Anthony Kaufman's Industry Beat column in the Spring 2006 FILMMAKER Magazine shed quite a bit of light on the distribution status of Gregg Araki's highly accomplished and disturbing sexual abuse drama, MYSTERIOUS SKIN. In considerable detaiI, it examines the unusual circumstance of a film dropping its distributor--as opposed to the more common other way around. I knew something was up weeks ago, when I unknowingly set out on a treasure hunt to book a 35mm print of the film for a matinee screening at Enzian on July 9. Having never opened commercially in Orlando, Chris Alexander-Manley and GayOrlando.com had requested I book it for their quarterly Gay & Lesbian Film Series, a program now in its 13th year at the theater. A phone call to the film's theatrical distributor, Tartan Films, resulted in a confused deflection to contact TLA Releasing about it. A subsequent call to TLA and I was told they couldn't help me, I would need to talk to the film's producers at Antidote Films. From there I was directed to Strand Releasing (probably the company that should have released it in the first place), and I'm happy to say that the Orlando theatrical premiere in 35mm of this powerhouse of a movie will be taking place as scheduled. So hold off on renting that DVD and come see Gregg Araki's best film to date the way it was meant to be seen.

--Matthew