NewFest Film Festival: Day 11

This is me reviewing the films I've seen at this year's NewFest LGBTQ Film Festival. Click here for my other reviews of the festival.

The festival is now done, but I still have to catch up on reviews from the last couple days. Was gone all day on Sunday so that was the only day I didn't see any films, but Monday and Tuesday were a blur of movies. So first up, Monday...

WHITE LIE (dir. Yonah Lewis & Calvin Thomas)

How far would you go to get something you really wanted? For Katie, impecabbly played by the striking Kacey Rohl, getting an exclusive grant means keeping up the lie from everyone including her friends and girlfriend that she's battling cancer and needs money for her treatment. The writing-directing duo of Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas craft an immediately exciting thriller as Katie goes from one crazy situation to the next in hopes of getting away with this massive deception. Reminiscent of last year's critical darling Uncut Gems, the tension builds and builds beautifully keeping you on the edge of wanting them to get caught or possibly get away with it all. WHITE LIE grabs a hold of your emotions through to the end.

MINYAN (dir. Eric Steele)

This lovely portrait of a young Jewish gay man growing up in the 1980s trying to figure out his identity requires some patience, but is ultimately worth a watch. The main reason is for the carefully layered performance from Samuel H. Levine as David deftly able to express his character's outer quiet sensibilities as well as his deeper inner longings. Documentarian Eric Steele, surely taking from his own experiences of growing up gay in that time period, infuses the film with authenticity and sensitivity evident in all the scenes of David navigating through the typical coming out journey. If this is all of the movie, it might make for a tighter and breezier watch for some, but MINYAN also focuses on David's faith and his relationship with Jewish elders like his newly-widowed grandfather (played by the always watchable Ron Rifkin) adding more context to David's journey. With that said, the movie does become a bit bogged down by its too deliberate pacing and its too introspective protagonist. But, like all of the sly, but very purposeful shots of David's Adonis-belt area, there are pleasurable glimpses throughout.

WELCOME TO THE USA (dir. Assel Aushakimova)

As someone who is currently living in the United States at this moment of history, it's particularly bewildering why anyone would want to come here. But of course the mythos of the American dream is quite enduring and appealing especially to a queer person living in a more homophobic and increasingly politically oppressed country. When Aliya Nauruz then wins the Green Card lottery to go to America, she sees this as her chance to get out of her rut and start over. WELCOME TO THE USA feels slightly undercooked especially as Aliya still feels like a cipher through to the end. We know she's still trying to figure out if her life somewhere else would really be better than her current life as she spends time with her dependent mom, her traditional sister, her opinionated queer friends, her wishy-washy ex... but I think we needed a stronger ending or something to wrap it all up.

SHORTS: BLACK FAMILY MATTERS

I can't say it better so I'm just going to quote the website by saying that this shorts program features "the importance of Black family, friends, and community in these times of civil and racial unrest in the United States and serves as a reminder that all Black lives matter. Forever and always."

The most striking short film for me is -SHIP: A VISUAL POEM about a young boy taking in a very confusing world especially in relation to masculinity and life and death. The way this short film is structured and edited is a master class of vision.

My favorite short film is MERCURY AFROGRADE because the central family deserves to star on their own TV show. That said, the title is cute, but the whole "Mercury in retrograde" aspect of the film is a bit superfluous since the well-defined characters and their amusing secrets are enough.

The last short film I'd like to highlight is PLUS, about a guy in college reacting to his sudden diagnosis of HIV. The lead performance is heartfelt and aching, but the focus on friendship and self-worth really makes this short film shine.

Which films did I see on the last day of the festival? Come back tomorrow and see.