Two fabulous and fun Fall film festivals
Fall is just about to begin and what better way to welcome it than with a film festival or two.
Palm Springs kicked off the 15th annual Cinema Diverse, their LGBTQ film festival on Sept. 15 and right on the heels of that, Atlanta’s Out on Film will enjoy its 35th anniversary starting Sept. 22.
Both festivals have crossover like many film festival do, so you don’t necessarily have to travel to both in order to be current with LGBTQ films that might come to your theatre later; or perhaps this might be your one shot to see them. Sometimes distribution deals occur at film festivals, making them more accessible later and other times, it’s the end of the road at a festival.
Here are features playing BOTH festivals:
ALL KINDS OF LOVE is a wonderful love story with a twist from gay filmmaker Matthew Montgomery. He’s got love issues of his own – but his parents seem very comfortable in their thruple relationship.
ALLMAN: THE INTERNATIONAL MALE STORY is a documentary that explores the clothing catalog that was actually used more as softcore porn to gay men – who were still able to order their sexy clothes.
BROS is the mainstream gay love story from a major studio. It’s great they are first showing it to gay audiences as we’re sure the buzz will help elevate its success.
MAYBE SOMEDAY is yet another winner from Michelle Ehlen who has yet to make a wrong move. This time around she plays a woman who is learning to move on with her life after a long-term relationship ends.
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS is one of the best movies I’ve seen in years. The performance from lead Matthew Jeffers will both annoy you and break your heart at the same time.
TWO EYES is a road movie following a young man searching for his purpose that is juxtaposed to a story of two men from the past (and somehow the stories manage to relate to each other).
Short films also excel at film festivals; sometimes, this is the only place to see them. Here are a couple that both festivals will screen.
BRUTAL should actually become a sitcom with Cheyenne Jackson as a cable news star that has his hands on the juiciest story – but should he run with it?
MAN & WIFE is a short film long on secrets as a couple makes confessions at the alter!
QUEER PARIVAAR has another wedding with secrets but this short offers so much depth, love and acceptance – all within 30 minutes.
Unique to CINEMA DIVERSE:
Guests scheduled to show up include Jacqueline Bisset, Gregory Harrison and some cast from BROS.
100 YEARS OF MEN IN LOVE is an award-winning documentary that explores photos of lovers during a taboo era.
8 YEARS focuses on an on-again/off-again couple that wonders if a road trip with united them or keep them apart forever.
JIMMY AND CAROLYN features Gregory Harrison as a father who comes to visit his gay son, trying to be more accepting, all the while learning that he is at his own crossroads in his life.
LOREN & ROSE has Jacqueline Bisset as a famous actress who befriends the young filmmaker whose movie she’s in…great story of a loving friendship.
THE SIXTH REEL has an all-star cast with Charles Busch as a film collector who gets involved in a mystery pertaining to missing footage from a film, keeping it out of the wrong hands.
WAKING UP DEAD is a dark comedy about a down-on-his-luck actor who gets the long-awaited callback right before he kills himself. Traci Lords is quite the scene stealer.
WEBOUT – my own curated collection of web series, shared every afternoon for three days and will include such stars as “Cher,” singer Tom Goss, Kevin Spirtas, Charlie Harding and more!
Unique to OUT ON FILM:
Special guest will be (recent) Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo who will get the Icon Award for all his wonderful work in film, TV and stage.
FIRE ISLAND – before you dismiss this as the comedy on Hulu, think again, as this is a horror story of murder and sex among the gay men of Fire Island, including Jonathan Bennett.
F*CK EM RIGHT BACK is a fun short flick about the consequences of an employee after he eats edibles.
GREASE 2 that’s right – the sequel to GREASE gets an anniversary screening from a long-forgotten film – but it does star Michelle Pfeiffer and the “kids” in this movie are closer to high school age…mostly.
IN FROM THE SIDE – Haven’t seen it but it looks juicy about two “straight” rugby players that start an affair.
YOUTOPIA is a collection of vignettes from the very talented Scout Durwood who does comedy and is an accomplished singer.
THE SYED FAMILY XMAS EVE GAME NIGHT is totally adorable but too short – the title says it all.
Come join in the fun.
CINEMA DIVERSE Sept. 15-18 and Sept. 22-25:
OUT ON FILM Sept. 22-Oct. 2:
