At the tender age of twelve, Roberto supported the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua and fought for education and social reforms. He was to continue his political struggle fighting alongside the communist Tupamaros in Uruguay. Thirty years later he is struggling to live his life as a woman named Stephanía and striving to be accepted by both society and his family. Documentary filmmaker Aldo Garay has followed Stephanía for over twenty years. In El Hombre Nuevo he provides a personal and tender portrait of a woman who can look back on a tempestuous life in which violence, drugs, prostitution and political commitment all found its place. Scenes from her day-to-day life are interspersed with interview material that includes conversations with old friends, fellow-travellers and siblings, as well as a passionate, heated exchange with her mother. The picture of society that emerges is as diverse as it is intimate, and spans a time of great political upheaval in the 1970s to the present day.

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When Leah (Gaby Hoffmann, Girls, Transparent) and music agent June (Ingrid Jungermann,The Slope) move into a spacious apartment with their infant daughter, Lyle, they have a seemingly perfect life; Leah is about to give birth and June’s current music act is about to take off in the charts. But Leah soon suspects the apartment block holds dark secrets; their downstairs neighbour fakes a pregnancy, and with June becoming increasingly distant, Leah finds comfort in talking with the beautiful model upstairs… but can anyone at all be trusted? Language: English Lyle is that very rare treasure – a lesbian horror film with a palpable sense of unease and creeping paranoia that builds until the final shocking scene. (PT) “Director Stewart Thorndike has re-imagined Rosemary’s Baby for the 21st-Century” – Cinesnatch

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Feeling invisible in her bland marriage, Emma moves in with her son, Elliot, who lives in a downtown L.A. loft. Elliot, a young chef, is facing foreclosure on his lackluster Chinese restaurant–and he’s gay. Emma’s disapproval has made strangers of mother and son, but the two need each other now more than ever, as Emma explores her newfound freedom–with the encouragement of a saucy new friend–and Elliot confronts his fears of intimacy. Words may fail them, but they find a common language through food. This auspicious directorial debut from David Au offers a fresh take on life, love and food in the heart of Los Angeles. This deliciously emotional and redemptive story is supported by an endearing cast led by Sharon Omi, Teddy Chen Culver, Nicole Sullivan and a cameo from Star Trek legend George Takei. Description courtesy of Los Angeles Film Festival.

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