Unfortunately, the screen did go dark for a short time but after the reopening in 1997, two more screens were added for a total of four screens. In 2004 the theater received projection and sound upgrades, indoor seating was installed and SRS surround sound was added to all four screens. You can visit the Winter Drive In April through October for an admission price of $7.50 for adults, $3.25 for kids, and free for kids 4 and under. Don’t forget to stop by the snack bar for your double feature treats!

It may well be, as a friend writes, that it is harder to be homosexual in Africa and India than in his longtime home of Southeast Asia. Still, as the fifty-six international entries in the MoMA Department of Film and Media’s recent “Another Wave: Global Queer Cinema” demonstrate, it’s not easy anywhere, certainly not the People’s Republic of China if one is to judge by Zi’en Cui’s THE OLD TESTAMENT

After Africa the world’s most HIV/AIDS-ravaged landmass, Asia is taking steps towards addressing the problem among female prostitutes and drug users but does not realistically address the enormous MSM (male-to-male sex) infection rates. Superpower China, where authorities decried Taiwan’s 2004 romantic comedy hit Formula 17 for its “illusion of a homosexual utopia . . . no ills or problems [and a false] message that homosexuality is normal, and a natural progression in society!” has produced a handful of handsome people gay films, e.g., SAR Hong Kong’s Bishonen (1998) and mainland Lan yu (2001), but, loosely continuing here with some characters from his Enter the Clowns (2001), Ciu’s is one of the few similarly themed efforts concerned with ordinary folks.

Done four years ago but so “underground” that it is not indicated in this director/writer/actor’s filmography, the barely interconnected three-part Old Testament dares introduce AIDS only in briefest passing and fails to trace the ramifications, then unaccountably switches to a slapsticky middle section before a deadpan comedic finale that speaks truth about that conservative society and probably those of most countries. Rarely, some no-budget production sparkles above its restrictions, but while four rooms of three unadorned apartments shown are not in and of themselves a death sentence, poorly conceived lines droned in low voices—even Mandarin speakers will need the English subtitles—and high schoolish acting, consign the film to being of interest solely as an amateurish social document.

Several indistinguishable young men bed down in underpants on couches in Da Jian’s flat. They drink tea, nibble, smoke cigarettes and play cards, mumble non sequiturs against plain white walls, bring back other waifs, mouth that they plan to leave, and talk of “curing together” Xiao Gang of AIDS. “Think[ing] there’s only room for two in our world, you understand,” the owner weakly protests to lover Xiao Bo, but, unresolved, this deadening “Song of Solomon 2001” first part becomes equally ill-titled “Proverb 1991.”

In a bedroom elsewhere, a baby fat man offers a glass of water to a lightly leather-clad other who has come to renew their relationship and abandon his new wife Nana. Since “if you like, in this room we can be one family,” Baby Fat dismisses a third fellow cooking in the kitchen, and, following a gay marriage ceremony, Leather-Clad is insecurely trussed in his underwear but then reclaimed or maybe rescued by Nana, all so hammy that one is uncomfortable and in no way amused.

Shift to three, “Psalm 1981,” in which Xiao Bo is living with brother and sister-in-law Qing Jie and welcomes the visit of fellow university student Zheng Yang. (In Enter the Clowns, both Nana and the brothers’ dying father have sex-change operations, the latter thus becoming “mom.”) Though no flesh is flashed, nor a sigh of passion heard, the two men snuggle in a shared bed, the wife smells out “the disease [of] these days” and complains to her husband. Admonishing the suspected lovers that “we don’t have this habit” of locking bedroom doors, does not work, nor does barging in on them at all hours with food or questions. Hubby proposes that wife seduce the younger brother so as to turn him from homosexuality and back to Xiao Cui, the girl they have chosen for him to marry so he can “get a job, have a healthy family.”

In the end, such schemes do not serve, and the two students head off for other places, “alone together.” Acknowledging the couple’s sacrifices as surrogate parents for him while not denying, either, theoretical social obligations of marriage and offspring, Xiao Bo could have stood for alternative lifestyles within his repressive culture.

In spite of limitations not the least of which is a cinema tradition foreign to outsider sensibilities, this third episode sheds bare-bones light on an issue of concern in almost all societies. Had it been expanded to the whole seventy-five minutes and left to stand without the baggage that precedes it, the effort would merit a look.

QUAD is an unassuming and unpretentious cinema, gallery and cafe located in Derby’s city centre with its latest event running from Thursday 24th May to Sunday 27th May. This year’s actives are based around the theme of heroes and when you consider that The Avengers has just made $200 million in the space of 3 days there really couldn’t be a better time to analyse this genre than now. ID Fest will consist of a host of screenings, previews, events, professional practice and exhibitions that take a varied, insightful and analytical look at what we conceive film heroism to be and how these protagonists and characters have evolved over the years.

Over the course of these four days there are a number of showcase events that involve some of the most prestigious names from British cinema’s past present and future. A discussion with legendary British filmmaker Mike Hodges’ will open the event on Thursday evening, where he will be awarded ID Fest’s inaugural Hero Of Cinema Award as well as discussing the peaks and troughs of his career with Tony Earnshaw. This will then be preceded by a screening of his seminal 1971 debut feature Get Carter that only manages to get more biting and thrilling with age.

Yet there are a number of different events occurring throughout the weekend that have been designed to help progress burgeoning cinematic talent as well as enlighten film enthusiasts and scholars. This includes a Directing Actors workshop which is being run by QUAD patron Paddy Considine, the director of 2011′s Tyrannosaur and star of Dead Man’s Shoes, 24 Hour Party People, In America and Hot Fuzz. Whilst one of the most eagerly anticipated allotment’s of the weekend is a live conversation with Brian Blessed. The Flash Gordon star has become one of English cinema’s great personalities and his tales of movie debauchery will be certainly be illuminated by his unique story telling abilities.

Another highlight comes in the form of a discourse with Spaghetti Western expert Christopher Frayling who will be discussing the work of Sergio Leone and his 1968 masterpiece Once Upon A Time In The West, which is followed by a screening of the Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson classic.

Alongside these events are a number of other screenings that coincide with the theme of heroism. Robert Mulligan’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s American literature classic To Kill A Mockingbird, starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch will be screened as well as Steven Soderbergh’s 1998 crime classic OUT OF SIGHT, Ken Russell’s musical TOMMY and John Cusack’s delightfully morbid black comedy GROSSE POINT BLANK.

These are also perfectly complimented with the premieres of several festival favourites from across the globe over the last few months, which includes THE TURIN HOUSE, THE INNKEEPERS and In Love With Alma Cogan plus a screening of the live-action and animation nominations from the 2012 BAFTA – awards as well as late-night viewings of cult classics on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings which includes a double feature of ROBOCOP and NIGHT OF THE COMET.

And if all this wasn’t enough there is even The Five Lamps 24 hour movie challenge to contend with. Plus a number of other art exhibitions, quiz’s and various other workshops that will leave film aficionados with a Sophie’s Choice style decision over which event to visit next. So if you’re in the East Midland’s region or fancy making the trip from anywhere in the country you can visit www.idfest.co.uk for all the information you require and to devour the full line-up.

It promises to be a doozy of a weekend.

The concept that there are three women in the cab driver’s life that have never let him down is a brilliant device integrated very well into the storyline. His hard working, recently deceased mother, his selfish wife, and the train, the titular Southern Belle, that you could set a watch by are all used to form a vivid picture of this man’s life without having to expand on the length of the film. This is a movie that could easily have gone twice the length (and most likely budget) in the hands of a less capable director. The businessman’s character is well-acted, but fairly forgettable in the day and age of 1% vs 99% arguments. Nobody cares about the woes of the wealthy.

The film is shot, lit, and acted well with a moving accompanying score. The only thing that I think the director, Patrick Biesemans, made a mistake on was keeping the cab driver’s character in profile most of the movie. If the audience were able to connect with this man’s story through the emotion in his eyes this short would have gone from moving to riveting. The director’s sense of pacing is spot on though and the last few moments of the movie really holds the audience’s attention despite the lack of real emotional connection.