iW 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 ]

iW 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 ]

iW 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 ]

iW 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 ]

iW 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 ]

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 ]

iW 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 ]

iW 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 ]

iW 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 ]

iW 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, Queer Cinema ]

iW NEWS | Short Slate Set for 2nd Faigele Film Fest

A joint effort between the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan and NewFest will mark the return of the Faigele Film Festival, New York's second annual Jewish LGBTQ film event. Set for screenings at the Upper West Side Jewish Community Center on July 30 and 31, screenings will include Barbara Hammer's "Lover Other," Dan Wolman's "Tied Hands," Xeth Feinberg's "Queer Duck: The Movie," and Craig Chester's "Adam & Steve." For more information, visit the JCC website. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ]

iW NEWS | Here! Gets "Fat Girls"

Here! Films has acquired North American rights to Ash Christian's "Fat Girls," which debuted the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. The film is described (in an announcement) as a coming-of-age comedy about "the trials and tribulations of Rodney Miller (Christian), a gay theater-obsessed high school senior who has his heart set on becoming a Broadway star. With his overweight best friend and fellow social outcast Sabrina (Ashley Fink) by his side, the pair tries to find dates for their high school graduation dance sending them on a journey of self-discovery." It will be released theatrically by Here's sister company, Regent Releasing. Here! EVP Mark Reinhart negotiated the deal with Ronna Wallace representing the film. "We are thrilled to help bring Mr. Christian's debut project to theaters across the country," said Reinhart in a statement. "Fat Girls explores the angst and social isolation so many teenagers face as they struggle to fit in during the tough high school years. We hope audiences will fall in love with these characters." [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ]

LAT: Outfest to lead a Bible study

"The struggles of queer Christians are uniquely dramatic and a large part of the drama stems from the fact that queer Christians are people that often find themselves ostracized from both their religious communities and the gay community at large," Outfest co-director of programming David Courier tell the LA Times, in a profile about the festival's five-film Queers in Christ, sidebar. Films in the section include Todd Holland's "The Believers," Daniel Karslake's festival centerpiece "For The Bible Tells Me So," David Lewis' "Rock Haven," Robert Cary's opening night film "Save Me," and Robert Nunez' "We're All Angels." The festival opened on Thursday and continues through July 23rd.  
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ]

Philadelphia Gay Fest to Fete Barbara Gittings

The Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival will fete LGBT equal rights advocate Barbara Gittings on July 14th, organizers announced. The event marks the announcement of a new award which the Philadelphia Film Society will present annually to a recipient in the entertainment industry who "stands for the gay/lesbian principles to which Gittings dedicated her life." In conjunction with the award, The Philadelphia Film Society will present a check for $1000 to the Barbara Gittings' Collection at the Free Library of Philadelphia, Independence Branch. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ]

SF360: "Glue" and "Red Without Blue" Among Top Frameline Winners

Frameline31, the 31st San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, closed Sunday, June 24, with a gala screening of Jamie Babbit's "Itty Bitty Titty Committee," produced by 2007 Frameline Award Winner Andrea Sperling. At Sunday night's Closing Night Party, Frameline31 organizers announced the Audience Award for Best Feature was given to Chris Kraus' "Four Minutes," a German drama that follows the volatile relationship between a convicted killer and the older piano teacher who takes her on as a pupil. Vince DiPersio's "Semper Fi: One Marine's Journey" took home the Audience Award for Best Documentary. Frameline Completion Fund winner "Pariah" (Dir. Dee Rees) took home the Audience Award for Best Short Film. The juried Frameline First Feature Award recognized "Glue," Argentine director Alexis Dos Santos' ode to budding adolescent sexuality. The Michael J. Berg Documentary Award, a $10,000 juried award recognizing the best documentary feature having its Bay Area premiere at the festival, was given to "Red Without Blue," Brooke Sebold, Benita Sills and Todd Sills' moving portrait of Mark and Clair, identical twins whose relationship must adapt when one of them transitions from male to female. SF360 reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ]

SFC: Frameline31

As Frameline31 irrefutably proves, it's a gay world after all, not to mention lesbian, bisexual and transgender. From a documentary about a twin boy who wants to be a girl to a film about a lesbian couple whose relationship is turned upside down by a teenage stowaway, to African American men living proudly on the down low, the LGBT film festival offers enough variety to spin heads, not to mention attitudes. David Wiegand reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ]

iW NEWS | "A Four Letter Word" to Open 13th Philadelphia Gay Fest; Close with "Kiss the Bride"

Comedies "A Four Letter Word" by Casper Andreas and C. Jay Cox's "Kiss The Bride" will bookend the upcoming 13th Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, the Philadelphia Film Society, which organizes the event, has announced. Also joining this year's line up are 200 films from 28 countries in addition to guests Farley Granger, RuPaul, Charlie David, Craig Lucas, Tori Spelling and Lady Bunny. For more information, visit the festival's website. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ]

iW NEWS | 19th NewFest Stays Young With "Dorian Gray" Opener; "Save Me" To Close

NewFest: The 19th Annual New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival will kick off this year's event with Duncan Roy 's latest version of the classic Oscar Wilde novel, the "Picture of Dorian Gray," starring "7th Heaven"'s David Gallagher. Closing the fest will be the New York City premiere of Robert Cary 's drama "Save Me," which stars Chad Allen, Robert Gant and Judith Light. In a prepared statement, NewFest Artistic Director Basil Tsiokos remarked on the pleasures of bringing the festival's films to New York audiences for the first time, adding "as we approach the second decade of the festival, I am thrilled to present one of our best line-ups to date." Centerpiece films of the event will include Jamie Babbit 's "Itty Bitty Titty Committee" which stars Melonie Diaz, Nicole Vicius, Carly Pope, Daniela Sea, Melanie Mayron, and Leslie Grossman and Caspar Andreas ' "A Four Letter Word." NewFest will take place from May 31 - June 10 and will be hosted at the AMC Loews 34th Street Theater. The full program, schedule, and ticketing information will be available soon on the NewFest website. [Mark Rabinowitz] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Queer Cinema ]