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Director: Mike Nichols
Writer(s): Elaine May
Cast: Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Dianne West
Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) is a gay Jewish man who owns a nightclub in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood – “The Birdcage” – a venue that has a well-known reputation for its drag shows. In fact, Armand’s partner Albert (Nathan Lane) is the main attraction, performing under the name “Starina.” When Armand’s son Val, a product of a one-night stand with a woman, shows up and explains that he intends to marry a right-wing senator’s daughter, Armand and Albert are compelled to “go into the closet” and pretend to be straight men so that Val can introduce them to the girl’s parents. Things get sticky when a political scandal breaks out involving a colleague of the conservative senator who dies in the arms of a black prostitute, and the real identity of Armand, Albert, and their nightclub is in danger of coming to light.
Mike Nichols, who was involved in the original 1983 Broadway adaptation, directs this hilarious cinematic adaptation of La Cage aux Folles, the 1973 French play by Jean Poiret. Featuring a supporting cast that includes Gene Hackman, Dianne West, and Hank Azaria, The Birdcage is a fun and flamboyant comedy about what happens when one’s true identity is forced into hiding, and its critical acclaim made it a landmark film with respect to LGBTQ representation in mass media.
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This series is sponsored by Ohio University Pride Center, Ohio University Women’s Center, Ohio University Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Women of Color in Athens, City of Athens, College of Fine Arts, Arts for OHIO and the Ohio Arts Council.
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117 MIN
Otto Maddox (Emilio Estevez) is a young punk in L.A. who loses his job, his girl, and his desire to put up with his hippie-ish parents. Wandering the streets one night, Otto is approached by Bud (Harry Dean Stanton) and offered a small sum of money to drive a car out of the neighborhood. This leads to Otto getting swept up in a chain of events that involves him begrudgingly becoming a “repo man” and chasing after the $20K bounty on a Chevy Malibu whose trunk may contain something more otherworldly than a spare tire.
Natasha Lyonne stars alongside Clea DuVall, Ru Paul, and Cathy Moriarty in this charming and satirical teen cult film directed by Jamie Babbit.
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Upon its release in 1997, Belgian director Alain Berliner’s film was unique in its attempt to explore the issue of gender identity by examining it from multiple perspectives. The film took home the Golden Globe award for Best Foreign Language Film, and it continues to this day to move viewers with its emotionally rich portrayal of a modern family wrestling with the complexities, both internal and external, of gender.
Brooke Ripley is a multimedia artist who works with speculative fiction to represent the experience of the climate crisis. She received her BFA in Fine Arts from the Columbus College of Art and Design, with minors in Art History and Social Practice, and is currently a third-year MFA candidate at Ohio University in the Painting and Drawing Department. 
