By Lya Carrera
EDGE Entertainment Contributor
Published Web site: EDGE
Online Version Published Date: May 23, 2006
Online Version Printed Date: June 19, 2006

Thinking of trying out a new ethnic restaurant? Want to eat good food without paying high prices? Want to save money on parking? Then why not head on over to Waltham-it is here that you will satisfy your appetite and your pockets.

Home to educational institutions, such as Brandeis University and Bentley College, Waltham is about 30 minutes from Boston. It is off route 1-95/128 and accessible via public transportation-either the 70 /70A bus or the Fitchburg commuter rail line.

The heart of the city and nightlife is not that big, and is conveniently located along Moody Street, just about five to seven blocks.

In regards to parking, no waiting here-it is a driver’s dream. There is metered parking, for about 25 cents per hour, along Moody Street and in the three additional parking lots located on the next street, all within walking distance to the restaurants.
The restaurants vary in size, clientele, and ethnicity, ranging from Japanese to American. Below is a list of just a selected few that may stir your cravings.

The Skellig

Looking for authentic Irish cooking? Then step dance your way to The Skellig restaurant Named after the Skellig islands in the Atlantic Ocean, this bar/restaurant stands out along Moody Street because of its green and red colors-it looks more like a residence than a business.

Inside is low-key, and their friendly staff, along with inexpensive (average $10.00) traditional Irish food-Shepherd’s Pie and Stew-is often the main reason why many regulars keep coming back.

“It is because of that guy (why I keep returning),” says Caimin O’Beirne as he points to Manager/Bartender, Jim Butler. “He is funny, the service is great, and they give generous (food) portions. I used to live in Waltham and I’d come here all the time, but I moved to Lexington [Mass.], so I just come with my family on Sundays. I wish they had one there.”

Butler says that Skellig’s clientele varies and its uniqueness is their music.

“It is busy every night because of the live music; each night is different from bluegrass to Celtic music.”

Solea Restaurant & Tapas Bar

Now, if Irish is not hitting the spot, then why not dine at Solea Restaurant & Tapas Bar?

An up-scale Spanish restaurant, whose decor is rich in dark reds and yellows in geometric designs, is warm and inviting; Solea serves traditional tapas dishes-small hot or cold appetizers.

Although entrees are a bit expensive, the tapas themselves are on average about $6.00-some recommendations are the Baby Lamb Chops with Apricot Glaze and the Beef Tenderloin with Spicy Herb Sauce.

Anna Rosado of Belmont enjoyed her first-time at Solea and would definitely come again.

“I’m very picky when it comes to restaurants. I’d definitely walk out if the restaurant weren’t good,” she said. “I found the food tasty, the service good, and the atmosphere nice.”

Assistant Manager, Ricardo Ortiz, believes that Solea’s special features are the ambience, the physical decor, and the service.
“Our customers are always surprised by the service; it’s like a four-star restaurant,” he said.

New Mother India

If you are in the mood for something hot and spicy, then New Mother India may quench your desire.

Opened for 21 years, this up-scale Indian restaurant has been reviewed by both television news and newspapers alike, and hailed as one of the best Indian restaurants. Its decor is quite simple-white walls and dark wood with splashes of Indian decorations.
Mother India caters to a 30+ age group, and according to Supervisor, Tarun Shanker, the clientele are mostly “regulars, tourists, and Bostonians.”

Finola Flannery has been coming to Mother India for five years, and the reason why she keeps coming back is for one particular dish.

“They have the best Chicken Vindaloo by far and I’ve had many,” she said. “The staff are friendly and I like the decor; it’s the only Indian restaurant I go to even though there are several in the area.”

The portions are large and the entrees average about $13.00 a plate. One of its special features is the restaurant’s pledge to its customers that states, “we guarantee you the freshest & finest ingredients… all our food (have) no preservatives… we guarantee you the best quality available anywhere.”

The choices are endless in terms of your type of palate and budget. Waltham has come a long way from being a farming and industrial community in the 1800’s-it is a stew with many ingredients.

You don’t have to travel halfway around the world to taste something different-unless, of course, you want to.

Visit these restaurants at:

The Skellig:
240 Moody St.
(781) 647-0679
www.theskellig.com

Solea Restaurant & Tapas Bar:
388 Moody St.
(781) 894-1805
www.solearestaurant.com

New Mother India:
336 Moody St.
(781) 893-3311
www.newmotherindla.com

By Lya Carrera
EDGE Entertainment Contributor
Published Web site: EDGE
Online Version Date: May 15, 2006
Online Version Printed Date: June 10, 2006

There is an old expression that says - don’t judge a book by its cover. And this would certainly apply to Joanna Y. Abbott.

Standing a little over 5 feet 5 inches tall, Abbott is slender with a thin build. Her straight, brown hair falls a bit below her shoulders, and her eyes are a striking blue.

At first glance, she can be mistaken for a dancer, but she isn’t. At first glance, she can be mistaken for being straight, but she isn’t.

This 29-year-old femme lesbian is a singer-songwriter that goes by the stage name of Joya.

Her musical style is a combination of R & B, Soul, pop, rock, and hip-hop, and her melodic voice is sweet and easy on the ears when she sings ballads, but she can also mix it up a bit on her funkier tunes.

Influenced by such artists like Aretha Franklin, Faith Evans, Brandy, Destiny’s Child, and Mary J. Blige - just to name a few - Abbott’s music has also been coined a particularly genre that originated in the late 1990s.

“I had people call me Neo-Soul,” she said. “It’s Soul plus hip-hop plus R & B. Neo-Soul is like Me’shell Ndegeocello or Eryka Badu.”

Abbott is an up and coming artist breaking out in the Boston area; she was featured last year in the fall as “Pick of the Week” on the Web site of KISS 108 FM’s Matty in the Morning and has performed at various venues, such as The Rack, Felt, the Coolidge Corner Theater, Kresge Little Theater (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and Tribe Nightclub.

Although she began her music career at the tender age of four, it was only early last year that she decided to take a chance with her particular style of music.

“I decided that I really needed to try this, so I did a concert at MIT and I just put it out there,” she said. “I’ve been performing forever, but [technically] it was my Boston debut although I didn’t really advertise it as [such]; it was the first time that I performed my original music in public. It was a turning point because I had some clarity that this was what I wanted to do, so it was a great opportunity for me.”

The Beginning

A native of Massachusetts, she was born and raised in Springfield, though currently she lives in Sornerville.

She’s a mix of various ethnic groups, some being French-Canadian, German, and Native American, and she’s the youngest of three children. Her sister-who is the oldest-is a doctor, and her brother-who is the middle child-is a programmer/composer.

Abbott says that she grew up with music at home and in school even though her parents were not musicians-her mother is the director of Math of the Springfield schools and her dad is a retired Math and Physics professor.

“There was always music playing in the house; my parents used to be in choirs and they loved music,” she said.

“They must have wanted us to have music in our lives because they made each of us play two instruments. We all played piano, but then: my brother played the clarinet then later the saxophone, my sister played the cello, and 1 played the viotm-which began at age four. Playing the violin was a struggle because I really wanted to be a dancer, but the college I attended didn’t have a dance program, so that was the end of [my dance career].”

She says that she always sang, even from age five, and when she got older, she got involved in various vocal groups in high school-which allowed her to perform in concerts and sing solos.

Her interest to be a jazz singer began as a result of her brother studying it when he was In high school and her listening to gospel, jazz, and RSB music while growing up.

She attended Clark University in Worcester, Mass., to be a jazz singer, but this did not end up being the case.

Instead, while she was in college, she was encouraged to become a classical singer. When she gradated with a double major in music and psychology, she went to graduate school to pursue it. She attended Tfie University of Massachusetts Amherst and received a master’s in music with a focus on voice performance.

She specifically attended UMass for a teacher who was recommended to her by a pianist while in undergraduate school. Her name: Paulina Stark.

“I chose her as a teacher because technique wise she had exactly what I wanted to learn, but she wasn’t happy with my presentation,” she said. “I had a shaved head then. When I first met her she said to me, ‘Okay, I think with a little mascara and lipstick we can really make this work.’

“I was earthy, crunchy, and wore pants and glasses. I wanted to learn about singing, so I rejected all of that stuff because I was still figuring things out at that time,” she said. “We really struggled with each other, but I also studied hard with her. By the end, I understood that presentation did matter, and I became just like her.”

Abbott says that after graduating from UMass she was unsure of which direction to take her musical career. She eventually became focused and decided to sing songs that she liked and listened to on a day-to-day basis.

“Over time, I learned that I was able to pull off many different styles of singing, but what felt the most at home and natural was R & B and Soul music,” she said.

She says that her stage name, Joya, was originally created by a fetlow classmate in junior high school.

“I was in 8th grade and a student at school was passing me note in public. She wrote out “Jo”-people sometimes called me that-then she wrote out “Y” for my middle initial, and [then “A” for my last name],” she said. “I really loved it and she was the only person who ever called me it, so when I had to give myself a stage name, it was the chance to use the name that I loved. It started out as a stage name, but then friends started to call me it, so now it’s also my nickname.”

Now while Abbott struggled with her presentation and the direction of her career, she was also working out some other issues.

“It was in college when I realized that I was queer,” she said. “I unconsciously was checking out a girl, and when I realized it, that was when the light bulb went off. It took me longer to figure it out because I didn’t know any queer women. Plus, we’re not told stories about how you can meet whomever you want and they can be either male or female; you’re only told one story in the media and in storybooks. I came out to my parents when I was in graduate school because I wanted to wait until I had a serious girlfriend.”

She says that it wasn’t easy telling her parents in the beginning, but they eventually worked it out; they were supportive along with her brother and sister.

“I think it’s hard even with people who have great relationships with their parents,” she said. “You never know how someone is going to react. It’s an on-going process with the people in your life and you have to practice patience.”

Abbott says that the other issue that she was coming to terms with was her femininity.

“I rejected femininity in high school and college because I didn’t like being feminine for a man,” she said. “Once I realized that I was queer, I was able to reclaim my femininity because it was a choice and not something that I had to do.”

Even though Abbott resolved these issues for herself, it had not been easy for her in either the straight community or the gay one.

“I have to out myself more than other people who read more as a lesbian, like, in the workplace,” she said. “I work at MIT as an administrative assistant in the Campus Activities Complex in the Division of Student Life. When I started working there I said something that I was marching in Pride. I made sure that people weren’t going to put me by default in the straight category.”

“Within the queer community, I had an experience where as soon as my [now fiancee] and current manager, Libby Graves, appeared - and it was clear that she was a queer woman - the whole dynamic changed, it improved immensely,” she said. “It bothers me that Libby makes me credible. We should be open-minded to each other and it should be a safe space for all people who are different. I’m disappointed with the lack of openness of some queer spaces.”

Abbott says that she and Graves have been together for two years and that they were “set up” by a mutual friend; they were a couple first before Graves became her manager.

And it looks like very soon Graves will be around permanently; they scheduled their wedding for this coming September.

“It’s very important to us to have a wedding where our family and friends attend because we want them to celebrate with us,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere, but in Massachusetts because it’s the only state in this country where we have equal rights. There’s a difference between a civil union and marriage, and I think marriage ensures us that our relationship will be taken seriously. We’re a real couple and not just roommates or friends.”

She says that gay visibility is important in order to gain rights, which is why she’s “committed to being out” and is “involved with the LGBT community at MIT.” She dislikes and does get angry at any form of discrimination whether it is homophobia, racism, or sexism.

Despite the fact that Abbott will be busy planning her wedding, she says she will also continue to perform.

Currently, she does not have a regular band-though she would like to have one in the future-she does have a list of musicians that she plays with though they are not consistent.

“I really enjoy collaborating with different artists, and it’s been wonderful having the opportunity to meet and network with a variety of bass and keyboard players,” she said. “At some point, it will gel into one group.”

She says she does have two regular collaborators-singer, back-up vocalist, and rhymer named CJ. Azubuine and beat boxer and vocal percussionist, Simmy B.

When Abbott does perform in concerts or shows, she sings a combination of some of her original tunes as well songs from other artists. She can also sing in German, French, Italian, Latin, and Spanish.

Abbott says that she does get nervous performing but that singing to her is spiritual.

“For me, it’s a kind of prayer like a mantra or chanting,” she said. “It’s like a special place, a zen place where you are not thinking of anything except the present and the words you are singing; there’s a physical connection and a mind connection. Soulful singing has to do with your breath because your breath is your soul.”

And that is probably why her fans enjoy hearing her sing as she brings this kind of depth to her songs. Fans have e-mailed her praising her performances; one wrote, “You are rock star!” while another wrote, “Your voice is amazing and your songs are ’soulful.’”

Abbott’s performance is very unique not only in her memorable voice but also for the journal that is passed around in the audience while she is singing. People can write comments or their e-mail address if they want to be added to her e-mail list.

“I love scrapbooks and journals, and I like having a record of people’s thoughts,” she said. “It’s personal, and I like connecting with the audience since I’m not sitting with them; it’s fun reading it afterwards.”

The Future

Although at the moment Abbott does not belong to any label-she was briefly with the independent label, Yellow Rose, for a while as a compilation artist-she is concentrating on other things.

“I don’t feel any rush to approach a label,” she said. “I’m really focusing on developing my voice because I want to have some solid recordings. I don’t have an album out yet, so that is high on my list of goals.”

She has already recorded four original songs that can be heard on her Web sites, and she often gives out free CDs at her shows.
In addition to her performances, she will also be the artistic director for Fierce Forever-a student drag show which will be held at MIT in the fall; this is its sixth edition.

“This year, Sylvain [Bruni], is producing it as well as performing in it, and a big name will be opening for it,” she said. “1 will be putting together the flow of the show and making sure everything is working. I will be giving advice on the bigger picture, and choosing both the theme and the order of the performers. Currently, we’re looking for drag kings and queens to perform in it.”

Despite the many detours that Abbott has made on her journey, she thinks that she might be heading in the right direction with the genre that she is singing.

“This is the first time in my musical career that 1 think things are flowing,” she said. “I’ve tried lots of things, but since I’ve started everything has fallen into place.”

Abbott says she hopes that someday she can be a full-time artist and be able to make a living by recording and performing her music.

Joya will be playing on Saturday, May 20, 2006, at the Blue Wave Lounge & Restaurant located at 343 Congress St., from 9 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. You can also see Abbott singing every Sunday in the church choir at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul located in downtown Boston. For more information, please connect to www.joya-music.com or www.myspace.com/joyamusic.

Lya Carrera is currently interning at EDGE. She attended Wellesley College for undergraduate school and studied journalism at Emerson College. She can be reached at lcarrera30@aol.com.

By Lya Carrera
EDGE Entertainment Contributor
Published Web site: EDGE
Online Version Date: May 10, 2006
Online Version Printed Date: June 10, 2006

Although the gay marriage debate continues in Massachusetts, history was made in 2004 when same sex couples were allowed to apply for marriage applications and legally marry in the Bay State.

For openly gay and Maine native, Stephanie Higgins -who was present then - it was an emotional time.

“I personally broke down and cried [because getting married became] a possibility for me, whereas it wasn’t before,” she said. “It was a huge thing [because] I can get married and perhaps have a fantastic 33-year-old relationship like my parents.”

Higgins memorialized this event in a documentary she directed called The Gay Marriage Thing.

It follows one lesbian couple in their quest to get married in 2004 amidst the debates and protests. Interviews include two church leaders, a politician, and people on the street who are for and against gay marriage.

Her film is slated to be shown at the 22nd Annual Gay and Lesbian Film/Video Festival on May 21, 2006, at the Museum of Fine Arts.

Background

Higgins grew up in the small town of Gorham, Maine, about 20 minutes from Portland, Maine. She attended the University of New Hampshire where she majored in communications with a focus on general media theory.

“After I graduated from [UNH], I had this fantastic theoretical education, but I didn’t have much practical experience, so I felt that I needed to go to graduate school to get it; [that is] what I got at Emerson [College],” she said. “Emerson has a fantastic reputation for having lots of people in the industry and their network is amazing.”

And she may have made the right choice in attending Emerson. In 2000, she won an EVVY award - Emerson’s own student-run award show - for Best Graduate Project when she earned her master’s degree in Visual Media Arts.

At the same time while Higgins’ star was rising on the professional level, she began to sort out some issues on the personal level - her sexual orientation. She struggled with it for some time before acknowledging the reality of it.

“I spent a lot years denying these feeling and not being truthful with myself though there; was no pressure except [from] society and not seeing positive images of lesbians,” she said. “I was having stomach problems because I was stressed, but once I became comfortable and accepted myself, all those issues went away.”

Higgins says that writing helped her a lot with the transition, and even though her family - her parents and her younger brother and sister - were all supportive when she came out to them, it was her mother who was a major factor in helping her adjust.

“My mother was my life line,” she said. “She was the closest person [to me] and she saved my life because I was able to talk about it with her and deal with it even before I was accepting of [it] myself.”

Currently, Higgins is involved with someone who is not in the industry, and they have been together for about a year.

After Higgins graduated from Emerson, she freelanced for a while, but in the summer of 2003, she had another calling.

“I always dreamed of having my own production company and working with media, so it was time to go out on my own and start this company,” she said.

Higgins’ company called SassyMedia is based out of Belmont, Mass., and “The Gay Marriage Thing” is its first project.

The Documentary

The idea to do a documentary on gay marriage developed when she attended the Massachusetts Constitutional Conventions in 2004.

“I sat in the gallery surrounded by people of all colors, creeds, orientations, and ages, and listened to legislators debate [an issue] that affected me personally,” she said. “I was sad, angry, thankful, proud, awed, and inspired.

“Protests echoed through the halls [as people carried] signs [and wore] stickers,” she said. “You could walk down the hallway and look at someone’s sticker and label them either friend or foe based on their sticker. Occasionally, you would see people talking, but not that much and, of course, you can’t in that kind of environment where people are picketing and screaming.”

Higgins says that it was at that point that she became interested in exploring the people rather than event itself. In addition, she wanted to understand the opposition.

“I really wanted to find an argument that made sense to me, “she said. “I found that there were people who [felt strongly] about this issue and regardless of their words or [positions], there [were] emotions on both sides, and [all their feelings were] valid. The larger picture in this debate is how people are communicating or not communicating with each other.”

The next task at hand was getting the crew and interview subjects, but Higgins says it was not hard. She met them at the convention, through mutual colleagues, and by referrals.

It is interesting to note that Lorre Fritchy (Sandy ‘Spin’ Slade: Beyond Basketball) - who is the executive producer - also had another role in the documentary.

“She [Fritchy] is amazingly objective,” she said. “She can pull herself out of the story even [when] she is the story [along with her now spouse].”

Although Higgins is not religious, she is spiritual, and she sensed that something bigger was at work with her film.

“I do believe that things are meant to be [even] for this project,” she said. “Everything fell into place from [the interview subjects] to the storyline to the editing process; things came together in the way [that] it needed.”

Higgins thinks that her film is different from all the rest because her piece is an “un - documentary” and it is more “cinematic” in nature than journalistic.

“I really tried to focus on this one story about an American couple and how this issue affects them,” she said. “I did a little bit of journalism while at UNH, but I realized that it wasn’t my forte. I’m a filmmaker, so I wanted it to be more film-like [and I wanted] to layer it with not only the storyline [but also with] themes, graphics, photos, and music. [I wanted] to weave a story and not hit people over the head with statistics, events, or experts.”

She confesses that it wasn’t easy making this film; it was hard because she was interviewing some people who did not agree with her opinions or lifestyle.

“It’s hurtful when people tell you that you can’t get married because of who you are, so it was difficult, but 1 was able to put that aside and tell the story,” she said. “In the end, [it’s] a story that a whole family can watch together no matter the opinions and no matter if there are any gay individuals in the family or not.”

It’s Higgins’ intention to have her documentary assist in opening the lines of communication among people overall.

“The purpose of the film is start a conversation between a gay person and a family member who may have differing opinions on the subject,” she said. “I think people who are gay might be frustrated to learn that they’re not the main audience for this although they can certainly watch it and appreciate the story; it’s really for inciting a conversation between a mother and a son or a grandmother and a granddaughter in order to try to heal those differences, which is what we all struggle to do.”

The theme of communication along with love is what Higgins believes will help in “focusing on our commonalities and our humanity, [and not] our differences.”

And these themes could be reason why the public may be resonating with the film. The video - before it was even finished - was first shown in the summer of 2004 at the Boston Jewish Film Festival by their invitation. After it was completed in February 2005, it was later screened at the New Orleans Reel Identity Film Festival, Colorado’s Breckenridge Festival of Film, and the New England Film and Video Festival, just to name a few.

“Most people who’ve seen the video relate to some aspect of it whether they’re religious, gay, or straight,” Higgins said. “At the Breckenridge Festival, I actually had a little kid, about 10 or 11 years old, thank me for making the video. Who knows if he is or would be gay in the future, but it was sweet. I’ve also had a lot people come up to me and say, ‘I’m going watch this with my mom/ or ‘I’m going to watch this with my husband’s family because I have these arguments with them all the time.’”

It is clear by the reception at the festivals and by its demand that Higgins has made a positive impact among her viewers, and she thinks that it may help the gay marriage issue on a larger scale.

“I think the idea in this documentary can really change the discussion on gay marriage and move it toward feelings and away from points and counterpoints,” she said. “I think [that in order to make] headway in discussions, [the focal point needs to be on] feelings and [feelings of] not only your [own], but of your opposers [as well].”

The Future

Besides being shown at Boston’s Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, several churches in the area will also be screening it in the fall.
Also, earlier this year, Higgins signed on with the distributor, The Cinema Guild, so people can purchase a copy. Higgins says that even some schools have requested and purchased her film.

“Getting a distributor has been a blessing because its enabled me to start writing some scripts for feature length narratives,” she said. “I have a couple of things that I’m working in parallel right now [though] I’d rather not talk about the storyline because they’re in such infancy right now.”

Higgins says that she hopes to work with not only Fritchy again in the future but also work with individuals who “love storytelling and respect the power of the media,”

If you want more information on the dates of the church screenings, please connect to www.thegaymarriagething.com. or e-mail Higgins at info@thegaymarriagething.com.

The documentary is also available in DVD and VHS and can be purchased by calling 800-723-5522. Schools can purchase materials at cinemaguild.com.

Lya Carrera is currently interning at EDGE. She attended Wellesley College for undergraduate school and studied journalism at Emerson College. She can be reached at lcarrera30@aol.com.

By Lya Carrera
EDGE Entertainment Contributor
Published Web site: EDGE
Online Version Published Date: May 7, 2006
Online Version Printed Date: June 19, 2006

Rated: PG-13
Grade: A

The challenges of love or forbidden love are most often the themes of the majority of movies, and Tristan & Isolde is no exception.

Content

This movie is a romantic epic set in the dark ages. It’s not exactly a love triangle, but close to it.

After the Roman Empire fell, Britain was divided into various tribes, and Ireland, which was to its west, was unaffected.

Irish King Donnchadh (David O’Hara) didn’t want the English tribes to unite, so he devised a plan and offered his daughter, Isolde (Sophia Myles), as a prize for marriage to the various British tribes to keep them divided.

British Warlord, Lord Marke (Rufus Sewell), knew that Ireland was a threat and that the tribes need to be united in order to defeat them. So, when Tristan (James Franco), a knight of Lord Marke, won Isolde on his behalf, the tribes finally united under Lord Mark’s leadership.

Tristan and Lord Marke had a son-father relationship. Lord Marke raised him as his own when Tristan’s parents were killed years ago.

Tristan was unaware that the woman he won for Lord Marke was the same woman that he had fallen in love with some time ago when he was wounded in battle and thought to be dead. His body was sent out to sea and it landed on the beach in Ireland. Isolde found him and realized that he was not dead, but poisoned. She knew the remedy for the poison and nursed him back to health.

Isolde had also fallen in love with Tristan, but she did not know that he was a knight or that he was fighting for her on Lord Marke’s behalf. She eventually married Lord Marke despite her protests to the contrary to Tristan.

Lord Marke was a kind husband to Isolde and fell in love with her as well, but Isolde still loved Tristan, and Tristan and Isolde continued to meet in secret until Lord Marke found out about the two of them.

Mini-Analysis

Director Kevin Reynolds saw this film like Romeo and Juliet, but set in a different time period, and according to Dean Georgaris, scriptwriter, Reynolds had another vision as well.

“Kevin wanted to make something like Doctor Zhivago,” he said. “He wanted a sweeping epic that wasn’t always clean, wasn’t always simple…He wanted it to feel as real and painful as possible [because] in life the most painful decisions aren’t between people you hate, it’s between all the people you care about.”

And Reynolds certainly delivered in achieving the epic portion of the movie. Using epic as an adjective as in “surpassing the ordinary,” the movie felt “larger than life.” The intricate details of the costumes, the set, the weapons and even the panoramic views of Ireland and the Czech Republic contributed to the overall look and feel of that time period.

Epic used as a noun as in “celebrating heroic feats,” Reynolds delivered again. The two main characters, Tristan and Isolde, were put in positions where they had to choose between their own happiness and honor/duty. Even Lord Marke was put to the test as well when he finds Tristan and Isolde together; he needs to choose to be noble or not. And it’s their choices that make these characters either heroes or a heroine in the end.

Although Reynolds described that this film was similar to Romeo and Juliet, I did not agree; it’s similar, but it’s also different.

They were similar in that both couples encountered outside forces that prevented them from being together publicly although they met in secret. What I found dissimilar were their choices.

In Romeo and Juliet, both characters were in more turmoil and they both died at their own hands for each other while in Reynold’s version, although the acting was superb, Isolde appeared in more angst than Tristan and only one of them died.

Although Tristan’s character did reveal his tenderness and love for Isolde, i.e., Tristan made a bracelet for Isolde, he was not as demonstrative or outspoken like Isolde. So, even though I knew that Tristan’s was hurting over the situation, I did not feel it as much as I did with Isolde.

It is fascinating that the Celtic legend of Tristan and Isolde first surfaced in the 12th century and that there have been many versions to this story, so Reynold’s version is just one of many.

For me, I had heard about this legend some time ago as a result of my own interest in mythology, but I never knew the story fully, until I saw the film. I found it very educational and it reminded me of the Lancelot-Guinevere-Arthur story while I was watching it.

Conclusion

This film is similar to movies like Gladiator, Braveheart, Romeo & Juliet, First Knight, and West Side Story (without the music).

Those who like romantic epics will enjoy this movie while others may watch it for the explosions and battle scenes.

Additional Information

Studio: 20th Century Fox.
Price: $29.99.
Running Time: 125 Minutes.
Release Date: January 2006.

Special Features

Love Conquers All:Making of Tristan & Isolde (33 minutes)

This is a mini-documentary about how and why the movie was made. Insight was provided regarding the challenges that the actors, the directors, and the crew had on shooting m Ireland and the Czech Republic, on shooting certain scenes, on the budget constraints in making the movie, and on coordinating the fight scenes.

It is interesting that the history and background of this Celtic legend as well as the real people is discussed. This helps to understand the movie as well understand how this legend shaped the Lancelot-Guinevere-Arthur myth - which is why it reminded me of it when I watch it.

There are interviews with the following: Kevin Reynolds (director), Jim Lemley (executive producer), Anne Lei (co-producer), Dean Georgaris (scriptwriter), James Franco (Tristan), Sofie Myles (Isolde), Rufus Sewell (Lord Marke), JB Blanc (Leon), Bronagh Gallagher (Bragnae), Thomas Sangster (Young Tristan), Nick Powell (stunt coordinator), Mark Strong (Wictred), and Artur Reinhart (cinematographer).

Commentaries

There are two audio commentaries that can be turned on while the film is playing. One commentary is from Dean Georgaris who gives his views on the various scenes while the other comments are from Jim Lemley, executive producer, and Anne Lai, co-producer, who give background information.

Video

There are two music video versions of the movie’s theme song We Belong Together - a long version that lasts for four minutes and 30 seconds and a short version that lasts for two minutes and 20 seconds.

Image Gallery

Pictures of the costumes, the production set, and the cast and crew behind the scenes.

Subtitles

There are subtitles in English, in English for the Hearing Impaired, and in Spanish.

Audio

The options for audio are: English DTS, English 5.1 Surround Sound, French Dolby Sound, and Spanish Dolby Sound.

Trailers/TV Spots

There are six TV spots-each last about 15 seconds-and one trailer-it lasts for about two minutes and 20 seconds; they provide quick summaries about the movie.

By Lya Carrera
EDGE Entertainment Contributor
Published Web site: EDGE
Online Version Published Date: May 3, 2006
Online Version Printed Date: June 26, 2006

Listen up movie fans. It’s that time of year again. The 22nd Annual Gay and Lesbian Film/Video Festival is back!

The films, ranging from documentaries to shorts, will run from May 10 - 21, 2006, at the Remis Auditorium in the Museum of Fine Arts.

As always, there will be special guests-which include the directors, the producers, or the stars themselves-who will be present on the day or evening that their films will be shown. They include the following:

• May 10, Women’s Opening Night - director Samantha Farinella and star Alix Olson of Left Lane: On the Road with Alix Olson;
• May 11, Men’s Opening Night - director Q. Allan Brocka and producer Victor Simpkins of Boy Culture;
• May 12, director Erin Greenwell and star Julie Goldman of Mom the Movie;
• May 12, musicians Deep Dickollective of Pick Up the Mic;
• May 14, producer Raymond Lee of The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros;
• May 14, director Irena Fayngold of HINEINI: Coming out in a Jewish High School;
• May 21, director Debra Wilson of Jumpin’the Broom and local director Stephanie Higgins of The Gay Marriage Thing; and
• May 21, Closing Night - comedian and actor Bruce Daniels of Bam Bam and Celeste.

Below is a list of the films with a short summary:

Left Lane: On the Road with Alix Olson
Women’s Opening Night Wednesday, May 10, 2006, 7:45 p.m. (2005, 93 minutes, video)

Directed by Samantha Farinella, this revealing documentary is about lesbian activist and poet, Alix Olson, who hails from Northampton.

Farinella looks into the mind and motivations of this feminist artist and follows her through college campuses, women’s festivals, and high schools.

Boy Culture
Men’s Opening Night Thursday, May 11, 2006, 7:45 p.m. (2006, 85 minutes)

Directed by Q. Allan Brocka, this film is about ‘X’ who is a hooker with morals looking for intimacy. He is secretly obsessed with his roommate Andrew (Darryl Stephens of Noah’s Arc), who is starting to experiment on the scene. They have a young sexually voracious ’son’ named Joey.

When ‘X’ meets an oider trick, he drops his guard and it is at this point that all of his relationships become intricate and hilarious.

A reception will follow after the film.

Mom the Movie
Friday, May 12, 2006, 7 p.m. (2006, 70 minutes)

Directed by Erin Greenwell, Boston native Julie Goldman stars in this film about the life of an aspiring TV news reporter named Kelly.

Kelly is sent on assignment to gather data for her marketing firm, accompanied by Linda (Goldman), a butch, talkative cameraperson with aspirations of her own.

With no hotel rooms to be found due to the annual Chili Cook-Off, the two are forced to stay at the local youth hostel, where a pair of amorous dykes keeps Kelly from preparing for her big network interview.

In the end, both characters learn a fern things about themselves and each other.

A party with Greenwell and Goldman will be held at Toast in Somerville after the screening.

Pick Up the Mic
Friday, May 12, 2006, 9 p.m. (2005, 90 minutes)

Directed by Alix Hinton, this documentary contains interviews and performances of 20 artists, activists, and entertainers who belong to the growing underground queer hip-hop movement from the 90s to the present.

From a range of sexual and ethnic backgrounds, the MCs and rappers in this film disagree from political or openly gay content in their raps to the role of race and gender in the hip-hop community to the need to push for major label success.

Gypo
Saturday, May 13, 2006, 1:45 p.m. (England, 2005, 98 minutes)

Directed by Jan Dunn, this documentary tells the story of the impact that a female Czech refugee has on one unhappy working-class British family.

The same story is told from three different perspectives: that of the mother who welcomes her, the teenage daughter who turns against her, and the father who loathes her.

The film contains no music and no artificial lighting, only actual locations, and it’s these elements that give the story its realism; it is similar in many ways to the films of Ken Loach (Tickets).

When I’m 64
Saturday, May 13, 2006, 3:45 p.m. (England, 2004, 87 minutes)

Directed by Jon Jones, this is a romantic film about the relationship between a retired school teacher and a gruff cabbie.

Jim has spent almost his entire life at a boy’s school: first as a pupil, then a teacher. Ray is a widower, a former football hooligan with two grown children and many grandchildren. When Jim leaves his coat in Ray’s cab, Ray makes a point to return it, and there is an immediate connection.

A Year Without Love
Saturday, May 13, 2006, 8:15 p.m. (”Un Ano Sin Amor,” Argentina, 2005, 95 minutes)

Winner of the best queer feature film at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival and directed by Anahi Berneri, this movie is about Pablo, a hunky young writer and poet, who is struggling to come to terms with his HIV-positive status.

Desperate for affection, he cruises the gay bars of Buenos Aires, places personal ads, and haunts porn cinemas, each time documenting his search.

He meets up with a tough S & M crowd, and while tenderness may be lacking, he at least finds pleasure, proof that he’s still alive.It is a challenging look at one man’s approach to loneliness and HIV. This movie is in Spanish with English subtitles.

Youth Program

Sunday, May 14, 2006, 6 p.m.
HINEINI: Coming Out in a Jewish High School
(2005, 60 minutes, video; directed by Irena Fayngold.)

This film chronicles Shulamit Izen’s fight to start a gay-straight alliance at Gann Academy, The New Jewish

Through the story of one community wrestling with questions oF pluralism and diversity, this film confirms the importance of creating supportive environments for GLBT students at both private and public schools.

On the Low (2004, 16 minutes; directed by Luther Mace) is about two African American high school boys who are forced to come to terms with their relationship.

A Girl Named Kai (Canada, 2004, 10 minutes; directed by Kai Ling Xue) is about a brave autobiographical story about self-discovery, secrets, and passions.

The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros
Sunday, May 14, 2006, 8 p.m. (2006, 97 minutes)

Directed by Auraeus Sotito, this Film is about the purity of first love set against the squalor and corruption of the slums of Manila, Philippines.

Gay pre-teen Maxi is deeply committed to his family oF petty thieves. His world revolves around his father and his two brothers, until he meets Victor, a honest and handsome policeman.

The two becomes friends, and Victor inspires Maxi to hope for a better life, but their relationship draws the anger of Maxi’s family.

This movie is in English, Filipino, and Tagalog (another Philippines language) with English subtitles.

Lover Other
Wednesday, May 17, 2006, 6:30 p.m. (2006, 55 minutes, video)

Directed by experimental filmmaker, Barbara Hammer, this is a story of lesbian Claude Cahun, Surrealist writer and photographer, and Marcel Moore, her lover, step-sister, and artistic collaborator.

Bringing art, politics, and gender identity to light, this film reveals how this Jewish couple refused to live by anyone else’s standards but their own.

Hammer uses photographs of the women and their artwork interwoven with votceovers and insightful interviews to tell their story.

Also being shown is:

Hubby/Wifey
(2002, 7 minutes, video; directed by Todd Hughes)

This film is about a lesbian couple who shares a dream with their foremothers, Gertrude Stein and Alice Toklas, of the joys and trials of gay marriage.

From 1911 to 1946, Stein and Toklas lived together in Paris as husband and wife. Although they were not “out” as lesbians, they forged an enduring same-sex union.

The film pays homage to Stein’s legendary salon of Parisian visionaries and is set to a moving love letter Stein wrote late one night in the early 20s for her beloved to find on the morning of her birthday.

Guys and Balls
Wednesday, May 17, 2006, 8 p.m. (”Manner wie wir,” Germany, 2004, 106 minutes)

Directed by Sherry Herman, this sports movie is about Ecki, a closeted gay man who works in his family’s bakery and plays goalie on his small town’s soccer team.

When he loses the big game, and is caught flirting with another player, his homophobic teammates throw him out. He vows to return one day with an all-gay team that will grind the heterosexuals into the dust, so he sets off to find his “dream team.”

The final game is a clash of straight machismo and gay fabulousness. This film is in German with English subtitles.

Men’s Shorts Program
Thursday, May 18, 2006, 6:30 p.m. (Total Run Time: 77 minutes)

On the Low (2001, 16 minutes, video; directed by Luther M, Mace) is about two African American high school boys who are forced to come to terms with their relationship.

Mormor’s Visit (2005, 16 minutes, video; directed by Casper Andress) is the story of a young man living in New York who is surprised by a visit from his Swedish grandmother.

This film is in English and in Swedish with English subtitles.

Overdue Conversation (10 minutes, video; directed by Charles Lum) is a video conversation between two former lovers about intimacy, language, and the ethics of disclosure.

Gay Volleyball Saved My Life (2004, 8 minutes, video; directed by David Thorpe) is about how a team sport helped Thorpe survive unemployment and heartbreak, then find love.

Hitch Cock (Australia, 2005, 10 minutes, video; directed by Stuart Vauvert) is a satire on Alfred Hitchcock’s voyeuristic Rear Window.

Just for Leather (2004, 5 minutes; directed by Lawrence Ferrara) is about two men who meet in a leather bar and it doesn’t turn out quite as they expect.

Hitchcocked (2006, 8 minutes, video; directed by David M, Young) is story about Al and Fred who discover tnat online hook-ups can be lots of fun until someone gets hurt.

20 Centimeters
Thursday, May 18, 2006, 8 p.m. (”20 Centrimetros,” Spain, 2005, 113 minutes)

Directed by Ramon Salazar, this is a story of Marieta (Monica Cervera) a narcoleptic transsexual hooker who longs to get rid of the 20 centimeters that separate her from becoming a woman.

Though her day-to-day life is rough, Marieta’s dreams are where she comes alive, appearing to the viewer as full-scale musical numbers.

Salazar combines intense drama with musical interludes and it has some resemblance to Pedro Almodovar movies (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!) as well as Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

This film is in Spanish with English subtitles.

Women’s Shorts Program
Friday, May 19, 2006, 6:30 p.m. (Total Run Time: 84 minutes)

Dani and Alice (2005, 12 minutes, 35mm; directed by Roberta Mane Munroe) is about the last hours of a couple’s deeply tumultuous relationship.

Between the Lines (2005, 14 minutes, video; directed by Laurie Koh) is the story of freelance writer Jessie Cage who discovers that her editor Meena Roy is queer, single, and into online dating.

Hi Maya (Switzerland, 2004, 12 minutes, 35mm; directed by Claudia Lorenz) is about two older women who rekindle a youthful romance in a beauty parlor.

Hung (2005, 13 minutes, video; directed by Guinevere Turner) is about four lesbians who magically grow male genitals for 24 hours.

A Girl Named Kai (Canada, 2004, 10 minutes, video; directed by Kai Ling Xue) is an autobiographical story about self-discovery, secrets, and passions.

Day One (2005, 15 minutes, video; directed bv Parn Dore and Dara Sklar) is about how a magazine executive’s plans for the perfect first date are thrown into a tailspin.

Dangerous Kisses (2004, 2 minutes, video; directed by Mary Guzman) shows us what happens when kisses get too perilous.

Marriage Class (2006, 1 minutes; directed by Margaret Broucek) is about how a straight woman leads a marriage preparatory class for same sex couples.

Women in Love
Friday, May 19, 2006, 8:30 p.m. (2005, 59 minutes, video)

Directed by Karen Everett, this documentary explores one woman’s journey through fifteen years of friendship and love - and the woman is the director herself.

Through home videos, candid interviews, and video diaries, Everett reveals her love life, a remarkable community of culturally significant sex radicals in San Francisco, and stirs up questions about the nature of relationships from monogamy to polyamory.

Featuring Jackie Strano and Shar Rednour, leading directors of lesbian pornography, and Phyllis Christopher, one of North America’s leading photographers of lesbian erotica.

A discussion will follow after the film.

Fingersmith
Saturday, May 20, 2006, 1:15 p.m. (England, 2005, 181 minutes)

Directed by Aisling Walsh, this film is based on the book by Sarah Waters. It is the story of two very different women: Sue, a fingersmith (Victorian slang for pickpocket), lives independently and survives by her wits.

Maud, born in a women’s prison but plucked out to live a life of privilege and sophistication, leads a sheltered life under the ever-watchful eye of her uncle.

The two women meet, not by chance, but as a result of a cleverly devised plot to swindle Maud out of her inheritance.

Nothing, however, is what it seems as the two women tell their side of a story filled with betrayal and courage.

Transgender Shorts Program
Saturday, May 20, 2006, 4:30 p.m.

Gender Crash (2006, 6 minutes, video; directed by Marguerite Bergel and Matt McLaughlin) is a work-in-progress short documenting more than five years of Boston’s only queer/transgender/gender queer open mic.

Boquita (2005, 10 minutes, video; directed by Carmen Oquendo-Villar and Richard E. Ruiz) is about a day in the life of a transgender performer from the Dominican Republic who resides in Jamaica Plain.

Moustache (2004, 14 minutes, video; directed by Vicki Sugars) is a short that teaches that sometimes it doesn’t pay to change your true self for the person you love.

Jaywalking (2005, 9 minutes, video; directed by Leigh lacobuca and Kathy Hnang) takes a brief look at the inspirations, motivations, and implications of a drag king performance.

Secret Picnic (2004, 10 minutes, video; directed by Philipe Lonestar) is the story of gender-queer protagonists who transform their violent pasts at an afternoon picnic.

Give or Take and Inch (2002, 14 minutes, video; directed by Lee Friedlander) is the story of a woman (Amanda Bearse) who must adjust when her lesbian sister announces she’s going to have a sex change.

With What Shalt I Wash It? (”Con que la lavare?,” Spain, 2003, 11 minutes, video; directed by Maria Trenor) is about a transsexual who returns home after a night shift and, while removing his make-up and changing his clothes to go to bed, he remembers everything that happened to him that night.

This is animated short that pays tribute to the homosexual artists of the late 1970s who prospered in the wake of Franco’s dictatorship.

Eighteen
Saturday, May 20, 2006, 6:15 p.m. (Canada, 2005, 90 minutes)

Directed by Richard Bell (Two Brothers), this film is about two different but related stories regarding forgiveness, love, and a tragic family.

Pip is a street kid living in a big city. On his 18th birthday, he receives his grandfather’s Second World War memoirs on cassette-a gift that awakens the ghost of the past.

His grandfather relates the story of the day he turned 18 years old and flees German forces through the woods of France. In Pip’s own and contemporary way, he begins to live the parallel life of his grandfather.

Bell has assembled an outstanding cast of actors with queer credentials including Thea Gill (Queer as Folk), Sir lan McKellen, Alan Gumming, and Canadian actor Brendan Fletcher (The Five Senses).

Unveiled
Saturday, May 20, 2006, 8 p.m. (”Fremde Haut,” Germany, 2005, 97 minutes)

Directed by Angelina Maccarone, this film is about the status of lesbians living under religious oppression and one woman’s valiant fight for freedom.

Fariba, prosecuted in Iran because of her love for a woman, flees to Germany. As she enters the country with forged documents, she is immediately arrested. Her prospects improve when she takes on the identity of a male detainee, Siamak, and assumes his temporary permit of sojourn.

She takes an illegal job in a factory, where she meets, Anne, who is very concerned about “Siamak’s” well-being. While spending more and more time together, they become dangerously close, and Anne begins to suspect Fariba’s true identity.

This movie is in German and Farsi with English subtitles.

Special Program: Love and Marriage
Sunday, May 21, 2006, 1 p.m.

Jumpin’ the Broom: The New Covenant (2005, 30 minutes; directed by Debra Wilson) is a film about Black lesbian and gay couples who share their personal stories and reveal the challenging degrees of intimacy.

Their commitment reaffirms love, family values, politics, and religion in today’s society. The film also features best selling author Dr. Michael Eric Dyson.

The Gay Marriage Thing (2005, 46 minutes; directed by Stephanie Higgins) is about the story of one lesbian couple getting married in 2004 amidst the controversy over same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. Interviews include a politician, church leaders, and people on the street.

My Brother Nikhil
Sunday, May 21, 2006, 3 p.m. (India, 2005, 120 minutes)

Directed by Onir, this Bollywood film is the first Hindi movie to deal with both homosexuality and HIV. It is about one man’s quest to regain dignity and love.

Nikhil Kapoor (Sanjay Suri) was the all-around state swimming champion of Goa. Handsome, jovial, and charming, he is the idol of his peers; his friends love him and his family adores him. All of this changes when Nikhil is arrested and imprisoned in solitary confinement on August 8, 1989 because his health exam has revealed he is HIV-positive.

Overnight, he is abandoned by nearly everyone in his life until all he has left are his boyfriend, Nigel, and his sister, Anu, who defies her family and stands by her brother unconditionally to fight for his civil rights.

This movie is in Hindi with English subtitles.

Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
Sunday, May 21, 2006, 5:30 p.m. (2006, 85 minutes)

Directed by Lisa Ades and Lesli Klainberg, this documentary charts the evolution of independent gay and lesbian cinema from experimental filmmakers of the 40s and 50s, to underground filmmakers of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, to the break-through “New Queer Cinema” of the 90s and the gay filmmakers of today.

It features directors Todd Haynes and Jennie Livingston as well as John Cameron Mttchell, John Waters, and Angela Robinson; actors Guinevere Turner, Alan Cumming, and Heather Matarazzo; producer Christine Vachon; and journalists Michael Musto, B. Ruby Rich, and Alonso Duralde.

A panel discussion on the current trends in GLBT films will follow after the screening. Panelists include critic Loren King, director Debra Wilson, Yusuf Nasrultah of Massachusetts Area South Asian Lambda Association, and James Nadeau of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Comparative Media Studies Program, Writer and cultural critic Michael Bronski will moderate.

Bam Bam and Celeste
Closing Night Film Sunday
May 21, 2006, 8 p.m. (2005, 85 minutes)

Directed by Lorene Machado and starring comedian Margaret Cho, this road movie is about Celeste (Cho), an overweight, Korean, former goth punk, and Bam Bam (played by friend and collaborator Bruce Daniels), a hyper-queeny, African-American stylist.

They are both in a dreary Midwestern city until a shot at a reality TV make-over show puts them on the road to New York City.

The film features topics, such as freaky sex, growing up a loser, TV in every form, and Cho’s mother. It also co-stars Ryan Landry of the Gold Dust Orphans.

Conclusion

Tickets vary from $10 for general admission to $8 for MFA members, seniors, and students. There are some exceptions to these prices:

1. The women’s and the men’s opening night films will be $15 for general admission and $12 et al;
2. The closing night film will be $12 for general admission and $10 et al; and
3. For the Youth Program, it will be $6 for all.

For more information on purchasing tickets and on half or full passes to the festival, please call (617) 369-3306 or visit www.mfa.org/film.

Lya Carrera is currently interning at EDGE. She altendcd Wellesley College for undergraduate school and studied journalism at Emerson College. She can be reached at lcarrera30@aol.com.