The Adventures of Priscilla-Queen of the Desert (English) 1994 (102 minutes) 1960s international sex symbol Terrence Stamp is a transgendered marvel as the mature, demure but tough transsexual Bernadette who teams up with two transvestites on a cross-country trip through Australia's Outback in this rousingly fun cross-dressing musical comedy. Muscular Felicia, sad-sack Mitzi and the wisecracking Bernadette leave the safe confines of Sydney in a ramshackle tour bus (named Priscilla) to travel nearly a thousand miles away to play a four-week casino engagement. Along the way, the fabulously attired threesome encounter more than their fair share of problems but through it all keep their spirits high, their feathers and sequins unruffled and their gravity-defying wigs straight (so to speak). There are moments of seriousness when homophobia, potentially violent culture clashes and regret of roads not taken confront them, but they readily conquer all in this buoyant and infectiously good-natured tale. (VHS)

The Adventures of Sebastian Cole (English) 1999 (99 minutes) This film follows the trials of a restless 17 year-old living in a small town and falling behind in school. But his greatest challenge begins when his step-dad Hank announces he is going to become a woman. The two form a unique family as Sebastian learns to cope with prejudice, his own overheated romantic life, and the non-stop curve balls that life just keeps throwing him. (DVD)

Among Good Christian Peoples (English) 1991 (31 minutes) Among Good Christian Peoples explores some of the historical, emotional, and social interpretations of Jacqueline Woodson's personal essay "Growing Up Black and Gay Among Good Christian Peoples." The video combines Woodson reading her own compelling essay with footage shot in Pixel Vision (using a Fisher-Price camera) imaging childhood memories through interviews, and adults play-acting by reading a children's Bible and having slumber parties. (VHS)

Anatomy of Desire (48 minutes) Anatomy Of Desire examines how science and social politics have shaped our notions of homosexuality through history. Using rare archival footage---from ‘60s drag artists and Stonewall activists to filmed psychotherapeutic « treatment » for homosexuality---the film exposes the joy and pain of a community barraged by outside efforts to define, control and sometimes even to eradicate it. With style and wit, Anatomy of Desire dishes the dirt on the historically rocky relationship between medical science, society and sexuality. Taking a queer look at straight culture and its use of popular media, here’s a film that comes out laughing. And fighting.

Beautiful Thing (English) 1996 (90 minutes) Set in a working-class London neighborhood, this frank and sensitive drama follows a teenager coming to terms with his attraction to a male classmate who lives next door, a situation that gets more complicated when the neighbor moves in with the boy and his mother in order to avoid his abusive father. (VHS)

Besouro Preto (Black Beetle) (English) (35 minutes) Through the spiritual traditions of an Afro-Brazilian martial art, the story of a mystic arises. (VHS)

Better Than Chocolate (English) 1999 (102 minutes) Lusty lesbian story concerning Maggie and Kim, two same-sex lovers in Vancouver who decide to move into an apartment together. Soon, Maggie's divorced mother and brother move in with them and eventually discover the nature of their heated relationship and meet some of the couple's eccentric friends. (VHS)

Black Indians: An American Story (English) 2000 (60 minutes) This film explores the issue of racial identity among Native and African Americans. This in-depth documentary examines the coalescence of these two groups in American history. Discounted, and often ignored by mainstream America, these minority peoples have often shared a common past. However, with their heritage ignored and their contributions denied they are all but invisible at the dawn of the new millennium. (VHS)

Black Is…Black Ain’t (English) 1995 (86 minutes) Filmmaker Marlon Riggs, died of complications due to AIDS. His final film, BLACK IS...BLACK AIN'T, may also be his most powerful. BLACK IS...BLACK AIN'T is an up-front examination of racism, sexism, and homophobia within the black community itself. Bringing together personal stories, interviews, music, history, and performance, BLACK IS...BLACK AIN'T asks African Americans: What is black, black enough, or too black? (VHS)

The Business of Fancydancing (English) 2002 (86 minutes) A unique and very moving film that marries poetry, dance, music and the art of cinema in one happy amalgam. In this largely improvised film actor Evan Adams plays a gay Native-American man who has left the reservation and must return home for the funeral of a friend. (DVD)

Butch Camp (English) 1999 (105 minutes) Hilarious and wise look at sexual stereotypes centered on Matt, a sensitive gay man, unlucky at love. He decides to enlist in an assertiveness-training course at Butch Camp, where a brash dominatrix tries to teach her subjects a thing or two about sex. (VHS)

The Celluloid Closet (English) 1996 (102 minutes) This funny, informative and occasionally moving documentary offers -- through interviews and a vast assortment of film clips -- a candid mini-history of gays and lesbians on-screen. The Celluloid Closet takes a chronological approach to the subject, offering clips from the turn of the century (The Gay Brothers) thru the silents to the effeminate caricatures of the 1930s (Broadway Melody), the pitiful homosexual of the 1950s and '60s, the violently deviant homosexual of the '70s and '80s, and concluding with the squeaky clean image of recent times. (VHS)

Changing Our Minds (English) 1991 (75 minutes) Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature of 1992, Changing Our Minds tells the story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker, whose trailblazing research challenged scientific assumptions and anti-gay prejudice during the 1950s and eventually led to the deletion of homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association's list of mental illnesses. The film also chronicles the shocking treatments used by the medical community over the years to try to cure homosexuality and offers a portrait of gay life in the 1940s and 1950s. The film is narrated by Patrick Stewart and includes period footage and interviews with doctors and psychologists, putting Hooker's work in dramatic perspective. (VHS)

Children of a Lesser God (English) 1986 (110 minutes) A wonderful love story based on the hit Broadway play about John Leeds, an idealistic special education teacher, and a headstrong deaf girl named Sarah. At first, Leeds sees Sarah as a teaching challenge. But soon, their teacher/student relationship blossoms into a love so passionate it shatters the barrier of silence that keeps them apart. (VHS)

Chocolate Babies (English) 1999 (83 minutes) In an effort to expose political corruption surrounding the AIDS epidemic, an underground band of dazzling HIV-positive, African American and Asian super-queers make headlines in New York by staging a series of surprise attacks against conservative politicians. (VHS)

The Color Purple (English) 1997 (154 minutes) Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Color Purple is the richly-textured, decades-spanning story of Celie, an uneducated woman living in the rural American south. Forced to marry a brutal man she calls Mr. Celie turns inward and shares her grief only with God. But she is transformed by the friendship of two remarkable woman, acquiring self-worth…and the strength to forgive.

The Crying Game (English) 1992 (112 minutes) An IRA terrorist with a troubled conscience promises a captured British soldier that he'll look after his girlfriend. Sometime later, after he has opted out of the terror game and is trying to lead a quiet life of obscurity in London, he decides to look her up. The slender and exotic hairdresser is a knockout and trouble comes in spades when an old Republican comrade shows up to test his loyalties. An exciting and highly entertaining story sprinkled with drama, comedy and plenty of intrigue. (VHS)

Daddy and Papa (English) 2002 (57 minutes) Daddy & Papa explores the growing phenomenon of gay fatherhood and its impact on American culture. Through the stories of four different families, Daddy & Papa delves into some of the particular challenges facing gay men who decide to become dads. From surrogacy, foster care, and interracial adoption, to the complexities of gay divorce, to the battle for full legal status as parents, Daddy & Papa presents a revealing look at some of the gay fathers who are breaking new ground in the ever-changing landscape of the American family. (DVD)

De Colores (English/Spanish) 2001 (28 minutes) An insightful documentary about how Latino families and communities are replacing the deep roots of homophobia with the even deeper roots of love and tolerance. Families, individuals, community and religious leaders share their tales of strength, passion and wisdom which enable them to value and respect their LGBT sons and daughters. (VHS)

The Deep North (English) 1988 (48 minutes) 30 years after the Kerner Commission issued its findings on the urban disorders of the 1960’s, a group of volunteers from the greater New York area get together to discuss the racial and ethnic conflicts in the urban centers of the Northeast. In the process, some confront their own racial attitudes and prejudices. The film uses psychodrama and group encounter techniques to help bridge the gap. Includes documentary footage of the Civil Rights struggle. Sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League of B’Nai Brith. (VHS)

Driving an Arab Street 2002 (39 minutes) Driving an Arab Street takes the viewer on a journey along the Arab street, a monolithic term pundits use to describe Arab sentiment, to find out what people are actually saying about the West and America. The film follows Egyptian taxi drivers as they navigate the streets of Cairo and share their diverse perspectives on both American and Egyptian society, culture, politics and the relationship between these civilizations.

Evening Star (English) 1996 (129 minutes) Shirley MacLaine reprises her award-winning performance as Aurora Greenway in this sequel to Terms of Endearment. Fifteen years after the death of her daughter Emma, Aurora is still keeping an eye on her three grandchildren and not having very good luck with it. (VHS)

Evita (English) 1996 (135 minutes) Madonna is charismatically radiant in the title role of the hit musical, playing the born-to-poverty actress who seduced her way into power as the wife of Argentinean President Juan Peron and was both revered and hated by her countrymen until her death at the age of 33 in 1952. (VHS)

Family Across The Sea (English) 1991 (56 minutes) This film traces how scholars have uncovered the connection between the Gullah people of South Carolina's Sea Islands and the people of Sierra Leone. Family Across the Sea demonstrates how African Americans kept their ties with their homeland over centuries of oppression through their speech, songs and customs. In the 1930s a pioneering black linguist, Lorenzo Turner, discovered over 3000 words of African origin in the Gullah dialect. The film's conclusion, the moving return of a Gullah delegation to Sierra Leone and the African "family" they hadn't realized they had, becomes a homecoming for all African Americans. (VHS)

Fire (English) 1998 (104 minutes) The subject of bans and protests throughout India, this taboo-breaking erotic tale focuses on the relationship of Sita, the wife of a grocery store owner in New Delhi, and Radha, her sister-in-law and wife of a celibate swami. The two women break out of the doldrums of their marriages when they discover their attraction to one another, and a forbidden lesbian tryst ensues. (VHS)

Gay Bingo (English) 2001 (60 minutes) An excellent, moving documentary about a Philadelphia AIDS fund raiser, now in its seventh year, that entertains, educates and raises tons of money. (VHS)

Gay Cuba (English) 1995 (57 minutes) The 1959 revolution which gave Cuba its independence ushered in a new era of equality, blind to race and to gender -- but not to sexual orientation. Military necessity and contemporary Stalinist ideology served only to reinforce long-held stereotypes detrimental to the integration of homosexuals into Cuba’s perpetually reforming social structure. Gay Cuba documents the promising changes which are beginning to take hold. In contrast with the history of random arrests of bar patrons and the forced quarantine of HIV positive citizens, the interviews which form the core of the film show that the changes in party policy and the opening of channels for the discussion and celebration of differences in sexual identity have allowed gay Cubans today to lead much more open lives. In fact, the liberal views expressed in street interviews and the contrast drawn to the repression practiced in other parts of Latin America attest to the ability of the on-going revolutionary efforts to make a very real and very positive change. Gay Cuba casts a colorful and hopeful light on efforts to reform and to humanize a society often maligned for its calcified rigidity. (VHS)

Gods and Monsters (English) 1998 (105 minutes) In a performance that is nothing short of brilliant, McKellen hypnotizes as gay film director James Whale in this moving, poetic adaptation of Christopher Bram's novel "Father of Frankenstein." The story ostensibly follows the friendship between Whale -- now in his early 60s and suffering the effects of a stroke -- and his handsome straight gardener (Fraser); but at the core of this lyrical tale is a study of desire and self-determination. In the 1930s, Whale made a handful of Hollywood classics (including Frankenstein); it's now 1957, and he is no longer able to live his life on his terms. (VHS)

The Golden Cage: A Story of California’s Farmworkers (English) 1989 (29 minutes) Using historical footage, interviews, newspaper clippings and black-and-white stills, the documentary traces the history of the United Farmworkers Union from the sixties to its current decline. It show the tactics used by many agricultural companies to evade using union labor. It gives voice to the farmworkers, growers, migrant doctors and others who talk candidly about the substandard working and living conditions that accompany the harvest. The documentary introduces us to two Mexican families - one legally in the U.S. and one illegally-who tell of their hope for a better life. (VHS)

High Art (English) 1998 (102 minutes) lesbian-themed film about an ambitious photography magazine associate editor Syd, who has a ho-hum relationship with James. Investigating a ceiling leak, she enters the apartment of her neighbor, retired photographer Lucy Berliner, who lives with former Fassbinder actress Greta, a heroin addict. The friendship between the worldly Lucy and the naive, insecure Syd ripens into an affair, one destined to change the lives of both women. (VHS)

Honored By The Moon (English) 1990 (15 minutes) Honored by the Moon consists primarily of gay and lesbian Native Americans (five women and two men) talking about spirituality, "coming out," and their relationships with family. Their comments are intercut with footage from a picnic held during a conference for Native American lesbians and gay men, and with black-and-white historical photographs. (VHS)

In Other Words (English) 2001 (27 minutes) An honest and accurate films about the complexity of issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth in a manner that is both meaningful and insightful. The combination of interviews, definitions and histories brings this controversial topic out in a safe, non-threatening manner. (VHS)

In Whose Honor? American Indian Mascots in Sports (English) 1997 (46 minutes) Powerful in showing the struggles of Native American groups, and the reactions of those who don't understand what is so wrong with the Cleveland Indians logo, the name Washington Redskins, and others." (VHS)

I Remember Mother (English) 2002 (54 minutes) Prior to her passing, Josie “Mother” Cavellucci had dubbed herself ‘the oldest living drag queen in captivity.” This American veteran performed for 55 years in drag revues throughout the US. I Remember Mother is a story of courage and self-acceptance from a rather unlikely source, and the small diverse community that adopted a drag queen for a mom. (VHS)

The Joy Luck Club (139 minutes) Based on the #1 best selling book, The Joy Luck Club tells the uplifting story of four remarkable friends whose extraordinary lives are filled with joy and heartbreak. Their lifelong friendship reveals a mosaic of the startling events and conditions that have shaped their lives – and how these experiences have affected the hopes and dreams they hold for each of their children. Hailed as one of the must-see films of the year, this exceptional motion picture is sure to entertain and inspire you from beginning to end!

Just Call Me Kade (English) 2001 (26 minutes) Articulate and insightful, Kade knows who he is and what he needs. This incredible story about being 14, transgender and looking for a girlfriend includes inspirational testimonies from Kade's extended family who nurture and support him. (VHS)

Kanehsatake 270 Years of Resistance (120 minutes) A powerful feature-documentary emerges that takes you right into the action of an age-old aboriginal struggle. The result is a portrait of the people behind the barricade, providing insight into the Mohawk’s spiritual beliefs and fierce pride in their ancestry that governs their unyielding determination to protect their land. Obomsawin’s portrayal of the Mohawk community places the Oka crisis within the larger context of Mohawk land rights, disregarded by white authorities for centuries and destined to culminate in the 1990 standoff. The film is a compelling reminder that this conflict began centuries ago and the issues that come to a head at Oka will not fade away just because the barricades have come down.

La Cage Aux Folles (Birds of a Feather) (English dubbed) 1979 (91 minutes) This frolicsome farce that finally made drag respectable stars Tognazzi and Serrault as gay lovers who must, amid mounting complications, pose as mom and dad for the sake of a prospective daughter-in-law and her straight-laced parents. The laughs are plentiful, and Serrault creates an endearing, even resilient characterization of the drag queen Alban. (VHS)

Lan Yu (Chinese) 2001 (86 minutes) Set several months before the Tiananmen Square massacre, this new film by Stanley Kwan tells a forbidden tale of gay love in China. (DVD)

Little Voice (English) 1998 (96 minutes) Based on Jim Cartright's play The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, this screen adaptation directed by Mark Herman is an underdog film about an underdog girl named Little Voice (or LV for short.) A sweet, romantic, complicated story. (VHS)

Living with Pride: Ruth Ellis @ 100 1999 (60 minutes) A documentary with vivid narrative recreations about the life and times of Ruth Ellis. Born July 23, 1899, she was thought to be the oldest African American lesbian known. In addition to exploring her rich past, the film offers a rare opportunity to experience a century of our history as lived by one inspiring woman. By example, Ruth Ellis shows us what is possible and what can be realized, if one lives long, ages well and also lives with pride. Ruth Ellis died at home peacefully in her sleep on October 5, 2000 at 101.

Lost Boundaries (English) 1949 (105 minutes) A post-war social drama made at a time when American cinema was rediscovering its political voice, Lost Boundaries is the affecting story of racial intolerance in rural America. In his debut, Mel Ferrer plays a dedicated light-skinned black doctor who, with his wife, "passes" for white in order to accept the lucrative position of town physician in an all-white New Hampshire town. Based on a true story, the film recounts the couple's dilemma as they must deny their cultural heritage but are afforded the opportunity to give their children a privileged upbringing. (VHS)

Looking for Langston (English) 1989 (45 minutes) This pensive yet celebratory meditation on black poet Langston Hughes is an original work. Stylish and sexy, the film incorporates the lyrical poetry of Essex Hemphill and Bruce Nugent with archival footage of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. Re-enacted Cotton Club scenes, romantic shots of two intertwined lovers, Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs of beautiful black men and the pounding disco beat of "Can You Feel It" are also used in telling the story of black consciousness in a culturally evolving America. (VHS)

Ma Vie En Rose (My Life in Pink) (French with English subtitles) 1998 (89 minutes) is the story of Ludovic, a little girl born in a little boy's body. For him, nothing is more natural than to change his gender. As a hopeful and sensitive child, he truly believes that a miracle is going to happen. He will be a girl, no doubt about it, and he's in love with Jerome, his school mate, and son of his father's colleague. Initially a source of amusement, an outrage begins in their suburb when the two boys are discovered pretending to get married. The family begins to realize with horror that his desire to be a girl isn't just a little boy's fantasy. They try to make him change his mind, to no avail. The situation turns into a real-life drama of intense reactions from neighbors, friends, and teachers, resulting in a profoundly optimistic ending. (VHS)

Myth of Father (English) 2003 (60 minutes) A personal documentary that takes a thoughtful and reflective look at the responses of a family as one member decides to transition from being a man to becoming a woman. The Columbus-based filmmaker, Paul Hill, is the son and tells the story of his father. He turns the camera on himself, his family, and his father as she transitions. His film looks honestly at themes largely universal in all families - the desire to love and understand, disappointments, and the struggle to communicate. He treats the subject with respect and sensitivity, shedding light on a little understood aspect of American culture. Although handled with seriousness, a subtle, earthy humor weaves itself throughout the piece. (VHS)

Native American Healing in the 21st Century (English) 1998 (35 minutes) A comprehensive look at the healing practices of American Indians and how many of those natural remedies are applicable to today’s alternative health-conscious society. (VHS)

Nico and Dani (English) 2001 (90 minutes) This film explores the emotional confusion of two teenage boys whose longtime friendship is tested by their diverging sexual identities. (DVD)

The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me (English) 2000 (90 minutes) Theater history comes alive in this exuberant and moving film adaptation as David Ddrake re-creates his award-winning, off-Broadway performance peice- the longest-running one-man show in New York history- that brings a fresh, energized look at coming of age and gay life in the ‘90s. Beginning with the impact playwright Larry Kramer had on his sexual and political awakening, Drake takes stock of his life through masterful stories and vignettes that are funny, touching and insightful. Whether recalling that he kissed his first man at age sixteen, or wittily observing Why I Go to the Gym, or poignantly remembering frends who have died of AIDS, Drake uses a full arsenal of humor, rage, drama, song, dance, charisma and courage to tell his life’s adventure. With rhythmic storytelling and wry observations on gay life, The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me is an astonishing theater piece that celebrates life with emotion, honesty and imagination. (DVD)

Nuyorican Dream (English) 2000 (82 minutes) The film follows five years in the life of the Torres family, a New York Puerto Rican family struggling against poverty, drug addiction, and incarceration - the flip side of the American Dream. The film validates the struggles that low- income Latinos have to face on a daily basis. Eldest of five children, Robert Torres is the narrator and the only family member to finish high school and graduate from college. This feature-length documentary captures the emotional immediacy of a family in free-fall without a social safety net. (VHS)

Our Brothers, Our Sons (English) 2002 (24 minutes) Our Brothers, Our Sons explores a surprising generation gap around AIDS in the gay community by examining personal stories of representatives of both Generation X and the Baby Boomer generation. The gay men interviewed include HIV positive and negative activists, writers, sex workers and others who tell of their experiences with this issue. (VHS)

Out: Stories of Lesbian and Gay Youth (English) 1995 (79 minutes) Through candid interviews with gay and lesbian youth from varied cultural and racial heritages, issues of discrimination as well as the compounding problems of confronting racism and sexism are sensitively addressed. OUT provides awareness, understanding and hope to gay and lesbian youth, parents, counselors and educators. (VHS)

Outlaw (English) 1994 (27 minutes) Leslie Feinberg, a self-identified "gender outlaw" who has spent much of her life passing as a man, speaks with passion and intelligence about her experiences in this video manifesto. Raw and confrontational, this videotape asks its audience to examine their assumptions about the "nature" of gender and calls for more sensitivity and awareness of the human rights and the dignity of transgendered people. (VHS)

Paragraph 175 (English) 1999 (81 minutes) The hidden story of the persecution, incarceration and murder of gay men and lesbians at the hands of the Nazis is examined in this startling, gripping documentary by Oscar-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman ( The Celluloid Closet ). The film follows Klaus Muller, a historian compelled to track down the ten last known gay survivors of Hitler's "purification" program of all sexual "degenerates." Using archival footage, photographs and testimonials from several surviving camp detainees, the film weaves together the incredibly painful historical story of how this tragedy came to pass and how these men survived despite all odds. Adding misery to the tragedy is that Paragraph 175, the law that outlawed homosexuality in Germany , was kept on the German books until 1969 thereby denying survivors a chance to openly speak out after the war. The now quite elderly homosexual interviewees vividly recount their stories and how they (Jews and Christians alike) saw their orderly lives destroyed when Hitler came to power. (DVD)

Paris Is Burning (English) 1991 (76 minutes) A behind-the-scenes story of the young men of Harlem who originated “voguing": - and turned these stylized dance competitions into a glittering expression of fierce personal pride. A story of street-wise urban survival, gay self-affirmation and the pursuit of a desperate dream – to live, for a brief, dazzling moment in a fantasy world of high fashion, status and acceptance. (VHS)

Psycho Beach Party (English) 2000 (94 minutes) From the director of The Disco Years in the Boys Life collection comes this marvelously campy tale of shaking bikinis, gay muscled surfers, a wannabe surf babe with a split personality, a mom with an agenda, and a few severed body parts. (VHS)

Redskins, Tricksters and Puppy Stew (English) 2000 (55 minutes) The healing powers of humor, an often overlooked element of Native culture, are used to look at complex issues like Native identity, politics and racism. (VHS)

Rewriting the Script: A love letter to our families (English) 2001 (46 minutes) This stunning new documentary explores the loves, lives and sexualities of Queer South Asians and their families of origin. Parents, siblings and family members talk about the struggle to re-write and re-define their relationships. (VHS)

Rice & Potatoes (English) 1999 (58 minutes) The complex relationship between gay Asian and Caucasian men is examined in this revealing and entertaining documentary. A diverse selection of 17 Asian, Asian-American and Caucasians are interviewed. Some are couples, others single; most are under 40. They come from different economic and cultural backgrounds but what they share is their cross-racial sexual attraction. The men explain the physical attraction as well as comment about deeper issues, especially the cultural, racial and sexual stereotypes that prevail even among gay men. Other topics include family ties and reactions, communication difficulties in relationships as well as their shared experiences. Their stories range from the humorous and obvious to the academic, from the saucy to the mundane. A simple and direct work that offers much in helping to understand sexual preferences and racial prejudices. (VHS)

Sacred Ground (English) 1977 (60 minutes) The story of the American Indian and his relationship to the land. (VHS)

Shepherd’s Pie and Sushi (English) 1997 (46 minutes) A humorous and bittersweet look at growing up in a multi-cultural family, 'Shepherd's Pie and Sushi' follows actor Mieko Ouchi as she relives history through her role in the CBC MOW 'The War Between Us', and her own search through her family history for the truths that live there. The joys and hardships of growing up with both shepherd's pie and sushi in your life. (VHS)

Silent Pioneers (English) "Silent Pioneers" is a remarkable, upbeat documentary about America's older lesbians and gay men. Utilizing the firsthand experiences of an eclectic group of people, "Silent Pioneers" taps into the very personal nature of a less tolerant era.

The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender (English) 1998 (100 minutes) A thought-provoking and entertaining documentary that questions how Hollywood coyly depicted homosexuality at a time when it was forbidden to show gay or lesbian characters. Through the eyes of the devilishly resourceful Rappaport, we see how many filmmakers and stars sent coded messages about male homosexuality during the 30s, 40s and 50s. Like Rappaport's previous propaganda scrapbooks ( Rock Hudson's Home Movies, The Journals of Jean Seberg ), this foray entwines narration (by Dan Butler of Frasier ) to take funny, sometimes rude and often admittedly far-fetched analysis of gay subtexts found in a series of film clips. He shows that comedians such as Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis and Danny Kaye were able to spend much of the time in drag, or acting sissy for easy "fag gags." Also scrutinized are the Clifton Webb and Walter Brennan "syndromes" in which these character actors hinted at their homosexuality by playing, respectively, a bitchy, urbane snob and a hero-worshipping western sidekick. (VHS)

Southern Comfort (English) 2001 (90 minutes) Kate Davis' heart-wrenching, gender-bending love story swept 20 major film festivals worldwide in awards including Sundance - Grand Jury prize, Berlin Film Festival - Special Audience Award, Provincetown Film Festival - Best Documentary. Southern Comfort follows 52-year-old Robert Rads, a wise-cracking cowboy who was born female, in the last year of his life as he falls into a passionate romance with Lola, a vivacious and magnetic woman who was born male. An illuminating and deeply moving film, Southern Comfort has a rare blend of humor, tragedy and romance. (DVD)

Sticks and Stones (English) 2001 (17 minutes) Sticks & Stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me," says the playground chant. But children repeat the chant to dull the pain when others use cruel words against them or their families. Children with same-sex parents or lesbian and gay family members are no longer remarkable - but they still face negative reactions that can harm their self-worth. In sticks & stones, expressive young children talk about how they feel when they hear put-downs of themselves or their families. This compelling video combines interviews, animation and documentary footage to spark discussions about families, gender stereotypes and name-calling. (VHS)

Stolen Moments (English) 1997 (92 minutes) Director Westcott utilizes interviews, archival footage and dramatic re-creations to weave together the lost threads of history and make a sweeping exploration of lesbian identity in the past one hundred years. The historical dramas takes us to Janet Benet's 19th-century Barbary Coast adventures; to the 1920s Parisian literary salons; pre-war Berlin and Amsterdam; 1950s New York where repression was in full force; to the much more open, but still repressed present. We also rediscover some lesser known historical figures including the Dutch Maria Van Antwerpen, a soldier, tailor and physician who was married for three years before the bride discovered Maria wasn't a male; and Natalie Barney, the "wild girl from Cincinnati" who made a name for herself in 1920s Paris. Offering commentary are Audre Lorde, Jean Nestle, Nicole Brossard, Leslie Feinberg, Georgia Ragsdale and Judy Graham who comment on the contemporary struggles surrounding sexual politics and feminism, life and love. An epic chronicle that seeks to uncover what one interviewee calls "A story that hasn't been told." Narrated by Kate Nelligan. (VHS)

Summer In My Veins (English) 1999 (41 minutes) A gay Indian filmmaker travels across America with his family visiting from India as he struggles to come out to them. He was tested for HIV before he left for the trip and will find out his results at the end. Under the threat of terminal illness - made very real by an unsafe encounter with an HIV positive man - the filmmaker explores the unusual dynamics of love and cruelty, secrecy and revelation, which mark this very close family. Every achingly personal moment - including coming out to his mother and getting his test results - is caught on tape. What results is a film that pushes personal documentary to its limits - where the very life of the filmmaker depends on the outcome of the film." (VHS)

The Times of Harvey Milk (English) 1984 (87 minutes) This extraordinary, compelling portrait of the slain San Francisco supervisor won a much deserved Academy Award for Best Documentary. Few films pack such a powerful wallop as it documents the true-life story of Harvey Milk, a Castro Street camera shop owner who became the country's first openly gay elected official. His rise to power and success as a leader of minorities was abruptly ended in 1978 when he and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by Dan White, an anti-gay former colleague of Milk's on the Board of Supervisors and a former police officer. The film follows the searing episode of injustice as White is given a light sentence -- using the infamous "Twinkie defense" -- which sent thousands of outraged citizens into the streets of San Francisco. (VHS)

To Free Their Minds (English) 1998 (24 minutes) How does a teacher from a racially-homogenous background deal with the demands of an interracial classroom? Illustrates the special skills and sensitivities required to teach successfully across racial and ethnic lines. (VHS)

To Serve My Country, To Serve My Race (English) (58 minutes) This documentary is based on a book with the same title by Brenda L. Moore, sociology professor at the State University of New York, Buffalo. Using interviews and archival footage, it shows the contribution black women in the military made to World War II, and the discrimination they encountered. Fifty years after the war these women's stories were little known; their contributions scarcely acknowledged. (VHS)

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (English) 1995 (109 minutes) Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo kick up their (high) heels as a trio of New York drag queens whose cross-country road trip to an L.A. pageant takes a surprise detour when their car breaks down in a sleepy Midwest town whose residents are crying for a "makeover." Alternately outrageous and touching hit comedy also stars Stockard Channing, Blythe Danner, Chris Penn. 109 min. (VHS)

Tongues Untied (English) 1989 (56 minutes) This highly acclaimed film combines poetry, personal testimony, rap and performance to describe the homophobia and racism that confronts gay African-Americans. A personal and at times angry documentary that is an impassioned cry to speak out about black gay lives, the film garnered surprising controversy when some PBS stations -- disturbed by its subject matter--refused to broadcast it. Two of the more memorable lines state: "Black men loving black men is the revolutionary act"; and "If in America a black is the lowest of the low, what is a gay black?" (VHS)

Tutu and Franklin: A Journey Towards Peace (English) 2001 (116 minutes) The journey begins with the historic first encounter between Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu and renowned historian and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Dr. John Hope Franklin. On Goree Island, the infamous former slave port off the coast of Senegal, the two meet and discover surprising truths about their personal, and their nations’, struggles for racial peace. Joined by an international, interracial group of 21 high school students, together they engage in a series of unusually candid encounters on race and begin an emotional journey towards racial reconciliation.

Twilight Los Angeles (English) 2000 (90 minutes) The Rodney King story has become part of the contemporary American psyche. Rodney King, an unarmed black man, was stopped for speeding and brutally beaten by the four white arresting officers. Upon the jury's dismissal of charges, a spark of violence set off a three day riot with repercussions in race relations across the United States. Anna Deavere Smith has adapted the story to a one-woman play, here presented by filmmaker Marc Levin and PBS. Combining stage action with documentary footage, Smith offers a challenging examination of an unforgettable incident. (VHS)

View From the Summit (French, English and Spanish, with subtitles) (75 minutes) It's April 20, 2001-and Quebec City is preparing to host the three-day Summit of the Americas. A controversial four-kilometer fence splits the city into two ideological camps. Inside the fence, thirty-four heads of state meet behind closed doors to discuss the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) agreement. Outside, thousands of protesters gather, opposed to the FTAA. Amongst them, militant anarchists who are preparing for confrontations with authorities. Six thousand police officers are mobilized to serve and protect. But serve and protect whom? Will Quebec City become a battleground? (VHS)

Voices Heard/Sisters Unseen (English) 1995 (76 minutes) By using performance art, poetry, and narrative montage Voices Heard Sisters Unseen serves as a political documentary with an art feel. It challenges attitudes about what constitutes domestic violence and confronts the conventional understanding of who a battered woman "really is." (VHS)

Voices of La Raza (English) 1970 (40 minutes) Anthony Quinn travels across the country, meeting and talking to a cross-section of people from the urban and rural barrios of America. This multi-award winning film deals candidly with discrimination against Latino Americans, particularly in the area of employment. Mr. Quinn shares his own experiences growing up as a Mexican American in the slums of Los Angeles. (VHS)

Watching You (English) 2003 (103 minutes) Comprised of six shorts:
4 PM (Director Sam Backhurst, UK 14 minutes) Humorous tale of a one-night stand that goes horribly wrong. Winner-Best Girls Short-Melbourne Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
Bare (Director Deborah Strutt, Australia, 9 minutes) A hot one-night stand ignites a whole neighborhood of passiono and romance. Winner-Best International Short-Brussels International Film Festival
Interviews with My Next Girlfriend (Director Cassandra Nicolaou, Canada, 13 mintues) A very particular single woman screen future prospects in a hilarous interview process. Winner-Best Comedy-PlanetOut.com/HBO Short Movie Awards
Watching You (Director Stephanie Abramovich, Israel, 32 minutes) A lesbian's hobby-photographing a captivation woman neighbor-causes trouble with jealous girlfriend. Winner-Best Lesbian Short Film-Philadelphia Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
Dear Emily (Director Katherine Brooks, USA, 7 minutes) Sara recalls the drama of her senior year, and an intense schoolgirl crush. Winner-IFFCON Pitch Contest
The Ten Rules: A Lesbian Survival Guide (Director Lee Friedlander, USA, 28 minutes) Takes a look at the pitfalls and pratfalls that happen when your friends aren't just your friends-they're also your dating pool. Winner-Audience Award-Best Short Film-Boulder Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

The Watermelon Woman (English) 1996 (85 minutes) This, the first African-American lesbian feature film, is a fascinating, effervescent tale of love discovered and history uncovered. An aspiring filmmaker (and current video store employee) becomes obsessed with an African-American actress from the 1930s and '40s -- a beautiful and seemingly intelligent woman whose roles were limited to "mammie"-type characters. Along Dunye's search for more information on the real woman, she finds love (or is that simply lust?) in the arms of a white woman, further complicating her life. (DVD)

The Way Home (English) 1998 (92 minutes) Over the course of eight months, sixty-four women representing a cross-section of cultures, (Indigenous, African-American, Arab, Asian, European-American, Jewish, Latina, and Multiracial) came together to share their experience of racism in America. With uncommon courage, the women speak their hearts and minds about resistance, love, assimilation, standards of beauty, power, school experiences, and more. Their candid conversations offer rare access into multi-dimensional worlds invisible to outsiders. (VHS)

Welcome to Nunavut (English) 1999 (44 minutes) Intimate visit with 6 northern characters during 4 frenzied days at the birth of Nunavut – Canada’s newest territory. A frank and funny portrait of key people working furiously towards a day that will go down in history. (VHS)

We Shall Overcome: The Song That Moved A Nation (English) 1989 (58 minutes) We Shall Overcome traces the origins of a social movement through a single song. Harry Belafonte narrates as the film uncovers the diverse strands of social history which flowed together to form the Civil Rights movement. This stirring documentary takes us back to the days of slavery when the spiritual "I Will Overcome" helped blacks endure hardship and brutality. In a 1945 Charleston tobacco strike, workers adapted this song to become their rallying cry. Then, at Highlander Center in Tennessee, white folksingers Pete Seeger and Guy Carawan encountered the song, changed the lyrics to "We Shall Overcome" and taught it to the young activists of the Civil Rights movement. (VHS)

Western Eyes 1999 (40 minutes) Western Eyes examines the search for beauty and racial identity through the eyes of Maria Estante and Sharon Kim, young women contemplating cosmetic surgery. Both of Asian descent, the two believe their looks—specifically their eyes—get in the way of how people see them. Layering their stories with pop-culture references to beauty icons and supermodels, filmmaker Ann shin takes a hip approach to telling the real-time emotional journeys of Maria and Sharon. Using the camera to look past skin, Shin looks at the pain that lies deep behind the desire for plastic surgery.

When Night Is Falling (English) 1994 (94 minutes) A refreshingly liberating tale of lesbian love. Camille is a Christian academician romantically involved with Martin, a nice enough fellow teacher more interested in advancement than romance. Camille's repressed emotions and desire for true love come to the surface after she meets flamboyant circus performer Petra. Despite being diametrical opposites, the two are attracted to each other.

Winds of Chance; A Matter of Choice (English) 1991 (60 minutes) To remain on the reservation or move out into the broader fabric of society is the choice faced by young American Indians today. This film follows the struggle of a family attempting to strike such a balance. (VHS)

Woubi Cheri (French with English subtitles) 1998 (62 minutes) From the bustling Ivory Coast city of Abidjan where the cell phone businessmen and abject poverty meet comes this surprising and intimate documentary focusing on the diverse lives of several gay men, transvestites and transgendered people. What unites them all is that they are all amazingly and defiantly out of the closet. There is Vincent and Avelida, two young men and lovers; the upper-class Barbara who presides over the Association of Transvestites of the Ivory Coast; Laurent, a businessman; and Tatiana - a vocal and beautiful transvestite and prostitute. An eye-opening look at African queer sexuality that offers viewers a glimpse at these people's everyday lives and loves. (VHS)

XY: Drag 2001 (32 minutes) XY :Drag is a sexy, provactive, and insightful glimpse of a kind of performance art that turns heteronormativity and gender binaries on their heads. This documentary film delves into the world of drag kings and their burgeoning subculture, exploring performer’s perceptions of the culture they are creating and what it means to be a drag king in a society that aggressively polices the borders of rigid gender categories. It raises questions about the nature of gender, sex, sexuality, and desire by approaching drag king performances as acts that are inherently political.

Young Voices from the Arab World (English) 1998 (30 minutes) Five teenagers one each from Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait and Morocco—take you into their homes, schools, places of worship and favorite entertainment spots. Each segment takes the opportunity to inform viewers about particular aspects of Arab culture, language, religion, values and social customs. The video is an opportunity for American youth to see the variation of everyday life in the Arab world and to hear young people talk about their families, education, their views on the changing role of women, and their hopes for the future. The narration provides historical, geographical and other background information. (VHS)

Zoned for Slavery-The Child Behind the Label (English) 1995 (23 minutes) A glimpse of the harsh realities of child workers in the clothing industry. (VHS)

The following videos are also in the OMSA video library:
A Campus Conversation On Race I & II
African American Retreat
Afro Latino Music Lecture-Eladio Torres
Are You Black, White, or What?
Beyond The Dream VII: The Vanishing Black Male
Black History Film Classic: Lost Boundaries
Boston Public (Feat. Randall Kennedy's "Nigger")
Break Through: The Changing Face Of Science In America I, II, & III
But I'm A Cheerleader
But Master
Claims Video Magazine Spring 2000
Congrats To 2003 Seniors
Crash
David Maybury-Lewis
Diversity Conference: Julian Bond
Diversity Conference: Stephane Thomas, William Polland
Durham Pow Wow
Egypt During The Golden Age I
Flawless
Gail Hand-The Power Of Laughter
Hitmeoff.com: Floor Lords Performance
HIV Uninfected (Does Not Equal) Unaffected
Jabali Afrika
Kaleidoscope
Kim Little Bear: Nasa Program
Laramie Project
Last Chance For Eden
Martin Luther King Celebration 2003 & 2005
Mr. Saul Williams
My Father Is Coming
NH Art Breaks III: Sisters In Step
Night Cries
OMSA- PSA
Outlooks
Queer As Folk
Randall Kennedy-Ohio University
Rasheena's Tape
Rich Kiamco
Safe Zones: original training videos
Salsa Talk
Scan 24: U.A.C.
The Crying Game
TransAmason: A Gender Queer Journey
True Voices
Understanding The Needs Of Gay, Lesbian And Bisexual Students
Valuing Diversity III
Venus Boyz
Working Together