(LT)R
directed by Lasse Nielsen
A young Thai man looks forward to getting tattooed, as a religious and sexual rite of passage.
Link to page
IT'S ONLY FITTING that "Family Values" is the theme for our opening program. We had so many films that fit this theme we could have done two programs. None of these family situations is quite the "nuclear family" of prime time TV in the 50s (or any other decade). Maybe this plethora of family-oriented films has something to do with last year's victory of Marriage Equality. The one thing that's undeniable is that beyond the family we're born into, we make our own...
directed by Andrew Keenan-Bolger
The story of a relationship between Ben, a hearing man, and Andrew, who is deaf. WINNER OF AUDIENCE AWARD FAVORITE DRAMA
Link to trailer Website watch ($)(UK)
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directed by James Sweeney
Lonely Cameron is a patron of a paid "cuddle buddy" service, shelling out hundreds to spend a night with a professional "friend" who will play board games, watch TV and even snuggle up to sleep together. Fiction? Or is this a metaphor for something that's happening all the time?
CMG SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2016
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directed by Joshua Butler
A gender fluid teen faces persecution at home and in school. Will they find the strength they need to prevail?
Link to rent or download film Another download/rental link
Link to trailer Film website
President Obama's remarks on the day the Supreme Court made
marriage equality the law of the land.
THIS PROGRAM CARRIES A WARNING LABEL: Some of the films you will see here will disturb you. We've taken the phrase "Love and Death" somewhat literally, starting with two short films that set forth the stark and brutal difference between the USA, where LGBTQ people are winning more and more rights and protections, and other countries, where homosexuality is still criminalized. From there, the program explores some areas that most of us usually don't (or don't want to) think about. Ultimately, we hope you will agree that love emerges triumphant -- even if only barely.
directed by Katharina Woll
Homophobia is not funny, everything else is!
directed by Antonio Hens
The classic, sexy Spanish short in which 16-year-old Guillermo demonstrates his growing expertise in cruising the local shopping mall.
directed by Kai Staenicke
The true story of "B.": Torn between a cold relationship with K. and her feelings for another woman, shy and insecure B. is heading for a disaster. For too long she has suppressed her desire and lived a lie. But is it really too late for B. to follow her heart?
directed by Brandon McDonall
Leon’s loved and lost. He’s hit ground zero and never wants to go through that hell again. But then he meets someone incredible. Life seems full of possibility again. Inside, his molecules are a hot mess and figurative butterflies are doing flash mobs in his tummy. BUT… what if he knew the ending before it even began? What if that ending involved more suffering? With all that painful baggage, could he have a second chance at true intimacy? Another winner of the prestigious Iris Prize.
directed by Rogier Hardeman
The Russian expat Mikhail lives happily in a civil partnership with his husband in Berlin, when chief inspector Böhnenkamp accuses him of not being gay and leading a phony "greencard marriage." A witness saw him kissing a woman! But as it turns out, things are not always what they seem.
All proceeds of the CMG SHORT FILM FESTIVAL are donated to AIDS Walk Los Angeles 2016
This program is presented with the support of the City of West Hollywood through WeHoArts. For more information on the City's arts and cultural programs, please visit weho.org/arts , weho.org/pride or follow via social media @WeHoArts .
directed by Lance McDaniel
SWIRL is the story of a boy's first crush told through dance, exploring the journey your mind takes the first time you touch someone you love.
8933 Santa Monica Blvd.
around the corner from the Festival
Enjoy delicious $1 oysters and other happy hour treats 5-8pm every day.
directed by Allen M artsch
An anxious schoolboy scrambles to retrieve a valentine he has accidentally sent to his secret crush.
WINNER OF JURY AWARD FOR BEST COMEDY
L ink to trailer Film Website
directed by Arkasha Stevenson
Winner of the prestigious IRIS PRIZE for best narrative short of 2015, VESSELS follows Diamond, a young Latina trans girl, as she visits a hermana who is a "pumper."
WINNER OF JURY AWARD FOR BEST DRAMA
directed by Whitney Skauge
Single Program $10
Festival Pass (all four programs, Sept. 24-25) $35
MENSWALK members Single Program $8
MENSWALK members Festival Pass $28
MENSWALK DISCOUNTS ON ADVANCE PURCHASE ONLY
AT BOX OFFICE REGULAR PRICES APPLY
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directed by Aron Kantor
We expect to hear a lot of "WTF" when this one screens. Bizarre and sensual, can this world be real?
directed by Yannis Zafeiriou
A rather attractive zombie is late for dinner.
Link to film
directed by Julie Zammarchi
Patrick Haggerty was a teenager in rural Dry Creek, Washington, in the late 1950s. Here, he remembers the day he first had a conversation with his father about being gay.
directed by John Dilley
Post-apocalypse 2047: instead of his assigned mission, a time traveler breaks protocol to visit his own sex-starved younger self.
directed by Matt Vance
A young man plans to relax in the park next to his office, but a zealous street performer has plans of his own.
directed by Marvin Lemus
When Mac, a young butch Latina, dies, her novia, Hope, must overcome personal grief in order to respectfully send Mac off into the afterlife as she would have wanted.
directed by Joshua Alan Rogers
Jesse is a driver for a Los Angeles ride-sharing service known as "Pick Up" but he's using it more for his social life than to make money.
WINNER OF JURY AWARD FOR BEST ACTING (MALE)
Link to trailer
directed by Susan Jacobson
A feisty granny schools her shy granddaughter in the arts of shoplifting and picking up ladies.
WINNER OF AUDIENCE AWARD FOR FAVORITE COMEDY
directed by Michael Rittmannsberger
There are still over 80 countries in the world where homosexuality is criminalized.
directed by Renee Crea
Cara has something important to tell her grandfather, and she's worried he might find it a bit shocking. But Gramps has some surprises for Cara, too.
All proceeds donated to AIDS Walk Los Angeles
CMG Mission Statement
California Men's Gatherings (CMG) fosters a safe, supportive community where men challenge themselves to develop their emotional, spiritual, social, intellectual and physical lives - with as much fun as possible along the way!
We encourage you to read CMG's Core Values Statement as well!
RELATIONSHIPS! From the inspired "love at first sight" feeling we sometimes get when we just know we're starting something important, to the boredom and even hostility that sometimes comprise the texture of a pairing that has endured for a long time, and everything in between. We've collected a variety of different takes on same-sex relationships, including a few that are barely there. Enjoy!
Validated FREE PARKING
in the Public/Park Parking Structure
directed by Monica Petruzelli, Gabe Schimmel
Greg has had Alzheimer's for 12 years and can no longer live independently. Michael visits Greg every day for a couple hours. No one can say for sure if Greg knows who Michael is or why he comes every day, but it seems he does. For Michael, that's only natural -- after all, Michael has loved Greg since the day they met 40 years ago. WINNER OF AUDIENCE AWARD, DOCUMENTARY; JURY AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY.
Link to film Trailer
directed by Meghan Ryan
Sexitude is a mixture of sexuality and attitude. In a body positive, sex positive, age positive dance workshop created in San Francisco by D'Arcy Drollinger, participants of all ages, genders, fitness levels and body types get a physical workout as well as personal transformation.
Link to film page Trailer
FAMILY VALUES
directed by Jason Jenn
Jason Jenn and a spirited crew of over a dozen costumed performers complete the Stuart Timmons historic tour of West Hollywood, and they created this entertaining -- and educational -- film as a way to share it with everyone in town.
Link to film trailer website
directed by Michael Patrick Spillers
A transitioning teen tries to make a new life in east Los Angeles.
WINNER OF JURY AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING TALENT
Link to Trailer Link to Facebook Page
5:00 and 8:00 pm both days.
directed by Emily Robinson
A teenage girl wants to have sex for the first time to commence her long desired exploration. A sex-positive, queer and questioning coming-of-age story.
WINNER OF JURY AWARD FOR BEST ACTING (FEMALE)
directed by Brandon Zuck
A young man attends a party where he is virtually a stranger. Very curious, considering what the party turns out to be about...
Link to film
trailer film webpage
directed by Joey Ally
A pair of Los Angeles women have been together long enough to go around and around in what sounds like an acrimonious conversation, but the longer we watch the more it seems this isn't the first time they've said these things.
Link to film ... website
LOVE AND DEATH
directed by Mariana Thome
A young medical student struggles to come out to his traditional father; his relationship with his boyfriend is in danger.
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directed by Dan Goldes
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AROUND THE TOWN
OUR SALUTE TO MODERN URBAN LIFE begins with a look at how one fictional driver uses his pickup driving service job for his own purposes, and moves on to a variety of real and purely imaginary urban stories. Among the "real," the Stuart Timmons Tour provides a quick and very watchable cultural history of West Hollywood. Among the fanciful, we have a service that rents friends out by the hour; a very strange dream, and even lunch in the park. Enjoy!
directed by Juan Pablo Henao Sossa
Abril visits his father and what he learns moves him to write a play: Final Act, which, among other things, explores the border between life and art. One of our Festival's least "linear" stories, this film has some images that will haunt you.
We follow a leather daddy into a dungeon, where he whips the patrons into a kinky, sexually charged dance frenzy worthy of Bob Fosse or Busby Berkeley.
directed by J.R. Reid
Dustin plans to celebrate his third anniversary with Colby by filming their sex together. But the scene that unfolds isn't quite what's scripted.
directed by Tom Frederic
It's late night in a London Bathhouse, and some of the guys are so unresponsive you'd think they were zombies. Oh, wait!
They are!
CMG Short Film Festival 2017 © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.