Outfest Focuses on Diversity with 3rd Fusion Fest

Margaret Cho in a scene from Lorene Machado's "Bam Bam and Celeste" (written by Cho), which will close Outfest's 3rd Fusion: The Los Angeles LGBT People of Color Film Festival.

Outfest is spotlighting diversity again this year with its third edition of Fusion: The Los Angeles LGBT People of Color Film Festival. Fusion, which bills itself as "the only multicultural, gender-inclusive film festival of its kind," will run November 11-13 in Los Angeles.

Seven short films will screen on opening night, including "Two Cars, One Night," directed by Taika Waititi, about a friendship that develops between three children waiting in a pub parking lot for their parents. In "David," directed by Roberto Fiesco, a mute boy skips school and encounters an unemployed man who tries to befriend him.

A number of full-length documentaries and narrative films will be presented at the festival. In "Is It Really So Strange?" William E. Jones explores the popularity of British singer-songwriter Morrissey among straight and gay Latinos in Southern California. Director Daniel Peddle's "The Aggressives" takes a look at lesbians who don't aspire to be men nor identify as drag kings and their participation in underground lesbian drag balls.

The closing night film is Toronto International Film Festival '05 comedy "Bam Bam and Celeste," written by Margaret Cho and directed by Lorene Machado. Cho stars as 30-something Celeste, who, along with best friend Bam Bam (Bruce Daniels), flees her Midwestern hometown for New York City. Once there, however, they encounter their high-school nemesis (Elaine Hendrix).

In addition to films and videos, the festival will be hosting workshops and panels as well as a three-hour multimedia event with live performances Saturday night.

[For a full schedule of events, visit Fusion's website]