Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBT-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.
1.) The highly anticipated film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, adapted from Stephen Chbosky’s acclaimed novel of the same name is finally out in theaters now. In this tale of adolescence, out actor Ezra Miller plays Patrick, a gay under-achieving high school student who bonds very closely with the film’s other two protagonists. Entertainment Weekly has already given the film an A as reviews begin to pour in. Perks is in wide release, and can be found at a theater near you.
2.) In limited release this week is Stephen Elliott’s About Cherry. Distributed by IFC Films, About Cherry follows Angelina (played by Ashley Hinshaw) as she moves to San Francisco and pursues a career in pornography. Soon she begins a relationship with Margaret, a female director in the industry. Margaret is played by Heather Graham. The film also stars James Franco, Dev Patel, and Lili Taylor, and has previously been available on demand.
3.) How to Survive a Plague, a powerful new documentary which chronicles the rise and success of HIV/AIDS advocacy groups ACT UP and Treatment Action Group, is finally in theaters. Showcasing how these organizations pressured an apathetic government to prioritize treatment and finding a cure for HIV/AIDS, How to Survive a Plague traveled the film festival circuit, and is a must-see. You can catch the groundbreaking documentary by director David France at a select theater near you. The film is being distributed by Sundance Selects and IFC Films.
4.) The 2012 QFilm Long Beach Film Festival took place this past weekend. I Do, a film about the struggles that bi-national couples face under the Defense of Marriage Act, took Best Picture- Feature Film and received a prize from Greenhouse Studios valued at over $10,000 including space for editing and other post-production values. Other winners include Aurora Guerrero in Best Director-Feature Film for Masquita y Mari, Terracino in Best Screenplay- Feature Film for Elliot Loves, I Stand Corrected for Best Documentary, Polaroid Girl in Best Short Film and Bob Pondillo (The Miracle on Honey Bee Hill) and James Valdez (Fallen Comrade) tied for Best Director- Short Film.
5.) Tegan and Sara celebrated their birthday on Wednesday by announcing the title and release date of their eagerly awaited new single, “Closer.” The song premiered yesterday on their website and on Rolling Stone.com. The artists scheduled a lyric video premiere for this Monday, September 25th, and the song will be available the following day on iTunes. The duo will be announcing more details regarding their forthcoming album next week, including the name of the record, artwork, and release date. Listen to the fantastic “Closer” below.
6.) Multi-talented author, actor, and activist James Lecesne is releasing a new book on Tuesday, September 25th. Trevor: A Novella is an update on the short film directed by Peggy Rajski that garnered an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in 1994. The original film inspired The Trevor Project, one of the leading LGBT non-profit organizations aimed at preventing suicide among youth. Trevor: A Novella puts a 2012 spin on the story that follows a thirteen year-old boy fighting alienation because of who he is and what he enjoys as he tries to find a way to continue living. You can purchase Lecesne’s book on Amazon or other book retailers.
7.) Rufus Wainwright stars in an upcoming episode of PBS’ stripped down concert and interview series Live from the Artists Den. He opened the show at Manhattan’s Church of the Ascension with “Candles” from his acclaimed new album Out of the Game and ran through an emotional 22-song set, including a tribute to his late mother Kate McGarrigle with a cover of her song “On My Way to Town,” and closing with another Out of the Game track, “Bitter Tears.” Watch a video featurette below and check out Wainwright’s Live from the Artists Den special when it airs on PBS October 19.
8.) Visual artist Del LaGrace Volcano’s first exhibit in the United States debuted Wednesday, September 19th at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art in New York City. Born in California, Volcano has been living in Europe since 1982, and has had several exhibits there. Volcano says that in Europe, “there seems to be a much greater willingness to see and engage with lives outside of the norm." The museum's web site describes Volcano's art as a "provocation to the traditionally binary gender norm, recognizing that for many, the question of gender, like that of sexuality or race, is not an either/or equation. The exhibit runs through November 11th.
9.) Music Box Films announced that it has acquired the rights to distribute Any Day Now, starring out actor Alan Cumming. The film will be released in December so that it can be considered for major awards. Any Day Now is inspired by the true story of a couple in the 1970s who must fight the legal system in order to adopt a teen with Down Syndrome. Directed by Travis Fine, the film was a huge hit at several film festivals, including Tribeca and Outfest.
10.) Congratulations are in order for two of the best recording artists of our time. New albums by The xx, featuring out singer Romy Madley Croft, and openly bisexual singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer have reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 this week. Coexist charges in at #5 with 73,000 copies sold, giving The xx their best sales week ever. Amanda Palmer’s Kickstarter campaign helped her solidify her best Billboard 200 entry with Theatre is Evil, coming in at #10 with sales of 24,000.
11.) Performer and visual artist Seth Eisen is racing the clock to acquire money for his performance art piece exploring queer history, spaces, and culture. Titled “Homo File,” the project is inspired by the life of Sam Steward, who was a professor, author, tattoo artist, and sex rebel. The performance will feature puppets and actors that are used to tell the story of how LGBTQ culture came to be. Eisen needs all of the help that he can get to acquire funding for the project. You can donate on his Kickstarter page here.
