Thu 21 Oct 2010 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Gay comedy Bear City will have its New Zealand Premiere at the Number 8 Films Auckland Gay Film Showcase at Galatos tonight. The film is described as "laugh-out-loud, raunchy, outrageous and touching". It follows a group of New York City bears and their admirers over one long hot summer. Closet cub Tyler yearns to escape the twink party circuit and find a daddy bear, long-time monogamous couple Brent and Fred pursue a threesome with hilariously 'golden' results, big boy Michael books a stomach-stapling operation much to the anger and disgust of his hot Spanish lover, and muscle stud Roger gets tamed – but not before banging everyone in sight. Bear City picked up two awards at Outfest in Los Angeles this year, one for outstanding screenplay and another for outstanding actor in a feature film. It's screened across the ditch at bear pride festivals in Sydney and Melbourne to audience acclaim. Writer/director Doug Langway says the popularity of the film shows that the gay community is coming of age. "The gay community is looking for a more natural look, and, as we become more accepted, it feels like it's more mainstream," he told the Village Voice. "“We're building a new generation of gay people who have options to look any way they want, whether that be drag queen or muscle bear. I think beards and hair and masculinity are becoming more powerful than sleek and slender and smooth. The bear sensibility allows gays to not have to act as anything but themselves." Bear City screens at Galatos at 6.30pm tonight. The screening will be followed by a live Skype Q
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 21st October 2010 - 3:03pm