NOTES FROM OUTFEST - JULY 10 2009

UPDATE: WINNER!
The Outfest 2009 Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent

George O’Donnell, COLLEGE BOYS LIVE


STAR SIGHTINGS: Florence Henderson and Sharon Gless.


They both looked fabulous and Ms Gless, I thought was really great. She was there for her film, "Hannah Free". Unfortunately I missed it but I heard from several people it was really good. After the screening, People were coming up to her and she was very gracious and even took pictures with a few.

The film I did see was:


COLLEGE BOYS LIVE (2009)


Directed by George O'Donnell


"College Boys Live" was an interesting documentary on a web cam house run by a couple, Zac and Jonathan. They let young men live in their home, rent free, in exchange for allowing themselves to be viewed by a paying audience 24/7. They try to convince us that the boys and themselves are like a "happy family" and sex is not required of the boys but at the same time say that they must chat with the customers and do so while undressing and finishing with a climax.

We meet and follow three new arrivals to the house. They all come from broken homes and unaccepted as gay. They are searching for a place to fit in and dream of a better life then what they have had in their young lives so far. They feel that this house could be a real "home". The house is threatened when the neighbors find out what's going on there and want it shut down as well as personality clashes between the boys within the house causes friction.

I thought the film was well done but something about it just didn't feel right, I later realized I felt like I was watching a very long reality program. The problem with reality shows are that while they are based on real situations, they are also scripted. I guess I felt that some of the things that happened in "College Boys Live" seemed contrived but I could be completely wrong.