Each year, the Palm Springs International Film Festival selects one gay- and one lesbian-themed film to screen as part of the festival’s "Gay!la" celebration. The 23nd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival runs Jan. 5-16.

"August"

This year’s gay men’s offering is "August," an expansion of Eldar Rapaport’s award winning short film, "Postmortem." The story tracks former lovers Troy and Jonathan, who reunite when Troy returns to Los Angeles after living in Spain for several years. Their seemingly innocent coffee rendezvous turns flirtatious, and they quickly revive their once torrid romance – despite the fact that Jonathan is now partnered with the (supposed) love of his life, Argentinean immigrant Raul.

Troy is a damaged, passive aggressive beauty struggling to decide between an established career in Barcelona and a new (or perhaps his old) life in Los Angeles. Jonathan is an immature sugar addict who needs to decide if he wants to commit to and move in with Raul or rekindle his torturous romance with Troy. Raul is the most mature man in the triangle, willing to give Jonathan the space he needs to make the right decision. But is there a right decision? In affairs of the heart, there rarely is.

"August" is a leisurely paced film that progresses in circuitous fashion toward its inexorable conclusion. There are no surprises. The audience knows exactly what’s going on, and so do the characters. Each person is trapped in his own unhealthy behavior cycle, and the drama in the film derives from wondering who, if anyone, will break free of the established pattern.

The cast of the film is equal parts sex appeal and talent. Every man we see has broad shoulders, defined pectorals, and killer biceps. Chest hair and beard stubble are prevalent, and used to good effect. The sex scenes are languorous and frequent. Best of all, the performances provided by the trio of actors are uniformly solid, turning a relatively standard storyline into an interesting and engrossing film.

"The British Guide To Showing Off"

"The British Guide To Showing Off" is a charmingly offbeat documentary that simultaneously chronicles the eccentric world of sculptor Andrew Logan and the history of his greatest creation, the Alternative Miss World competition. For those unfamiliar, Alternative Miss World is … well … umm … it’s part costume ball, part beauty pageant, part drag show, and part performance art.

Confused? Good. That’s sort of the point.

Founded in 1972 as a bit of crazy fun for Andrew’s friends and family, Alternative Miss World became an instant underground sensation. In 1973, in just its second year, the event generated such buzz and drew so many people that late-arriving David Bowie couldn’t squeeze in. The appeal, perhaps, lies in the fact that this is a nontraditional pageant that welcomes all comers – men, women, and everything in between – the more outrageous, the better. Past winners include drag queens, Russian performance artists, a 78-year-old woman, and a robot.

The spine of the film is Andrew and his partner Michael Davis – they met at the 1973 Alternative Miss World, and have been together ever since – planning the 2009 competition. We see them searching for a venue, trolling for sponsorship that never materializes, creating costumes, and even mucking raw sewage out of their house. Of course the event comes off in grand fashion, and of course they lose a ton of money. But who cares? Seeing Miss Fancy Chance running in slow motion ten feet above the stage – suspended by her hair, no less – makes it all worthwhile.

Mixed in with the preparation for and execution of the 2009 event is a comprehensive look at the pageant over the years. Seeing the costumes grow increasingly more complex and outré as the years progress is probably the most enjoyable part of the film. There is also plenty of entertaining interview footage with contestants, judges, and various co-hosts. (Keep an eye out for Brian Eno’s cat. Best cameo ever!)

In sum, "The British Guide to Showing Off" is exactly that. The film, the pageant, and Andrew Logan all possess that edge of British eccentricity that Americans have grown to love, be it through the over-the-top sketches of Monty Python, Brit-coms like Absolutely Fabulous, or even the subtly tongue-in-cheek presentations of Masterpiece Theatre.

"Carol Channing: Larger Than Life"

Several months ago I was honored to interview Carol Channing and her husband, since 2003, Harry Kullijian. The pair were childhood sweethearts who lost touch with one another for 70 years, only reuniting after Carol mentioned Harry fondly in her autobiography. He saw the mention, contacted her, and two weeks later they were engaged. When I spoke to them, it was obvious that the octogenarians were hopelessly, joyously, adorably in love. Our interview lasted nearly an hour, not because I had an endless list of questions, but because they kept pausing, sometimes mid-sentence, to recite romantic poetry. (Honest to God, I am not making this up.)

Needless to say, when I received a screener DVD of the documentary film "Carol Channing: Larger Than Life", I was curious. I expected, and I got, a comprehensive homage to one of America’s greatest performers. Certainly the road to three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar nomination is well paved. What brings this film to life, though, is the spine I had hoped for – the lifelong, albeit interrupted, love affair between Carol and Harry. The film’s most poignant moments are when they speak of breaking up as teenagers, near misses in early adulthood, and coming together again late in life.

That said, a simple recounting of Channing’s incredible career is a joy in and of itself, and the film contains enough footage of the inimitable star performing her greatest roles (Lorelei Lee in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and Dolly Levi in "Hello, Dolly!") to satisfy even the most voracious show queen. The performance footage is supplemented by fabulous interviews with Jerry Herman, Carol Champion (Gower’s wife), Tyne Daly, Phyllis Diller, Tippi Hedron, Rich Little, Bruce Vilanch, Mary Jo Catlett, Lily Tomlin, Jo Ann Worley, and numerous others, including ten tearfully reunited “Dolly Boys” from the mid-90s revival of "Hello, Dolly!" – Channing’s last hurrah on Broadway.

Happily, the film is not just a reminiscence of high points in the performer’s life. Her unhappy, abusive marriage to Charles Lowe is discussed, as is her disappointment in not becoming a bigger film star – in particular the hurt she felt when passed over for the lead in the big screen adaptation of "Hello, Dolly!"

In sum, "Carol Channing: Larger Than Life" is a lot like Channing – joyful, full of love, teeming with irrepressible talent, and just plain fun. This isn’t a gay film, per se, but it no doubt will appeal to a gay audience. Even readers who are not interested in musicals or familiar with Channing’s great career will enjoy the wonderful love affair between Carol and Harry.

For more information about the Palm Springs International Film Festival click HERE.

This article was originally published HERE.