Bay Area/ San Francisco
Published on April 09, 2015
Frameline39 Unveils Film Festival's Opening Night And Centerpiece FilmsPhotos via Frameline

Frameline has announced the opening night and centerpiece films for its upcoming 39th annual San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival, to be screened at the Castro Theater in June.

(Disclosure: Hoodline's Castro editor Brian Ray currently works for Frameline in a seasonal Community Outreach role.)

Via Frameline's press release, the opening night film will be I Am Michael, directed by Justin Kelly.

Kelly's film, starring James Franco, Emma Roberts, and Zachary Quinto, follows the story of Michael Glatze, a former gay rights advocate who shocked followers when he renounced his homosexuality and embraced a heterosexual lifestyle.

The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year, with film critic Peter Debruge calling it "a remarkably even-handed account of outspoken gay-rights journalist Michael Glatze’s 180-degree identity reversal, which shocked friends and admirers after he found religion, rejected his queer 'lifestyle' and became a Christian pastor."

"While admirable in its seeming impartiality, Justin Kelly’s hot-potato directorial debut won’t be seen by many beyond the arthouse and festival circuit, but it will nevertheless rile viewers and provoke discussion on all sides, simply because it cuts to the heart of the self-doubt, fear and prejudice associated with modern homosexuality."

I Am Michael will show Thursday, June 18th at 7pm, at the Castro Theatre.

Frameline39 will also feature two centerpiece films, with the centerpiece narrative film to be Summer Of Sangaile, directed by Alanté Kavaïté.

The Lithuanian film stars Julija Steponaityte and Aiste Dirziute and follows a 17-year-old Sangaile, who is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets, Auste, a girl her age who helps Sangaile discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds the only person that truly encourages her to fly.

Here's a look at the trailer:

Summer Of Sangaile will show Tuesday, June 23rd, at the Castro Theatre. 

The centerpiece documentary will be Out To Win, directed by Malcolm Ingram.

Out To Win examines the lives and careers of aspiring and professional gay and lesbian athletes from all over the world, features interviews with sports legends Martina Navratilova, David Kopay, Jason Collins, Brittney Griner, and many others.

Here's the trailer:

Out To Win will show Wednesday, June 24th, at the Castro Theatre.

Frameline tickets for the opening and centerpiece films are currently available exclusively to Frameline members, but people can become members to access now. The full program will be announced on May 18th, and members-only general sales will begin May 22nd.

All tickets will go on sale to the general public on May 29th, so mark your calendars if you'd like to catch one of the films coming up.

Frameline, a showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer cinema, is the world’s oldest and largest LGBTQ film festival. Festival dates are June 18th-28th, 2015 in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland.