of an investment, the process is easy, just register and start your listing through the website or contact the representatives of Native Spaces for more information.

Connect with Experience The French Riviera, who are most proud to be partners with the very proactive and exclusive company, Native Spaces.

Saturday, April 23, 2022

In & Out Nice Film Festival 2022

 

A sure sign of Spring is the welcome return of the In&Out Film Festival.

The 14th edition of the queer film festival of Nice awaits you from April 28 to May 7, 2022. And on the program this year there will be many movie previews to look forward to after a brutal past two years of the Covid19 pandemic.

This year, In&Out Nice is combining a France-Portugal Season. With Queer Lisboa and In&Out, to showcase the international queer film festivals of Lisbon and Nice and they have also joined forces for EcoQueerÉcho, a program addressing the themes of ecology, landscape,sustainability, and inter-species coexistence.
From April 28 to May 6, you will be able to attend more than 40 screenings spread over 6 locations in the city of Nice: the Cinémathèque de Nice, the Cinéma Le Belmondo, the Villa Arson, the Dojo (which also houses the festival offices) and the Librairie Vigna. The "Panorama" section will feature no less than 8 previews of LGBT films such as "Straight it up", the meeting between a neurotic gay man and a young crazy actress, "Je tremble, ô Matador", the expected adaptation of Pedro Lemebel's novel, or "Le Nageur".

You will also have the chance to watch films released in theaters but disappeared too quickly due to Covid19 from the screens such as: the moving "Moneyboys", "Noël et sa mère" by the writer Arthur Dreyfus, "Au Coeur du bois" a sensitive incursion among the workers of the Bois de Boulogne, "Guermantes" by Christophe Honoré around his adaptation of Proust at the Comédie Française,
the delicious "Mascarpone".

The highlight of the festival: a retrospective and master class of João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui Guerra da Mata (his partner and artistic director). With the opportunity to dive back into the filmography of the one who created the shocking film O Fantasma in 2000 and who has since then not ceased to explore the world of human desire.

A reflection on the place of archives in LGBT struggles will also be on the program with 4 screenings (including the indispensable "Paragraph 175" and "En Corps +", by Stéphane Gérard and Lionel Soukaz).

Finally, the festival will offer many other events such as the director and critic Jean-Sébastien Chauvin will be honored with his short film "Mars Exalté" which received a Teddy Award at the last Berlin festival.

Contact the In&Out, 14th Nice Queer Film Festival for more information.