Festival of LGBT-themed dramas, musicals, comedies and documentary ends October 8th

By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir

Sometimes it's hard to find a movie that deals with one of America's more controversial lifestyles - the LGBT mantra. Maybe it's because producers are a little squeamish or because theatres don't want to promote "those kinds of shows." Then again, it could just be a simple case of supply and demand - recall your fundamentals from Economic 1010.

 

All that aside, every fall in the city of Atlanta, the good, bad and the ugly associated with living in this world as a SGL man or woman is tackled in the form of drama and comedy at the annual OUT on Film Festival which celebrates "Pride at the Movies."

 
"Rivers Wash Over Me" by director John G. Young and Atlanta producer Dexter Davis
The festival, which opened on October 2nd with the hilarious comedy "The Big Gay Musical" and a documentary honoring the life and works of the late Allen Thornell, an Atlanta activist, runs through October 8th. All shows are held at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema.

The notion behind any film festival that targets a specific demographic is that enough people will attend the viewings so that those folks with the money are persuaded to invest in making the production available to a larger audience in venues around the country. In addition, many of the producers, directors and actors associated with the films are on hand for question and answer forums.

It's difficult to say which were the best films this year, but for this writer's money, the ones to see and to remember when they "come to a theater near you," include: "Family" (directed by Faith Trimel), which takes a comical look at family when six black L.A. lesbians agree to come out together; "Rivers Wash Over Me, (directed by John G. Young), a film that takes us to rural Alabama and explores racial tension and sexual politics - all surrounding a 15-year-old boy who is forced to leave his New York home and move with his family after the death of his mother; and "Hannah Free," featuring Sharon Gless from "Queer as Folk" and "Cagney & Lacey" in a film about a lesbian who is denied the right to see her partner in a coma after a life-long relationship.

Oh, add one more - "The Big Gay Musical" which focuses on an all-gay cast performing an Off-Broadway musical, "Adam and Steve: Just the Way God Made 'Em," and has plenty of dance scenes for those who dreamed about but never earned their "Broadway star."

Of course there are more films than those listed and plenty of shorts as well. Once again, Atlanta's own Jim Farmer has done a stellar job in putting this festival together. But the real winners will be those who take a few moments and check out the festival before it ends.

For more information including a list of films go to www.outonfilm.org.