Liz in September

Based on Jane Chambers' 1980 play Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, this lesbian drama stars Patricia Velásquez as hard-living Liz, a former model who along with a group of gay friends hangs around a beach hotel on a Caribbean island. Hiding her terminal illness from most of the others, Liz unexpectedly falls for Eva (Eloisa Maturén), who recently lost her son to cancer and is spending time away from her philandering husband. Although Liz and Eva are dissimilar in personality and Eva has always identified herself as heterosexual, the two are drawn towards one another, encouraged (often comically) by Liz's friends. The twist in the relationship is Liz's limited time left in this world: will Eva stick around to see her new lover die soon? Directed by Fina Torres, Liz in September has a fairly light touch for such heavy themes, although Velásquez brings an intensity to her performance that makes Liz's agony both authentic and sad. Along the way, the exotic locations create a warm, photogenic backdrop, while the interplay between characters deftly balances tragedy with life-affirming buoyancy. Recommended. (T. Keogh)