This film is part of Rentals
I Am Michael
James Franco stars in this provocative film about Michael Glatze, a pioneering gay rights activist who later denounced his homosexuality.
Director: Justin Kelly
Overview
In a fascinating and provocative inversion of the familiar coming-out tale, I Am Michael tells the true story of Michael Glatze, a pioneering gay rights activist who shocked the community by denouncing his homosexuality and embarking on a new life as a Christian pastor. A former San Francisco based writer and journalist, Glatze founded his own trailblazing publication ‘Young Gay America’ in 2004, offering support and giving voice to queer youth. Following years of dedication to the cause, he underwent a crisis of identity, finding himself drawn to religion and a more conservative outlook on life. In 2007, he left not just the magazine, but also his boyfriend of 10 years, to start all over again.
Following his work on films such as Milk, Howl and Interior. Leather Bar., James Franco continues to display his unwavering commitment to the portrayal of LGBT characters in US cinema, jumping at yet another chance to play gay. The fact that this time around he has a much-publicised threesome with Zachary Quinto and Charlie Carver only adds to the pleasure. Touching upon issues of homophobia, both internalised and within the wider culture, and the complexities of sexual identity, debut filmmaker Justin Kelly (a protégé of Gus Van Sant) lends grace and sincerity to his incendiary subject matter, resulting in a film that is a pleasure to watch, even at its most confrontational. I Am Michael was the opening film of BFI Flare festival 2015.
strong sex, languageRelated
The Last Showgirl The Last Showgirl
Drama 2024 89 mins Director: Gia Coppola
Golden Globe-nominated Pamela Anderson is enchanting as the Las Vegas showgirl whose stage show is set to close.
Driving Mum Driving Mum
Comedy 2022 113 mins Director: Hilmar Oddsson
Jon drives his mums corpse across Iceland in Hilmar Oddsson’s darkly comic odyssey of self-discovery and acceptance, beautifully filmed in crisp black and white.
Barrio Boy Barrio Boy
Romance 2022 83 mins Director: Dennis Shinners
A Latino barber embarks on an erotically charged odyssey of self-discovery over one hot summer in Brooklyn.
Small Things Like These Small Things Like These
Drama 2024 99 mins Director: Tim Mielants
Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy delivers a stunning performance as a coal merchant who discovers horrific secrets about his local convent.
Rafiki Rafiki
Drama 2018 83 mins Director: Wanuri Kahiu
Romantic sparks fly between the daughters of two opposing politicians in Wanuri Kahiu’s neon-bright story of forbidden love in Kenya.
Only the River Flows Only the River Flows
Crime 2023 102 mins Director: Shujun Wei
Shujun Wei's slow-burn noir draws us inexorably into its mysterious psychological journey.
The Pass The Pass
Drama 2016 86 mins Director: Ben A. Williams
Russell Tovey stars as a Premier League footballer who shares a fumbled pass (of the sexual kind) with a teammate (Arinzé Kene), changing everything - both on and off the pitch.
Remembering the Man Remembering the Man
Documentary 2015 83 mins Director: Nickolas Bird and Eleanor Sharpe
Telling the true story of Timothy Conigrave and John Caleo, whose AIDS-afflicted relationship became the basis of bestselling gay memoir, Holding the Man.
Body Electric Body Electric
Drama 2017 95 mins Director: Marcello Caetano
Young factory manager Elias finds distraction in some of his fellow workers, but is he getting too close?
Boys on Film 17: Love Is the Drug Boys on Film 17: Love Is the Drug
Romance 2017 142 mins Director: Nicholas Colia, David Ullgren, Andre D Chambers, Brendon McDonall, Lorelei Pepi, Eyal Resh, Martin Edralin, Marco Leão, André Santos and Anthony Schatteman
An intoxicating and entrancing selection of gay short films from around the globe.
The Ornithologist The Ornithologist
Drama 2016 118 mins Director: João Pedro Rodrigues
A lone scientist in Portugal’s Douro region embarks on an unexpected transcendental journey. Beautiful, erotic and baffling.
Palace of Fun Palace of Fun
Thriller 2016 82 mins Director: Eadward Stocks
The spirit of Patricia Highsmith comes to Brighton in this ominous psychological thriller about a young man who takes gleeful advantage of his sister's new boyfriend, upon discovering his dark secret.
A Fuller Life A Fuller Life
Documentary 2013 80 mins Director: Samantha Fuller
James Franco leads the eulogies in this profile of the larger-than-life filmmaker Samuel Fuller, who also had eventful stints as a journalist and serviceman.
JT LeRoy JT LeRoy
Drama 2018 109 mins Director: Justin Kelly
Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern's towering tall story hoaxes the world.
The Last Showgirl The Last Showgirl
Drama 2024 89 mins Director: Gia Coppola
Golden Globe-nominated Pamela Anderson is enchanting as the Las Vegas showgirl whose stage show is set to close.
Dust & Metal Dust & Metal
Documentary 2022 82 mins Director: Esther Johnson
Discover unfamiliar histories of Vietnam through Esther Johnson’s poetic documentary on the country’s love affair with the motorbike.
Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound
Documentary 2024 91 mins Director: Antony Crook
Celestial sonic odyssey charting the cult Scottish band’s expansive career from the mid-90s to their tenth studio album written during lockdown.
Flow Flow
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2024 85 mins Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Oscar-winning animated adventure about an unlikely group of animals who must work together to survive a natural disaster.
Invasion Invasion
Science Fiction 1966 79 mins Director: Alan Bridges
An alien fugitive, injured in a road accident, pitches up at a rural hospital. But when two intergallactic pursuers arrive, things start to heat up...
Twiggy Twiggy
Documentary 2024 94 mins Director: Sadie Frost
International supermodel, actor, singer and one of the most iconic British figures – this is the real story of Twiggy.