A Queer Guide to the 15th Annual Tribeca Film Festival

It’s that time of year again. The 15th annual Tribeca Film Festival has commenced in New York, showcasing the hard work of talented filmmakers from all over the world.

The festival is known for a broad spectrum of indie films that give light to obscure topics not explored by mainstream motion pictures. This year, there are a number of LGBT films that we’re dying to see. They feature stories about porn stars, murderers, and Madonna.

We’ve accumulated a list of these titles for your viewing pleasure:

AWOL

Director Deb Shoval’s feature length film is based on the short of the same name. Joey (Lola Kirke) is a young woman who looks to the army as she tries to figure out her life. But when she falls in love with Rayna (Breeda Wool), suddenly things aren’t so clear.

Lola Kirke as Joey and Breeda Wool as Rayna in AWOL. (Photo by Asya Danilova)

Califórnia

Estela is a teenage girl in 1980s São Paulo. When life gets complicated by school, sex, and romance, all she wants to do is visit her fabulous uncle in California.

The Charro of Toluquilla

Jaime García may be a machismo mariachi singer, but underneath the façade lies a man trying to rebuild his relationship with his family while living HIV positive. Jose Villalobos Romero’s debut film paints a tragically beautiful portrait of a man’s struggle.

Check It

In this documentary by Dana Flor and Toby Oppenheimer, a group of inner-city gay and trans teens in Washington DC form a gang to stand up to their abusers. The film follows the young gangsters as they pursue a way out of the cycle of violence.

haveababy

Amanda Micheli’s documentary centers around in vitro fertilization and the couples who desperately want a baby. She uses a YouTube-based competition to explore America’s thriving fertility industry.

King Cobra

Justin Kelly’s follow-up to IAmMichael traces the true story of a murder that shook the gay porn industry to its core. When a couple of struggling producers decide to steal a rival’s star, things get deadly. The movie stars James Franco, Keegan Allen, Garrett Clayton, Christian Slater, Molly Ringwald, and Alicia Silverstone.

Christian Slater as Stephen, Garrett Clayton as Sean Lockhart aka Brent Corrigan, Keegan Allen as Harlow, and James Franco as Joe in KingCobra. (Photo by Jesse Korman)

Madly

This anthology features love stories by a diverse group of filmmakers from around the world. Modern stories of love take on different forms with a range of emotions in this collection of shorts.

Memories of a Penitent Heart

Cecilia Aldarondo’s documentary honors her late uncle, Miguel. In the ‘80s, Miguel moved to New York to pursue life and love. When he died, he struggled to reconcile his homosexuality with his Catholic upbringing. When Cecilia tracked down Miguel’s once-lover, she was determined to find the truth.

Southwest of Salem

The San Antonio Four was a group of women tried and convicted in 1994 for sexual assault of two young girls. This documentary explores the homophobic prejudice that placed them behind bars and their ongoing fight for freedom.

Strike a Pose

Backup dancers take the spotlight in this documentary about the men of Madonna’s Blond Ambition. 25 years later, they reunite to share stories of what really went on behind the scenes.

Women Who Kill

Brooklyn exes Morgan and Jean operate a true crime podcast even after their tragic relationship ends. When Morgan begins a relationship with Simone, their interest turns to obsession.

Jean (Ann Carr) stands by as Morgan (Ingrid Jungermann) listens to a taped interview with Josephine "The Clipper" Walker, a serial killer who her clipped her victim's fingernails before she stabbed them in the heart. (Photo by Diane Russo)