Every year, I hit up San Francisco's annual LGBT film festival for an outrageous number of delicious queer films. I think my record was something like 14 films last year. This year, sadly, I arrive in SF halfway through the festival, but have managed to still schedule 11 films for my festival. You can see the titles above. After the jump, find the full details of each film. If you're in SF, you really must go see a film. Really. It's a wonderful event that is not to be missed. Here's the link to the festival site.

Find the details on my selections, after the jump...

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24

Global Queers - 2:15 PM - Castro Theatre - 108 Minutes

Four documentaries shine a light on the trials and triumphs of diverse queer groups from around the world. Though it hardly comes as a surprise that LGBT groups face persecution worldwide, these films fly past that general concept and instead detail the inventive ways different queer groups build and protect their cultures. Pecah Lobang (Busted) focuses on the mak nyah (male to female transsexual) community in multicultural, Islamic, Malaysia, where conservative forces have instituted laws that disempower the mak nyahs. The doc intelligently surveys a series of ideas about gender, religion and culture. A Taiwanese storefront's status as a galvanizing force and its subsequent legal battles provide a fascinating and insightful story about persistence and quiet strength in Welcome to My Queer Bookstore. The store's owner, J. J. Lai, is erudite and his archivist's sensibilities belie a steely resolve. Queer Sarajevo Festival 2008 documents the hateful backlash against the first queer film festival in Sarajevo, which was scheduled to take place during the Musilm holy month of Ramadan in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The government and hooligans stood together in attempts to end the festival. Finally, Krudas features bumpin' Cuban lesbian hip hop artists with infectious music and smiles.

Swiss Treats - 5:00 PM - Castro Theatre - 86 Minutes

It's not just about chocolate and pocketknives anymore. The queers of Switzerland speak the universal language of gay in this eclectic shorts program. Swiss Treats starts with Vandals, the tale of two young graffiti writers torn between the love for graffiti and the love for each other. Franco, a student in history, decides to seek evidence as he discovers the unorthodox sexual practices of his thesis director and suspects his research has been stolen in Comme Une Lettre a La Poste. Simone misses a connecting flight for her father's funeral, and now she's stuck in a small airport in 510 Meters Above Sea Level. In Fifth Fugue a young student takes piano lessons with a teacher. Thirty-year-old Elena is waiting for life to start; and luckily, one night Lia appears in her copy shop in Easy Tiger. Eye and Axis is a dreamlike film mixing images of nature, humanity, and the ocean. Finally, a salsa course unites Helen, a high level broker, and Anna, her cleaning lady, in Dancing to Happiness.

"Family" - 9:30 PM - Victoria Theatre - 111 Minutes

Closeted life can be pretty cramped, what, with all the hangers hitting your head. Not being able to live out in the open is sometimes a small price to pay compared to the fear of familial and professional backlash. But the price becomes too high for thirtysomething Felicia, as she finds herself coaxing her lesbian lover into a closet due to a surprise visit from her mom. Her relationship now in jeopardy, Felicia has a proposal for her similarly repressed group of sapphic friends: all six must come out within thirty days. Of course, this is easier said than done. For cocky WNBA player Kemp, future endorsements are on the line. Sabrina, a meek churchgoer, must reconcile her beliefs with her desires. Tonya feels ongoing pressure from her fiancée, but can't stand up to her pushy sister, and Melanie will do whatever it takes to regain custody of her daughter from a former girlfriend. The bravest of the bunch, Monifa, confesses her sexuality to her parents with hilarious results, but then finds herself swept up in an unexpected love affair. And Felicia, the catalyst for the pact, is too afraid to stick to her own plan. Tackling relevant African American LGBT issues such as church values and coming out in Hollywood, writer-director Faith Trimel (Black Aura on an Angel, Frameline28) effectively transcends color lines with her powerful, relatable story of confronting your own truth.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25

Light Gradient - 4:30 PM - Castro Theatre - 75 Minutes

Writer/director Jan Krüger's follow-up to Unterwegs and Hotel Paradijs astutely depicts the beautiful discoveries and the difficult trials associated with young love. When Johann (Sebastian Schle) and Robin (Eric Golub) bicycle through the picturesque Brandenburg Forest, they encounter a series of obstacles and occurrences that test not only their relationship but also the relationship each has to the world around him. From the outset of their trip, Johann and Robin prove willing to go wherever the wind takes them. Mischievous Robin immediately tests their resilience by "maybe" leaving the tent poles at home. But no matter: the boys have no trouble finding ways to keep warm at night. After days of rigorous biking and restorative nude swimming, things take a strange turn when their bicycles inexplicably disappear. Continuing the journey on foot, the boys find a farm inhabited by a warm, free-spirited woman and her adolescent son, who take them in and change the course of their trip. Paradoxically, this isolated farm reconnects Johann and Robin to the outside world as it drives them ever deeper into the mysteries of the forest. Krüger's idiosyncratic road movie is an erotic tale of love, intimacy and self-discovery that takes time to explore its majestic forest -- a place that's peaceful, magical, and enigmatic.

Trantastic! - 7:00 PM - Victoria Theatre - 84 Minutes

The 21st century is exploding with trans self-representation as we reject stereotypes and depict the spectrum of diversity that comprises our exceptional community. In Michelle's First Wedding in a Dress we share Michelle's excitement as she prepares for her special day. Katastrophe is a lyrical Big Deal in a creative re-telling of a famous Andy Warhol drama. Follow the comedic Kaleb through cheap male haircuts and trans fat junk food shopping, with a cameo by Amy Ray of Indigo Girls fame, in Tranzploitation. A business dinner turns romantic in Being Lisa. Joshua Klipp treats us to his latest vocal sensation L1FE and Tell Me The... , complete with the amazing talents of the Sarah Bush Dance Project and Catwalk 2008 winner Asia Vitale respectively. Blink ruminates on the dangers of first crushes and the habits of sea cucumbers. Charming animation illustrates a trans guy and his partner as they discuss the present and imagine the future of their devoted relationship in Kaden Later. Friends race to hide hints that Ava (Calpernia Addams) is transsexual before an unaware date arrives at her over-the-top apartment in the comedy Transproofed. And a hair dresser finds a new client and lesbian love interest on public transportation in Among Colors and Razors.

Shank - 9:30 PM - Victoria Theatre - 89 Minutes

An unlikely gay romance blossoms within the violent world of British gang culture in this gritty drama for the YouTube Generation. Eighteen-year-old gang member Cal has little in his life but drugs, drinking, violence and a certain secret that he keeps hidden from his rough-and-tumble mates. An online sex hookup with an older stranger fails to quench his unspoken desire for Jonno, his straight (and frequently shirtless) best friend. Confused tough guy Jonno can't express his own affection for Cal either. Nessa -- their "crazy bitch" gang leader -- suspects there may be something going on. Manipulating situations with brute force, Nessa sets out to confirm her suspicions and divide loyalties. When the gang randomly bashes effeminate student Olivier on the street, Cal steps in to halt the attack. Fearing harsh retaliation, Cal speeds off in his car and chases after Olivier, who lets Cal hang out in his flat. After a sweet patio seduction scene, Olivier exposes Cal to a tenderness he has never known. Meanwhile, Nessa plots revenge. A brutal and utterly shocking confrontation in an abandoned factory leaves no one unscathed. First-time director Simon Pearce (who is only 21) makes a thrilling and explosive debut, defying typical coming-out film conventions by embracing street culture and darker queer themes. The sex is explicit, the violence is harrowing, and the young cast is utterly impressive.

FRIDAY, JUNE 26

Worldly Affairs - 3:15 PM - Castro Theatre - 93 Minutes

Take a trip around the globe with this program of superb international men's shorts. From Argentina to Turkey to Iceland, the men in this program provide an international perspective on love, lust and teddy bears.High school friends spend a day together that must inevitably come to an end in Raw Love. Alliocha and Bruno have anonymous sex in a public bathroom and are prematurely separated when one loses his nerve -- Bruno fears Somebody is Watching Us. Londoner Tony travels 10,000 miles to rural New Zealand to rekindle an old relationship in Teddy, but a stuffed bear will ultimately decide his fate. Pascal-Alex Vincent's (his feature Give Me Your Hand also plays in this year's festival) fascinating Baby Shark is a triptych of teenage malaise, angst and sibling rivalry.The Saint is a poignant and haunting story of poverty and human kindness. And from Iceland, the hilarious Mother Knows Best proves to the world how being gay can be very helpful to your mother.

Straightlaced: How Gender's Got Us All Tied Up - 6:00 PM - Roxie Theatre - 66 Minutes

It's tough growing up in this culture, figuring out who you are and where (or whether) you fit in. In the typical American high school, where calling a person "gay" is the ultimate insult, it's even more difficult for teenagers who don't conform to the gender roles touted in mainstream movies, magazines and TV. It's about time somebody started talking to young people about sexual diversity, tolerance and self-confidence, and the gutsy teens -- queer, transgender and straight -- speaking directly to the camera in this vibrant documentary do a splendid job of getting the ball rolling. The latest peer-to-peer consciousness-raiser from local pioneer Debra Chasnoff (It's Elementary, That's a Family) and The Respect For All Project, Straightlaced tackles a sensitive subject with an abundance of humor, color, compassion and pop. Whether pointing out the absurdity of being perceived as gay for wearing a purple Polo shirt or the difficulty of being the lone voice in the crowd objecting to a casually homophobic putdown, these teenagers share universal dilemmas, while recognizing the power, and the cost, of peer pressure. A charming, disarming film that every teenager should see -- along with every teacher, administrator and (while we're at it) parent -- Straightlaced derives its power from its conception: The unvarnished experiences of fellow teens makes it easier for a young viewer to acknowledge his or her prejudices, and insecurities. And that's when the conversation really begins.

Born in '68 - 8:30 PM - Castro Theatre - 173 Minutes

Life flashes by us in a montage of scenes at the moment of our imminent deaths, or so they say. A luminous new film by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau (Funny Felix, Frameline25, Côte d'Azur, Frameline29) is the closest thing we can experience to this montage. This gorgeous inter-generational chronicle is a wild ride on the emotional and political roller-coaster of middle-class France and left wing politics. In France's student riots of 1968, we are introduced to the core characters: the beautiful and impetuous Catherine, the conscientious Yves and the uncompromising Hervé. Finding inspiration in a fellow student who has returned from Berkeley, they start a commune in an ancient farmhouse, determined to live by their utopian creed of "Equality between men and women, no more taboos, no more laws!" As the communards strike out for the world beyond, they are battered by a changing, often hostile array of right-wing governments, pro-choice activism and imprisonment. Natural childbirth in the commune begets a second generation that includes two gay sons who become members of the new sexual revolution. Born in '68 masterfully presents the advent of cell phones and the Internet, HIV, homophobia and civil unions. But more than political conflicts and the advances of technology, this chronicle celebrates the clashes between generations and the capacity of the love they share for one another to transcend time.

SATURDAY, JUNE 27

East / West: Sex & Politics - 11:45 AM - Roxie Theatre - 97 Minutes

How does one build a movement for minority rights -- especially gay rights -- in a country without a democratic tradition? Moscow activist Nikolai Alekseev's crusade is made all the more difficult by the forces arrayed against him, from narrow-focus neo-nationalists to Mayor Luzhkov and Prime Minister Putin; from vehement, violent homophobes to the Russian Orthodox Church. Even the publisher of Russia's lone gay magazine, KWIR, opposes Alekseev's Gay Pride campaign. "It makes our life much tougher," he explains, "and we don't see any profits out of this parade." Jochen Hick's slyly constructed documentary gradually reveals the contradictory nature of queer life in Moscow. A thriving gay dance-club scene and a public park where lesbians kibitz and kiss indicate a small subculture that's generally tolerated. But gay bashings and firings without cause are sufficiently prevalent to keep most people in the closet to everyone outside their circle of friends. One consequence is that publicized, organized marches are less effective at drawing crowds of gays and lesbians than attracting haters of all stripes. (Hence the lack of enthusiasm on the part of KWIR's publisher.) This sobering film introduces us to an intriguing cross-section of Moscow's queers, including veteran activist Evgeniya Debryanskaya and transvestite performance artist Ahasver. Ranging from flamboyant to shyly defiant, they evince tenderness, style, humor and, above all, a boatload of courage.

Boy - 4:15 PM - Victoria Theatre - 83 Minutes

An exquisitely tender evocation of the delicate, dreamy netherworld between lust and love, the latest film by the gifted Filipino director Aureus Solito (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros, Pisay) is pure pleasure from start to finish. Spirit-lifting but never Pollyannish, street-smart without the griminess, Boy limns an unforgettable night in a teenager's life. A poetic well-off youth, not quite as naïve as his sensitive good looks suggest, visits a gay bar one evening and is smitten with one of the young macho dancers. Returning with enough cash to rent Aries, the lad takes him home for New Year's Eve. Sure enough, fireworks ensue after holiday dinner with Mom, amid the boy's numerous aquariums. Solito suggests that it's more than physical attraction, or even the irresistible allure of "the other," that binds the duo. Aries and the boy easily transcend economic and educational barriers to make a powerful connection. The filmmaker takes care to show, through scenes between the boy and his mother and Aries and his father, that the youths are decent, solid guys connected to their families and mainstream society. Instead of the tormented, guilt-stricken or self-destructive teens that populate many queer movies, this deeply satisfying film gives us self-aware lads destined to grow into self-assured men. From nuanced sociopolitical commentary to a lengthy, lovely, languid love scene, Boy makes all the right moves.