By Gregg Shapiro

Contributing writer

“The Gymnast” (Wolfe)—“The Gymnast” is the “flip” side, so to speak, of the usual softcore lesbian features such as, say, “Loving Annabelle,” that we are too often force-fed at LGBT film fests or that coyly beckon viewers from video store shelves. On the contrary, “The Gymnast” is an intelligent and sensitively crafted film. It is a lesbian drama (two words that could potentially send shockwaves through the minds of viewers) that won’t have lesbians (or gay men, for that matter) cringing. The story of a late coming out by married Jane (Dreya Weber), an Olympic gymnast in her youth, who rediscovers one passion and unleashes another when she meets Serena (Addie Yungmee). Like judges at the Olympics, you will probably want to award these women with medals for the way they navigate both their complicated gymnastics routines and the inevitable twists and turns of a complex relationship. Bonus features, including a behind-the-scenes featurette, the short film “The Catcher,” and more, can be found on the DVD when it hits stores early next month.



“Girls’ View” (Alluvial)—Subtitled “a collection of award-winning lesbian-themed short films,” the five brief flicks compiled here run the gamut from humor to heartbreak with a little something else sprinkled in between. Opener Fei-Fei Wang’s “Unspoken” introduces us to high school girlfriends red Jani (Troian Bellisario) and pink Gaby (Sarah Christine Smith), who escape the pressures of boys by smoking pot in an abandoned car in a junkyard. When Gaby compromises their safe space by bringing boys there it has a detrimental effect on Jani. The funny “Open,” directed and co-written by Teale Failla and out musician Sandra Grace, tells of young lesbian couple Gabby (Mindy Seegal) and Sam (Mariah Helfrich), who weather the storms of an open relationship and living together, when sexy writer Janet (Cynthia Kern) enters the picture. “Different,” which also appeared on Alluvial’s “First Out” shorts anthology, stars Emily Stiles (a.k.a. Emily Brooke Hands of “Eating Out” fame) as Joanne, a straight girl at an all-gay high school (in an all-gay town) who has caught the attention of secretly straight male classmate Justin (Ben Hogestyn). When word gets out that Justin is making overtures towards Joanne, their lives are suddenly at risk.