Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival opens July 5

The largest festival of its kind in the eastern United States, the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, opens July 5 with the world premiere of the film Circuit, a drama set in the world of circuit parties. The festival runs through July 16 and will close with the Philadelphia premiere of that festival darling, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. More than half of this year’s offerings are from countries other than the United States, the majority being from France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Spain. The festival will also have a strong lesbian presence this year and will feature the Australian murder-mystery The Monkey’s Mask, starring Kelly McGillis, as well as Cheryl Dunye’s women-in-prison film Stranger Inside, which uses the genre to explore mother-daughter relationships. For more information on the lineup, the venues, the parties, and the special events, go to the festival Web site, www.phillyfests.com/piglff, or call (215) 735-7887.