OUTscene: "Undertow" wins Big at the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival!

SEATTLE - October 25, 2010 - The Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (SLGFF) ended its 15th run October 24 with the announcement of its Jury and Audience Awards. Produced by Three Dollar Bill Cinema, and known for offering the best in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema, this year’s festival presented 73 programs that included 150 features, documentaries, local films and shorts.

“The festival was extremely successful in showcasing outstanding LGBT cinema,” said Jason Plourde, Programming Director for SLGFF. “Audience members have been raving about the amazing films they’ve seen and appreciate the diverse stories and issues these films presented.”

Jury Awards
BEST FEATURE FILM: UNDERTOW
Directed by Javier Fuentes-León
Outstanding direction, script, cinematography, music and superbly natural acting tell the beautiful, other-worldly tale of a traditional man torn between his love, his personal honor and the respect of his community.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM: BEYOND GAY: THE POLITICS OF PRIDE
Directed by Bob Christie
As a documentary film, BEYOND GAY: THE POLITICS OF PRIDE informs and enlightens our common understanding of the ubiquitous pride parade by calling attention to its importance as a political act.

DOCUMENTARY FILM HONOURABLE MENTION: FLORENT: QUEEN OF THE MEAT MARKET
Directed by David Sigal
FLORENT: QUEEN OF THE MEAT MARKET celebrates queer community space, transgressive art, cutting edge performance and French food in a wildly entertaining film. Florent Morellet shows us that a celebration of life can be a queer transformative act that can change the world around us.

BEST SHORT FILM: SAMARITAN
Directed by Magnus Mork
An unexpected and heartwarming story about a power dynamic not examined in our community about the politics of deportation. Effective and emotional cinematography, writing and acting.

SHORT FILM HONOURABLE MENTION: PUT THIS ON THE MAP
Directed by Sid Peterson and Megan Kennedy
The most diverse and all-inclusive short film of the festival. Well-crafted art direction and editing. Galvanizing. Given the current media attention youth in our community are getting, this film must be seen nationwide.

MOST INNOVATIVE SHORT: NEVER TOO LATE
Directed by Wendy Weinberg
A timely film about gay marriage with excellent editing and art direction. Very funny and clever.

MOST INNOVATIVE SHORT HONOURABLE MENTION: CURIOUS THING
Directed by Allen Hain
A uniquely refreshing documentary-style film with exceptional storytelling and a multi-dimensional narrative.

Audience Awards
Favorite Narrative Feature: UNDERTOW, directed by Javier Fuentes-León
Favorite Documentary: BEYOND GAY: THE POLITICS OF PRIDE, directed by Bob Christie
Favorite Gay Short Film: AJUMMA! ARE YOU KRAZY???, directed by Brent Anbe
Favorite Lesbian Short Film: AFTER LUNCH, directed by Rodrigo Diaz Diaz
Favorite Local Film: PUT THIS ON THE MAP, directed by Sid Peterson and Megan Kennedy

Seattle Lesbian and Gay Online Film Festival Award Presented by Esurance and Produced by IndieFlix:
LOOP PLANES, directed by Robin Wilby
“We congratulate all the Jury and Audience Award winners and thank every filmmaker who was a part of the 15th Annual Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival,” Plourd concluded.

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About the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
The Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival has been a part of the greater Seattle queer community and beyond since 1996 and has become the largest festival of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. The festival has garnered national recognition for showcasing extraordinary and award-winning work and features the latest and greatest in LGBT film, from major motion picture premieres to emerging talent. SLGFF is also an important venue for the local Seattle film scene and inspires members of our community to express creativity through film and video.

This year, The Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival boasted a number of Northwest premiers and features work by a bevy of local filmmakers and artists. The 15th annual festival ran October 15-24.

About Three Dollar Bill Cinema
Three Dollar Bill Cinema provides access to films by, for and about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their families, creating a forum for LGBT filmmakers to share and discuss their work with audiences. By producing the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, Translations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival, curating themed screenings and presenting other programs in partnership with local arts, cultural and service delivery organizations, Three Dollar Bill Cinema enriches, strengthens and connects diverse communities in the greater Seattle area.

OUTscene: (SLGFF) MK's Exclusive interview with Javier Fuentes-Leon (Undertow)!

By MK Scott
OUTscene Editor

On the Final day of the Film Festival, I was able to sit down and chat with Javier Fuentes-Leon for this exclusive interview with the Director of the film that was the winner for Best Jury Film and Best Audience Film. I asked Javier his journey to the actors and to why the film was branded as a Broekback Mountian at sea, but that certainly wasn't the case:

OUTscene: (SLGFF WRAP UP) This Year's Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival brings out the Good, the Bad and the Awful!

By MK Scott
OUTscene Special

The Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival closed Sunday Night, after 10 days and over 150 Films, I had a chance to see 34 films (14 features and 20 shorts). The following are the Best and worst:

Good:

The String (France)
Sexy Arabs with lots of nudity and graphic sex with a Telenovela style!

Undertow (Peru)
Starts off with a married man obsessed with his unborn child and his secret lover, but as he is fearful of being discovered his lover drowns and he continues the relationship openly with his spirit. That is until his body is discovered in the undertow!

Bear City (USA)
Coming out as Gay is hard, but it is also hard to come out as a Bear chaser? The young Hottie (Joe Conti) moves in with 2 bears (If you count Stephen Guarino a bear) and meets muscle daddy bear, and hopes his inner bear is enough for him. What will the Hottie's Flaming BFF do when he finds out? If you are not used to bears, you may be offended, but those who LOVE them will laugh! (Check My interview with Stephen and Joe)

Making The Boys (USA)
I had never seen 'Boys in the Band" until I saw scenes that were included in the 'Celliloid Closet", later when I did see it I loved it, it was queer cinema at it's best. I googled all the actors that were in it, so I knew what happened, but seeing and reliving the stories brought the film back full circle.

Florent (USA)
I first heard about Florent Morellet in 2006 when he was the grand Marshall of the NY Pride Parade. I knew he owned a very gay restaurant in the Meat district and was heavily into activism. In the documentary, he was more he was an icon, pioneer, leader of the NY Gay community, just when they needed it the most. (Check out Adrian Interview with Florent!)

Adults in the Room (USA)
Andy is 30 and wants to direct a film based on events as a teen in suburban Ohio. While coming through the process, he has decisions about if he want to tell this story his relationship with 30 yr old, when he was only 16. Part Documentary and Part Narrative brought back memoriess of  living in Portland meeting up with older guys as a teen. A major plus of the film, plus how the Sam Adams Sex scandal came into focus just when Andy was experiencing this Dilemma. Many people I knew in Portland made cameos. SUPERB!

Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister (UK)
Closing Night films typically attract a Lesbian Audience, but this film really stood out. Produced by the BBC, it sounded like a Lesbian version of Oscar Wilde. Set in the 1820's before any gay laws (Mostly for men) the women got to live openly with other women and it was Shocking acceptable. Even Anne Lister's family was in support of her desire to have a female companion over marrying a man. So she marries a woman in Private, but is it really for Love? Funny and Heart warming!

(Shorts) Gaysharktank.com, Gay=Son, Inflatable Swamp, Gayby, Lusty Gypsies, Loop Planes, Door Prize, and One Square Mile.

Fair:

Violet Tendencies
Loved the film, but not as much as 'Four-letter word", which Tendencies was spun off of. I Love Mindy Cohn, but not as much as I love Jesse Archer as Luke. Really wanted to see more scenes from him. When I Sat down and spoke to Jesse and Casper Andreas (back in June), I made it known that with the success of "Four-Letter word" Jesse is the true star, and we need to see more of him and his trademark character. .

Arias with a Twist
This film not all about Legendary Cabaret performer, Joey Arias but is equally about Puppeteer, Basil Twist (Who is cute and Talented)  but I would have loved to see and hear more about Joey. I met him earlier that day for an interview and thought he was very approachable, after seeing the film. I was honored to have met him.

I love you Phillip Morris
Sons of Tennessee Williams
The Seminarian
Marine's story
REVIEW coming Later

(Shorts) Queer Pet Adventures, Pretty Parts, Shave, Checkpoint, Professor Gordy

Bad:
(Shorts) Levatar, Marionettes, Genderbusters, Kaden,  Swing, Jesse James, Embrace

Awful:

LA Zombie
I wasn't expecting much from a film at mid-night, but COME ON! No dialogue of One, I mean two, or isn't it one zombie finds dead bodies and instead of eating brains, "IT" would puts "it" in the wound of the corpse and F***K the S**T out of it. The Zombie is normal again and corpse is now living, "What happen did he die and was reborn gay? The Zombie moves on the next corpse to save. I spoke with one famed director of Zombie films and even he was disappointed!  Soft core-Porn plus Gore equals GROSS!

Those I regret missing:
Baby Jane, Plan B, Rufus Wainwright, Bailly Coy, Open, Politics of Pride, Eyes wide open, Is it just me?, Sasha, Stranger in us, People I have slept with, and Children of God

OUTscene: (SLGFF) Adrian Ryan French Kisses Florent!

FLORENT MORELLET made an appearance at the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival this past Monday for a screening of the Documentary, Florent: Queen of the Meat Market. Florent is the the subject of the film. Adrian and MK sat in the same row with Florent at the screening and the film is a fitting tribute to a passionate man who became a legend in the NY Arts and Gay scene, just when they needed him the most. Later, Adrian Ryan caught up to Florent at The Lobby Bar in Seattle for the after-party. The mood was cozy and oh, so French!

OURview (at SLGFF): Bullied ( the film) leads to actual LIVE Testimonials!

By MK Scott
OURview Moderator/Producer

Last Night the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival hosted a free screening of "Bullied" . a docu-short that retold the story in re-enactments of  Jamie Nabozny. A young man that was Bullied all through school  in Ashland, WI (the Mid-90's)  and successfully filed a lawsuit and won against the Ashland School District. (About $900,000). After the screening.  the NW Network brought 3 survivors of Bullying, These are their stories:

OUTscene: (SLGFF) Adrian Ryan's Wild chat with Cabaret Legend, Joey Arias!

Do know who Joey Arias is? If you know NY, Performance art, David Bowie then you know who he is. The name sounded familiar and was eager to meet this Cabaret Legend.

Joey Arias is a New York City based performance artist, cabaret singer, and drag artist.

Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, he was six when he moved with his family to Los Angeles. After singing with the rock band "Purlie" on Capitol Records and a stint with famed improvisational group the Groundlings, he moved to New York City as a teenager and eventually got a job at the Fiorucci designer clothing store. He and other store staff were known to first ever perform live (dance & model clothes) in the shop window's. While working at the store he became friends with alternative icon Klaus Nomi, singing backup to David Bowie and designing sets and costumes. While in New York he also performed with a band called Strange Party which recorded and performed in various night clubs.

Arias, who is openly gay,gradually became involved in the burgeoning 1980s New York performance art scene, appearing regularly at Club 57 and other downtown venues. During these years he also began crafting a successful career in cabaret, based on his talent for channeling the vocal style and mannerisms of the legendary Billie Holiday. He has since recorded several albums and pursued an international nightclub career.

Upon the death of his dear friend and artistic collaborator, Joey became executor to the Klaus Nomi (Sperber) estate. A tribute to his friend is held in Berlin every year. A film on the life he shared with Klaus is currently in the works.

Arias is also notable for his portrayal of Joan Crawford in New York productions of Christmas with the Crawfords, an original holiday spoof of Christina Crawford's book Mommie Dearest. The San Francisco based production premiered Off-Broadway at the Grove Street Playhouse in 2000 starring Arias as Joan. Arias also starred in a 2001 revival of the play at the Chelsea Playhouse.

Joey is (One) of the subjects of the Documentary, "Arias with a Twist" (The other is Puppeter, Basil Twist) that played this past Saturday at SLGFF. I sent OUTscene Special, Adrian Ryan to chat, but got a wild conversation on tape! Enjoy!

OUTscene: MK chats with Bear City's Stephen Guarino and Joe Conti!

By MK Scott
OUTscene Editor

Just a little over a week from welcoming Julie Goldman to Seattle, I caught up with "Big Gay Sketch Show" co-star, Stephen Guarino appearing at the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival in his new film, Bear City. Also on hand was Stephen's adorable 'Bear City' co-star, Joe Conti. I spoke to both at the Opening Night after-party.

OUTscene: Chubby-chasers, Nostalgia, and Arias highlight SLGFF Opening Weekend!

By MK Scott
OUTscene Editor

Did you know this past Friday, October 15th was Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival Day? According to the office of Seattle Mayor, Mike McGinn, it was proclaimed this special day in honor of its 15th Anniversary.

It was time to reflect the past and look towards the future with the Opening Night film, Bear City starring the outrageous, Stephen Gaurino (Big Gay Sketch Show)  and Cutie, Twink, Joe Conti.  Both made an appearance at the screening followed by a Q&A and a Party at Neumo's for some blueberry pie from A la mode with Bluebird Ice cream. Wine provided by Menage a Trois. The party itself wasn't as big as in years past.

Before I could relax, work had to be done and with the help of OUTscene staffer, Ryan Burr; Cameraman, Stewart Nelsen, and OUTscene Special, Nikki Lee Taylor, I proceeded to interview Bear City Stars, Gaurino and Conti. (Video coming soon), while Nikki interviewed Albert Carey (Video also coming soon), one of the subjects of the documentary, "Sons of Tennessee Williams", a recounting of the creation of the Gay Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

On Saturday, OUTscene Special, Adrian Ryan, caught up with Joey Arias (Cabaret Legend and star of the doc, Arias with a Twist) and based from the video, a wild and insane time it was. (Video Interview to be posted on tomorrow's OUTscene).

Also Saturday was the Documentary, Making the Boys, focused on the Playwrigh'ts friendship with Natalie Wood to creating the TV pilot called the Bette Davis Show (Yes, Really)  to success of the Play to the mixed reviews of the film version and Post-stonewall to being hand picked to write for Hart to Hart to his drinking problem to the Boys revival to being in the OUT 100. It also profiled the actors that were in the play and movie. 4 out of 8 died of AIDS, 1 died of Leukemia. They featured interviews with Laurence Lukinbill (Lucille Ball's Son in law) and Peter White (Former Soap star).

The late night showing was typical fare with LA Zombie, the soft core Porn film that practically had no dialogue.

On Sunday it started with a snooze(r) (The Seminarian) to a blast from the past (Adults in the room) as I recalled my own Teen affair(s) with adult(s). The night ended with David Schmader's interview with Rupaul's Pandora Box with Performances including Carol Channing. (I will have transcript of the interview coming soon).

That's it for now, be sure to Stay Tuned for more video and our upcoming interview with Florent.