The Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (HKLGFF) - the longest-running gay film festival of its kind in Asia - will screen over 60 films from across the globe. It has grown over years since its beginnings in 1989 when the Hong Kong Arts Centre introduced lesbian and gay films as part of their monthly film program.

The festival will open with Poj Arnon's explosive romance Bangkok Love Story (Thailand) and Imaizumi Koichi's gentle coming-of-age drama First Love (Japan), while closing the festival with Hong Kong-born, Canada-based director Ho Tam's The Book of James, a powerful and intimate documentary on art, life and AIDS activism.

In recognising its coming of age, organisers have chosen "Journey of Growth" as its theme of the festival. Leading the "Youth" section will be Lucia Puenzo's transgender teen drama XXY, Grand Prize winner at the Critics Week at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. It had been recently selected as Argentina's official Oscar Foreign Film entry. Also selected is Jamie Babbit's riotous comedy Itty Bitty Titty Committee (guest/starring lesbian favourites Daniela Sea and Jenny Shimizu), which had its world premiere at this year's Berlin International Film Festival and walked away with Top Jury Prize at the SXSW Film Festival.

The "20-somethings" section sees the return of Israeli filmmaker Eytan Fox (Yossi and Jagger), whose award-winning romance drama The Bubble (Toronto FF, Seattle IFF) is set to become an audience favourite. Also selected is controversial Singaporean art house drama Solos. Banned in its home country, the film had recently become the first Singaporean film to be selected as a part of the prestigious AFI Fest. Women Who Love Women, a "talking heads" documentary about the lives of three Singaporean lesbians, will also be shown for the first time in Hong Kong.

"Family" will feature the latest film by award-winning German director Angelina Maccarone with the poignant, character driven drama Vivere, which competed at the Tribeca Film Festival this year. The concept of family will be placed under the microscope in award-winning documentary 2 Mums and a Dad and Canadian acclaimed family drama Finn's Girl (Newfest, Frameline, Outfest).

An "AIDS retrospective" will be screened on December 1 (World AIDS Day). Some of the most important films ever made about AIDS will be screening during the festival, including Bill Sherwood's newly restored classic Parting Glances, which launched the career of Steve Buscemi; Gregg Araki's cult hit Totally F***ed Up, John Greyson's unforgettable AIDS musical Zero Patience. New AIDS-themed films from André Téchiné (The Witnesses, in competition Berlin IFF, starring Emmanuelle Béart), and writer/director/actor Jacques Nolot (Before I Forget, Cannes FF, Toronto FF) will also screen as a part of the program. The full line-up and visiting guest list will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

For ticketing, schedules and synopsises, visit www.hklgff.hk and/or http://www4.cinema.com.hk

Fridae is proud to be the Official Gay Media of the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.