Palm Springs Intl. Film Fest Wraps Up 

And on the
international side, the French film Baby Love was a
gay-themed crowd-pleaser with subtitles. Having been
released in France this past fall with the original
title Comme les Autres, the film is now
beginning to make the rounds at festivals in the
United States.

Directed by
Vincent Garenq, Baby Love chronicles the
journey of a gay man named Manu who tries to circumvent
France's discriminatory restrictions on adoption by
gays in order to have a child. Following
him from attempting to trick an adoption agent
into believing that he is straight to interviewing lesbian
couples to carry his child to eventually forming an
agreement with a female friend to have a child
together, the film is at once a charming romantic
comedy and a strong political statement.

Although somewhat
formulaic in terms of style and plot development,
overall the film gives its audience a clear education on
France's current laws regarding adoption by same-sex
couples. The film also made the Palm Springs
festival’s Best of the Fest list, which was announced
Monday, following the weekend screenings.

Among the other
notable LGBT-themed films screened at the festival were BeLike Others; Clapham Junction; I Can’t Think
Straight; Patrik, Age 1.5; and Pedro.