[DAC] Truth Serum events for MAY

[Aliza Shapiro]

Here are a bunch of Truth Serum events that are coming up:

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Sunday May 13, 2007
Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Cabaret Life Drawing Class
Great Scott
1222 Commonwealth Ave (corner of Harvard and Commonwealth) Allston
$7 2:30pm 18+ (bring your ID, this is a bar)
http://www.truthserum.org

Dr. Sketchy's is what happens when cabaret meets art school.
Aside from the standard structure of short poses to warm you up and then 
longer ones to give you more time to concentrate, this is definitely not 
your typical life drawing class. The model wears gorgeous burlesque 
outfits and slowly strips out of them! The model talks! You'll clap for 
them and hoot and holler! You'll tip them! You'll chat with your 
neighbor! There is no teacher to embarrass you when you don't produce 
enough! You get to drink and draw without getting in trouble! There are 
snacks! Now is the time to heal those art school wounds. Dr. Sketchy's 
will guide you.

Dig out your dusty sketchbooks or hit the store and get a pad, and come 
join us for a little late afternoon nudie drawing date. The croud is 
nice and friendly. It's a lot of fun.

Our fabulous model this month is Max. He's our first male model for Dr. 
Sketchy Boston...

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Sunday May 13, 2007
Screening: El Calentito and The Face of God with after-party
Films 7:30pm @ MFA Boston Gay and Lesbian Film/Video Festival
After-Party (doors 8pm, party 9:30pm) The Milky Way Lounge and Lanes
405 Centre Street in Hyde Square Jamaica Plain
$5, $3 with MFA ticket stub, 21+
http://www.truthserum.org for more details.

El Calentito by Chus Gutierrez (Spain, 2005, 90 min.). Innocent Sara 
discovers El Calentito, a nightclub and safe haven for punk music and 
sexual expression. (Hmmm, sounds like Jacque's!) The club, owned by a 
sassy transsexual who plays surrogate mother to the patrons, hosts some 
of the most talented up-and-coming bands in punk music. Sara has to 
become a punk, quick. Spanish with English subtitles. Preceded by The 
Face of God by Peter Pizzi (US, 2007, 7 min.) Upon sight of a charming 
young man in an alley, one tranny (Ben McCoy aka Mr. Lady!) has a vision 
of heaven.

After-party with the filmmakers and stars, new queer music videos, Tam 
Willey's (ex-Secret Cock) new film: "TRANNYCHASERS: A Skateboard 
Roadtrip" and Lisette Murphy's "Mounte Bank: a travelling showcase of 
body bluffs," DJ and drink specials. The party will be happening from 
8pm on, but we'll wait until about 10pm to run the films so the folks 
over at the MFA can make it to JP to see them.

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Wednesday May 16, 2007
"The Odyssey" presented by Boston's new queer film/media series, 
*CineMental*
Brattle Theater
40 Brattle Street Harvard Sq. Cambridge
8.00pm, $10, all ages
http://www.truthserum.org

James Nadeau and Aliza Shapiro, who have been involved with programming 
for the Boston Gay and Lesbian Film/Video Festival for the past 6 years, 
along with other local programmers, have created a series that will 
explore the fringes of queer film, video and groundbreaking performative 
work with a decidedly alternative perspective. Welcome the birth of 
CineMental!

Our first screening: The Odyssey:
Featuring work by mostly queer, trans, and women artists, retelling 
Homer's ancient epic of the aftermath of war. 24 continuous short films 
by 24 different groups of artists, tell the stories in the 24 chapters 
of Homer's epic, The Odyssey, in every film/video format imaginable. 
Film makers include: Paula Cronan & Laurie Weeks, Rebecca Yaffe & Laura 
Mays, Samuael Topiary, Courtney Dailey & Michael Hyde, Bill Basquin, EE 
Miller, Eileen Myles...

The evening will feature music by Ryder Cooley and Gretchen Hildebran 
along with readings by artists included in the project.

The Odyssey project comprises a zine complete with stories, poetry, and 
art, and the accompanying film on DVD. These will be on sale at the 
screening/performance. The zine is actually a 130 page volume, 
beautifully printed and closed with a naval knot of rope.

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Thursday May 17, 2007
Screening: Men's Shorts Program
Films 6:00 pm @ MFA Boston Gay and Lesbian Film/Video Festival
http://www.truthserum.org co-presents these shorts.

Men's Shorts Program: Mizery by Carmen Oquendo-Villar (2006, 17 min.). 
Mizery explores the stage life of its eponymous Panamanian drag queen. 
Valley of the Chapstick by Robert Kennedy (Canada, 2005, 8 min.). A 
recovering lip balm addict takes it one day at a time. Dinner 
Conversation by Jim Cashman (2006, 4 min.). A slip of the tongue can 
lead to hilarious results over dinner. The Underminer by Todd Downing 
(UK, 2005, 6 min.) The best friend who casually destroys your life. 
Lesbians: The Music Video by Laura Terruso (206, 4 min.). 
Electro-cult-comic Clay Drinko hearts his lesbians. The Sleepers by 
Charles Lofton (The Netherlands, 2006, 5 min.). Inspired by Walt 
Whitman's poem of the same name, The Boy in the Plastic Bubble by Jamie 
Phelan (Canada, 2005, 6 min.). An animated remake of the 1977 TV movie 
of the week, using Ken and Barbie dolls to explore the themes of 
adolescent love, isolation, plastic bubbles, beach parties, and the boy 
next door. David by Roberto Fiesco (Mexico, 20 05, 15 min., Spanish w/ 
subtitles) A young mute student tries to go to the movies while ditching 
class, but changes his mind when he meets an unemployed man who tries to 
communicate with him. Through messages and games, the two will make a 
discovery that they never imagined. Arie by Gianluca Vallero, 2004, 
(Germany/Italy, 2004, 15min., German w. subtitles). Professional dancer 
Vittorio falls in love with his choreographer, Marco, and leaves his 
girlfriend. Although his feelings are not reciprocated, the experience 
leaves Vittorio much stronger for having discovered a new self-image. I 
Just Wanted to Be Somebody by Jay Rosenblatt (2006, 10 min.). What do 
the religious right and the gay liberation movement have in common? 
Anita Bryant fortified both.

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Sunday May 20, 2007
Screening: Queer Experimental Cinema: Then and Now
Films 3:45 pm @ MFA Boston Gay and Lesbian Film/Video Festival
Co-presented by Truth Serum and the Video Underground
http://www.truthserum.org

An array of experimental films past and present, featuring a rare 
screening of Jean Genet's, Un Chant d'Amour (Song of Love), introduced 
by MIT Professor of French and Film Studies, Edward Turk. The Sleepers 
by Charles Lofton (The Netherlands, 2006, 5 min., English) Inspired by 
Walt Whitman's poem of the same name: "I swear they are all beautiful, 
every one that sleeps is beautiful, everything in the dim light is 
beautiful." Body Image by Paul Sixta (The Netherlands, 2006, 21 min.) 
During a shiatsu massage, Tim's body slowly lets memories surface and 
tell their stories. Dyketactics by Barbara Hammer (1974, 4 min.) Barbara 
Hammer's influential celebration of lesbian sensuality and sexuality. 
Untitled by Liz Rosenfeld (US, 2005, 8 min.) Bodies move freely through 
an ambiguous urban "utopia"; or do they? Un Chant d'Amour (Song of Love) 
by Jean Genet (France, 1950, 26min.). Two prisoners in complete 
isolation, separated by the thick brick walls, and desperately in need 
of human contact, devise a most unusual kind of communication.