4 Must-See LGBT Films at AFI Docs

AFI Docs, a film festival dedicated to the best in documentary, kicks off Wednesday in Washington, D.C., and runs through Sunday. There are many stellar productions to see, but several are of particular interest for LGBT audience members. See a preview below, and find out more information at AFI.com.

Descriptions courtesy of the American Film Institute.

Who's Gonna Love Me Now?

Israeli filmmakers -- and brothers -- Barak and Tomer Heymann dig deep into manhood, religion, family and sex in this portrait of Saar Moaz, an HIV-positive gay man torn between his "out" life as a member of the London Gay Men's Chorus and his desire to reconnect with his Orthodox family in Israel. The result is a moving portrait of a man trying to maintain balance as he navigates two very different worlds.

See it Thursday, 8:30 p.m., at Landmark E Street Cinema. Buy tickets here.

Tickled

When New Zealand reporter David Farrier stumbled across a mysterious website for tickling fetishists, he considered it fodder for a fluffy human-interest piece. But what began as a benign tale of titillation became sinister as the secretive group hurled cryptic and homophobic insults and threatened legal action if the research continued. Undaunted, Farrier and his friend Dylan Reeve traveled to Los Angeles, cameras in hand, to uncover the truth behind the ominous online empire.

See it Friday, 6:45 p.m., at Landmark E Street Cinema, or Saturday, 9 p.m., at AFI Silver Theatre. Buy tickets here.

Check It

In the heart of the nation's capital, the Check It is a street gang made up of gay and transgender teens who support each other in the face of outside bullying, attacks, and discrimination. The group struggles with an existence underscored by violence, poverty, and prostitution, but when a young mentor comes into their lives, he endeavors to help them find a more productive outlet: through the creative world of fashion. Finally faced with a better option, the Check It members must now attempt to beat the odds by getting off the street and working toward lives of purpose and accomplishment.

See it Saturday, 9 p.m., at Newseum Theater. Buy tickets here.

Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four

This intimate yet wide-ranging film tells the story of the San Antonio Four, a group of Latina Lesbians who were sent to prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing two young girls.The film looks at how racism, homophobia, and class bias -- as opposed to hard evidence --contributed to their conviction, and how "Satanic Panic" alleging witchcraft and child sexual abuse continues to impact innocent victims who are still fighting to have their convictions overturned.

See it Friday, 8:45 p.m., at Landmark E Street Cinema, or Saturday, 12:30 p.m.. at Landmark E Street Cinema. Buy tickets here.