ne could gain the impression that homosexuality in the USA and especially Hollywood has become acceptable in view of the straight directors taking up gay themes in the films shown at the 47th Berlin Film Festival. But one (not even several) swallows do not mean that spring has arrived. We still have to be careful not to overestimate the progress made, and beware of potential backlash. Not only is "political correctness" in the States a potential problem but also the increasing strength of the political and religious right-wing. This is illustrated by the reaction to the film in the States which was given the Golden Bear in Berlin The People v. Larry Flynt where even in Germany some churches and the Bavarian CSU have indicated they feel that Germany's moral fibre is endangered by the poster advertising the film -not just the film itself! As the right in the USA takes up positions of authority in culture and related fields - indicated already by the cutting of money from Public TV because of the gay-themed "Tales of the City" - the problems will hardly diminish. The true story of Larry Flynt illustrates with humour and some fine acting circumstances which can lead to unlikely people becoming "defenders of freedom" - and tolerance. The film was also awarded the readers prize of a daily Berlin paper for the "best public entertainment" during the festival.

The theme of homosexuality" is a major discussion theme in the film Get on the Bus which was awarded the prize of German Art House Cinemas. The commendation states Spike Lees "comprehensive perspective, ... his razor-sharp analysis, and moving sense of humanity combine to produce a film of universal significance." - with which I fully agree.

Get on the Bus from Lee - who also made Malcolm X - concerns of a group of men going to the Million Man March in Washington. Among those travelling on the bus is one open gay and his half-closeted ex-soldier partner. They are in process of breaking. The discussions of many of the topical problems in the USA, and portrayal of the two gays - one intellectual and sensitive type and the ex-soldier are well handled in that pro and anti arguments are brought but the ex-soldier eventually uses his fists to silence a homophobe. Both gays are in different ways positive. The characters do, however, tend to be over simplified.

Set It Off is a funny story with a serious background - the mass poverty in cities in the States. Four women, friends since childhood, agree to rob a bank to solve their money difficulties. The difference to a usual crime-story film is that one is a self-confident lesbian. Although from my male-view the depiction of the lesbian is not unjust, the relationship with her partner comes off very short in comparison to the love affair of one of her hetero-friends. Apart from the lesbian being almost the hero (heroine?) - and it is certainly good for black sisters to see a positive-role on the screen, I can't escape the feeling that she's there to help with "political correctness" - in principal the character could have been an Asian feminist-environmentalist.

A film which I found artistically and aesthetically a fine cinematic product was Cavafy - about the probably greatest Greek poet of this century. It is a quite, poetic film, so obviously homoerotic that at the press conference one journalist ask whether Cavafy was really "so", but in keeping with Cavafy's need to be discreet in the early part of this century - and his unrequited love for a straight man - there are no scenes with heaving heaps of flesh. This is the only explanation I have why it didn't even get a mention in the awards. It is not "sexually-obviously-correct"!

Bill Schiller from Tupilak, in presenting the Polar Bear Prize at the Transgender Night in the appropriately named "House of Cultures of the World" spoke of the worsening homophobia in Latvia after the initial liberation from Soviet domination. The prize worth 1.500 German Marks - provided by the German Homosexual Self-Help Association - goes to the organisers of the first Latvian lesbian and gay film festival this summer in Riga. After speaking with Rosa von Praunheim Schiller indicated that Rosa may also visit Riga at this time.

The Teddy for the Best Feature Film went to All over Me "for its realistic coming of age story that captures the growing pains of adolescence ... and the excitement of a young girl's emerging sexuality." All over Me has a good chance to become a very popular-film. It is a film for young people and those young in heart - with much pop-music since the main character - Claude - falls for a member of a girls band. Gays should not be put off by the idea of a "lesbian" growing up film. It has a mildly good plot - and deserves to be seen.

The Chasing Amy Team. From left: Ben Affleck, Kevin Smith (Writer/Director), Joey Lauren Adams, Interviewer.

Gay/lesbians films often find a home in the Panorama section the festival. This year the theme of the section was "Girls (and boys)," and several films were centred on emerging consciousness of sexuality during growing up. Films in this category include not only the award winning All over Me, (from the sisters Alex and Sylvia Sichel) but Hide and Seek, both with a lesbian content. Chasing Amy shows how a self-identified lesbian enters a relationship with a man. I thought it audacious to attempt to make a film with a character "transferring" from one "track to another". It attacks many taboos (although the director was mainly interested in the story), is not a great movie and will probably upset some lesbians.

Hide and Seek is a sensitive film about the small signs of awakening feelings during the childhood of lesbians. It is a documentary in which adult lesbians talk of their feelings as a child - but includes shots acted out by children. The director, Su Friederich said of her film, I hope I show the imaginary universe of young lesbians, and to cast light on some of the myths, which have darkened our dreams.

A Bit of Scarlet shows a kind of history of homo-erotic episodes in film on the basis of cuttings from British films and TV. Interesting and partly quite funny it was produced by Andrea Weiss who made Paris was a Woman.

In Chocolate Babies once again it is an attempt to use fun and exaggeration to show the problems affecting people in the USA who are HIV-positive. In order to draw attention to their problems a group of drag queens, and fags form a terroristic group who carry out attacks leading to the kidnapping of a closeted gay politician. Mirror, Mirror shows Consuela Cosmetic, a transsexual, and the difficult life she has as an entertainer who is aging. I was not alone in the opinion that it could do with a visit to the cutting room again - nevertheless a moving film which is worth a visit.

At the other end of the spectrum, is Bugis Street (Singapore) where young transsexuals are wildly overacting queens who serve as prostitutes at the Hotel Sin Sin for the sailors who visit the port. Maybe the characters really do behave like these in the film - but it made me feel uncomfortable - because the actors depict such stereotypes that it is painful. - as was Raising Heroes for a young US-American who commented to me he was ashamed to be gay when watching the film. The film started with a good idea - an action hero-film for gays - but got lost on the way. When people start to laugh - often - in the wrong place and the end scene is reminiscent of a third class B-movie ... Pity.

A film which has nothing to do with gays or lesbians but is - if you life black humor - extremely funny was Twin Town, and we should mention The English Patient - not just because of the twelve Oscar nominations and the Silver Bear for the best actress to Juliette Binoche, but because it is a good, if Hollywood, film which indirectly pleads - like Arthur Millers The Crucible (about the so-called witches trials in 17th century America) does more directly - for understanding and tolerance. During the Crucible Press Conference the director - charge with making a movie about the fifties (the play was written as an answer to Senator McCarthy's persecutions of the Left), answered that he found it very topical you had only to think of the mass hysteria around the real problem of child-sex/pädophilia to see the real dangers.

Colin de la Motte-Sherman

Sexual Minority Media Services (SMMS)
A service of the International Lesbian and Gay Cultural Network