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 November 19, 2008 REVIEW | Dream On: Tom Gustafson's "Were the World Mine"
[An indieWIRE review from Reverse Shot.] The least one could ask of a wish-fulfillment fantasy film is a little buoyancy and breeziness. Yet for all its good-natured intentions, Tom Gustafson's "Were the World Mine," in which a put-upon small-town gay teen converts his hopelessly straight town (including his corn-fed jock crush) to the pink team with the help of a magical, squirting purple pansy, is a mostly leaden affair, suffering as it does from a lack of realization and clarity. A film can't simply be "light as a feather" or contagiously sweet by virtue of its conception, but rather by the fine, clean lines of its craft. And this is no simple matter of budget: oodles of ingenuity have historically been wrung from more impoverished film productions than this one. [ read more in Movies ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Queer Cinema, Reviews ] November 18, 2008 REVIEW | Dull Flame: Shamim Sarif's "I Can't Think Straight"
[An indieWIRE review from Reverse Shot. You would think that a cross-cultural, cross-religious lesbian romance should have enough built-in conflict to sustain an 80-minute feature, but Shamim Sarif's "I Can't Think Straight" slumps and stretches its way from its first uninspired set piece, an engagement party for Jordanian-Christian Tala (Lisa Ray), to its mildly embarrassing closing montage, cut to, natch, Jill Sobule's "I Kissed a Girl" (hello, 1995!). As with her other feature, "The World Unseen" (released to theaters earlier this month), Sarif adapts and directs her own novel here, with Ray and Sheetal Sheth playing the lead roles. For "I Can't Think Straight," she enlists the help of co-writer Kelly Moss, but to no avail: Sarif has crafted a movie with such paper-thin characterizations and so lacking in dramatic incident that it's frankly surprising that she was working from a novel at all -- much less one she wrote herself. [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Queer Cinema, Reviews ] November 14, 2008 REVIEW | Close Encounters: Yair Hochner's "Antarctica"
[An indieWIRE review from Reverse Shot.] One can't accuse director Yair Hochner of not giving his target audiences what we want: in the opening fifteen minutes of the Israeli filmmaker's ensemble dramedy of hook-ups and hang-ups among a small group of gay men in Tel Aviv, he fills the screen with all manner of groping titillation. As one eye-catcher (Ofer Regirer) plows through a succession of one-night-stands, Hochner dissects the screen into boxes, temporally overlapping one another, allowing for a flurry of casual indulgence; there's no music to accompany this man's seemingly endless dalliances, just heavy breathing and the occasional clipped conversation. [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Queer Cinema, Reviews ] November 12, 2008 indieWIRE INTERVIEW | Going Full Frontal: Yair Hochner's "Antarctica"
Director Yair Hochner's "Antarctica" is set in Tel Aviv and centers on an interconnected group of friends and their various relationships. At the crux is the adorably bookish Omer, about to turn 30, who still hasn't found himself, and his free-spirited best friend Miki, who both end up inadvertently dating the same handsome journalist, Ronen. Frozen in place, they and their assorted family members and lovers all seek the same thing--a guiding light to show them that love is still out there. Regent Releasing opens "Antarctica" in Los Angeles Friday, November 14 with other cities to follow. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, Lead Story, Queer Cinema ] November 6, 2008 iW NEWS | "Mulligans," "World Mine" To Bookend Image+Nation
image+nation, Canada's oldest and largest LGBT film festival, will celebrate its 21st edition in Montreal from November 20 to 30, 2008. The festival announced that Chip Hale's "Mulligans" will kick of the festivities at Montreal's Centre Imperial on the 20th, while Chris Mason Johnson's "The New Twenty" will officially close the fest after the jury announces the winners on the 29th. A night later, a special screening of festival favorite "Were The World Mine," directed by Tom Gustafson, will cap things off. Other films include Christina Clausen's "The Universe of Keith Haring," Barbara Leibovitz's "Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens," Steven Sebring's "Patti Smith: Dream of Life," Tanaz Eshaghian's "Be Like Others," Yen Tan's "Ciao," Santiago Otheguy's "La Leon," and Darren Ashton's "Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance." Canadian filmmaker Bruce LaBruce" will offer both the Montreal premiere of Otto; Or, Up With Dead People!," as well as a Master Class. For further information, visit the festival's website. [Peter Knegt]  [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ] November 4, 2008iW NEWS | Wolfe Acquires Titles at AFM
Wolfe Video has announced it has acquired North American rights to several gay titles at this year's American Film Market. Among them are Richard Le May's "Whirlwind" and Chip Hale's "Mulligans." "Whirlwind," a comedic ensemble film about relationships, was showcased at NewFest and Outfest and will be released on DVD on January 27, 2009. "Mulligans," about secrets within a family, won the Audience Award at Q Cinema Texas, and will be released on DVD in Spring 2009. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] October 29, 2008 DISPATCH FROM SF | Timely and Provocative, Van Sant's "Milk" Stirs Californians at the Castro
In a scene reminiscient of numerous moments from Gus Van Sant's new film, "Milk," guests arrived at the Castro Theater last night in San Francisco to the sights and sounds of a boisterous demonstration in front of the landmark venue. "Unfair! And wrong! No on 8!" a sizable crowd continually chanted, pausing occasionally to cheer an arriving celeb. The specter of activism, hope and change hung heavy over the event last night in SF, coming just a week before the U.S. presidential election. The film itself, about iconic activist Harvey Milk, is directly political, depicting the birth of a gay rights movement more than thirty years ago in an around the San Francisco neighborhood that houses the Castro Theater. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, On The Scene, Queer Cinema, Regional ] October 7, 2008 DISPATCH FROM ST. PETERSBURG | Russia's First LGBT Film Festival Fights On Despite Government and Media Resistance
Facing local hostility, overt moves by the government to halt their event, and a persistent shroud of secrecy for gays and lesbians in their country, organizers of Russia's first queer film festival fought to stage their event this weekend even as they were ridiculed in the media. Just back from St. Petersburg, outgoing NewFest artistic director and Sundance fest doc programming associate Basil Tsiokos offers a diary of his experience as a juror at the first Side By Side fest. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, On The Scene, Queer Cinema ] October 2, 2008iW NEWS | "Were The World Mine" Gets Release Date
Tom Gustafson's festival favorite "Were The World Mine has announced its self-distribution plan to theatrically release in 16 cities beginning in November. The US release includes: New York City and San Francisco on November 21, followed by Boston, San Diego, Washington DC, Seattle, Atlanta, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Minneapolis. Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities are still pending. The theatrical release is being booked by New American Vision for domestic theatrical. The film has screened at over 50 festivals thus far, the film has won 14 awards including the Audience Award for Best Film at the 2008 Florida Film Festival. indieWIRE profiled the film earlier this year. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Queer Cinema, Releases ] September 24, 2008 indieWIRE INTERVIEW | "Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell" Director Matt Wolf
Documentary coverage sponsored by SnagFilms. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Documentary, Interviews, Queer Cinema ] September 16, 2008iW NEWS | here! Thinks "Straight"
here! Films, the theatrical distribution and worldwide sales division of here! Networks, has announced that it has acquired North American distribution rights to "I Can't Think Straight," the first feature film from author-turned-director Shamim Sarif. Regent Releasing, here!'s sister company, will distribute "Straight" on November 21st in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto followed by additional regional markets. Regent will additionally distribute Sarif's second feature "The World Unseen." "We are thrilled to bring Shamim's first two accomplished features to broad audiences this Fall and are confident that audiences will enjoy the uniqueness and universality of both of Shamim's films," said Mark Reinhart, West Coast General Manager, EVP Distribution and Acquisitions, Regent, in a statement. The acquisition of "I Can't Think Straight" was negotiated by Regent's VP Acquisitions, Quinn Coleman and Enlightenment Films' Hanan Kattan. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] iW NEWS | Wolfe Acquires "Ready? OK!"
Wolfe Releasing has announced the acquisition of the gay family comedy "Ready? OK!" Wolfe Video will simultaneously release DVD with an expansive VOD campaign. Directed by James Vasquez, the film details a young boy whose only ally is his gay next door neighbor. "This film is one of the few gay comedies out there that cross over to mainstream audiences and we are so proud to be able to work with such a talented ensemble of filmmakers," said Wolfe's president Maria Lynn in a statement. The deal was brokered between Wolfe and New American Vision. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] September 8, 2008iW NEWS UPDATE | Distributors United For "Were The World Mine"
Wolfe Releasing, Logo and PS Classics have partnered in the acquisition of Tom Gustafson's "Were The World Mine." Distribution of the film is to be divided up with Wolfe handling DVD release and all digital rights that are extensions of home entertainment. Logo will have broadcast rights along with Internet and broadband rights for the channel and its networks. "From the beginning, this film has been a labor of love for my partner Cory Krueckeberg and myself," said Gustafson in a statement. "As the market shifted, we realized that not only did we need to provide a quick and complete return to our investors, but we needed to retain more control over the future of the film by dividing up the distribution in this unique way." Written by Gustafson and Cory Krueckeberg, "Mine" has played at dozens of festivals, and won 13 awards. Set against the backdrop of a high school production of "A Mid Summer Night's Dream", "Mine" follows a young man who finds the magic ability to turn people gays. The film's soundtrack will be released by label PS Classics and distributed worldwide by Image Entertainment. The film will also independently distributed theatrically. indieWIRE profiled the film earlier this year. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] September 4, 2008 QUEER CINEMA NOTEBOOK | What We Learned on Our Summer Vacation
[EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a regular series of articles taking a critical look at the state of contemporary queer cinema. In developing this column, indieWIRE turned to New York City based writers Michael Koresky and Chris Wisniewski, inviting them to take a sort of "he said, he said" approach to discussing queer films.] Chris Wisniewski: There was something almost too easy about our first installment of this Queer Cinema Notebook. Frameline, NewFest, and Outfest provided more than a great excuse to get started; they also offered a glut of LGBT-themed content for us to sift through, debate, and, in a few happy cases, champion. But queer cinema's annual moment in the sun is fleeting, and as the summer stretched on, it became clear that our next installment posed a more serious challenge. [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Queer Cinema, Queer Cinema Column ] iW NEWS | Coombes Joins TLAvideo.com, Philadelphia Fest
TLAvideo.com has announced that the creative force behind the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Carol Coombes, will be joining TLAvideo.com as a Managing Editor. Coombes will be working to develop and nurture TLAvideo's lesbian catalogue. Her position begins in early October, 2008. Additionally, Coombes will serve as the Associate Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Film Festival, presented by the Philadelphia Film Society. "I am delighted to be joining TLAvideo.com as Manager Editor of Lesbian content," said Coombes in a statement. "I am looking forward to working with the terrifically dedicated team at TLAvideo.com." [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Biz, Queer Cinema ] September 2, 2008 REVIEW | Setting the Record Straight: Robert Cary's "Save Me"
[An indieWIRE review from Reverse Shot.] Robert Cary's "Save Me" is hardly the incendiary, ripped-from-the-headlines passion play that a short description of it might imply. And indeed its poster, depicting its star, Chad Allen, skull-capped and mouth slightly agape, pointing an inverted cross to his temple, revolver-style, likewise promises a scorching take-down of bullying American fundamentalism. Yet "Save Me" isn't a teeth-bared addition to the culture wars; surprisingly docile and rigorously even-handed in its portrait of a New Mexico Christian sexual "re-education" house for men, Cary and screenwriter Robert Desiderio are not courting controversy as much as curiously surveying a state of mind. Though the film is too hung up on tidy explanations and often seems desperate to create clear and quantifiable motivations for its characters' actions (there's a certain Screenwriting 101 going on here), "Save Me" is appealing in its refusal to demonize any of it characters. [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Queer Cinema, Reviews ] August 27, 2008iW NEWS | here! Takes "Queen"
here! Films has acquired North American distribution rights to Olaf de Fleur's "The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela." The film has won multiple awards on the festival circuit, including the Teddy Award for Best Feature at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival. Sister company Regent Releasing will distribute the film for here! in select cities this Fall starting with New York and Los Angeles on September 26th. "We are thrilled to be working with such an innovative, emerging talent like Olaf de Fleur," said Mark Reinhart, West Coast General Manager and EVP, Distribution and Acquisitions, Regent, in a statement. "'Queen Raquela' is refreshing and inspirational in both content and form and we are excited to bring this festival favorite to a broad U.S. audience this fall." The acquisition was negotiated by Reinhart and Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films and Stefan Schaefer from Cicala Filmworks on behalf of Olaf de Fleur. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] August 18, 2008iW NEWS | BAMcinematek Presents "Best of NewFest"
BAMcinematek, the repertory film program at BAM Rose Cinemas, will present "The Best of NewFest: The 20th Anniversary New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival," this Friday through Sunday, August 22-24. The program will spotlight a selection of the 2008 programming, including are festival award winners "Pageant," directed by Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern (Audience Award For Best Feature), and "The Lost Coast," directed by Gabriel Fleming (Best U.S. Narrative Feature Award). Other films include Lonnie Tristan Renteria's "Ebony Chunky Love," Shamim Sharif's "The World Unseen," Morgan Jon Fox's "OMG/HaHaHa," James Vasquez's "Ready? Ok!," Monalisa McComb's "Being Proud, Black, & LGBT In America," Charles B. Brack's "Dreams Deferred," Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius' "U People," and the short programs "Maneater" and "Girls On Film." Tickets are available at the BAM Rose Cinemas box office or online. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Events, Festivals, New York, Queer Cinema ] August 3, 2008VAR | Outfest Uncovers "54" Uncut - NY Screenings to Follow
"These days, I'm feeling guiltier than usual about one of my all-time guilty pleasures," writes Variety's Peter Debruge, on the trade paper's Thompson on Hollywood blog, "The movie is Mark Christopher's "54," which is back from the dead via a bootleg director's cut that screened below the radar at Outfest a couple weeks back (GOOD NEWS: Landmark will revive it for two more screenings later this month, tentatively midnight on Aug. 15 and 16 in NYC at the Sunshine Cinema)." [permalink] [ filed under Movies, Queer Cinema ] July 22, 2008iW NEWS | Here!/Regent Get "Tru Loved"
Here! Networks has announced a theatrical and worldwide sales deal for Stewart Wade's "Tru Loved," which closed Outfest, the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival tonight (Monday) in Southern California. The story of a teen moved to a conservative SoCal commmunity by her lesbian moms, the film follows the girl's friendship with a closeted high school football player and her founding of a campus gay-straight alliance. "We are honored to bring Stewart Wade's accomplished and transformative second feature to U.S. audiences this fall," said the Regent's Mark Reinhart, in a statement. "'Tru Loved' falls squarely into our company mission by offering us an opportunity to showcase emerging talent while providing entertainment that fosters change and creates understanding around important real-life issues facing LGBTQ youth and their families." The film was produced by BrownBag Productions and stars Najarra Townsend, Alec Mapa, Bruce Vilanch, Nichelle Nichols, Jasmine Guy, Alexandra Paul, Cynda Williams, Jake Abel, Matthew Thompson and Jane Lynch. Here! Films' Regent Releasing will release the movie in theaters this fall. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] July 21, 2008iW NEWS | "Were The World Mine" Leads Outfest Winners
Outfest 2008 announced its 14 annual film competition awards last night at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. 17 "Outie Awards" were handed out upon selection by grand juries, festival audiences and the Programs Committee. Tom Gustafson's "Were The World Mine," which indieWIRE profiled, won the Grand Jury Award for outstanding U.S. dramatic feature, while Lucia Puenzo's "XXY" won for international dramatic feature, Daryl Wein's "Sex Positive" won for documentary feature, and Tye Olson ("Watercolors") and Nicole Bilderback ("The New Twenty") won for acting. "Watercolors" also won the audience award for outstanding first dramatic feature. Other audience awards went to Andrew Fleming's "Hamlet 2" for dramatic feature and Carolyn Coal's "A Place To Live" for documentary feature. The Programs Committee awarded David Assmann and Ayat Najafi's "Football Under Cover" the Outfest Freedom Award, Matt Wolf the artistic achievement award for "Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell," and Dave O'Brien the emerging talent award for directing "Equality U." The awards ceremony was followed by the Los Angeles premiere of "Were The World Wine." [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Honors, Queer Cinema ] July 11, 2008REVIEW | Dear Johns: Jacques Nolot's "Before I Forget"
[An indieWIRE review from Reverse Shot.] The catchwords for "Before I Forget" would seem to be direct, intimate, unsparing; yet, conversely, it also feels cavernous and, in its seeming brutal frankness, slippery and elusive. Either drenched in unyielding shadow or flooded with harsh light, "Before I Forget" follows the sixty-something Pierre (played by writer-director Jacques Nolot), a former hustler, HIV-positive for 24 years, living alone in a spacious Parisian apartment, who's unmoored after the death of his elder benefactor. The premise is simple, intensely character-driven, and the structure linear and compartmentalized -- we see Pierre's daily activities, which involve, in no discernible order, meeting with fellow gay former gigolo friends of the same age, having comparatively impersonal trysts with hustlers of a much younger age, visiting his psychiatrist, and generally putting around his flat -- but the result is enormously complex, a surveying of an entire life just past its midpoint via its practicalities and lost promises. [ read more in Movies ] [ 4 comments ] [ filed under Queer Cinema, Reviews ] July 10, 2008  OUTFEST '08 | Outfest Does Itself
After securely getting the screening underway at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles, Outfest's Stephen Macias (board co-president), interim executive director Kisten Schaffer, director of programming Kim Yutani, and the other co-president of Outfest's board, Angela Courtin. Inside a full house watched the festival's opening night film, "Breakfast with Scot" by Laurie Lynd. Before unspooling though, Schaffer called '08 "The Summer of Love," which some have dubbed this season after the legalization of gay marriage in California. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival iPOPs, Queer Cinema ]  OUTFEST '08 | Knight and "Ready OK!"
The crowd from "Ready? OK!" were joined outside the Orpheum in downtown LA milling around before their red carpet walk ahead of the Outfest opening night screening of "Breakfast with Scot." Hanging out are: "Ready" director James Vasquez, actress Carrie Preston, actor Michael Emerson, "Grey's Anatomy" star TR Knight and his main squeeze, Mark Cornelsen. The mega flashes down the carpet began moments after this. "Ready? Go!" is screening in the fest's U.S. dramatic features. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival iPOPs, Queer Cinema ]  OUTFEST '08 | "Antarctica" in LA
Israeli director Yair Hochner (middle) is in LA for his film, "Antarctica," which a film to the film described to us as "Israel's first queer sex drama..." Hanging outside the theater Wednesday night before going in for the start of 26th Outfest, taking place July 9 - 21, here! Films' Jonathan Aubrey (who was there choreographing everything outside for the opening night film "Breakfast with Scot" which here! recently acquired) and "Antarctica" actor, Yiftach "Iffy" Mizrahi (right). The screening was followed by a party outside with food stations and a big circular bar. And the gays scarffed down all the food. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Festival iPOPs, Queer Cinema ]  iW PROFILE | "Were The World Mine" Director Tom Gustafson
Four Outfests ago, Tom Gustafson's short film "Fairies" was making a stop on its long run on the festival circuit. A 20-minute musical fantasy inspired by William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Fairies" ended up screening at nearly 100 festivals, including Tribeca and pretty much every LGBT festival around. But it was at this particular stop in L.A. that Gustafson realized "Fairies"' potential for expansion. "Many people expressed their interest in seeing more of the story," Gustafson said in an interview with indieWIRE. "[Co-writer and producer] Cory Krueckeberg and I started developing ideas for the feature-length musical on our way home [from Outfest] and by the time we landed in New York City, we had a full outline." Four years later, that outline has been wholly realized as "Were The World Mine." And after many successful festival screenings (and almost as many audience awards), "World"'s journey is coming full circle as OutFest 2008's Awards Night Gala Presentation next week. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Profiles, Queer Cinema ] July 8, 2008 OUTFEST '08 | here! and Regent to Release Fest Opener "Breakfast with Scot"
North American rights to director Laurie Lynd's family comedy "Breakfast with Scot," which will open Outfest 2008: The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, has been acquired by here! Films, the theatrical distribution and worldwide sales division of here! Networks, the company announced Tuesday. Sister company Regent Releasing will open the film in autumn. "Scot" will launch one of Southern California's largest festivals Wednesday evening, July 9, ushering in an event with 212 films from 25 countries in addition to panels, parties, special events for an audience estimated to be upward of 50,000 at eight venues throughout the L.A. area through July 21. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 2 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Lineups, On The Scene, Queer Cinema ] July 7, 2008 QUEER CINEMA NOTEBOOK | Fest Forward: Activism. Identification, Titillation and Entertainment
[EDITORS NOTE: This is the first in a regular series of articles that will take a critical look at the state of contemporary queer cinema. In developing this column, indieWIRE turned to New York City based writers Michael Koresky and Chris Wisniewski, inviting them to take a sort of "he said, he said" approach to discussing queer films.] Michael Koresky: Surveying the landscape of queer cinema has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Where there was once a thriving independent gay-lesbian film scene -- confident enough in itself to exist on film culture's fringes, populated with genuinely outcast movies that didn't have their sights set on wider audiences -- there seems to be an increasing disinterest among viewers in seeking out smaller films simply because of gay content. [ read more in Movies ] [ 3 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Queer Cinema, Queer Cinema Column ] July 3, 2008 DISPATCH FROM SAN FRANCISCO | Frameline Celebrates 32, Bids Lumpkin Adieu
Frameline, the oldest and largest LGBT film festival in the world, wrapped this past weekend after an ambitious 11 day run. The 32nd edition of this Bay Area fest also served as a bittersweet send-off for its director of 25 years, Michael Lumpkin. The man responsible for Frameline's evolution from a three day exhibition of local film into an eleven-day event of international stature ensured that his last opus would be every bit as boisterous and fun-loving as the festival's reputation now demands. More than 230 selections hailed from 36 countries, falling in categories as a disparate as horror, musical, porn, and kids flick. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, On The Scene, Queer Cinema ] July 2, 2008iW NEWS | Frameline Audiences Award "XXY," "Pageant"
The 32nd edition of Frameline, the world's largest and oldest film festival celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender films and filmmakers, finished up Sunday with a screening of Laurie Lynd's "Breakfast With Scot" and an awards ceremony. Winners included Lucia Puenzo's "XXY," which took the Audience Award for Best Feature Film, while Stewart Halpern and Ron Davis's "Pageant' won the Audience Award for Best Documentary. "The Frameline32 audience was by far the most enthusiastic audience for 'Pageant' so far this year and one that we will never forget," said Ron Davis in a statement. "Going on to win the audience award for best documentary was a truly amazing experience for us." Canadian short "No Bikini," directed by Claudia Morgado Escanilla, won the Audience Award for Best Short Film. The closing night also marked the end of a Frameline era as Michael Lumpkin, Frameline's Artistic Director for 25 years, bid the festival farewell. "No one was interested in distributing ['Mala Noche'], until Michael Lumpkin took a chance and brought it to this festival in 1986," remarked director Gus Van Sant during the closing night ceremonies at the Castro Theatre. "Michael was so nice, too. I remember I slept on his floor!" [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Honors, Queer Cinema ] June 16, 2008iW NEWS | Philly Gay Fest To Honor Lynch, Mapa
The 14th Annual Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival has announced that Jane Lynch will be recipient of the 2008 Artistic Achievement Award for Acting and Alec Mapa will receive the 2008 Entertainer of the Year Award. Lynch will be presented with the award June 12th, and Mapa June 18th. The Festival runs from July 10-23, 2008. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Honors, Queer Cinema ] iW NEWS | "Lost Coast" Wins NewFest Narrative Prize; "Queen Racquela" Takes Two
Gabriel Fleming's "The Lost Coast," the story of a group of old friends who reunite on Halloween in San Francisco, won the narrative jury prize as the 20th NewFest, New York's LGBT Film Festival, came to a close on Sunday night in Manhattan. Meanwhile, Olaf De Fleur's "The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela" -- a narrative/doc hybrid about a transsexual Filipina prostitute -- won a pair of awards at NewFest, named the jury's best international feature and also winner of the Showtime Vanguard prize for abreakthrough or visionary achievement. The festival's documentary feature award went to Tanaz Eshaghian's "Be Like Others," about homosexuality in Iran. Audience awards went to Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern's " "Pageant." Short film prizes went to Charlotte Hoogakker's "Odd One Out, Very Normal Really: From Lucas to Luus" (documentary jury prize), Claudia Morgado Escanilla's "No Bikini" (narrative jury prize), and Till Kleinert's "Cowboy" (audience prize). Winners of the festival's first NewDraft script competition and reading series were Rodney Evans' "Day Dream" and Soman Chainani's "Love Marriage." [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ]  NEWFEST '08 | Go See this Damnit! "Were the World Mine"
The crowd from "Were the World Mine" by Tom Gustafson hung out at NewFest's closing night after-party for the film , wrapping the festival's 20th annual edition. And good for them Damnit! "Were the World Mine" received a rapturous response from the audience and it deserved it! iW couldn't help but wonder where the hell this film had been since we just first saw it here (its world premiere was at the Florida Film Festival) and we were surprised it hadn't made its way around to some of the other star-studded festivals that we all know and love -- what the hell is up with that..? Well, anyway, and honestly... one of the best American movies with a gay theme we've run across in ages. Left to right: actress Zelda Williams, dir Tom Gustafson, writer Cory Krueckeberg, and actor Nathaniel David Becker. So, go insist that you see it [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under NYC Parties & Events 2008, Queer Cinema ] June 10, 2008iW NEWS | Here! Films Gets "Cthulhu" and "Antarctica"
Dan Gildark's "Cthulhu" and Yair Hochner's "Antarctica" have been acquired by here! Films, the company announced today. Gildark's "Cthulhu" is an adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft novella that about on a young gay man who discovers secrets about his father's New Age cult, while Hochner's "Antartica" is the first Israeli gay-themed romantic comedy. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] iW NEWS | First Run For "Save Me"
First Run Features announced that it has acquired Robert Cary's "Save Me," which premiered at Sundance in 2007 and was the Opening Night Film at OutFest Los Angeles later that year. "Save Me," about a young gay man and the Christian retreat he is brought into, will have a US theatrical premiere at New York's Clearview Chelsea Cinemas on September 5th with major cities to follow soon thereafter. First Run inked the deal with Garbus Kroupa Entertainment, LLC, Mythgarden and Tetrahedron Productions. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] June 9, 2008 REVIEW | Real Men: Tina Mascara and Guido Santi's "Chris & Don: A Love Story"
[An indieWIRE review from Reverse Shot.] If only someone would make a fictional gay romance that had as much feeling and depth as Tina Mascara and Guido Santi's "Chris & Don: A Love Story." A wistful, at times unbearably intimate study of the life-long love affair that Los Angeles portrait artist Don Bachardy has had with now-deceased British writer Christopher Isherwood, this documentary is wholly suffused with genuine romantic longing, even as it purposefully investigates the complex bonds between the two men -- as lovers, as artists, as mentor/protege, as father/son surrogates -- with psychological clarity. While in description, a documentary focusing on the experiences of one pair of lovers might sound hermetic, "Chris & Don" comes across as remarkably expansive; rarely is love depicted onscreen with this much soul-rattling care. [ read more in Movies ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Queer Cinema, Reviews ] June 5, 2008VV | Newfest Turns 20
For The Village Voice, Ed Gonzalez previews the 20th Newfest, New York City's queer film festival. [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ] May 26, 2008iW NEWS | Inside Out Announces Winners
The 18th Annual Inside Out Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival wrapped up Sunday, touting an impressive 5% boost in attendance over last year as it handed out awards in various categories. Juried awards were given to Tanaz Eshaghian's "Be Like Others," which won the best Canadian feature-length narrative or documentary award, Jim Verburg's "For a Relationship," which won the Colin Campbell Award for best Canadian short, and Barb Taylor won the best up-and-coming Toronto film or videomaker award for "Tomboy." Audience awards went to Tom Gustafson's "Were The World Mine" for best feature film or video, Gwen Haworth's "She's A Boy I Knew" won the Elle Flanders Documentary Award, and Dee Rees' "Pariah" won the Mikey/Schmikey Award for best short. "The 18th edition of Inside Out was a resounding success with increased audiences, overwhelmingly positive reviews and feedback on our programming and directors and guests," stated Scott Ferguson, Executive Director of Inside Out in a statement. "The Festival continues to be a rite of spring for the LGBT community." [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Honors, Queer Cinema ] May 21, 2008 REVIEW | Irreconcilable Differences: Parvez Sharma's "A Jihad for Love"
[An indieWIRE review from Reverse Shot.] Homosexuality isn't a choice, but often, many forget, neither is religion. And this is certainly the case for the world's dense population of devout Muslims, now comprising the second largest religion in the world. Since the dictates of various orthodoxies seem almost by design to painfully rub up against basic biological desires, the demonization of sexuality has been widely reported upon and dramatized, whether directly or indirectly, for as long as there has been sophisticated thought. [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Queer Cinema, Reviews ] May 11, 2008NEWFEST '08 | 20th Anniversary Marked With 250 Films, New Additions
The New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Film Festival (NewFest) announced the program of films and events for its 20th annual edition. The line-up features nearly 250 films, representing over 30 countries, and including 49 New York Premieres, 14 U.S. Premieres and 8 World Premieres. "Each year we try to make NewFest bigger and better than the last one," Basil Tsiokos, Artistic Director of NewFest in a statement. Among the new additions is NewDraft Screenplay Competition & Reading Series, which is discovering and fostering LGBT features screenwriters and their screenplays. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival News, Lead Story, Lineups, Queer Cinema ] May 6, 2008iW NEWS | "Tru Loved" and "World" to Bookend 20th NewFest
Stewart Wade's romantic comedy "Tru Loved" will open the 20th NewFest: The New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Film Festival, taking place June 5 - 15. Closing the event is Tom Gustafson's "Were the World Mine." "Especially in a milestone year such as this, we want to bring NYC an even better LGBT film festival than the year before," commented NewFest artistic director Basil Tsiokos in a statement. "Along with an extremely strong lineup of films and panels, we're offering a few brand new special additions to our programming. This year introduces the John Outcalt NewFest Lounge where audiences and filmmakers alike can relax between screenings." The NewFest Lounge will be located at the HK Lounge on Ninth Avenue at 39th Street in Manhattan. [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ] iW NEWS | "Heaven," "Chris & Don" Top Miami Gay & Lesbian Winners
The 10th Annual Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival closed for business, announcing a series of juried and audience awards presented at the Gala Closing night party at the Miami Art Space. Fatih Akin's "The Edge of Heaven" won the jury's fiction feature award, while Guido Santi and Tina Mascara's "Chris & Don: A Love Story" won the juried documentary award. Audience awards were handed out to Shamim Sarifis's "The World Unseen" for favorite feature, Scott Bloom's "Call Me Troy" for documentary, and Jesse Peretz's "Who I Am" for short. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Honors, Queer Cinema ] May 1, 2008 DISPATCH FROM MIAMI | Miami Gay Fest Tosses on the Go-Go Boots and Throws a Bash
It's hard to believe that it's only the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival's 10th anniversary. In only a decade, it has established itself as the first major stop on the annual U.S. gay and lesbian festival circuit. Filmmakers, sponsors and audiences alike have jumped at the invitation to spend time amongst Miami's famed art deco facades, shirtless rollerbladers, and endless parade of girls pulling at their short skirts and falling over their heels. It's a distinctly Miami affair. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, Queer Cinema ] April 27, 2008iW NEWS | "La Leon" Tops Torino GLBT Fest's Awards
The Torino GLBT Film Festival wrapped up its 23rd year Sunday with the jury announcing the festival's winners. Argentinean film "La Leon," directed by Santiago Otheguy, won best feature film. Special jury prizes for feature filmmaking also went to Julia von Heinz's "Was Am Ende Zaehit" and Christophe Honore's "Les Chansons d'Amour." The best short film prize went to Brazillian Esmir Filho's "Alguma Coisa Assim," while the best documentary winner was Parvez Sharma's "A Jihad For Love." Tom Gustafson's "Were The World Wine" won the feature film audience award and"Darling! The Pieter-Dirk Uys Story," directed by Julian Shaw, won the documentary audience award. The festival screened more than 270 films over 9 days and saw a 15% increase in attendance over 2007. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ] March 27, 2008iW NEWS | Verzaubert Fest Set for German Tour
The Verzaubert International Queer Film Festival, the largest queer film festival in Germany -- touring Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and Berlin -- will kick-off on April 2nd with Tom Kalin's "Savage Grace." The fest's closing night film is Christophe Honore's "Love Songs" (Les Chansons D'Amour) and the director's spotlight selection is Lee Friedlander's "Out At The Wedding." The festival continues through April 23rd in Germany. For more information, please visit the festival website. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ] March 26, 2008 indieWIRE INTERVIEW | "A Four Letter Word" Director Casper Andreas
Director Casper Andreas' second feature film, "A Four Letter Word," stars Jesse Archer (who co-wrote the film with Andreas) as Luke, a gay man whose promiscuous ways are challenged when he falls for Luke (Charlie David). The film is Andreas' follow-up to 2004's "Slutty Summer," won best feature film at the Fort Worth Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and a special jury prize for best screenplay at Outfest. indieWIRE talked to Andreas about the film, which is being self-released by the director on March 28 in New York City and April 11 in Los Angeles. [ read more in People ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, Lead Story, Queer Cinema ] March 24, 2008iW NEWS | Miami Gay & Lesbian Fest Celebrates 10
The 10th Annual Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival unveiled their lineup of gay, lesbian and transgender films to be featured in the 10 day event from April 25-May 4, 2008. In addition, the Miami fest will launch a supplementary Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Film Festival running May 1-4, 2009. "This year's festival, on the occasion of our 10th anniversary includes 95 films from 22 different countries, with screenings held across ten days at five different venues throughout Miami, South Beach, and Fort Lauderdale with over 100 filmmakers already confirmed to attend," said Festival Director Carol Coombes in a statement. "I am truly grateful to all the filmmakers and distributors who have worked with me to enable us to present a truly fabulous line-up for 2008." The Miami fest will open with Laurie Lynd's "Breakfast with Scot and close with Thomas Gustafson's "Were the World Mine," while the Fort Lauderdale event will bookend with two documentaries, Johnny Symon's "Ask Not" and Scott Bloom's "Call Me Troy." Producer Christine Vachon will be honored with the MGLFF Career Achievement Award, and her latest work, Tom Kalin's "Savage Grace" will have its Florida premiere as part of the festival. For a full schedule, including panels and special events, check out the festival's website. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ] February 12, 2008iW NEWS | here! Acquires "Trevor"
here! Films, the theatrical distribution and worldwide sales division of here! Networks, has announced that it has acquired the United States and Canadian distribution rights to the film "Holding Trevor" from Stray Films LLC. The film, the directorial debut of Rosser Goodman, has so far has played at the gay film festivals Outfest 2007, Frameline 2007, and the 2007 Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. It will be released theatrically in May 2008. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] January 30, 2008 REVIEW | Caught in the Middle: Andre Techine's "The Witnesses"
[An indieWIRE review from Reverse Shot.] Once again, with his new film "The Witnesses," great French filmmaker Andre Techine surveys the intersections of sexuality and politics, while offering up a compelling study in human strength and weakness. Instructive without ever falling into cheap bromides, dramatic without ever veering into overzealous melodrama, "The Witnesses" is a penetrating, even essential narrative. Techine is fascinated by the ways in which lives interact, personalities cross-pollinate, wounds are compounded, exacerbated, or even healed, yet never in that increasingly mundane American style of overlapping stories that prize fate or coincidence; he paints specifically, creating not vague character sketches but full lives, however defined by enigma or contradiction. Here, as in his superlative (and admittedly more vivid) "Wild Reeds," Techine introduces complicated people who may evolve throughout the course of the narrative but who are also unavoidably wedded to their specific time and place in history. [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Queer Cinema, Reviews, World Cinema ] SF Chronicle: Picturing Harvey Milk
"Milk," which stars Sean Penn as the groundbreaking gay politician, won't be in theaters until some time next year. But the making of the film on the streets of San Francisco excavates a potent piece of the city's history. Steven Winn reports. [permalink] [ filed under Production, Queer Cinema ] January 24, 2008 PARK CITY '08 DISPATCH | Queer Cinema Then and Now at Sundance '08
A rather staggering forty-four films with either GLBT themes or a GLBT director are screening at this year's Sundance Film Festival, including new works from directors Tom Kalin ("Savage Grace"), Isaac Julien's "Derek"), Bruce LaBruce ("Otto; Or Up With Dead People"), producer Christine Vachon, as well as a screening of Gregg Araki's remastered "The Living End." The films inspired a reunion of sorts at this year's festival, anchored on Saturday night with a dinner celebrating the group of queer films. In remarks during dinner B. Ruby Rich, who coined the term "New Queer Cinema" at a Sundance panel in 1992, emotionally proclaimed the room as "filled with history." [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, Park City, Queer Cinema ] January 21, 2008iW NEWS | GLAAD Announces Media Award Nominees
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced the nominees and honorees for its 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at a press conference held at Queer Lounge in Park City, Utah. The three nominees for best film in wide release were "Across The Universe," "The Jane Austen Book Club" and "Stardust," while nominees for best film in limited release were "The Bubble," "Dirty Laundry," "Itty Bitty Titty Committee," "Nina's Heavenly Delights" and "Whole New Thing." The documentary nominees were "Camp Out," "Cruel and Unusual: Transgender Women in Prison," "For The Bible Tells Me So," "Freddie Mercury: Magic Remixed" and "Small Town Gay Bar." "This year's extraordinary nominees exemplify the important strides we have made as a community toward creating a truly inclusive society," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano in a statement. The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 17, 2008 at the Marriott Marquis; in South Florida at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on April 12; in Los Angeles on April 26 at the Kodak Theatre; and in San Francisco on May 10 at the San Francisco Marriott. For a complete list of nominees, please go to GLAAD's wesbite. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Honors, Queer Cinema ] January 20, 2008 PARK CITY '08 | Araki, La Bruce, Kalin and Julien
At a dinner Saturday night hosted by Frameline, IFC Films, and Strand Releasing, filmmakers Gregg Araki ("The Living End"), Bruce La Bruce ("Otto or Up With Dead People", Tom Kalin ("Savage Grace") and Isaac Julien ("Derek") pose for iPOP. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Park City, Queer Cinema, Sundance Film Festival ] January 18, 2008iW NEWS | Diego Luna Joins "Milk"
Mexican actor Diego Luna has joined the cast of Gus Van Sant's Harvey Milk biopic, "Milk." The Focus Features projects previously announced cast members Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch and Victor Garber. Luna last appeared as a Michael Jackson impersonator in Harmony Korine's "Mister Lonely." [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Biz, Queer Cinema ] iW NEWS | "The Living End: Remixed and Remastered" at Sundance and Berlin
Strand Releasing and Fortissimo Films will team to present Greg Araki's "The Living End: Remixed and Remastered" at both the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival. The two companies are collaborating to restore and present Araki's 1992 film, which will be presented tonight as part of Sundance's Collection Series and then again on February 8th in Berlin. Araki will present the film at both festivals. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Events, Queer Cinema ] November 15, 2007iW NEWS | image+nation Celebrates 20
Canada's oldest and largest LBGT film festival, image+nation, kicks off its twentieth anniversary tonight in Montreal. Among the highlights are screenings of Eytan Fox's "The Bubble," Duncan Roy's "The Picture of Dorian Gray," Martin Weisz's "Butterfly: A Grimm Love Story," "Alan Cumming's "Suffering Man's Charity", Laurie Lynd's "Breakfast With Scot," Teddy Award winner "Spider Lillies" and Leesong Hee-il's "No Regret," the first South Korean feature by an openly queer director. The festival will be supplemented by an international workshop focusing on "the past, present and future of LGBT culture and film," with speakers including John Greyson, Patricia White, B. Ruby Rich, Barbara Hammer, Wieland Speck and Frameline's Michael Lumpkin. The festival runs until Sunday, November 25. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ] November 1, 2007 indieWIRE INTERVIEW | "Fat Girls" Director Ash Christian
Actor/director Ash Christian's "Fat Girls" center on Rodney (Christian) and his Rubenesque friend Sabrina (Ashley Fink) are valiantly suffering through the indignity known as high school. Both are outcasts; he's gay and she's overweight. Trapped in a small Texas town and having come to accept his "fat girl" within, Rodney is an aspiring Broadway star who musters up the energy to confront his fears and take life -- and the hot new student from England -- by the horns. "Fat Girls" won best feature at the North Carolina, Birmingham and Indianapolis gay fests as well as the "Coup de Coeur" at the Image + Nation Montreal gay fest. Regent Releasing opens the film in limited release Friday, November 2. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, Queer Cinema ] October 2, 2007 iW REVIEW | Gays and the Good Book: Daniel Karslake's "For the Bible Tells Me So"
EDITORS NOTE: This review was originally published during the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Smorgasbord moviemaking means director and co-writer Daniel Karslake can tell the stories of five conservative families grappling with gay children in his sprawling social message film "For the Bible Tells Me So." The fact that the religious right uses a literal, and arguably incorrect, interpretation of the Bible is nothing new and Karslake (working with screenwriter Nancy Kennedy) offers no additional insights into the culture war between evangelicals and the gay community. [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Documentary, Lead Story, Queer Cinema, Reviews ] September 20, 2007 REVIEW | Morning Glory: Zabou Breitman's "The Man of My Life"
[An indieWIRE review from Reverse Shot.] Ebbing and flowing on the buzz of one all-night conversation, French director Zabou Breitman's "The Man of My Life" sketches the blossoming relationship between two fortysomething men: the happily married Frederic and his unattached, gay neighbor Hugo. And though occasionally its strength is sapped by heavy-handed symbolic gestures, "The Man of My Life" is a surprisingly unsentimental take on somewhat dubious character types. Just when it seems like Breitman's made another case study in how much the free-spirited homo can teach the sheltered hetero, the director actually manages to free her two main men from the burden of most cliches. [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Queer Cinema, Reviews, World Cinema ] September 4, 2007 REVIEW | Return of the Repressed: William Friedkin's "Cruising"
[An indieWIRE Review from Reverse Shot.] There are untold artistic benefits to living in a culture of critical reassessment--otherwise, what would current generations think of "Vertigo?" But if the glut of superfluous "special edition" DVD packages over the past ten years is any indicator, then there are also some sorry side effects. Falling somewhere between the enshrined camp package ("Mommie Dearest"'s Hollywood Royalty Edition, complete with John Waters commentary track!) and the sober-minded resurrection of the long unavailable and disenfranchised as crucial artifact (the recent "Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky" box set, featuring "El Topo") will surely be Warner Home Video's imminent deluxe edition of William Friedkin's 1980 film maudit, "Cruising." [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Queer Cinema, Reviews ] September 3, 2007 REVIEW | Love Among the Ruins: Eytan Fox's "The Bubble"
[An indieWIRE Review from Reverse Shot.] Of course, it would follow that an Israeli filmmaker would center his films mostly around dichotomies, doubles, and impasses. Popular gay filmmaker Eytan Fox, whose previous two films, "Yossi and Jagger" and "Walk on Water," enjoyed healthy limited-run success in the U.S., returns with "The Bubble," and again proves that his strengths lie in establishing tender, fraught human relationships within volatile settings. Fox has a sharp ear and an open heart, and his characters' interactions are never less than believable, their struggles plainspoken and heartrending. Yet in shuttling these fragile souls through stock tragic frameworks, he sometimes undermines them, both personally and politically; though "The Bubble" makes for a mostly impassioned liberal plea, Fox's need to spin its central gay romance into a star-crossed present-day "West Bank Story" leads him to fall into some unnecessary stereotyping. Which is unfortunate since there's so much loveliness in "The Bubble." [ read more in Movies ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Queer Cinema, Reviews ] July 26, 2007iW NEWS | "Titty" and "Sickness" Among Top Philadelphia Gay Fest Winners
The 13th Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival cloed Tuesday with Jamie Babbit's "Itty Bitty Titty Committee" winning best feature and "In Sickness and in Health" taking best documentary. In other prizes, best male short went to "The Saddest Boy in the World," while the prize in the female category went to "Peace Talk." Eytan Fox's "The Bubble" won best feature in the audience category, while "Life of Reilly" by Frank L. Anderson and Barry Poltermann took best doc. The festival, which took place July 12 - 24 closed with C. Jay Cox's "Kiss The Bride." [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, |