The Owls

The Owls is a well-written meta-drama, in which the film breaks away from a party-gone-wrong thriller plot (in which a stranger is accidentally killed and four friends become complicit in disguising her murder, until a stranger arrives...) to interview both the characters aboout the story and the actors about their characters, and their sexuality.

The film challenges the way movies typically sexualize lesbians — at the same time that it challenges how lesbians sexualize other lesbians.

The Owls does not feel like a completely finished piece — it seems to turn inward on itself too many times to have much ground left to stand on — and also, seems to be heavily focused on the actors being excited to introduce their new filmmaking collective, Parliament Productions. 

But all in all, this is a compelling, risk-taking project that will get you thinking.

I didn't know about filmmaker Cheryl Dunye until I saw this film, and I'm sure glad I do now. —BOND HUBERMAN