As if ripped from today’s headlines reporting fires, evictions and street protests, “Another Barrio” tells the story of housing inspector Bob Morales as he investigates the suspicious circumstances of a fatal fire. While investigating a residential hotel in San Francisco’s Latino Mission District, Morales finds himself face to face with corruption at City Hall and the mysterious Sofia Nido, a beautiful flame from his past. Morales must also confront his own demons while investigating the crime and ends up caught in a dangerous web of deceit, as he gets drawn into the seedy underworld of bribery, corruption and murder. This independent Neo-noir feature film, based on a story by San Francisco Poet Laureate Alejandro Murguia, takes viewers deep into neighborhoods and communities seldom seen on film, while addressing issues around gentrification and displacement of low-income communities along the way.

What does mean to be gay and be a man? There’s no straight answer for sure. From the Castro culture of the 1970s to today’s Bears and gym rats, this fascinating investigation of gay men and sexuality blows the lid off old stereotypes and showcases a battalion of interviewees including muscle men, rodeo riders, rugby players and cops. The men speak candidly on topics from homophobia to metrosexuality to embracing effeminacy as they reveal what it means to be a gay man in America today.