Different takes

The annual gay and lesbian mini film festival, now entitled the Diversity Week Film Festival, at the St James cinema has, in the past few years, cemented a slot for itself at the movie calendar. This year it will take place between July 8 and 11, when three films will be shown.

The first Breakfast on Pluto will be shown on July 8 at 9 p.m, the second intriguingly titled Outing Riley is on July 10 at 9 p.m and the third and final film in the mini festival is The Gymnast, to be screened on July 11 at 9p.m.

Set in 1960s and 1970s Ireland and England, Neil Jordan's 2005 release Breakfast on Pluto stars the Irish rock musician-turned- actor Cillian Murphy. This movie charts the progress of Kitten, a transgendered orphan played by Mr Murphy, who unwittingly gets mixed up in, what the Irish call the troubles - the war between the British and the IRA, which was at its height during this time. Throughout this turbulent period Kitten retains his optimism and his dignity. The film also stars two of Mr Jordan's favoured actors, Liam Neeson and Stephen Rea Breakfast on Pluto garnered a Golden Globe best-actor nomination for Mr Murphy.

The 2004 feature Outing Riley, written, directed by and starring Pete Jones, is a rattling good comedy about an average sort of a guy. Bobby Riley is the youngest in an Irish Catholic family; he also happens to be a closeted gay. One of his brothers is a priest, another is an

overgrown adolescent, while the third is a bit of a nutter. Everything comes to a head when Riley's lawyer sister Maggie threatens to out him to the rest of the family.

The third film is the 2006 movie The Gymnast. Written and directed by Ned Farr, it stars Dreya Weber as Jane, a gymnast who survives a devastating injury to launch a new career as an acrobat in tandem with the exotic Serena, played by Addie Yungmee.

Serena is also a closeted lesbian and the attraction that grows between the two women provides the raison d'être for the movie.

This year the Malta Gay Rights Movement seems to have selected three very good movies for their festival. And they are all features that will appeal to a wide audience. In other words, you don't just have to be gay or bi to enjoy them.