Jun 12, 2009  |  By: Amy Cavanaugh  | COMMENTS     

The shortage of gay-themed films coming out of Hollywood means Reel Affirmations is usually the only time to see films with LGBT content. Enter Silverdocs, the annual eight-day documentary film festival that’s a collaboration between the AFI and the Discovery Channel. With more than 100 films, Silverdocs also features a handful of terrific films with LGBT content or by LGBT directors.

The must-see film at Silverdocs is “Prodigal Sons,” the story of director Kimberly Reed’s trip back to her small Montana town to attend her high school reunion. Reed, who is transgender, has been estranged from her adopted brother Marc for years, ever since he suffered an injury that leaves him with brain damage and she fled to make a life for herself in New York.

The emotional film is a thoughtful, if at times disturbing, look at how Marc has difficulty accepting Kim and their brother Todd, who is gay. Reed does an exceptional job with the film, which includes a visit to Croatia to uncover Marc’s biological roots. “Prodigal Sons” screens on June 18 at 1:15 p.m. and June 20 at 8:30 p.m.

“Pop Star on Ice,” a 2009 film about figure skater Johnny Weir, is an incredibly engrossing film. The documentary follows the flamboyant athlete, who has famously refused to discuss his sexual orientation, through practices, competitions and personal drama. “Pop Star on Ice” travels from the World Championships in Russia to Weir’s elementary school to craft a well-rounded portrait of Weir, who in interviews usually comes across as youthful and irreverent. “Pop Star on Ice” screens June 20 at
6 p.m. and June 21 at 10:45 a.m.

The adopted daughter of two lesbians is the subject of “Off and Running,” a 2009 film. Avery is a black high school student and accomplished runner who begins a search for her birth mother, unleashing personal and family drama. Director Nicole Opper’s film about a family in turmoil is heart-wrenching at times, but it tracks them through universal issues. “Off and Running” screens on June 16 at 4:30 p.m. and June 20 at 7 p.m.

“Let’s Be Together,” a Danish film from 2008, is the story of 14-year-old Hairon, who wears women’s clothes and make up, and is out of place in the small town he lives in with his mother, step-father and four younger brothers. That changes when Hairon visits his biological father, Marcello, in Brazil, and learns that he’s gay and performs in drag. “Let’s Be Together” screens on June 17 at 10 p.m. and June 19 at 9:15 p.m.

Lesbian filmmaker Eva Weber has two short films at Silverdocs. “Steel Homes,” a 2008 film, was at Sundance this year and looks at storage facilities and the stories that are contained within them. The 10-minute short is captivating, but I loved “The Solitary Life of Cranes,” a visually arresting look at crane operators in London. With glimpses into other people’s apartments and a fresh take on London scenery, the documentary is a meditation on an unusual occupation. “Steel Homes” screens at Shorts Program 2 on June 17 at noon and June 28 at 2:45 p.m. and “The Solitary Life of Cranes” screens in Shorts Program 6 on June 16 at noon and June 17 at 4 p.m.

Silverdocs also includes discussions. On June 20 from 1 to 3 p.m., gay filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris will introduce Digital Diaspora Family Reunion, a new media platform that taps into a network of black photographic archives, and he will discuss his new photography project, “Through a Lens Darkly.” Area residents who want to participate in the Digital Diaspora Family Reunion can bring in family photos from June 16 to 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. E-mail throughalensdarkly@gmail.com or call 212-281-6002 to make an appointment. Admission for the discussion is $10, but if you participate in the scanning, it’s free.