ProGay Philippines, in cooperation with the Canadian Embassy in Manila presents Touch of Pink, a Sienna Film/Martin Pope Productions production for the Pink Film Festival 2005 in the Gateway Cineplex 10, Araneta Center in Cubao on June 10.
Alim (Jimmy Misty) is a South Asian Canadian who makes a living as a photographer in London, thousands of miles from his family, for one very good reason--he has a boyfriend, Giles (Kristen Holden-Ried). Cary Grant's ghost (Kyle MacLachlan) appears in Alim's fantasy world to teach Alim how to live stylishly in the closet.
But trouble brews when his judgmental mother Nuru (Suleka Mathew) planes in and upsets his ideal gay life with proposals of finding him a proper Muslim girlfriend. The mother flees back to Toronto distraught when she discovers her son's sexuality. He follows her to make amends and grace a cousin's big fat Indian wedding, where all hell breaks loose in a grand clash of cultures.
The richest character is Nuru, whose sibling rivalry with sister Dolly (Veena Sood) over their sons and their respective fortunes is acute. MacLachlan with a tiny bit of help from makeup brings back to the screen the very suave, marvelously droll star in this best Cary Grant impression.
Writer-director Ian Iqbal Rashid understands how romantic entertainment can beautifully filter and distill honest human emotions. The bright cinematography and design of the production and costumes (especially over-the-top creations worn by nouveau riche Indians who dress to impress) suffer not one wit from the film's modest budget.
The Pink Film Festival is annual celebration of gay and lesbian pride is presented by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Mowelfund Film Institute, with the support of the the Canadian Embassy, Royal Netherlands Embassy, Finland Embassy, the Swiss Embassy, Philippine NGO Support Program (PHANSuP), Women's Educational Media, Norweigian Film Institute, University of the Philippines Film Institute, Italiani's Restaurant and AIDS Society of the Philippines.
The third Pink Festival's theme In the Pink of Health highlights society's continuing efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and promote reproductive health for all.
For more information, call: Mowelfund Film Institute at 410 4567; 727 1915 local 203; or 3673109. Visit the website at www.pinkfilmfest.cjb.net or e-mail progay@yahoo.com
Posted May 29, 2005