GRIEF

What initially appears to be just another behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood is actually much more. GRIEF is a witty, sometimes rollicking, comedy combined with heart-felt drama. Tracing five days in the lives of “The Love Judge” TV production team, the story centers around Mark, a talented young story editor stuck in a bit of a loony bin. He's contemplating a leap from the roof in the first anniversary of his lover's death from AIDS. But the emotional turmoil indoors distracts him: Jo, his cross-dressing boss, quits unexpectedly; Bill is distraught over his break up with his girlfriend, but is flirting with everybody, including Mark, who's in the running for Jo's job; Jeremy is lusting after Bill; Leslie is desperate for true love; and poor Jo can't figure out the recurring stains on her new couch. The droll warmth of director William Glatzer's script and the appealing, understated performances by the ensemble cast garnered GRIEF the top prize at the 1993 San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. -Kit Kalfs.