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Welcome to the 37th Out On Film
Jim Farmer, Festival Director
Over a decade ago, I vividly remember trying to pull together a panel of queer Atlanta filmmakers for an Out On Film event. It was not successful — I had fewer than five people show up. Things have changed since that time. Atlanta is now one of the busiest filming locations in the world and the amount of talent that is living and working in the area — and who have relocated here — is staggering.
That makes running an Atlanta film festival so exciting. In years past, I would struggle to find enough area and original content, which is important for every film festival to have. Nowadays, the struggle is figuring out what we have the room to show.
What we have amassed this year makes me very proud. Emmy-nominated trans icon Scott Turner Schofield spent many years in Atlanta staging work such as “Underground TRANSit” at various venues. Another early project was “Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps,” Schofield’s long-running performance art piece embodying the experience of becoming a man. More than 15 years later, after a long journey, it is now a film, much of it shot at 7 Stages here in Atlanta. Out On Film is honored to offer up the world premiere of the film version — directed by Andrea James and Puppett — and Scott will be present at the screening and after for a Q&A. We cannot wait.
Another Atlanta film in this year’s lineup is “Light Up,” Ryan Ashley Lowery’s documentary following the lives of samegender loving men and a transgender woman who found their superpower by living in their truth. It’s very Atlanta, with some enthralling subjects.
Didi Paulini and Jennifer Spell’s “Transcendence” is another world premiere documentary featuring seven Atlanta subjects who share stories of embracing their true selves as transgender individuals. Atlanta subjects also headline Jean-Luc Bonefacino’s documentary “They Are Siufung” and Matt Nadel’s documentary short, “Cashing Out.”
Out On Film is also offering two programs of Atlanta/Georgia-specific short films from some very accomplished filmmakers, and talent from these projects will be on tap to talk about their projects and the importance of what they do. Atlanta is all over our programming and we could not be happier. It’s an exciting time to be in the city, and the amount of talent here makes us incredibly happy.
Speaking of happy, this year’s Out On Film theme is Queer Joy. Queer joy is something we all need and deserve, especially after so many years where everything we saw in terms of LGBTQ representation in movies and TV was tragic and dour. That does not mean, however, that everything you will see at this year’s festival will be peppy. Much will be, but we do address some of the challenges we face in our lives, both external and internal, at a very critical time in our history. Queer Joy does mean, though, you will get to see
the projects together and experience the pleasure of communal viewing.
We open our festival with a charmer — Anthony Schatteman’s exuberant Young Hearts, which has been wowing audiences since its bow at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year. We close with High Tide, Marco Calvani’s expertly directed and acted film about a young man — undocumented and adrift — in the aftermath of a breakup in Provincetown. In between, we hope there is something for everyone.
Every year around this time, I get a variation of the same question: why do we need LGBTQ film festivals these days, when there’s so much LGBTQ-themed content elsewhere? It’s a question I never get tired of answering, especially in this heated political climate, with so much anti-LGBTQ sentiment, so much anti-drag sentiment, so much anti-trans sentiment. LGBTQ film festivals are vital to bringing people together in an environment focused on positivity and positive images, one that serves as a safe haven for people to be themselves. At a time when so many LGBTQ spaces are going away, bringing people together will always be needed. And just as important as the 150+ films Out On Film hosts every year and the filmmakers whose work we screen and amplify, uniting our community is vital.
PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Staff reports
Read these stories and more online at thegavoice.com
Paul Donahue and Lewis Jeffries Take Over The Colonnade
The Colonnade, Atlanta’s second-oldest restaurant, has been purchased by Paul Donahue and Lewis Jeffries, co-founders of Lingering Shade, after being announced for sale in early August. Donahue and Jeffries own and operate The Colonnade as of September 9, and the first day of open business was September 11.
Since opening in 1927, The Colonnade has remained a beloved staple of Atlanta, renowned for its famous fried chicken, traditional Southern sides, and perfectly chilled martinis. Over the years, The Colonnade has garnered a dedicated following of loyal patrons and associates, solidifying its reputation as a cherished institution within the city. Jeffries has been a patron for over 60 years and Donahue for over 30 years.
Donahue and Jeffries are the founders of Lingering Shade Social Club, a cocktail bar located on the Atlanta BeltLine. Lingering Shade opened in February 2018. Prior to opening Lingering Shade, Donahue was an interior designer for country clubs across the South and Jeffries worked full-time as a CPA with his own firm, The Jeffries Group, specializing in bar and restaurant clients.
“We were excited to have the opportunity to jump in at The Colonnade and keep its important traditions alive,” Donahue said. “We value the history, people and relationships that have been a part of the restaurant for the past 97 years and knew we couldn’t pass it up.”
“Preserving the legacy of The Colonnade and continuing to serve amazing food to our guests is our priority. We look forward to greeting both regulars and new faces this week,” Jeffries added.
Donahue and Jeffries do not intend to make any changes to The Colonnade. After all, there is a reason it is still open after 97 years. However, with their expertise in
hospitality, they look forward to discovering opportunities to excite long-time guests, bring in new faces and generate more buzz for Atlanta’s second-oldest restaurant.
Long
Before Gay Marriage was Popular, Kamala Harris was at the Forefront of the Equal Rights Battle
Two decades ago, when a Democratic presidential nominee wouldn’t dream of endorsing gay marriage, a newly elected district attorney named Kamala Harris was performing one of the first same-sex unions in the United States.
It was the so-called Winter of Love in San Francisco. The mayor at the time, Gavin Newsom, had directed the county clerk to approve gay marriages even though there was no law on the books recognizing them. His act of rebellion prompted a bipartisan political backlash, but Harris had no hesitation.
“You could tell she was so overwhelmed and had so much joy about performing this ceremony,” said Brad Witherspoon, whose marriage to Raymond Cobane was officiated by Harris on Valentine's Day 2004.
The moment represents a stark difference between Harris and all previous Democratic presidential nominees, who didn’t begin their political careers as gay marriage supporters. Four years after the Winter of Love, the issue was still off the table during the party’s primary. And it took another four years for Democratic President Barack Obama, running for reelection against Republican
Mitt Romney, to back gay marriage.
For LGBTQ leaders, Harris’ history validates their deep support for the Democratic nominee.
“It’s not just that she held a position in support of fundamental equality for gay and lesbian couples. A lot of politicians take positions and hold positions,” said Chad Griffin, former head of the Human Rights Campaign, who is on Harris’ national fundraising committee. “Fewer actually roll up their sleeves and use their power to make lives better.”
In her book, “The Truths We Hold,” Harris writes that her decision to officiate the weddings was spur-of-the-moment. She was on her way to the airport before she decided to stop by City Hall. She and other local officials were sworn in and performed marriages in “every nook and cranny” of the building, Harris recalled.
“I was delighted to be a part of it,” she wrote. “There was all this wonderful excitement building as we welcomed the throngs of loving couples, one by one, to be married then and there. It was unlike anything I had ever been a part of before. And it was beautiful.”
The Democratic Party more broadly embraced gay marriage in 2012, when Obama became the first presidential nominee to endorse the right. His announcement was precipitated by Joe Biden, then the vice president, disclosing his own support. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee in 2016, did not endorse same-sex marriage until 2013, after she stepped down as secretary of state.
Paul Donahue (left) and Lewis Jeffries are the new owners of The Colonnade. PHOTO BY JAIME PRYOR
Wellness Center
LGBTQ Issues Arise Amidst Discussions of Apalachee Massacre
On September 4, 14-year-old Colt Gray opened fire on Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, killing students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie and injuring nine others. Colt was taken into custody and charged as an adult with four counts of murder, and his father, Colin Gray, was also taken into custody and charged with providing the firearm used in the murders. Colt is facing a life sentence.
Two years earlier, police visited Colin to investigate a report that Colt had threatened similar gun violence on a Discord server, according to the National Desk. During this visit, Colin defended his son to police, telling them Colt had been bullied and accused of being gay by classmates.
“It was just very difficult for him to go to school and not get picked on by, you know it went from one thing to another to, you know, he was talking to a couple of friends he has,” Colin told investigators in 2023, according to transcripts obtained by the National Desk. “I was trying to get him on the golf team. Like, ‘Oh look, Colt’s gay. He’s dating that guy.’ Just ridiculed him day after day after day.”
Following news of the shooting, conservatives started spreading conspiracies that Colt was transgender, with one Facebook post falsely claiming that “every single mass shooting in the last two years has been carried out by a transgender individual.”
As a Reuters fact check points out, transgender individuals actually represent less than one percent of perpetrators in all mass shootings over the past decade. In 2023, Mark Bryant,
the executive director of the Gun Violence Archive, told Reuters that trans suspects accounted for only 0.11 percent of all U.S. mass shootings in the last ten years.
Furthermore, while there is no evidence that Colt was trans, there is evidence that he may have been transphobic. According to the Washington Post, Discord posts traced to Colt’s email address show a user threatening a mass shooting against the LGBTQ community. The user posted an image of a family being supportive of their transgender daughter on Discord, saying he needed “to put an end to that. … im on the edge of a lgbtq massacre.” However, when police questioned Colt and Colin about these posts in May 2023, Colin said neither he nor Colt was familiar with the email address. Colt added that he had deleted his Discord account because people had hacked into his account. Local police determined at the time that the allegation the account belonged to Colt could not be substantiated.
The theory that Colt was trans was spread by right-wing Internet figures who misinterpreted language from a sinceedited CNN article stating that Colt “expressed frustration with the acceptance of transgender people.” Figures like Andy Ngo, who has been deemed a “right-wing troll” by Media Matters, took that to mean that Colt was transgender and frustrated that trans people weren’t accepted — something quietly clarified by CNN when its article was edited to say that Colt “expressed frustration that transgender people were being accepted in society.” While Ngo deleted his tweet and apologized for incorrectly inferring the meaning, other far-right figures like Laura Loomer and Matt Wallace have yet to correct these claims, according to the Advocate.
Katie Burkholder
CULTURE
Out On Film 2024 Reviews
Out On Film kicks off at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema on September 26 and continues through October 6 (with select screenings at Out Front Theatre Company). Chances are, you won’t be able to make it to every film on this year’s incredible and diverse lineup. If you’re having trouble deciding what to watch this year, here’s what I thought of some of this year’s selections.
To learn more and buy tickets, visit outonfilm.org.
Best of the Fest
All Shall Be Well
September 29, 6pm If you cry during “All Shall Be Well,” it won’t be from laughing. Written and directed by Ray Yeung, this excellent Hong Kong drama is about a situation that was more common in the U.S. before same-sex marriage became legal but reminds today’s couples, married or not, to take care of their paperwork. Lesbians Angie (Patra Au) and Pat (Lin-Lin Li) have been together over 40 years, 30 of them in the apartment they bought, which has only Pat’s brother’s name on the lease. Pat’s family is fully accepting of Angie — until Pat dies and she becomes Pat’s “best friend.” Pat’s brother is automatically the executor of
her estate because she left no will. The first battle Angie loses is over disposing of Pat’s remains. She insists Pat wanted a burial at sea but the family is persuaded to put her ashes in an expensive crematorium. Then there’s the question of what will become of the apartment. Estate-planning lawyers will want to bring business cards to hand out after the screening.
Highly Recommended
Young Hearts
September 26, 7pm
I certainly admired and appreciated this Belgian-Dutch film that opens the festival, but it triggered too many emotions for me to endorse it enthusiastically. Maybe I’m just too sensitive — it’s a gay thing — but “Young Hearts” made me feel like I was 14 again and had taken a time machine to the future to see what my early teens could have been like. Elias (Lou Goossens) is 14 and trying to fit in, though normal small-town life doesn’t feel quite right. Then Alexander (Marius De Saeger) moves in across the road and Elias experiences his first real crush. He finds out Alexander is gay and doesn’t care who knows it; but Elias, who is already bullied at school, isn’t ready to share feelings with the world that he doesn’t understand himself. Director and co-writer Anthony Schatteman has done
his jobs well — perhaps too well.
The Astronaut Lovers
October 5, 9pm
Critics should admit prejudices that might affect their opinions. Well, I fell in love with Javier Orán, who plays Pedro, at first glance; so I wasn’t eager for him to hook up with Maxi (Lautaro Bettoni), the childhood friend he’s reunited with a decade later at a summer resort on the Argentine coast. Writer-director Marco Berger focuses
on their constant flirtation, which is complicated by Pedro identifying as gay and Maxi straight. At one point they pretend to be a couple in front of their housemates, but they’re still not as intimate as when they’re alone together. Had I known to expect such a prolonged tease I wouldn’t have thought I’d be a fan; but despite some impatient moments (“Fuck him already!”) I had a good time. Not as good as I could have had with Orán, but my husband will get the benefit of those fantasies tonight.
Recommended
A House is Not a Disco
October 2, 7pm
I’d heard of Fire Island Pines, “a sexy beach town… 49 miles from New York City,” as a center of the gay universe long before I came out; but all these years later I still haven’t been there, except in movies like 2022’s “Fire Island” and this new documentary by Brian J. Smith. The beautiful scenery could attract straight tourists, while other beauty (limited frontal nudity but a record number of bare butts) will appeal to gays. Older, mostly
Steve Warren
“Young Hearts” PUBLICITY PHOTO
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white men discuss the history of the Pines community, with a few visual aids, while transpeople and people of color talk about the evolution that has included them as part of “a generational shift…new energy coming in.” Climate change is coming in too, once wiping out 30 feet of beach overnight. “Enjoy it while you can,” one man says. This film will let people enjoy it forever — on screen.
Join the Club
October 6, noon
Dennis Peron (1945-2018), who could be called the Father of Medical Marijuana, certainly deserves a documentary. This film by Kip Andersen and Chris O’Connell is narrated by Peron’s final interview, when he was very sick and barely able to speak (requiring subtitles in the film). He’s cool and quirky, but too much of him in the opening minutes will keep some viewers from getting involved. Peron discovered pot during an unwilling stint in Vietnam and brought enough home to start a business. In San Francisco he opened a restaurant with a pot shop upstairs. Then came AIDS, taking the lives of his lover and thousands of other gay men. Many were wasting away for lack of appetite and Peron realized the marijuana munchies could get them eating again. He started the Cannabis Buyers Club, where members (with doctors’ approval) could buy and smoke pot, socialize, and enjoy live entertainment. Joe Bannon, a conservative gay cop, raided the club and tried to shut it down, encouraged by California
District Attorney Dan Lungren despite the opposition of San Francisco leadership. Lungren turned to the DEA for support until President Clinton told them to back off. The film’s climax involves California’s 1996 ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana. It’s no spoiler to say there’s a happy ending.
Decent
In the Summers September 28, noon
This isn’t exactly a spoiler, but you may wonder for some time why this film is in this festival. Apparently due to a custody agreement, Violetta and Eva travel from California to spend summers in New Mexico with their father, Vicente (René Pérez Joglar). We spend four summers with them over the course of a decade. At the end of the first Violetta starts cutting her long hair. Then she (they?) becomes progressively
more masculine looking each time we see her, and flirts with a girl Vicente tutors. A fair amount of unsubtitled Spanish (Vicente is Puerto Rican) will be an obstacle for some viewers, though I doubt they’ll miss anything significant. More annoying to me were unexplained plot points that might have been filled in if the characters didn’t spend so much time shooting pool. While I wouldn’t want to spend a whole summer with them, 98 minutes still went by fairly agreeably.
Duino
September 29, 8pm
Duino is a lovely and somewhat frustrating film about love and frustration. It’s cowritten and co-directed by Juan Pablo Di Pace, who also stars as Matias, an Argentine director making a movie — perhaps this one-about his first love. A quarter-century ago Mati (Santiago Madrussan) was a freshman at an international college in Duino, Italy, on the Adriatic coast, when a Swedish student, Alexander (Oscar Morgan) arrived and staked a claim to him as inseparable friend and roommate — but nothing more. There’s the possibility of a reunion — and a second chance? — when present-day Mati receives an invitation to the wedding of Alexander’s sister, who developed as big a crush on him as he had on her brother when their families got together for Christmas in 1997. Di Pace handles his three jobs quite capably but might have tightened things up a bit instead of having us wallow in his misery as long as we do.
Perfect Endings
September 30, 8:15pm
João (Michel Joelsas) is opposed to therapy,
but his friends and everyone he talks to offer him advice that might come from a therapist. He’s 32 (but looks younger) and wants to be a filmmaker but settles for occasional editing jobs and photo shoots while waiting for his first feature to be greenlighted. His 10year relationship with Hugo just ended and João signs up for a dating app to get laid. This readjustment inspires a new script, “13 Sentimentos” (this film’s original Brazilian title, which translates to “13 Feelings,” in case you wonder if writer-director Daniel Ribeiro is being autobiographical). Sometimes it's hard to tell whether a scene is real, a fantasy, or a reenactment of João’s script. If you don’t get it, Hugo’s parting gift is a Rubik’s Cube, a metaphor for life’s complexities. “Perfect Endings” is pleasant enough but far from perfect.
High Tide
October 6, 7:30pm
“I’ve always had a sense my life was happening without me — far, far away,” says Lourenço (Marco Pigossi), who is far, far from his Brazilian home in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Summer is nearly over, in more ways than one. Lourenço’s lover has dumped him and his visa will expire in a month. He has a kindly landlord (Bill Irwin) and, though a qualified accountant, is doing casual labor to survive. Things seem to be looking up when he meets Maurice (James Bland), one of the few Blacks in P-town. The ups and downs of their love affair make up much of writer-director Marco Calvani’s film, which, like the sex in some scenes (which feel like a throwback to a generation ago when they were mandatory in gay films), is hot but not entirely satisfying.
“Perfect Endings” PUBLICITY PHOTO
“Join the Club” PUBLICITY PHOTO
CULTURE
New Local Docuseries Lights Up the World with Authenticity
“Queer rights is Black rights, and Black rights is human rights, and human rights is everybody’s rights.” — Derek Jae, “Light Up”
Out On Film celebrates its 37th annual film festival, themed Queer Joy, which Festival Director Jim Farmer says is, “something we all need and deserve, especially after so many years where everything we saw in terms of LGBTQIA+ representation in movies and TV was tragic and dour.”
An embodiment of Queer Joy and just one of the festival’s 158 films comes in the form of “Light Up,” a documentary directed by Ryan Ashley Lowery that documents the inspiring life stories of five queer, Atlantabased subjects.
In an interview with Georgia Voice, Lowery said he felt called to create the project to “show a diverse set of LGBTQ people.”
“There's a need for healing within our community,” he said. “So I wanted to create a film that was therapeutic, that was healing, that allowed people to be seen, heard, and loved,” Lowery said.
The 91-minute film is the first in a Light Up docuseries subtitled, “How My Queerness Became My Superpower,” as it intertwines powerfully intimate interviews — including gay, Black minister, Benjamin Carlton; worldrenowned hairstylist, Derek Jae; influencer and LGBTQ activist, Obio Jones; celebrity fashion designer and former professional athlete, Octavius Terry; and actress/model/ dancer, Simone Tisci. Lowery said he interviewed over 20 people for the series.
“I believe a higher being chose that cast and filtered that through me,” he said. “I believe
“Light Up,” a documentary directed by Ryan Ashley Lowery, documents the inspiring life stories of five queer, Atlanta-based subjects. PUBLICITY PHOTO
“An embodiment of Queer Joy and just one of the festival’s 158 films comes in the form of ‘Light Up,’ a documentary directed by Ryan Ashley Lowery that documents the inspiring life stories of five queer, Atlanta-based subjects.”
this higher being, I call it God, had his hands all over this project, and he actually selected people.”
Octavius Terry emphasizes in the film how many doors opened and opportunities arose when he embraced his identity as a “same-gender loving man.” Though he always wanted to work in fashion, a young adult Octavius felt compelled to lean into heteronormative and masculine social roles, even to the detriment of his emotional and spiritual health.
“I don’t want another brown boy to ever have to go through thinking that they’re bad or [that] they’re wrong for who they are,” Octavius said.
In the film, Octavius details the moments in his life that filled him with dread, fearing someone would find out he is gay, but he ultimately finds success when he does come out. In his ever-fascinating life, Octavius married his then-partner Jamal Sims at the 2014 Grammys, where Queen Latifah married 33 same-gender couples in a mass wedding.
When he was 40, he enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. After graduating, Octavius quickly began working with high-profile clients. Before long, he was designing wedding tuxedos for Ray J and was praised by Jimmy Kimmel, who called his suit for Moonlight’s Tarell Alvin McCraney “the best
of the night” at the 89th Academy Awards. Octavius is writing his memoir, aptly titled Learning How to Finish.
Director Lowery said he wanted to avoid a political agenda with this project, saying it might “scare people off.”
“Although this is an LGBTQ film, it’s a human film,” he said. “I wanted people to connect with the humanness of each person, develop empathy, and see a reflection of themselves in our characters, no matter if they were straight or gay … When you’re authentic, you’re really able to be who this higher being called you to be.”
“Light Up: How My Queerness Became My Superpower” is a powerful film that connects unique individuals through similar experiences in homophobic and transphobic spaces. It’s the first in a docuseries, which is still in production.
More information is available at lightupdocumentary.com. “Light Up” is available to stream on Monday, September 30 for $12 at watch.eventive.org/2024outonfilm/ play/66cbdf24db5726008d95128e. Trigger warning: discussions of abuse.
Connect with the cast:
Official Light Up (@lightupdoc on IG)
Benjamin Carlton (@ibencarlton on IG)
Derek Jae (@derekjhair on IG)
Obio Jones (@obioojones on IG)
Octavius Terry (@octaviusterry on IG)
Ryan Ashley Lowery (@iam_ryanashley on IG)
Simone Tisci (@japanesefaces on IG)
Adalei Stevens
This election year is already marked by a lot of noise and very little agreement. However, there is one thing we know for
Voters 50 Plus Decide Elections
Vanessa Payne, AARP Georgia State Director
This election year is already marked by a lot of noise and very little agreement. However, there is one thing we know for sure: voters 50-plus decide elections. In fact, they are the majority of voters in every election, and candidates who don’t recognize the power of these voters are unlikely to win.
Here’s how we know this to be true: for all 50 states and all 435 congressional districts, AARP analyzed data for the 2020 elections to show exactly who was deciding elections. More specifically, in Georgia, 51 percent of the electorate in 2020 was age 50-plus. In 2020, 55 percent of Georgia’s voters 50plus were women, 27 percent were African American, and 33 percent were from rural areas of the state.
So, what are the priorities of voters over 50? They want candidates to address the issues that matter most to them and their families,
including challenges like caring for their loved ones and protecting their hard-earned contributions to Social Security.
Caregiving
According to AARP research, more than 48 million Americans are family caregivers –that's one in five voters. AARP is mobilizing this significant slice of the electorate to fight for commonsense solutions that will save caregivers time and money and get them more support.
Family caregivers are the backbone of a broken long-term care system, helping with everything from buying groceries and managing medications to bathing and dressing. They often put their own finances and jobs at risk to care for loved ones. America’s family caregivers provide more than $600 billion in unpaid care each year, saving taxpayers billions by keeping loved ones at home instead of in Medicaid-funded nursing homes. Georgia’s 1,260,000 unpaid family caregivers contribute more than 1.18
million hours of unpaid care each year, valued at approximately $16.3 billion.
A recent AARP survey shows that most voters – 70 percent – say they are more likely to support a candidate who backs proposals that support family caregivers, such as tax credits, paid family leave, and respite services. An overwhelming 75 percent of voters over 50 say it is important for Congress to help older Americans live independently in their homes instead of in nursing homes.
Social Security
Voters aged 50 and over also are focused on the sustainability of our country’s Social Security system. If Congress doesn’t act in the next 10 years to protect and save this program – which is vital to American workers of all ages – it could be cut by 20 percent, an average of $4,000 a year. A cut like that could be devastating to retirees who paid in and earned their Social Security through a lifetime of hard work.
Voting Information
Voters aged 50 and over know they can count on AARP for nonpartisan information about when, where, and how to vote, and the candidates’ positions on their policy priorities. We don’t tell our members or anyone else who to vote for, but we are committed to making sure all voters have the information they need to make their voices heard in the 2024 elections.
Here in Georgia, 2.5 million voters over 50 have long been the deciders in elections. Candidates who want to get elected should pay close attention to these voters and the issues they care about. This isn’t their first time to vote, nor their last.
AARP is standing with Georgia voters by providing reliable election information they need to make their voice heard in November.
Find out how to register, details on mailin voting and polling places, plus all the key voting deadlines for Georgia at aarp. org/gavotes.
sure: voters 50-plus decide elections. PHOTO COURTESY OF AARP
We're in Your Corner
People today can spend nearly half their lives over the age of 50. That’s a lot of living. So, it helps to have a wise friend and fierce defender like AARP in your corner and in your community so your money, health and happiness live as long as you do.
AARP offers information on when, where and how to vote, and local resources and tools to help you achieve your goals and stay connected. Find us at aarp.org/gavotes.
Out On Film AT-A-GLANCE REVIEWS
Read the full reviews online at thegavoice.com.
Best of the Fest
Bulletproof: A Lesbian’s
Guide to Surviving the Plot
October 4, 7pm
As a young queer woman, I can tell you I’ve been quite affected by seeing women like me constantly being killed off on screen.
Documentarian Regan Latimer explores the damaging consequences of seeing yourself become disposable in the mainstream. In what could be a depressing narrative of repression, Latimer instead uses every second of her film to be absolutely delightful, drawing on painful experiences with a grain of salt because, after all, this is about television.
I dare you not to be endeared to Latimer
and her collaborator (and stand-in) Lindy Zucker by the end of “Bulletproof.” Not only is it so incredibly charming, it is insightful and informative in the most unexpected ways. Latimer addresses the problem being shown while also working to find a possible solution, speaking with creatives on both sides of the lens. With its metanarrative, old-school PSA animations and terrific personal anecdotes, “Bulletproof” solidifies into a necessary text for the ever-expanding landscape of queer media.
Desire Lines
October 5, noon
“Archive fever: the desire to find, or locate, or possess that desire to find or locate or possess that moment of origin as the beginning of things.”
A hybrid of fiction and nonfiction, Desire Lines chronicles gay transmasculine desire through interviews and vignettes. The film
is anchored by the fantastic Aden Hakimi and Theo Germaine, who play co-workers at an LGBTQ archive on the cusp of the COVID-19 epidemic. Past and present converge as Ahmad (Hakimi) finds himself transported into the queer landscapes he’s studying. We see trans men in all ages, of all ages, in historical contexts they have yet to be acknowledged in.
The core of “Desire Lines” itself is the life, writings, and interviews of Lou Sullivan, a gay transgender activist. The movie is
dedicated to him. His visibility is vital, not only for the two characters we follow through the fictional segments, but also for the men we meet through the incredibly raw and honest interviews director Jules Rosskam conducts. I was incredibly moved by that desire to be seen, heard, and understood. I cannot recommend this film enough.
Recommended
Riley
September 26, 9:15pm
If the intriguing premise doesn’t hook you, Jake Holley’s big, sad eyes surely will. Dakota Riley is the quintessential all-American teenager, stuck in a town small enough to make him feel as if he’s constantly being surveilled. The linear narrative, intercut with vignettes of Riley’s first-time hooking up with an older man, follows the beginning of the star football player’s senior year as it becomes harder and harder to conceal his queer identity
Holley anchors this powerful ensemble cast that seem to make up Riley’s entire world. He is a big fish in a very small pond, unaware that a greater life awaits him. He doesn’t want to make the choice to be in or out of the closet, fearing for either outcome — a choice I’m sure many of us have had to make. No matter where you come from, you’re likely to see at least a little of yourself in Dakota
Syd Stanley
“Bulletproof: A Lesbian’s Guide to Surviving the Plot” PUBLICITY PHOTO
“Desire Lines” PUBLICITY PHOTO
CULTURE
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Riley. Between the powerful performances and gorgeous cinematography, this film’s naturalism and relatability make “Riley” a major standout.
Chuck Chuck Baby
September 27, 7pm
All love between women — familial, platonic, romantic — is something beautiful that needs to be fostered and cherished. This seems to be the thesis of Janis Pugh’s delightful musical dramedy, “Chuck Chuck Baby.” Centered on Helen (Louise Brealey), a woman forced to live with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend as she takes care of her dying former mother-in-law. Her painful and monotonous life is disrupted by the reappearance of her rebellious childhood crush, Joanne (Annabel Scholey).
Even with its frequent musical numbers, “Chuck Chuck Baby” feels incredibly grounded and intimate. The love between these women is palpable. At one point Joanne asks Helen if the people she grew up with were ever nice to her. Helen responds with a profound sadness in her eyes: “Sometimes.” Those who have never been loved unconditionally cannot make sense of it right away. We follow her as she finds this love and begins to understand it. “Chuck Chuck Baby” is a beautiful story that teaches you it's never too late to learn and receive acceptance.
Sebastian September 27, 9:15pm
“You’ve got this wholesome ‘boy next door’ thing going on, but it’s all filth underneath.”
Mikko Makela’s “Sebastian” follows young novelist Max (Ruaridh Mollica) as he ventures into sex work to find inspiration for his debut novel. As his focus on his alter-ego Sebastian grows stronger, his relationship to the world as Max deteriorates.
Incredibly intimate, but not always erotic, “Sebastian” keeps itself from venturing too far into the salacious. It aims to show sex work as work, a job with its own highs and lows, but nevertheless a career. There is a structure to it, rules spoken and unspoken, all of which Max is learning as he goes. What makes the job
so impactful to him is not the sex itself, but the fleeting connections with (usually older) clients, especially the bond formed between him and Jonathan Hyde’s Nicholas.
At times, the film can come across as a bit hollow, but I think its proximity to its subject warrants such a disconnect. “Sebastian” is about how far you can (and should?) go for your art. It explores the compulsive need to make what we are saying as artists worthwhile, the pressure to say it as quickly and perfectly as we can, and what risks we’ll take to do so.
Mascarpone: The Rainbow Cake
September 29, 2pm
I should’ve realized this was a sequel by its colorful subtitle, but alas! If you find yourself in my position, don’t worry. “Rainbow Cake” catches you up on the dramatic events of “Mascarpone” quickly and succinctly. Exes, pastry chefs, and former co-workers Antonio and Luca were once desperately in love, but have fallen out of contact for the past few years. When Luca approaches Antonio and asks him for a favor, how could he say no? A scheming new boyfriend, a clingy hookup, a household of wayward queer kids, and a new business venture all threaten to stop these two from reuniting. Can they possibly overcome such obstacles?
This is a steamy, heartwarming rom-com, with incredibly well-rounded characters you can’t help but root for — even at their worst. Plus, the cast is terrific. Gianmarco Saurino is hot, reminiscent of an Italian Jonathan Bailey. Michela Giraud is hilarious as Antonio’s best friend Cristina. “Mascarpone: The Rainbow Cake” is as sweet as the treat it’s named after, and a must-add to your festival watchlist.
Lesvia
October 1, 6:30pm
A mix of archival footage, photographs, interviews, and sweeping shots of Greek landscapes, “Lesvia” feels as almost as if it's a dream. It could be one, with its impressionistic, memory-laden style. Eressos, a village on the island of Lesbos, was once a burgeoning colony of young lesbians searching for freedom and connection. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Lesbos became a mecca of sorts, inviting women to visit the birthplace of Sappho.
“Lesvia” chronicles the creation and sustainment of this haven. It is an incredibly well-crafted film. The interviews are honest and intimate, and director Tzeli Hadjidimitriou has us question what makes a lesbian (a homosexual woman or a native of Lesbos? The filmmaker is notably both) by highlighting stories from locals as well as travelers.
“Lesvia” is certainly thought-provoking and I’m sure to spark many discussions. Despite how it may leave one feeling, it is genuinely a feat of historical preservation, instrumental in documenting a distinct period in queer history.
The Greatest
October 1, 8pm
There are many great things to say about “The Greatest.” The production design is fantastic, easily transporting the audience back to the early 1960s. The three leads deliver incredibly powerful performances, as do the older actors playing their older selves. The music is terrific — there were a few songs I found myself very excited to hear in a queer story. There are beautiful sun-soaked shots, whether it be through an apartment window or over the ocean skyline; tender moments between Jay (Isaac Nevrla) and Ricky (Sergio Acevedo), haunting moments of Beverly (Isabela Jacobson) isolated and coming to terms with her husband’s sexuality.
The pacing is a bit strange, and the story feels a bit rushed and, at times, unsure whether it wants to be too kind or too cruel. It’s a kind of queer misery we’ve seen for decades now. It is difficult, but at the end of the day, it is also an accurate depiction of the dangers of being gay in the twentieth century. However, all of this
pain is worth it to get to an incredibly hopeful and beautiful ending. It’s another story of acceptance, a testament to the fact that it’s never too late to be your authentic self.
Disappointing
Ganymede
September 28, 7pm
I had high hopes for this new entry into the queer horror canon, but “Ganymede” never quite delivers on its electrifying premise. Though I have to admit, it’s worth it, especially for the moments of camp and a balls-to-the-wall performance from David Koechner. The true scares in this film come from inside the home, and the repression enforced by Southern fundamentalist Christianity. It is a horror of hypocrisy.
Being gay here is monstrous, both literally and figuratively. The Ganymede, as described by Koechner’s Pastor Royer, is an “unrepentant homosexual” whose deep ties to “demonic forces” make their homosexuality contagious; an infection of sorts. Like the figure of the Vampire, queerness becomes something unwillingly inflicted on the unsuspecting heterosexual. Our teenage hero, Lee, feels he must fight his impulses to survive, and making his desire a literal creature gives him something concrete to fight against. Jordan Doww makes a great scream queen, and his budding relationship with Pablo Castelblanco’s out and proud Kyle is the tender heart of the film. Robyn Lively delivers over and over again like the rent is due. Failings aside, “Ganymede” is a wild ride from start to finish and worth watching with a crowd.
“Mascarpone: The Rainbow Cake” PUBLICITY PHOTO
What to Watch: Out On Film 37
Best of the Fest
Mother Father Sister Brother Frank
September 28, 9:15pm
“Mother Father Sister Brother Frank” takes all the relatable family tensions — passive aggression, illicit secrets, and awkward interactions with that one family member you can’t stand — and ramps them up to 11 with money laundering, blackmail, and murder. It’s as tense and dramatic as you might expect, while also being absolutely absurd and downright hilarious. While Mindy Cohn as Joy — the titular “Mother” — is a standout, the entire cast’s comedic performances are laugh-out-loud phenomenal. If you only see one film during Out On Film, make it
this one; you won’t regret it.
Highly Recommended
Becoming a Man in 127 Easy Steps
September 28, 4pm
Trigger warning: suicide talk
“Becoming a Man in 127 Easy Steps” was a close runner-up for Best of the Fest. This film is truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Taken from 127 total stories from Scott Turner Schofield’s one-man stage show, this film beautifully exemplifies Schofield’s aptitude for storytelling. From the ridiculous story about how his Uncle Bill’s death allowed him to wear boys’ underwear for the first time to the stories of falling, contemplating suicide, and the “homosexual experience every man has,”
“Becoming
Schofield’s blend of stand-up comedy with heartfelt intimacy — interspersed with animation, archival footage, and cinematic narration — tenderly and truthfully explores the highs, lows, and everything in the middle of trans identity.
Recommended
Cashing Out
September 30, 7pm
When I watch a documentary, I want to learn something. On this front, “Cashing Out” delivers. The doc explores the controversial viatical settlement industry, an industry emerging during the AIDS crisis that gave terminally ill patients the opportunity to sell their life insurance policies for cash to live (and die) on and investors the opportunity to profit off their deaths. For a 40-minute doc, the filmmaker does a pretty great job at capturing the nuances of the industry, despite being the son of an early investor — the genuine gratitude many of these patients felt for their investors and the dreams they were allowed to bring to fruition, along with the conflict between an industry investing in death and the pursuit of a cure for AIDS. The film does much heavy lifting despite its short runtime, and while, of course, that means not every angle is explored in its entirety, “Cashing Out” is still a great introduction to a subject you (like I) may know nothing about.
Under the Influencer
October 4, 9pm
Trigger warning: suicide, self-harm
During the first 10 minutes of this film, I was
Katie Burkholder
a Man in 127 Easy Steps” PUBLICITY PHOTO
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expecting it to be really bad. A film about an AI artist whose name is Neomy (pronounced like "Naomi")? Oh, brother. I was shocked to find that “Under the Influencer” actually broached many interesting concepts about how the digital space can breed exploitation — at least until the final 15 minutes, during which the conflict is resolved in a way I found confounding and contradictory of these themes. Despite the bizarre ending, “Under the Influencer” has really good bones, especially when it comes to the racial lines exploitation often traverses and the conflict between mental health and creation. Beyond the plot, you’ll probably love it if you’re sapphic and into age-gap relationships … wink wink.
Big Easy Queens
October 5, 7pm
I’m pretty sure whoever coined the term “romp” when describing a film did so after watching “Big Easy Queens.” This film is the epitome of a good time. It’s a campy, bloody, and absolutely absurd musical that has all the charm of a low-budget community theater production. While some of the acting performances and accent work are questionable, to say the least, the vocal performances will blow you away — plus, it has what I would deem one of the funniest death scenes of all time (your wig will literally be snatched). Even though “Big Easy Queens” can meander at times, it is still an absolute
Maxxie LaWow: Drag Queen Super-Shero
October 6, 2pm
If you’re looking to bring your kid to Out On Film, this is a great option. “Maxxie LaWow” is an exceptionally cute film, complete with adorable animation (somewhat reminiscent to me of the old Canadian cartoon “6teen,” which aired on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network in the early 2000s — if you know, you know). Timid baby gay Simon stumbles upon a magical pink wig and transforms into the absurdly charming and utterly fabulous Maxxie LaWow and antics ensue. It’s family friendly (with some subtle adult jokes sprinkled in) but still laugh-out-loud funny, and it’s a mustsee for “Drag Race” superfans: the cast includes Jinkx Monsoon, Monét X Change, BenDeLaCreme (Benjamin Putnam), and Heidi N Closet. There is some awkwardness with the dialogue so that it matches up with the animation, but nothing gets in the way of how enjoyable it is.
Striking with Pride: United at the Coalface
October 6, 5pm
This is another doc that you’ll most likely leave having learned something. “Striking with Pride” explores the unlikely alliance forged in the mid-1980s between gay men and lesbians sandyspringspac.com (770) 206-2022
in London and the miners on strike in South Wales. It’s a story about solidarity in the most improbable of places — and how that kind of solidarity may be the most kind of all — told through archival footage, interviews with those affected, and a unique narrative framework: Welsh drag queen Tayce tells the story to a group of kids, illustrating their unfettered capacity for empathy and acceptance. The combination of such a captivating story with original storytelling devices really makes “Striking with Pride” stand out.
Disappointing
Ella
September 28, 5pm
As a sapphic woman, I had high hopes for “Ella,” but the film let me down. If you were to ask me what it is about, I wouldn’t know what to tell you. If you’re a fan of slowburning, slice-of-life films without much plot (think “The Florida Project”), you might be fond of this one, but I certainly am not. Except for one scene when the titular protagonist is forced to interact with
a mansplaining crypto bro who, if sexuality were a choice, would make any woman a lesbian, I found the cinematic choices in “Ella” to be boring at best and gratingly bizarre at worst.
Lady Like
October 3, 9pm
Trigger warning: suicide
If you’re already a fan of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 14 runner-up Lady Camden, you’ll love this doc. If you, like me, are not, I don’t think there’s much here for you. “Lady Like” strikes me more as a vanity project than a documentary that tells a particular and necessary story. It lacks narrative structure, bouncing from one boring conversation to a clip of Lady Camden hosting a viewing party, then back to another, equally boring conversation. I think the film did a pretty good job of showcasing the human behind the drag queen, but that’s not exactly something we’ve never seen before. If you’re a “Drag Race” superfan and find the behind the scenes of drag and what it’s like to be on the show inherently interesting, then it’ll probably be worth the watch for you. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people.
Director Anthony Schatteman and Actor Marco Pigossi Bring Personal Projects to Out On Film
Jim Farmer
For director Anthony Schatteman and actor Marco Pigossi, their new films mean a lot to them — both professionally and as gay men. Schatteman’s “Young Hearts” is the opening night film for this year’s Out On Film, while Pigossi stars in the closing night film “High Tide.”
“Young Hearts” is the story of 14-yearold Elias (Lou Goossens), living in a small Belgian town, who falls for his new neighbor Alexander (Marius De Saeger). At the age of 31, director Schatteman wanted to make a movie for a younger version of himself.
“I was talking with a friend of mine and her little boy was nine years old and he asked me one day [if] ‘I had an example of a movie I could watch because I think I like a boy in my class.’ I could not find an example. It was so weird. [At] this age, people start discovering themselves, and we are more free to talk about sexuality, so kids develop at a younger age the knowledge that they may be queer or feel different than everyone else.”
Schatteman grew up with movies like “Brokeback Mountain” and later there were
similar-themed films such as “Call Me By Your Name.”
“But in all of these films, there are sexual scenes or sexual references,” he said. “I really wanted to make a film that was watchable for all ages. That is why I wanted to focus on the romantic point of view and no sexual references. That is why I chose to make them 13 and 14 years old. I wanted to find boys and the representation of innocence and youth.”
Schatteman wanted to make Elias a happy kid.
“I didn’t want to portray a boy that was being bullied,” he said. “When I grew up, I always wanted my parents to know that even though I was gay I was a normal boy. I didn’t want people to see me as an odd or abnormal son. I wanted to show Elias surrounded by a good group of friends. I wanted him to have a good happy life.”
Yet the two teenagers are very different. Elias has never seen any examples of queer love in his village. With Alexander, he meets a representation of freedom.
“Alexander is from the big city in Brussels, where you see more things,” Schatteman
said. “Alexander is so free to tell [Elias] about his sexuality and that he might like boys. Something changes because Elias knows he is the same. For the first time, he can think of this.”
Elias is based on a younger version of Schatteman. The whole film is authentic — shot in the street where he grew up and the school he attended.
“I wanted to find the representation of this innocent, fun kid who might be a little naïve but who still needs to find his voice in the big world,” he said. “I wanted to make this for any kids who don’t get the chance to be who they want to be, or ever feel like an insider.”
In “High Tide,” Marco Pigossi stars as Lourenço, an undocumented Brazilian immigrant living in Provincetown, who — after having his heart broken — begins a relationship with Maurice (James Bland). It is a very personal project for the actor and for director Maro Calvani. There is a love story, Pigossi jokes, behind the film’s love story.
When he met Calvani, the director was writing the script. They met in Provincetown and fell in love. Calvani later handed Pigossi the script and said, “This is for you.”
“This became our baby and we are putting it out into the world,” Pigossi said. “The script came from many conversations with Marco. I have been a gay man all my life. I was in the closet in Brazil; I could not be out.”
He thinks a lot of people can relate to Lourenço’s story.
“For me, this movie is about this moment of limbo in your life, where you don’t know what is going to happen, but you have no place to come back,” Pigossi said. “I think everybody has been in this moment. It took a huge effort for him to leave his conservative family, to leave his conservative country, to find himself in Provincetown but now he doesn’t know what is going to happen, or where.”
The film has a strong supporting cast, including Marisa Tomei — who also served as an executive producer — Bill Irwin, Mya Taylor, and Bryan Batt. Pigossi has been seen in television shows such as “Gen V,” “Tidelands” and “Invisible City.”
“Young Hearts” screens on September 26 at the Midtown Art Cinema
“High Tide” screens on October 6 at the Midtown Art Cinema
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“Young Hearts” PUBLICITY PHOTO
Queer Filmmakers at the Center of ‘Seeking Mavis Beacon’
Jim Farmer
Developed in 1987, the software program, Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, was an inspiration for a generation. Now two queer filmmakers — director Jazmin Jones and associate producer and protagonist Olivia McKayla Ross — have made a hybrid documentary about their DIY search for Renée L’Esperance, the model who was the face of it, that premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
Jones is one of Mavis Beacon’s greatest fans, she said. As she remembers, when it became available, users were just beginning to become familiar with computers.
“The idea of having one in your home was a very new concept that was scary to a lot of people,” Jones told Georgia Voice. “This software Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing helped users using very early AI to improve their typing speed. Initially, a Black woman was on the cover who modeled for the software, and this is the first time you ever had a Black person on the cover of any software. It was also one of the first times they had anthropomorphized a character to make it seem like you were talking to a human on the other end.”
The two believe Mavis Beacon is the biggest cultural figure in technology and also the most significant woman in the field. The software itself was immensely popular, selling 10 million copies and used in school curriculums, like Jones’ elementary school.
“She has touched a lot of people’s lives, and there are still a lot of people who think she is a real person,” Jones said.
Two years into Jones’ research and
“Seeking
development on this project, she encountered Ross as an 18-year-old theorist and technologist.
“[Ross] was developing amazing language that was so useful in terms of how I was thinking of Mavis Beacon,” she said. “I sent a DM asking if Olivia wanted to collaborate and the rest is history.”
Neither woman realized it would take six years to make the film.
“I think the biggest thing that drug everything out was the pandemic and how it put limitations on our body and activities and the extra things that had to go into every shoot,” Ross said. “We moved on our subject’s timeline and not ours, and that changed the movies and gave us more space to play and experiment. I definitely don’t regret how long it took.”
According to Jones, the audience watches as she and Ross grow up in the film.
“We start the project bright-eyed and bushytailed with ideas about what is right and
wrong and as the investigation goes on, our own ethical boundaries are confronted,” she said. “It’s also a film about representational politics and the limitations of representation. There is a breaking point in the movie where we say there is only so much we can do with this fictional character, and we have to decide how far we want to proceed. The goal of the film changes, and that is something I did not anticipate.”
Cheryl Dunye’s “The Watermelon Woman” was an inspiration for “Seeking Mavis Beacon,” a template for the filmmakers putting themselves on camera and looking for a Black historical figure.
Recently, the two showed the film in Oakland, and Dunye moderated a panel. Jones calls it a sweet full circle moment.
“When I talk about what ‘The Watermelon Woman’ did for me, I think what is so powerful about that piece is that — spoiler alert — The Watermelon Woman is not real and Cheryl Dunye is looking for a fictional character, and the movie ends with this idea that sometimes you have to create your
own history,” Jones said. “Cheryl made her own archive for the Watermelon Woman, but what I love is that the archive extends into her being a happy, elderly woman. You get to see this Black queer icon living her best life and it is so rare. Usually, in queer representation it does not end well for the gay characters and so seeing she had imagined a happily ever after for a woman who had been misrepresented was a beautiful gesture.”
Jones is excited that the film is getting a release at the current moment and time.
“I think people accepting it as queer cinema is heartening because it doesn’t center around a romantic love plot,” she said. “It is a platonic love story of two queers running around being mischievous.”
For Ross, she feels that so much of a queer lived existence is abandoning the script and the stereotypical heterosexual idea of what a person’s life should look like.
“Seeking Mavis Beacon” is now playing in theaters.
Mavis Beacon” PUBLICITY PHOTO
Katie Burkholder
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Global All Stars Viewing Party
September 20, 8pm
Atlanta Eagle
Myah Ross Monroe’s House of Love
September 20, 9pm
Atlanta Eagle
$5 cover.
Culture Shock
September 20, 10pm
District Atlanta
Tickets at collectivpresents.com.
Ron Pullman: Third Fridays
September 20, 11pm
Atlanta Eagle
$5 cover.
XION Friday
September 21, 3am
Future Atlanta
With Karlitos. Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
ATL ACES Beer Bust
September 21, 3pm
Atlanta Eagle
Drink all the bear you can to benefit the Southern Softpaw League team ATL ACES! Plus, enter the raffle to win a Delta airlines gift card!
Leather and Light
September 21, 8pm
Atlanta Eagle
Dance the night away with beats by DJ Justinface and stay for the glow with DJ Neon The Glowgobear, who will be lighting up the night at 11pm! $5 cover.
Atlanta Eagle Cabaret
September 21, 9pm
Atlanta Eagle
Featuring Lena Lust, Shawnna Brooks, Misti Shores, Elea Atlanta, and Niesha Dupree.
$5 cover.
Saturday Night Drag Show
September 21, 10pm
My Sister’s Room
Starring Brigitte Bidet, Taylor Alxndr, and Boy Howdy, and hosted by Dotte Com! Tickets at mysistersroom.com.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Global All Stars Viewing Party
SEPTEMBER 20, 27, & OCTOBER 4, 8PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
RuPaul invites 12 of the world’s best queens to return to the runway to compete in the first ever
Publicity photo courtesy of Paramount+
Shameless Sundays
September 22, 11:55pm Future Atlanta
With Kyra Mora and Tristan Panucci. $5 cover.
Country Night
September 24, 8pm
Atlanta Eagle
Show up at 8pm for the dance lesson before line dancing the night away with DJ Dice at 9pm!
Trivia Night
September 24, 8:30pm
Atlanta Eagle
Hosted by DJ DeWayne.
DRAGNIFICENT: Week 7
September 24, 9pm
Future Atlanta
Atlanta’s oldest drag competition continues! Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
Trivia Night
September 25, 7:30pm Woofs
Ruby Redd’s Birdcage Bingo
September 25, 8pm
Atlanta Eagle
Play bingo to benefit Atlanta Pride! No cover.
Music Bingo
September 26, 7:30pm Woofs
Rock Haus Karaoke
September 26, 9pm
Atlanta Eagle
Hosted by Raqi.
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Global All Stars Viewing Party
September 27, 8pm Atlanta Eagle
Myah Ross Monroe’s House of Love
September 27, 9pm Atlanta Eagle $5 cover.
BUNT In the Round Tour
September 27, 11pm
District Atlanta
Tickets at collectivpresents.com.
XION Friday
September 28, 3am Future Atlanta
With Tracy Levine (HouseCat). Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
Atlanta Eagle Cabaret
September 28, 9pm
Atlanta Eagle
Featuring Lena Lust, Shawnna Brooks, Misti Shores, Elea Atlanta, and Niesha Dupree. $5 cover.
Trinity the Tuck
September 28, 10pm
My Sister’s Room
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” winner Trinity the Tuck headlines, along with Aspen York, Bianca Nicole Mayari, Drew Friday, EllaSaurus Rex, JayBella Banks, and Orchid! Tickets at wussymag.com.
Rodeo Show: A Black Queer
Variety Show
September 29, 9pm
Atlanta Eagle
Saddle up for the Big, Black, & Loved!
Rodeo Show at Atlanta Eagle, a Black queer variety show hosted by Tucker Aye ALXNDR and Pressure K Friday that will bring you a night full of entertainment, laughs, and talent! $15 cover.
Shameless Sundays
September 29, 11:55pm
Future Atlanta
With Kyra Mora and Tristan Panucci. $5 cover.
Trivia Night
October 1, 8:30pm
Atlanta Eagle
Hosted by DJ DeWayne.
DRAGNIFICENT: Week 8
October 1, 9pm
Future Atlanta
Atlanta’s oldest drag competition continues! Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
Trivia Night
October 2, 7:30pm
Woofs
Ruby Redd’s Birdcage Bingo
October 2, 8pm
Atlanta Eagle
No cover.
Music Bingo
October 3, 7:30pm
Woofs
Rock Haus Karaoke
October 3, 9pm
Atlanta Eagle
Hosted by Raqi.
Atlanta Leather Pride
October 4-6
Atlanta Eagle
The weekend will include the Atlanta Eagle contest, BDSM and fetish demos, cigar socials, and more! Learn more at atlantaleatherpride.com.
RuPaul’s Drag Race:
Global All Stars Viewing Party
October 4, 8pm
Atlanta Eagle
Myah Ross Monroe’s House of Love
October 4, 9pm
Atlanta Eagle
$5 cover.
Layton Giordani
October 4, 10pm
District Atlanta
Tickets at collectivpresents.com.
Ron Pullman: First Friday
October 4, 11pm
Atlanta Eagle
$5 cover.
Atlanta Eagle Cabaret
October 5, 9pm
Atlanta Eagle
Featuring Lena Lust, Shawnna Brooks, Misti Shores, Elea Atlanta, and Niesha Dupree.
$5 cover.
Shameless Sundays
October 6, 11:55pm
Future Atlanta
With Kyra Mora and Tristan Panucci. $5 cover.
Country Night
October 8, 8pm
Atlanta Eagle
Show up at 8pm for the dance lesson before line dancing the night away with DJ Dice at 9pm!
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Trinity the Tuck
SEPTEMBER 28, 10PM
MY SISTER’S ROOM
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” winner Trinity the Tuck headlines, along with Aspen York, Bianca Nicole Mayari, Drew Friday, EllaSaurus Rex, JayBella Banks, and Orchid! Photo via Facebook
Trivia Night
October 8, 8:30pm
Atlanta Eagle
Hosted by DJ DeWayne.
DRAGNIFICENT: Week 9
October 8, 9pm
Future Atlanta
Atlanta’s oldest drag competition continues! Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
Witchy Vision: The Craft
October 9, 7pm
Plaza Theatre
Wussy presents this screening of the Halloween cult classic “The Craft”! Show up in costume, grab yourself a specialty themed drink, and get ready to get witchy! Tickets at plazaatlanta.com.
