NewFest Program 2020 by newfest

OCTOBER 16â&#x20AC;&#x201D;27

2020

PRESENTED BY

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Ticketing & Festival Info ATTEND VIRTUAL FESTIVAL

ATTEND DRIVE-IN SCREENINGS

Virtual All-Access Streaming Pass $95 [Members - $85]

OCTOBER 16 - OPENING NIGHT Gala Admission: $85/car [Members - $75/car]

Individual Film Streaming Tickets $12 [Members - $10]

VIP Experience: $130/car [Members - $120/car]

HOW TO BUY TICKETS

OCTOBER 24 & 25 General Admission: $45 [Members - $40]

ONLINE: NewFest.org OVER THE PHONE: (929) 480 - FEST Sept 23 - Oct 9: Mon - Fri; 2 PM - 6 PM

VIP Experience: $85 [Members - $80] ** VIP Experience includes premiere parking and refreshments **

Oct 13 - Oct 27: 7 days a week; 2 PM - 9 PM

HELP DESK SUPPORT Please visit newfest.org/festival/faq for the answers to all your questions about streaming and attending this year's festival. If you need more assistance please email us at boxoffice@newfest. org or call us at (929) 480 - FEST. **We will try to answer all your questions as soon as possible, but please expect up to a 4 hour delay in response outside of our business hours listed above.** HOW TO STREAM BASICS What do I need to have to be able to watch NewFest Virtual Festival? You will need to be based in the US, have a valid email address, a NewFest Virtual Festival Pass or ticket, and a computer, mobile phone, tablet, or Apple TV or Roku on your television. For additional Technical Requirements, please visit https://newfest.org/festival/faq. How do I stream a program? After purchasing your NewFest All-Access Virtual Festival Pass or Individual Film Streaming Ticket, and logging into our on-demand platform, simply click on your desired selection, then click on the Watch Now button to begin. When can I begin streaming? All non-Spotlight films will be available for Pass and Ticket-holders to stream beginning at 10 AM on Friday, October 16. Spotlight films will be available throughout the week at 8 PM EST. NewFest Virtual Festival will be available until 11:59 PM on Tuesday, October 27, and all programs must be watched by then.

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 3

Staff & Board of Directors NEWFEST STAFF Executive Director: David Hatkoff Director of Programming: Nick McCarthy Development Manager: Radhika Rajkumar Communications Associate: K. Alshanetsky FESTIVAL STAFF Festival Producer: Monisha Gandhi Ticketing & Accreditations Manager: Jaclyn Rose Wohl Operations & Production Manager: Anita Raswant Programmer & Programming Coordinator: Cyrus Cohen Programmer: Desmond Thorne Assistant Programmer & Community Outreach Coordinator: Shayna Maci Warner Publications Coordinator: Molly Fulton Exhibition/Filmmaker Relations Manager: Kim Garcia Video Editor: Michael Thomas Vassallo Publicity: K2 Publicity (Kara MacLean, Kevin McLean)

NEWFEST BOARD Bill Berman, Co-Chair Sandy Markman, Co-Chair Josh Schiowitz, Treasurer Adam Natale, Secretary Mike Balaban Ann Brown Thomas Dima Anita Dolce Vita Ronald Lense Jane Sasseen Ron Simons Andrew Uriarte

PROGRAM DESIGNER LuisMarquesDesign.com

SCREENING COMMITTEE Jared Abbott Amanda Adams Yaseen Ali Miranda Amey Rasheed Bailey Mark Balderrama Cathy Brennan Annette Covrigaru Jordan Crucchiola

OGILVY CREATIVE TEAM Andre Tingberg Adam Ponce Leslie James Jake Richardson Karen Rossiter

Jason Dugger Murtada Elfadl Felix Endara Shayana Filmore Sarah Fonseca Drew Gregory Jesus Hernandez Ashley Hoyle Laura Jacoves Finley King

John Lee Kate Lemberg Malkah Manouel Chelsea Moore Richard Morales Maeve Murphy Roberto Nisi Michael Robinson Collins Salovaara Jourdain Searles

Jenna Scherer Sophie Schoenfeld Daniel Spada William O. Tyler Alamin Yohannes Damiรกn Zapien Ting-Hao Zhou

NewFest Thanks Our Members Membership is the bedrock of NewFest, and we include an Annual Membership with all Festival Passes. Membership allows us to offer year-round programming and annually present New York's LGBTQ+ Film Festival, now in its 31st year.. As a not-for-profit arts organization, we’re proud to offer fun, thought-provoking and even free screenings and events throughout the year that bring our community together to share stories, open minds and celebrate the LGBTQ+ experience. Thank you to all of our Annual Members, as well as the following Major Donors and Festival Passholders:

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE Ned J. Lustbader

PRODUCER’S CIRCLE Josh Schiowitz Mohammed Fakhro Richard Fye

DIAMOND MEMBERS Joe Avena Mike Balaban Bill Berman Ann Brown Thomas Dima Anita Dolce Vita Clarke Griffith & Steve Seidmon Terry & Bruce Hatkoff Ron Lense Sandy Markman Adam Natale Gregory Pratt Steven Roy Jane Sasseen Ronald Simons Andrew Tobias Andrew Uriarte

GOLD MEMEBERS Adam Baran Jacqueline Cook Peter Farrell Gerald Herman Brendan Kelly Raul Morales Luna Rosa Stacey Shurgin Rachel Somer Paul Travis

SILVER MEMBERS Eammon Atkinson Jack Bamberger Ruth Barone Debbie Bondulic Thomas C. Clark Jacqueline Cook Thomas Cott John M. Davis The Doner Family Howard Eberhart Elizabeth Estrin Pablo Gutierrez Segu Warren Hall Devin House Diogo Ide Bradley Jacobs Dianne Johnson Gregory Kerr

Charles Krozek David Levithan Kevin McAnarney Andy Mirer Tom O'Connor Richard Pleak Cindy Rizzo Eve Rosah Daniel Rosson Frank Schramm William Sell Maroun Semaan Todd Stephens Mike Syers Scot Titelbaum Kamal Villejoint Jim Vivyan Jon Weatherman Suzanne Zuckerman

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STORIES THAT NEED TO BE TOLD. WarnerMedia is a proud supporter of the 32nd annual Newfest Film Festival and its commitment to LGBTQIA+ storytellers. We celebrate you, today and everyday.

Betty

Cybernetic

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Table of Contents

Staff & Board, Charter Circle....................................................... 4 Members.................................................................................... 5 Sponsors.................................................................................... 8 Welcome Letter.......................................................................... 9 Opening Night Film................................................................... 10 Closing Night Film..................................................................... 11 Drive-In Films............................................................................ 12 Narrative Features.................................................................... 14 Documentary Features............................................................. 26 Legacy..................................................................................... 34 Episodics.................................................................................. 36 Shorts Programs...................................................................... 40 Community Partners................................................................. 50

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Sponsors Presenting Sponsor:

Signature Sponsors:

Premier Sponsors:

Major Sponsor:

Supporting Sponsors:

Media Sponsors:

Corporate Partners:

Contributing Partner:

Community Sponsors: New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

Welcome Letter On behalf of everyone at NewFest we are thrilled to welcome you to the 32nd Annual, and first-ever virtual, New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival. NewFest was founded more than 30 years ago in direct response to the AIDS crisis. With fires raging as a result of climate change and our country battling a pandemic, reckoning with racial injustice, and dealing with an economic downturn ahead of a hugely consequential election for LGBTQ+ lives and rights, maintaining a safe space where queer stories are told and shared has never been more important. Going virtual has given us an incredible opportunity to make sure these stories can be viewed from anywhere in the United States. Get ready, because we are coming at you with more than 120 films that will be available to watch on-demand from anywhere in the country. We'll also have conversations with some of your favorite LGBTQ+ artists and filmmakers; topical panels with community leaders on issues such as global advocacy and queer journalism; virtual social events, including the much anticipated return of My Girl Friday; and much more. And we've got drive-ins! We'll be opening the Festival with Francis Lee's stunning AMMONITE, starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan, and will have Kate on hand to present Francis with the inaugural World Queer Visionary Award before the Opening Night drive-in screening! We've also recorded introductions to the films in front of historic LGBTQ+ sites, so that we can capture the singular energy of New York City and the incredible queer legacy that exists here. We want to acknowledge and celebrate our community's history, as well as shine a spotlight on queer gathering spaces, community organizations, and LGBTQ-owned businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic. Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor Warner Media, and our Signature Sponsors Hyundai and Ogilvy, as well as the NewFest Board of Trustees and the tireless Festival and year-round teams, for making this year's event possible. We are very aware that the Festival is taking place in the weeks leading up to the Presidential election, and encourage you to do all that you can to get out the vote. We aim to capture through film, conversation and celebration the spirit of pride and protest that inspired the founding of NewFest more than 30 years ago. The poster design for this year's Festival, seen on the cover of this program, was illustrated by queer NYC artist Marcos Chin and reflects this sentiment -- that queer stories will not be silenced.

Enjoy the Festival!

All the best, David Hatkoff Executive Director

Bill Berman and Sandy Markman Board Co-Chairs

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Opening Night Film (Drive-In)

AMMONITE Dir. Francis Lee, United Kingdom, 2020, 120 mins

This tremendously textured tale of two 19th-century women discovering their true passions and authentic selves stars Academy Award-winner Kate Winslet and multiple Academy Awardnominee Saorsie Ronan in the stunning second feature from alum Francis Lee, whose enduring GOD’S OWN COUNTRY was celebrated as NewFest’s International Centerpiece in 2017. In 1840s England, noted yet undervalued paleontologist Mary Anning (Winslet) searches the misty coastline for signs of past life in rocks and boulders. When a wealthy potential patron arrives and asks Mary to oversee his melancholic wife Charlotte’s (Ronan) well-being, Mary reluctantly allows Charlotte to shadow her fossil-hunting work on the shore. Amid the restorative fresh sea air, the two discover their own internal awakenings are hidden beneath austere exteriors and ready to erupt. Winslet and Ronan contribute towering and skillful performances that are fully aligned with Lee’s humanistic portrait and tactile landscapes and receive sterling ensemble support from Fiona Shaw, Gemma Jones, James McCardle, and Alec Secareanu. Lee and the cast take a giant visionary leap in the artistic search for human truth and connection, making AMMONITE a gorgeously crafted new landmark of contemporary world cinema. Writer: Francis Lee Cast: Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones, Fiona Shaw, James McArdle, Alec Secareanu

Friday 10/16 @8pm The Queens Drive-In at Corona Park Kate Winslet will virtually present Francis Lee with the inaugural NewFest World Queer Visionary Award as part of the evening’s festivities! This film will exclusively play at The Queens Drive-In, Corona Park.

Opening & Closing Night

Closing Night Film (Virtual)

NO HARD FEELINGS Dir. Faraz Shariat, Germany, 2020, 92 mins

An exhilarating and balanced look at the challenges of young immigrants and the importance of community, this gorgeous drama captured the top prize at the 2020 Teddy Awards. Writer-director Faraz Shariat's astoundingly confident debut follows Parvis, a second-generation Iranian-German working at a refugee center, as he gets entangled in the fast-paced lives of dreamy Amon and his spirited sister Banafshe. Tired of his conservative family and empty Grindr hook-ups, he immerses himself in his newly blooming queer social life, only to discover that one of his new friends will soon be deported. With gorgeous cinematography and stunning performances across the board, NO HARD FEELINGS is both an incredibly specific critique of modern xenophobia and a timeless story of romance and friendship. Writers: Faraz Shariat, Paulina Lorenz Cast: Benjamin Radjaipour, Eidin Jalali, Banafshe Hourmazdi

Premieres closing night Tuesday October 27 at 8PM EST and will be available for virtual on-demand screening through 10/30

Spotlight Film

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Friday 10/23 @8pm (Drive-In)

UNCLE FRANK Dir. Alan Ball, USA, 2020, 95 mins

Academy Award-winner Alan Ball’s heartfelt and hilarious road movie travels from the bohemian scene of post-Stonewall New York City to rural South Carolina, following Frank’s journey from hitting rock bottom to acceptance and forgiveness and, finally, reintegration into his family and into life itself. In 1973, teenaged Beth Bledsoe (Sophia Lillis, SHARP OBJECTS) leaves her rural Southern hometown to study at NYU where her beloved Uncle Frank (Paul Bettany, THE AVENGERS) is a revered literature professor. She soon discovers that Frank is gay and living with his longtime, loving partner Walid “Wally” Nadeem (Peter Macdissi)— an arrangement that he has kept secret for years. After the sudden death of Frank’s father (and Beth’s grandfather), Frank is forced to reluctantly return home for the funeral with Beth in tow, and to finally face a long-buried trauma that he has spent his entire adult life running away from. In addition to layered character work from the three leads, writer-director Ball (AMERICAN BEAUTY, SIX FEET UNDER) elicits strong turns from the superb supporting cast, including Stephen Root, Margo Martindale, Steve Zahn, Judy Greer, and Lois Smith. Writer: Alan Ball Cast: Paul Bettany, Sophia Lillis, Peter Macdissi, Judy Greer, Steve Zahn, Lois Smith, Margo Martindale, Stephen Root Presented by

The Queens Drive-In at Corona Park This film will exclusively play at The Queens Drive-In, Corona Park.

Drive-In

Saturday 10/24 @7:30pm (Drive-In)

CICADA Dir. Matthew Fifer, Kieran Mulcare, USA, 2020, 94 mins

Emerging New York talent Matthew Fifer co-directs, co-writes, produces, and stars in this powerfully intimate, sexy, and tragicomic debut feature, based on his own real experiences and those of his co-star/co-writer Sheldon D. Brown. When the philandering Ben (Fifer) meets Sam (Brown) outside of The Strand bookstore, it seems the two may have finally found the elusive perfect gay New York romance. As they grow closer, however, Ben’s childhood traumas begin to bubble to the surface while Sam’s own PTSD is revealed, testing the waters of their strengthening bond. An essential examination of love, interracial relationships, and reconciling the past, CICADA surprises with its strong sense of heart, humor, and humanity — not to mention its beautiful exterior cinematography that reminds us of why we continue to call NYC home. The film also features lovely comedic work from local familiar faces such as Scott Adsit (30 ROCK), Colbie Smulders (HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER), Jo Firestone (HIGH MAINTENANCE), and SNL’s Bowen Yang. Writer: Matthew Fifer Cast: Matthew Fifer, Sheldon D. Brown, Cobie Smulders, Scott Adsit, Sandra Bauleo, Jazmin Grimaldi, Michael Potts, David Burtka, Jason "Freckle" Greene, Bowen Yang, Jo Firestone

CICADA will also be available to watch virtually preceded by Brooklyn Boys Shorts

The Brooklyn Drive-In at the Brooklyn Army Terminal The Brooklyn Boys shorts film program will exclusively play at The Brooklyn Drive-In at the Brooklyn Army Terminal.

SEE YOU SOON Dir. Tyler Rabinowitz, USA, 2020, 16 mins

KIND OF

Dir. Noah Schamus, USA, 2020, 9 mins

WHO CAN PREDICT WHAT WILL MOVE YOU Dir. Livia Huang, USA, 2019, 9 mins

ARE WE HERE YET?

Dir. Solomon Chidi Amadiume, USA, 2019, 10 mins

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ALICE JÚNIOR Dir. Gil Baroni, Brazil, 2019, 87 mins

Winner of the top prize at Mix Brasil, this one-of-a-kind charmer infuses the spirit of classic high school films such as MEAN GIRLS and THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER with an electricity that will leave you buzzing with warmth and energy. Forced to leave the coastal city of Recife when her father gets a job in a small conservative town in the South of Brazil, transgender teenage social media star Alice Júnior's life is suddenly thrust into uncertainty and drab dread. Although she's far out of her comfort zone and facing the kind of resistance she never could have imagined , Alice is determined to take on Catholic school (and its uniform) with verve and wit and make the most of her new setting, religious classmates, and budding crushes. In her very first acting role, Anne Celestino Mota infuses Alice with an infectious relatability, inspiring confidence, and nuanced charm that demands great attention and suggests a bright future for the young actress. Powered by a spirited style rife with color, kitsch, and creativity, ALICE JÚNIOR is a celebration of rebellious youth and the potential for future generations to rethink outdated perspectives of gender, sexuality, and differences as a whole. Writer: Luiz Bertazzo Cast: Anne Celestino Mota, Emmanuel Rosset, Thaís Schier, Surya Amitrano, Matheus Moura, Katia Horn, Igor Augustho, Gustavo Piaskoski, Antonia Montemezzo, Amanda Leal, Marcel Szymanski, Cida Rolim, Altamar Cezar, Simone Klein, Melissa Locatelli, Paolla Torrilhas, Leonarda Glück, Angélica Garcino, Megg Rayara Gomes de Oliveira

Presented by

BREAKING FAST Dir. Mike Mosallam, USA, 2020, 91 mins

The gay romcom is alive, well, and approached with the perfect balance of sexiness and cultural significance in Mike Mosallam's feature directorial debut BREAKING FAST. Devout Muslim Mo (Haaz Sleiman) is heartbroken after being dumped by his long-time partner when the dashing, white, All-American boy Kal (Michael Cassidy) turns his love life upside-down by sweeping him off his feet and offering to break fast with him during the holy holiday Ramadan. In addition to tender displays of romance and laugh-out-loud moments, this comedy offers timely commentary on the gay Muslim experience in the U.S. and beyond. Featuring star-making performances from Haaz Sleiman (THE VISITOR, NURSE JACKIE) as Mo and Amin El Gamal (TRANSPARENT) as Mo’s best friend Sam, BREAKING FAST is a fun and flinty film with surprising depth that will keep your heart perfectly warm during the bluster of autumn. Writer: Mike Mosallam Cast: Haaz Sleiman, Michael Cassidy, Amin El Gamal, Patrick Sabongui, Veronica Cartwright

COWBOYS

Featuring gorgeously layered dramatic work by an all-star ensemble including Steve Zahn, Ann Dowd, and Jillian Bell, the lovingly crafted COWBOYS is a sensitive and compelling look at parental responsibility and the lengths we go to for those we love unconditionally. Troy (Zahn) and his young child Joe (Sasha Knight) are on the run in rural Montana, determined to make it to Canada and live the life they’re meant to live. Pursued by Joe’s mother (Bell) and a local detective (Dowd), the “kidnapping” becomes a headline-grabbing local sensation, but the media’s coverage only scratches the surface of why Troy and Joe are so desperate to make a new start. Exploring the precarious dynamic between conservative parents and transgender kids, Anna Kerrigan’s COWBOYS is an ultimately hopeful and honest portrait of family bonds that overcome any perceived red-state prejudice. Writer: Anna Kerrigan Cast: Steve Zahn, Sasha Knight, Jillian Bell, Ann Dowd

Narrative Features

Dir. Anna Kerrigan, USA, 2020, 83 mins

DATING AMBER Dir. David Freyne, Ireland, 2020, 92 mins

This outrageous 1990s-set Irish satire centers on closeted queer high-schoolers Eddie (Fionn O’Shea, NORMAL PEOPLE) and Amber (Lola Petticrew), who hatch a perfect plan to get their bullies and families off of their backs — pretend to date each other and become each other’s beards! What follows is a funny, moving, and soul-searching film about growing up gay in a homophobic society. Featuring familiar faces such as Sharon Horgan (CATASTROPHE), this tale of queer kinship features a wonderful sense of visual comedy, brilliant costume design, and an outcast friendship dynamic reminiscent of THE END OF THE F**KING WORLD. DATING AMBER successfully shows that while fleeting romantic love is nice, sometimes the deep power of friendship can transform us most of all. Writer: David Freyne Cast: Fionn O'Shea, Lola Petticrew, Sharon Horgan, Barry Ward

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DRY WIND Dir. Daniel Nolasco, Brazil, 2020, 110 mins

Fantastical sexual exploits that infuse hardcore reveries with surprising tenderness help lonely factory worker Sandro (Leandro Faria Lelo) pass the long days and scorching heat of inland Brazil’s dry summer season in writer-director Daniel Nolasco pulsating, neon-infused Tom of Finland-come-to-life wonderland of a film. Despite a meaningful friendship with a sharply observant colleague and an occasional lunchtime hook-up with a gorgeous young co-worker, Sandro longs for something more. When the leather-clad, muscle-bound Maicon (Rafael Theophilo) rolls into town, Sandro’s passion is inflamed, and takes him to places he’d only previously dared imagine. Exploring the fine line between innocent admiration and all-consuming desire, the film beckons viewers to dream just a little harder. This film contains sexually explicit content. Writer: Daniel Nolasco Cast: Leandro Faria Lelo, Allan Jacinto Santana, Renata Carvalho, Rafael Theophilo, Del Neto, Larissa Sisterolli, Marcelo D’Avilla, Leo Moreira Sá

ELLIE & ABBIE (& ELLIE'S DEAD AUNT) Dir. Monica Zanetti, Australia, 2020, 85 mins

Top-of-her-class Australian high schooler Ellie (Sophie Hawkshaw) has no problem coming out, really. Like, according to her, five people in her year are gay. Her only issue is finding an acceptably cool way to ask her crush (the über-charming Zoe Terakes, WENTWORTH) to the school formal. That is, until the dead aunt (Julia Billington) she never knew shows up, determined to share her wisdom as her Fairy Gaymother. Suddenly, everything Ellie thought she knew about life, love, and family is turned on its head, as she has to re-evaluate what queerness means. Featuring stellar comedic performances from the entire cast, including Rachel House (HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE, THOR: RAGNAROK), director Monica Zanetti’s feature debut is a heartfelt love letter to those who came before, the value of intergenerational connections, and a reminder that it’s never too late for the perfect promposal. Writer: Monica Zanetti Cast: Sophie Hawkshaw, Zoe Terakes, Marta Dusseldorp, Rachel House, Julia Billington

Virtual screening available on-demand beginning Friday October 23 at 8PM EST

Spotlight Film

Friday, 10/23

MY GIRL FRIDAY

FORGOTTEN ROADS

After her husband dies unexpectedly, meek 70-year-old Claudina (Rosa Ramírez) makes the journey to her daughter and grandson’s house in Lautaro, Chile. While she certainly doesn’t expect much from rooming in a house somewhat hostile to her presence, a budding romance with Elsa (Romana Satt), the married next-door neighbor who moonlights as a gay lounge singer, is one of the unexpected surprises that line her new path. As she remembers her past loves and forges new clandestine friendships with the young conspirators in her life, Claudina finds, at last, a new purpose. Director Nicol Ruiz brings her hometown to life in this delicate, young-at-heart romance, depicting Lauturo through its colorful corner stores, gossiping wives, and bordering-on-religious obsession with the UFOs that only come out by night. Ruiz’s tender eye, and Ramírez’s moving performance, make this delightfully and earnestly unconventional narrative an unmissable cinematic oddity that’s sure to charm.

Narrative Features

Dir. Nicol Ruiz Benavides, Chile, 2020, 71 mins

Writer: Nicol Ruiz Benavides Cast: Rosa Ramírez, Romana Satt, Gabriela Arancibia, Claudia Devia, Raúl López Leyton, Cristóbal Ruiz

GOSSAMER FOLDS Dir. Lisa Donato, USA, 2020, 96 mins

Alexandra Grey (EMPIRE) turns in a star-making performance as the lead in this heartwarming tale of overcoming prejudice and fostering unexpected connections. When 10-year-old Tate (Jackson Robert Scott) is relocated with his harried mother (Sprague Grayden) and adulterous father (Shane West) to the suburbs of 1980s Kansas City, the lonely boy finds himself drawn to his next-door neighbor, the confident, big-dreaming Gossamer (Grey). Grey's depth and undeniable charisma, Lisa Donato's sensitive direction, and a strong supporting cast, including NewFest alum Jen Richards as Gossamer's best friend, elevate GOSSAMER FOLDS into a lovely reminder that if we open our minds and hearts, anything is possible. Writer: Bridget Flanery Cast: Alexandra Grey, Jackson Robert Scott, Sprague Grayden, Shane West, Franklin Ojeda Smith, Ethan Suplee, Yeardley Smith, Jen Richards

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MINYAN Dir. Eric Steel, USA, 2020, 118 mins

Living in Brooklyn in the 1980s is full of contradictions for Jewish rabbinical student David (Samuel H. Levine, Broadwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s THE INHERITANCE). The young gay man is caught between two worlds: the thrilling private trysts he throws himself into with abandon, and his overbearing, traditional family who threaten to hold him back. Stuck in a rigid and repressive household, David looks to his grandfather (Ron Rifkin, ALIAS) and other Jewish elders around him, who unexpectedly help him find new truths within himself yearning to be discovered and expressed. Winner of Best U.S. Narrative Feature at Outfest, this sexy and serious tale from local New York filmmaker Eric Steel surprises, innovates, and satisfies through its thoughtful and challenging portraiture of identity and desired freedoms. Writer: Eric Steel, Daniel Pearle Cast: Samuel H. Levine, Ron Rifkin, Christopher McCann, Mark Margolis, Richard Topol, Brooke Bloom, Alex Hurt

MONSOON Dir. Hong Khaou, Vietnam/United Kingdom, 2019, 95 mins

Henry Golding (CRAZY RICH ASIANS) stars as Kit, an exploratory soul returning to modern Vietnam for the first time since his family emigrated during his childhood. As Kit navigates his reacclimation to a country in which he can not speak the language and a culture he now barely recalls or recognizes, he connects with the charming Lewis (Parker Sawyers, P-VALLEY), striking up a steamy if potentially fleeting romance. MONSOON is a romantic and lusciously lensed travelogue that speaks to the legacy of ancestry while honoring the significance of rediscovering one's own roots and homeland. Writer: Hong Khaou Cast: Henry Golding, Parker Sawyers, Molly Harris, David Tran

NORA HIGHLAND

Based on the play of the same name, this adaptation into a screenplay was shot entirely on computers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. NORA HIGHLAND explores the casting process surrounding an iconic and seminal gay character in a new Broadway revival. The original play premiered during the Pride Plays Festival in New York City in 2019. Writer: Ryan Spahn Cast: Marin Ireland, Michael Hsu Rosen, Mallory Portnoy, Carlease Burke, Eric Patrick Harper, Marcus Crawford Guy, Henry Jenkinson

Virtual screening available on-demand beginning Monday October 26 at 8PM EST

Narrative Features

Dir. Ryan Spahn, USA, 2020, 71 mins

RŪRANGI Dir. Max Currie, New Zealand, 2020, 96 mins

The last thing trans activist and educator Caz (Elz Carrad) wants to do is return to his long-abandoned hometown in rural New Zealand. But when he reaches rock bottom, Caz finds himself inexplicably drawn back to his dairy-farm upbringing, where he connects with old friends, still-burning past flames, and, most tentatively, his estranged father. Written and produced by a team of trans artists and interweaving themes of environmentalism, Indigenous identity, and the strengths of queer friendship, RŪRANGI is a compassionate, fearless, and vivacious portrait of coming into your own all over again. Writer: Cole Meyers Cast: Elz Carrad, Arlo Green, Āwhina Rose Henare Ashby, Kirk Torrance, Ramon Te Wake, Sonny Tupu, Aroha Rawson, Renee Lyons, Renée Sheridan

Virtual screening available on-demand beginning Wednesday October 21 at 8PM EST

Spotlight Film

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 19

SHIVA BABY Dir. Emma Seligman, USA, 2020, 77 mins

Through delicately crafted humor, NYU alum Emma Seligman’s feature directorial debut is an exciting new entry into the bisexual canon, as well as a touching and hilarious look into queer Jewish adolescence and finding oneself in the 21st century. Danielle (Rachel Sennott) is stuck in postgrad ennui — disaffected, unmotivated, and content to live off of her married sugar daddy, while lying to family and friends about the source of her revenue. Her heavily compartmentalized worlds crash into each other at a shiva following a family friend’s funeral, as the arrival of unexpected guests, including former flame Maya (Molly Gordon, BOOKSMART) and her paramour’s wife (Dianna Agron, GLEE), cause her frequently flippant fibs to catch up with her in absurdly raucous ways. The star-studded and dynamic ensemble includes Polly Draper (THIRTYSOMETHING), Fred Melamed, and Jackie Hoffman, who all provide stalwart supporting work in this witty, sharp-edged SXSW and TIFF 2020 Official Selection. Writer: Emma Seligman Cast: Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Dianna Agron, Polly Draper, Fred Melamed, Danny Deferrari

Virtual screening available on-demand beginning Tuesday October 20 at 8PM EST

Spotlight Film

SUBLET Dir. Eytan Fox, Israel/USA, 2020, 89 mins Presented in partnership with the Consul General of Culture in Israel, New York

Tony Award-winner John Benjamin Hickey (“The Normal Heart,” “The Inheritance”) stars in this crowd-pleasing comedydrama of exploration and self-discovery. When Michael (Hickey), a New York Times travel writer on assignment in Tel Aviv and at a crossroads in life, arrives to his short-term rental, he’s surprised to find handsome and harried young tenant Tomer (Niv Nissim) still occupying the space. Soon a sexy intergenerational tango begins, in which ages, boundaries, and cultures collide, as the two men find insightful personal resolve in this New York City-meets-Tel Aviv charmer. Writer: Eytan Fox, Itay Segal Cast: John Benjamin Hickey, Niv Nissim

SUMMER OF 85

The new masterpiece from celebrated French auteur François Ozon, SUMMER OF 85 is a nostalgic look at first loves and reckless adolescence sans the rose-colored glasses we've come to expect from traditional coming-of-age stories. Alexis (Félix Lefebvre) is an average, emotionally volatile 16-year-old boy, questioning both his future and the present opportunities for him in his beachside hometown of Normandy. When a dashing stranger (Benjamin Voisin, in a star-making role) saves him at sea, Alexis' potentially dull summer is quickly upended as he is thrust into the alluring and enigmatic world of his new friend. Propelled by sensuous sun-dappled cinematography, illuminating flashbacks, and lively ensemble work from an all-star French cast, SUMMER OF 85 is an electric ode to youth, self-discovery, and the possibilities that lay in front of us all. Writers: François Ozon, based on the novel DANCE ON MY GRAVE by Aidan Chambers Cast: Felix Lefebvre, Benjamin Voisin, Philippine Velge, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Melvil Poupaud, Isabelle Nanty, Laurent Fernandez, Aurore Broutin

Narrative Features

Dir. François Ozon, France, 2020, 110 mins

Virtual screening available on-demand beginning Saturday October 17 at 8PM EST

Spotlight Film

TAHARA Dir. Olivia Peace, USA, 2020, 77 mins

Sometimes first loves are beautiful culminations of innocent flirtation and yearning sighs; other times, they’re set at Hebrew school after a classmate’s suicide and the result of years of gaslighting. Brooklyn-based director Olivia Peace’s feature debut is a bitingly dark comedy about growing up, growing into queerness, and growing out of toxic, lox-andshmear-fueled horndog escapades in the synagogue library. Madeline Grey Defreece shines as the sensitive, sensible Carrie, whose crush on her destructively needy best friend Hannah (NewFest double-hitter Rachel Sennott [SHIVA BABY]) is about to be put to the test. With Jess Zeidman's incisive and brilliant script evoking shades of 2001’s GHOST WORLD, and cinematographer Tehillah De Castro's perfect portraiture of suburban Rochester, TAHARA was a breakaway hit out of this year’s Slamdance Film Festival. By turns hilarious, deeply felt, and deeply screwed up in the way only teenagers can be, TAHARA is the kind of coming-of-age story some might wish they had before they knew there was life after the bat mitzvah. Writer: Jess Zeidman Cast: Rachel Sennott, Madeline Grey DeFreece, Shlomit Azoulay, Daniel Taveras, Bernadette Quigley

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 21

THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON Dir. Ali LeRoi, USA, 2019, 113 mins A bold, moving, and palpably political story, THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON speaks directly to the #BlackLivesMatter movement and calls for police reform in our country in a profoundly human way. High school is always hard, but for Black teenager Tunde Johnson (Steven Silver, 13 REASONS WHY) it's literally life or death. On the same day he bravely chooses to come out to his parents, Tunde is forced to relive — in a seemingly endless time loop — the trauma he experiences at the hands of the local police and a constant battle with his closeted jock boyfriend to be open about their relationship. Ali LeRoi's debut narrative feature is simultaneously a searing indictment of modern policing and a singular, must-see character study that gives Silver a multi-dimensional role the young actor meets with gravity, hope, and depth. Nigerian-born Stanley Kalu's sterling screenplay signals the arrival of a rising star who isn't afraid to push boundaries to achieve truth and catharsis. Writer: Stanley Kalu Cast: Steven Silver, Spencer Neville, Nicola Peltz, Joey Pollari

Virtual screening available on-demand beginning Monday October 19 at 8PM EST

Spotlight Film

THE STRONG ONES Dir. Omar Zúñiga, Chile, 2019, 98 mins

In the mood for love? THE STRONG ONES tells the romantic saga of a fisherman and an architect in the beautiful landscape of Southern Chile as they find love at the edge of the world. This confidently directed festival favorite, which took home both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at Outfest, spotlights the searing sexiness and electric chemistry of the two charismatic leads (Samuel González and Antonio Altamirano), while impressive cinematography highlights the majestic landscapes. This gentle and intimate love tale is the perfect selection for a date night with your own special someone, or perhaps a lover-to-be. Writer: Omar Zúñiga Cast: Antonio Altamirano, Samuel González, Marcela Salinas, Rafael Contreras

TWILIGHT'S KISS

Lovingly demonstrating that sexual discovery has no expiration date, and frankly exploring a variety of very real issues older gay men face, TWILIGHT’S KISS is a tender and heartbreaking reminder that we only have one life, so we might as well experience it as fully and authentically as we can. The paths of Pak, an unhappily married cabdriver, and Hoi, who resides with his religious son and covertly attends support group meetings for elderly gay men, are forever changed after subtly cruising each other in a Hong Kong park. As the two men navigate an increasingly intimate relationship, they begin to wonder whether they’ve aged out of the possibility of happily-ever-after. Can you still have true love if the home you’ve made for yourself and the society you live in make it impossible? Writer: Ray Yeung Cast: Tai Bo, Ben Yuen, Au Ga Man Patra, Lo Chun Yip, Kong To, Lam Yiu Sing

Narrative Features

Dir. Ray Yeung, Hong Kong, 2019, 92 mins

TWO OF US Dir. Filippo Meneghetti, France, 2019, 95 mins

Nina and Madeleine have enjoyed a domestically blissful life in the South of France for decades, but when one of the women faces a medical emergency, the pair’s clandestine relationship arrives at a crossroads. An all-too-rare depiction of sexually vital women of a certain age, TWO OF US is by turns romantic, mournful, and darkly comic. Fassbinder favorite Barbara Sukowa (LOLA, HANNAH ARENDT) gives a ferocious performance as Nina in this complex and compelling breakout from the Toronto International Film Festival. Writer: Filippo Meneghetti, Malysone Bovorasmy Cast: Barbara Sukowa, Martine Chevallier

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WELCOME TO THE USA Dir. Assel Aushakimova, Kazakhstan, 2019, 94 mins

How do you choose yourself when everyone around you seems content to stagnate in their own complacency? In her gorgeous, topical narrative feature debut, Kazakh filmmaker Assel Aushakimova paints a heartbreaking and hopeful portrait of a journey she knows intimately, that of a 36-year-old lesbian who has spent her entire life fighting her way to stability in homophobic, politically repressed Kazakh society. When Aliya (Saltanat Nauruz) wins the Green Card lottery, the only real choice seems to be making a fresh start in America — but how can she tell her family, friends, and lover that she is leaving them behind? Led by a sensitive, complex performance from Nauruz, WELCOME TO THE USA is an immersive depiction of a queer life that rarely makes it to the screen. Writer: Assel Aushakimova Cast: Saltanat Nauruz

WHITE LIE Dir. Yonah Lewis, Calvin Thomas, Canada, 2019, 96 mins

A campus celebrity known for her bravery battling cancer and overwhelming medical bills, Katie Arneson isn’t exactly your average college student. Only thing is — it’s all a lie. Katie’s scheme has worked so far, but, when asked to provide proof of her illness in order to be eligible for a grant she's desperately been pursuing, Katie’s lies start to catch up with her. In their fourth collaboration as co-directors, Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas prove to be masters of their craft, ratcheting up the film’s tension higher and higher until it reaches a fever pitch. Kacey Rohl is spellbinding as Katie, fully committing to the young woman’s murky motivations, while the supporting cast, including Martin Donovan as her father and Amber Anderson as her fiercely loyal girlfriend, complement and bolster her work beautifully. Writer: Yonah Lewis, Calvin Thomas Cast: Kacey Rohl, Amber Anderson, Martin Donovan, Connor Jessup

Narrative Features Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 25

AHEAD OF THE CURVE Dir. Jen Rainin, Rivkah Beth Medow, USA, 2020, 97 mins

Tracing the legacy of the groundbreaking publication Curve Magazine, Jen Rainin and Rivkah Beth Medow's triumphant documentary reminds contemporary audiences of the importance of LGBTQ representation in media. AHEAD OF THE CURVE recounts the efforts of trailblazing founding publisher Franco Stevens to amplify lesbian visibility in riveting detail, from risky financial gambles to cross-country promotional tours, and from celebrity lawsuits to name changes. The film, which includes jubilant appearances by Melissa Etheridge, Andrea Pino-Silva, Amber Hikes, Jewelle Gomez, and Lea DeLaria, captures an essential record of this historic landmark of LGBTQ+ journalism and extols the survivalist need for communities to grow and adapt for future generations. Cast: Franco Stevens, Andrea Pino-Silva, Kim Katrin, Denice Frohman, Amber Hikes, Jewelle Gomez, Melissa Etheridge, Lea DeLaria

Virtual screening available on-demand beginning Sunday October 18 at 8PM EST

Spotlight Film

ALWAYS AMBER Dir. Hannah Reinikainen, Lia Hietala, Sweden, 2019, 77 mins

An invitation into the social-media-driven world of its titular character, ALWAYS AMBER will stand as a unique artifact of this era of living one’s life online. Hannah Reinikainen Bergeman and Lia Hietala’s feature directorial debut explores teenage trans/non-binary identity with tact, compassion, and clarity, allowing Amber full agency in chronicling their story. Framed by professionally shot scenes at a doctor’s office and Amber’s own Snapchats, Instagram Stories, and DMs, the directors capture queer and trans teenage angst and complicated relationships in their most authentic, bold, and transgressive moments. Throughout this singular cinematic experience, Amber remains an awe-inspiring and unapologetically themself narrator, co-cinematographer, and star — demonstrating what can happen when filmmakers treat documentary “subjects” as participants in their own depictions.

CURED

This fascinating documentary takes viewers inside the Davidversus-Goliath struggle that led the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to remove homosexuality from its manual of mental illnesses in 1973. Viewers meet the key players who achieved this victory, along with allies and opponents within the APA. Co-directors Bennett Singer and Patrick Sammon illuminate the strategy and tactics that led to this pivotal yet largely unknown moment. Indeed, following the Stonewall uprising of 1969, the campaign that culminated in the APA’s decision marks the first major step on the path to first-class citizenship for LGBTQ Americans. While CURED is indisputably about science, medicine, and politics, at its core this is a film about activism and the process of social change. Presented by

Documentary Features

Dir. Bennett Singer, Patrick Sammon, USA, 2019, 82 mins

IF IT WERE LOVE Dir. Patric Chiha, France, 2020, 82 mins

A singular and stirring hybrid of contemporary dance performance and intimate character study, this Teddy Award-winning docu-essay from Patric Chiha reveals the human layers beneath Gisèle Vienne’s stunning, kinetic choreography. Chiha examines both the on-and-off-stage lives of 15 young dancers as gender, sexuality, and movement collide, culminating in a fascinating rumination on queer identity in the modern era and a tactile exploration of the many modes of human connection.

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JULIA SCOTTI: FUNNY THAT WAY Dir. Susan Sandler, USA, 2020, 72 mins Julia Scotti, a hilarious 65-year-old transgender New York comedian, discovers the beauty of her own life after she transitions in her late 40s in this humorous and heartwarming portrait by documentarian Susan Sandler. Following Julia’s journey as she makes her discovery pre-transition, reunites with her son and daughter after many years apart, and becomes a contestant on AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, the film is a tribute to both Julia’s legacy and the New York comedy scene. JULIA SCOTTI: FUNNY THAT WAY is a truly lovely, funny, and emotional experience that continues to prove it’s never too late to change course and live the joyous and fulfilling life you were always meant to lead. Cast: Julia Scotti

KEITH HARING: STREET ART BOY Dir. Ben Anthony, United Kingdom, 2020, 60 mins Keith Haring is undeniably a New York queer icon whose work continues to move and inspire. Through a dazzling dash of NYC-set archival footage, previously unheard audio interviews with the titular artist, and appealing appearances by the artist’s parents and fellow trailblazers on the ’80s downtown art scene (Fab 5 Freddy, Kenny Scharf, Bill T Jones), this definitive new doc is for fans—new and old—of the sensational artist and pop culture revolutionary. With candor, nostalgia and wit, KEITH HARING: STREET ART BOY honors a hometown hero who believed art should be accessible for all and inspired our great city—and the world—when it was in need of healing and human connection.

Virtual screening available on-demand beginning Sunday October 25 at 8PM EST

Spotlight Film 28

KELET

An immersive and inspirational documentary portrait of one woman's passion, persistence, and perseverance, KELET proves both the undeniable charm and star power of its eponymous subject and the talent of its filmmaker. Susani Mahadura's directorial debut follows young Somali trans woman Kelet as she strives to one day grace the cover of Vogue magazine, while trying to make a home for herself in Finland, where sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a formidable presence in the Helsinki ball scene. And while Kelet's journey has not been easy, she's not facing the future alone: supported by best friend Lola and the Ballroom community, Kelet's dreams have never seemed so attainable. Kelet is a supermodel waiting to be discovered on a global level and Mahadura's celebratory film will hopefully do that and much more. Cast: Kelet, Lola, Ofimja

Documentary Features

Dir. Susani Mahadura, Finland, 2020, 58 mins

Virtual screening available on-demand beginning Saturday October 24 at 8PM EST

Spotlight Film

KEYBOARD FANTASIES: THE BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND STORY Dir. Posy Dixon, United Kingdom, 2019, 62 mins

Lovingly stitched together from contemporary interviews, family photos, and archival footage, KEYBOARD FANTASIES: THE BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND STORY is a stunning ode to its titular star, his legacy in electronic music, advocacy for transgender rights, and current work as a 76-year-old touring performer. Glenn Copeland started himself on a sonic odyssey while just a college student at McGill University, a journey which would make him a cult legend and forever alter his life. Written and performed entirely on early synthesizers and drum machines in 1986, Copeland's self-released debut album "Keyboard Fantasies" became an underground hit with new generations, inspiring many future stars of the genre and leading to a career renaissance decades after its creation. Posy Dixon's extraordinary documentary looks at the man behind the musical movement and honors this pioneer with the insightful, tender portrait he's always deserved. Cast: Beverly Glenn-Copeland

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 29

KILLING PATIENT ZERO Dir. Laurie Lynd, Canada, 2019, 100 mins

Scapegoated as “Patient Zero” at the center of the AIDS epidemic, Gaëtan Dugas was the handsome, openly gay French-Canadian flight attendant characterized as singlehandedly spreading AIDS to North America. In this riveting documentary, director Laurie Lynd sets out to dismantle this myth, exonerating Dugas from the character assasination he received in Randy Shilts' explosive book And the Band Played On. Adapted from Richard McKay's non-fiction book Patient Zero and the Making of the AIDS Epidemic, KILLING PATIENT ZERO is a stylish oral history that combines exhaustive research with honest, wide-ranging interviews with Dugas’ friends, cultural historians (including perennial favorite Fran Leibowitz), CDC scientists, and more, to set the record of an epidemic straight once and for all. Presented by

MAKING SWEET TEA Dir. John L. Jackson, Nora Gross, USA, 2019, 90 mins

Every Southerner takes a different approach to making sweet tea, just like every Southern gay Black man takes their own approach to “spilling tea” about their lives, loves, and friendships. Author, scholar, and playwright E. Patrick Johnson takes us on a journey through North Carolina, Georgia, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C., to bring us engaging first-person accounts of six Black gay men as he works to adapt his book “Sweet Tea” into a live solo show. This poignant and candidly raw documentary reveals the importance of overcoming adversity and always expressing oneself fully even in spaces where we largely aren’t accepted. Prepare to fall in love with these open-hearted subjects and their stories, and have a hankering for something a little bitter and very sweet by the film’s end.

MAURICE HINES: BRING THEM BACK

Legendary Broadway and dance superstar Maurice Hines takes the much-deserved spotlight in this delightful documentary that wonderfully weaves together his past as a performer and his present as a teacher and mentor. This intimate look at Maurice’s life gives us an honest peek into the at times tumultuous relationship with his brother, the late great Gregory Hines, and features interviews with fellow legends Chita Rivera, Debbie Allen, and Mercedes Ellington. Using Hines’ career as a jumping-off point for essential conversations about race and sexuality on the Broadway stage, this beautiful portrait gives this captivating and outspoken performer his long overdue roses and shares his unique gifts with the world. Writer: Tracy E. Hopkins Cast: Maurice Hines

Documentary Features

Dir. John Carluccio, USA, 2019, 94 mins

THE FLASHPOINT Dir. Wojtek Jankowski, Poland /India, 2019, 84 mins

An eerie snapshot of rising right-wing bigotry in Poland, this galvanizing documentary centers the symbolic meaning of the rainbow while providing a thought-provoking analysis of the power we bestow upon certain emblems. Julita Wójcik was surprised to see how quickly her art installation — a rainbow arch made of flowers in one of Warsaw’s city squares — would be so quickly politicized and antagonized when it was publically burned down multiple times. Wojtek Jankowski’s riveting film follows Wójcik, her collaborators, and other Polish pro-gay voices, as they expose the homophobia in contemporary Eastern Europe that Poland's recently re-elected president, Andrzej Duda, embodies and incites. It also serves as a clear-eyed reminder that LGBTQ visibility and advocacy remain essential to the internationational conversation around human rights.

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TRUMAN & TENNESSEE : AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION Dir. Lisa Immordino Vreeland, USA, 2020, 86 mins

Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A Streetcar Named Desire. In Cold Blood. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The work, lives, and personal journeys of iconic American artists Truman Capote and Tennesee Williams coalesce with creative combustion in this innovative dual-portrait documentary. Filmmaker Lisa Immordino Vreeland distills the loves, fears, and artistic achievements of these masters via an array of archival materials, film clips, and vibrant voiceover work from Jim Parsons and Zachary Quinto as Capote and Williams, respectively. Packed with pearls of wisdoms and eloquent observations, the film celebrates the sometimes tumultuous friendship of the titular writers through the ages, while honoring the way their queer identity informed their world-renowned artistic achievements and relationships with their family, confidants, and — most significantly — each other. Cast: Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto

YOUR MOTHER'S COMFORT East Coast Premiere Dir. Adam Golub, USA /Brazil, 2020, 77 mins

Ele não - not him. That’s one thing of which Indianara Siqueira, trans sex worker and founder/mother of the lifesaving communal LGBT Casa Nem in Rio de Janeiro, is certain. No to the potential election of an authoritarian, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, racist, and science-denying regime of "Brazilian Trump" Jair Bolsonaro. In this essential and up-close documentary, award-winning NewFest alum Adam Golub (SKIN) follows Indianara's relentless organizing leading up to one of the most turbulent times in recent global memory. From her historic run for City Council (alongside the late, revered Marielle Franco), to her continuous fight to keep the trans sex workers of Casa Nem safe and housed, Indianara is a force of radical change. Unapologetically honest, thrilling, and personal, this Outfest Grand Jury Prize Winner for Best Documentary is best watched as an internationally-prescient anti-facist instruction manual in which the only acceptable end goal is freedom for all.

Documentary Features Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 33

Legacy

BLOODSISTERS: LEATHER, DYKES, AND SADOMASOCHISM Dir. Michelle Handelman, USA, 1995, 69 mins

25th Anniversary The leatherdykes are coming, the leatherdykes are coming! Resurfacing 25 years after its initial premiere (and its New York Premiere at NewFest!), this “first documentary on the subject” (The New York Times) remains as relevant, and enticing, as ever. With salacious delight, intimate access, and wide-reaching research, director Michelle Handelman’s enduring 1995 gem documents the queer outlaws of the San Francisco leather scene. Legendary trans pioneers of the scene like Patrick Califia and Tala Brandeis lead us through the S/M community, from benevolent daddys and greedy pain sluts to performance artist kinksters and reverent bootblacks. With its explicitly educational show-don't-tell segments, and its ties of S/M and queerness to political activation, this is the hottest history lesson you’ll have all year. Captured in the DIY video style of the moment and accompanied by a raucous queercore score, this illuminating piece of queer history is a dangerous, exciting, and ever-topical watch.

STANDING STRONG

Legacy

with you and for you.

Amida Care is proud to sponsor the 32nd Annual New York LGBTQ Film Festival Medicaid Health Plan 1-855-GO-AMIDA www.AmidaCareNY.org

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GLOBAL EPISODIC SHOWCASE Fall in love with your new favorite, binge-worthy series via our Global Episodic Showcase! These global pilots--from NYC all the way to Nigeria-showcase the best of upcoming queer talent in the form of web series, Television series, and docu-series. This is your chance to hit the ground running and humblebrag to your friends that you discovered these bingeworthy shows before anyone else!

QUEENS

Dir. Pat Mills, Canada, 2020, 10 mins QUEENS is a comedy-mystery following an eclectic cast of Toronto drag queens leading up to the night of the Miss Church Street pageant. Each episode focuses on a particular queen whose preparation for the pageant is sabotaged in a strange and unfortunate way. Who among them is the saboteur?

DECEASED ONES

Dir. Kate Hopkins, USA, 2019, 14 mins When two friends, Max and Fiona, get involved in the niche service of role playing the dead, they're forced to help heal grieving strangers through a surreal game of make believe, while confronting deeply buried emotional traumas arising within themselves.

INQUEERI

Dir. Alexandra Rose, USA, 2019, 5 mins This webseries follows the lives of two queer college kids, Teddy and James, as they explore finding their identities in a world of liberal zombies and normative nancies.

UNHINGED

Dir. Stephanie Leschek, USA, 2019, 5 mins During their game night, a couple fights about not fighting in front of their friends.

THE OTHERSIDE

Dir. Adesua Okosun, Nigeria/Côte d'Ivoire/USA, 2019, 19 mins This episode, THE ALTERNATIVE, follows three people from the LGBTQ community — a queer female, a transgender male, and a transgender female — living in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Each character takes us into their world and show us how they are trying to change the narrative of their community in West Africa.

BORED

Dir. Georgia Oakley, UK, 2019, 12 mins Jamie and Eve are best friends who've always shared everything. After drowning their post-Brexit sorrows at a party, they really do end up sharing everything. In the sober light of day, will things ever be the same again?

HIDDEN CANYONS

Dir. Brant Rotnem, Fawzia Mirza, USA, 2020, 26 mins Seven LGBTQ+ inhabitants of a beachside hamlet navigate infidelity, open relationships, family planning, breakups, race issues, and gender identity.

DINETTE

Welcome back to the Diner! (Don’t worry if it’s your first time here, you’ll catch on quickly!) Following a hit first season that premiered at Tribeca in 2018, the regulars have returned to the Brooklyn-based eatery for a second helping of more Queer comradery. After the unexpected death of the diner’s owner, Mick, Dee, Karolena, and White Rachel scramble to help the eatery survive in this delightful, women and gender-nonconforming-led BRIC TV series. Stir in a tough new lease-holder (Alysia Reiner, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK), a mute chef, and a group of incredibly fun nuns, and you come up with a heartwarming webseries that celebrates life, Queer friendship, and the beauty of Queer spaces in fabulous New York City. Writer: Shaina Feinberg Cast: Alysia Reiner, Maeve Higgins, Drae Campbell, Mona Chalabi, Karolena Theresa, Lisa Haas, Jude Dry, Donna Wood, Jaqueline Fouasnon

Episodic Showcase

Dir. Shaina Feinberg, USA, 2020, 59 mins

EQUAL Dir. Stephen Kijak, Kimberly Reed, USA, 2020, 160 mins

This star-studded HBO Max docuseries honors the rebels of yesteryear with never-before-seen archival footage along with stylistic depictions that bring to life the gripping and true backstories of these leaders and unsung heroes. Over the course of the four-part docuseries, viewers will meet a wide range of LGBTQ+ visionaries portrayed by the cast, many of whom identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community. Each part has a distinct and connected telling: part one explores the rise of early organizations, The Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis in Los Angeles and San Francisco, respectively; part two chronicles the 20th century trans experience, bookended by the 1966 Compton Cafeteria riots in San Francisco; part three examines the contributions from the Black community on the growing LGBTQ+ civil rights movement; and part four ties in the decades long struggles with the culminated Stonewall uprising-the beginning of the Pride movement. Featuring award-winning LGBTQ stars of stage and screen, including Samira Wiley, Keynon Landsale, Cheyenne Jackson, Hailie Sahar, Theo Germaine, Alexandra Grey, Anthony Rapp, Heather Matarazzo, Shannon Purser, and more! Cast: Jamie Clayton, Cole Doman, Theo Germaine, Sara Gilbert, Alexandra Grey, Gale Harold, Cheyenne Jackson, Isis King, Keiynan Lonsdale, Elizabeth Faith Ludlow, Heather Matarazzo, Sam Pancake, Shannon Purser, Anne Ramsay, Anthony Rapp, Jai Rodriguez, Hailie Sahar, Scott Turner Schofield, Alex Staggs, Samira Wiley

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SIDEWAYS SMILE Dir. Hang Nguyen, USA, 2020, 53 mins

The premiere season of this outrageously fun, style-shifting local series follows young Brooklynite Alex, who, openminded as she may be, has never had an orgasm! Prompted by her sex-positive roommate Dara to enroll in a class that helps explore her sexuality, Alex is taken on a hysterical and surprisingly beautiful journey that forces her to examine her identity as an Asian-American woman. Featuring a full spectrum of Queer characters, a whip smart script from writer/director Hang Nguyen, and a dynamic lead performance from Kathy Huynh-Phan as Alex, SIDEWAYS SMILE will leave you supremely delighted and voraciously clamoring for a second season. Writer: Hang Nguyen Cast: Kathy Huynh-Phan, Diane Chen, Nikki Lowe, Nicolette Lynch

Episodic Showcase

GILEAD PROUDLY SUPPORTS

THE NEW YORK LGBTQ FILM FESTIVAL. Let’s reset what we know about HIV.

HelpStopTheVirus.com

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 39

SHORTS: BEAUTIFUL BOYS, BEAUTIFUL JOURNEYS Runtime: 1:38:03 This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boys shorts program focuses on vast journeys of the heart, mind, soul, and body. Not only are these boys and their journeys beautiful, but the filmmaking is as well, in this eclectic and inclusive mix of fun, sexy, groundbreaking, and meaningful films.

QUERY

Dir. Sophie Kargman, USA, 2020, 9 mins Jay and Alex, roommates and best friends, spend their time verbally jousting over whether it's instinct or social norms that drives their heterosexual proclivities. As the day unfolds, the barriers slowly fall and the conversation climaxes in a choice that has a profound impact on their evening. Featuring Armie Hammer.

1-1

Dir. Naures Sager, Sweden, 2020, 7 mins Ayman's sex date with Jonas gets crashed by his friends Amirah and Samir, but the date takes a surprisingly positive turn.

ADOLESCENCE

Dir. Zeb Daemen, Belgium/UK, 2019, 15 mins ADOLESCENCE is a coming-of-age story taking place on the last day of summer in 1950s Cornwall. For James and his best friend Simon, this is also the last day of childhood. James is leaving tomorrow, but there are things that he has never had the chance to say.

POMPEII

Dir. Harry Lighton, Marco Alessi, Matthew Jacobs Morgan, UK, 2019, 8 mins Tam gets on the first tube home alone. In just a crop-top and high-waisted jeans, he feels conspicuous. So he plugs in his earphones and begins reliving his Halloween night out via his phone.

THE D*CK APPOINTMENT

Dir. Mike Roma, USA, 2020, 11 mins When lovelorn Wally wants to get over his ex, he turns to the apps for help.

KIND OF

Dir. Noah Schamus, USA, 2020, 9 mins KIND OF follows two trans masculine folks in a newly open relationship as they prepare to host brunch â&#x20AC;&#x201D; while hashing out their insecurities in the minutes before their friends arrive.

WHO CAN PREDICT WHAT WILL MOVE YOU

Dir. Livia Huang, USA, 2019, 9 mins Two boys caught in a rivalrous relationship spend one last night together in Brooklyn.

BUCK

Dir. Elegance Bratton, Jovan James, USA, 2020, 14 mins Caught in the midst of a depressive fugue, Lynn turns to debauchery to ease his troubled soul, only to discover that happiness is a complicated goal.

SEE YOU SOON

Dir. Tyler Rabinowitz, USA, 2020, 16 mins A gay man travels across the country to spend the weekend with someone he's been talking to for months on a dating app, hoping to find the kind of romance that he grew up thinking he'd never get to experience.

SHORTS: BEYOND THE BINARY Runtime: 1:18:31 BEYOND THE BINARY is back for another year of brief stories made by, about, with, and for trans people. This short program has everything: hitchhiking robots, sad strip clubs, animated dogs in space, and more, resulting in a varied and thoroughly engaging depiction of trans self-discovery and community-wide solidarity.

TRASHY BOOTY

Dir. Iris Devins, USA, 2020, 9 mins Two dumpster-diving trans women unknowingly participate in a social experiment when they pick up a hitchhiking robot on the side of the road.

ONE LAST DEAL

Dir. Nyala Moon, USA, 2020, 15 mins Bill and Sara's differences have always been part of what makes their relationship work. But on an especially important day, the disconnect between their experiences is exactly what threatens to tear them apart.

Shorts Programs

Presented by

THEY THROUGH THEM

Dir. Joan Galo, Spain, 2020, 11 mins Joan explores feelings and thoughts about being non-binary through the people of their community in Barcelona.

KIDS ON FIRE

Dir. Rafferty Bailey, Australia, 2018, 7 mins A 9-year-old closeted evangelical Christian tomboy must prove their faith by vandalizing an LGBTQ+ sex shop.

CANIS MAJOR

Dir. Charli Brissey, USA, 2019, 10 mins An artist suffering from severe writer's block relies on the friendship of their dog in this multi-genre sci-fi short.

IN FRANCE MICHELLE IS A MAN'S NAME

Dir. Em Weinstein, USA, 2020, 13 mins Michael, a young trans man, returns home to the rural American West after years of estrangement from his parents.

WAKING HOUR

Dir. Nava Mau, USA, 2019, 13 mins Sofia, a young trans woman, meets Isaac at a party. When he invites her to go home with him, Sofia must talk herself through her options.

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 41

SHORTS: BLACK FAMILY MATTERS Runtime: 1:28:45 Family, both the one we’re born into and the one we make for ourselves, is always complex. From an energetic time-traveling short about family secrets, to shorts that navigate identity with the sometimes-strained support of loved ones, this shorts program highlights the importance of Black family, friends, and community in these times of civil and racial unrest in the United States and serves as a reminder that all Black lives matter. Forever and always.

MERCURY AFROGRADE

Dir. Blanche Akonchong, USA, 2019, 11 mins On a crazy day during Mercury retrograde, a family's deepest secrets come to the surface, forcing them to realize they are not the model African family.

-SHIP: A VISUAL POEM

Dir. Terrance Daye, USA, 2019, 13 mins A Black boy learns contradicting lessons of manhood and masculinity on the day of his cousin's funeral. Moderate graphic imagery and references to suicide.

HONOR BLACK TRANS WOMXN!

Dir. Seyi Adebanjo, USA, 2019, 6 mins This is a call to center, protect, and celebrate Black Trans Womxn. This is also a reminder that Black Trans Womxn are essential members of our Black Family.

PLUS

Dir. Andrew J Rodriguez, USA, 2019, 14 mins NYC college student Zaire Ruiz has life under control, from college to boys. When he is suddenly diagnosed with HIV, Zaire carries this burden alone. PLUS is a coming-of-age story of learning self-acceptance, self-worth, and the value of support systems.

SEX IS A GOD THING

Dir. Zarinah Ali, USA, 2019, 19 mins Michelle and Aiesha are sisters who have just buried their father. Michelle and Aiesha have also just met. Both queer and both grappling with the unraveling of their respective romantic partnerships, a drunk Aiesha has dragged a hesitant Michelle out to a party.

SHÉÁR AVORY: TO BE CONTINUED

Dir. Abram Cerda, USA, 2020, 26 mins The the coming-of-age story of Shéár Avory (pronouns: they/them/ theirs), a 17-year-old aspiring social justice advocate in Los Angeles who navigates housing instability and familial dependency on their journey to adulthood.

SHORTS: DREAM A LITTLE DREAM WITH ME Runtime: 1:33:07

DISSONANCE

Dir. Kim Garcia, USA, 2020, 13 mins A group of young queers navigate bars, friendships, abandoned warehouses, and a room where dreams are recorded on VHS tapes.

THE PUPAL STAGE

Dir. Tee Jaehyung Park, USA, 2020, 7 mins A newly-out trans woman is thrust into a coming out party by her friends, which starts as a cheerful celebration of life but slowly transforms into something else.

Shorts Programs

Nightmares, daydreams, and fantasies collide in this otherworldly genre shorts program best enjoyed with the lights firmly flipped off. From vibrant visions of the future to contemporary anxieties coming to life, this collection promises to surprise, delight, befuddle, and bewilder unlike anything you've seen before. Welcome to the queer imagination!

ELAGABALUS

Dir. Xanthe Dobbie, Australia, 2020, 17 mins Burdened by a prophecy that dooms them to a violent death, Elagabalus, a genderqueer Roman Emperor, embraces excess much to the dismay of their controlling mother.

MR. MARE

Dir. Luca Tóth, Hungary/France, 2019, 19 mins Love appears out of thin air like a tumor in the chest.

HEKADEMIA

Dir. Gloria Mercer, Canada, 2020, 16 mins Marion begins opening up to a new friend at their virtual reality highschool.

JAZZBERRY

Dir. Maxwell Nalevansky, USA, 2019, 17 mins A fantastical adventure playfully dealing with sexual politics, men’s rights groups, and good old-fashioned girl power, JAZZBERRY is a tale of the twisted tragedy that suddenly befell the bizarre city of Beeftown.

IN ORBIT

Dir. Soham Chakraborty, Hanxu Chen, Meton Joffily, Justin Polley, Julia Trouvé, France, 2019, 5 mins In the far future, Sonia is about to be transferred to a new space station. While everything appears to be going well, her mind is elsewhere, disturbed by a past not far behind.

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 43

SHORTS: EVERY BODY + BOOTY! Runtime: 1:23:46 Everybody, rock your booty! Rejoice in the loving, intentional, explorative, and kinky relationships queer and trans people have to their own bodies. Shorts include a sexually explicit heartfelt farewell to titties, a moving tribute to breathplay, an animated dive into sex work, a tender thanks-giving for trans yoga, and much more. This program contains sexually explicit content.

I HAVE TO THINK OF US AS SEPARATE PEOPLE

Dir. Chris Berntsen, Stephen Ira, USA, 2019, 5 mins In an attempt to bridge the gap of intimacy and trust between cis and trans gay men, two filmmakers fracture and blend their own bodies and voices to create a split screen collage of their relationship.

PAISA

Dir. Graham Kolbeins, Dorian Wood, USA, 2019, 8 mins A community celebrates the beauty of queer brown sensuality, body positivity, and individuality in an immersive fever dream.

PANTHERS

Dir. Erika Sanchez Marcos, Spain, 2020, 22 mins Joana and Nina are 13-year-old best friends in the midst of the most difficult parts of puberty. Today, Joana has decided to solve her existential anxiety.

MES CHĂ&#x2030;RIS

Dir. Ethan Folk, Ty Wardwell, Bat Boi, Germany, 2020, 12 mins Transboi sex worker Bat Boi creates a fond, pornographic homage to his boobs a month before his top surgery.

DOWN DOG

Dir. Shae Xu, USA, 2019, 9 mins Inclusive yoga instructor Tammy ponders the difficulties of disclosure and considers the societal mandate of talking to her new beau Marcus about her trans experience.

BREATH CONTROL

Dir. Carson Parish, USA, 2020, 9 mins Inclusive yoga instructor Tammy ponders the difficulties of disclosure and considers the societal mandate of talking to her new beau Marcus about her trans experience.

TOOMAS BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE WILD WOLVES Dir. Chintis Lundgren, Estonia/Croatia/France, 2019, 18 mins After losing his job, Toomas, a young hot wolf, falls into moonlighting as a sex worker to support his family. His pregnant wife Viivi has a secret of her own: She's attending classes to become a dominatrix.

SHORTS: FREE TO BE ME Runtime: 1:14:30

...AND THEN SHE KISSED ME!! Dir. Alexia Khodanian, USA, 2019, 2 mins A love story between two high school girlfriends.

EGGHEAD & TWINKIE

Dir. Sarah Holland, USA, 2019, 9 mins Egghead is in love with his best friend, Twinkie. Twinkie is a closeted lesbian. And tonight, she is coming out to her parents in the most casual way possible.

Shorts Programs

This celebratory collection of short films is curated specifically for LGBTQidentified high school audiences and made possible with support from New York City’s Department of Education, providing access for LGBTQ+ youth to see themselves reflected on screen. Featuring a combination of celebrated shorts from the film festival circuit and debuts from young filmmakers, FREE TO BE ME shares the LGBTQ+ teen experience, navigating first dates, family, coming out, self-care, gender expression, and identity.

BIND

Dir. Emory Chao Johnson, USA, 2019, 3 mins A glimpse into the trans Asian diaspora, BIND follows the events that occur when Jules gets a surprise visit from their mother — and their chest binder.

GO GO, BOY!

Dir. Oriana Oppice, USA, 2019, 6 mins A boy discovers his fabulousness while dancing in his bedroom.

WERE YOU GAY IN HIGH SCHOOL?

Dir. Niki Ang, USA, 2020, 13 mins Two queer women recall their awkward, closeted high school days of kissing boys and straight-girl crushes.

ALL OF THE SIGNS

Dir. Susan Carine, Katie Doyle, Ashley DeSalvo, Samantha Felix, Korbin Kepner, Samantha Roppola, USA, 2019, 7 mins A mocudrama about two friends solving the theory of love. Is this a possible girlfriend or just another female friend? Maybe it’s not as difficult to figure out the answer as they thought.

FISH HEAD

Dir. Grace Tan, Australia, 2020, 10 mins An alienated teen on the cusp of womanhood must find solace in an alternate coming of age, where lines of gender dissolve by the surrounds of the sea.

SHÉÁR AVORY: TO BE CONTINUED

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 45

SHORTS: THE GAG'S ALL HERE (2.0) Runtime: 1:39:10 The gag’s all here AGAIN with a second helping of queer laughs and good cheer to keep you giggling through tears of joy! From deadpan commentaries on oppressive office culture to a French musical finale (and some uproarious Rachel Dratch in between), this quirky and hilarious bunch of shorts invites you to leave your worries behind and LOL in the comfort of your own home.

HEART TO HEART

Dir. Lilah Vandenburgh, UK, 2020, 10 mins When Liddy wakes up from heart surgery, she starts hearing a voice, shouting that she's going to die an apathetic virgin. This voice is her heart (David Tennant), and he wants to get her laid.

PETE CAN'T PLAY BASKETBALL

Dir. Nick Borenstein, USA, 2020, 8 mins In a world where all that matters is basketball, Pete can't play basketball.

2 DOLLARS

Dir. Robin Cloud, USA, 2020, 15 mins As a Black queer, masculine artist working at one of the worst property management firms in the city, Syd deals with daily slights in the office. But, will a lucky lottery ticket change her life?

THE SECRET GARDENER

Dir. Lorena Russi, USA, 2019, 3 mins A garden party goes off the rails when ladies who brunch devolve into ladies who munch.

MOTHER BUNKER

Dir. George Metaxas, USA /AUS, 2020, 5 mins Set during the robot-human war, a military robot — Mother — begins to self-express by dressing in human drag and performing to a robot army.

ISLAND QUEEN

Dir. Zackary Grady, Jenn Harris, USA, 2019, 10 mins On the day a teen hockey player secretly plans to try out for the figure skating team, he is trapped on a ferry boat by its captain (Jesse Tyler Ferguson). Also featuring Rachel Dratch.

PATIENCE BRINGS ROSES

Dir. Lucia Thompson, Cassandra Rosin, Czech Republic, 2018, 11 mins A mime falls in love with a woman and struggles to win her over.

DON'T TEXT BACK!

Dir. Kaye Adelaide, Mariel Sharp, Canada, 2020, 14 mins Kelly visits an energy healing expert named Jaren, in hopes of finding a solution to the supernatural locket that's effecting her everyday life.

MONSIEUR

Dir. Thomas Ducastel, France, 2019, 23 mins Georgie and Stan are two friends living in a small town in northern France. When Georgie finds out that his idol is going to the "Mister Northern France" pageant, Stan, the event videographer, helps him enter the pageant. 46

SHORTS: GIRLS LAUGHING, LOVING, FIGHTING, F**KING Runtime: 1:27:30

BREAK IN

Dir. Alyssa Lerner, USA, 2020, 16 mins When Nousha accidentally texts erotic fiction about her crush to that crush, she enlists the help of her best friend, Oliver, and they set out on a mission to delete the text by any means necessary.

GIRL, SWEETVOICED

Dir. Rebecca Shoptaw, UK/USA, 2020, 9 mins Two young strangers express their longing through the poetry of Sappho.

Shorts Programs

Who hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t loved a messy dyke? This varied collection of Girls shorts runs the gamut from breaking in to breaking up, taking delight in all the complications in between. Ill-advised, achingly romantic, and perfectly chaotic adventures await all ages and relationships, with help from Sappho, personified dating apps, erotic fan fiction, and ayahuasca. Grab your Zoom date and live-text along to this entirely female-directed program.

NAOMI REPLANSKY AT 100

Dir. Megan Rossman, USA, 2020, 6 mins Renowned poet Naomi Replansky shares wisdom on love and life as she celebrates her 100th year.

TINGE

Dir. Saidah Belo-Osagie, USA, 2020, 10 mins When a hopeless romantic doesn't get a text back from her dream date, she finds herself spiraling as she grapples with both rejection and her distorted perception of reality.

A SINGLE EVENING

Dir. Ashlei Hardenburg-Cartagena, USA, 2020, 13 mins Minnie, a seriously annoyed bisexual woman, navigates her way through yet another night alone while personified dating apps serenade and harass her about her inability to find love.

ANCIENT METHODS

Dir. Alexandra Kirsch, USA, 2020, 5 mins An alien breaks up with her human girlfriend, causing the disparaged human to seek out new forms of self-love.

TOP & BOTTOM

Dir. Angela Cheng, USA, 2020, 6 mins Quinn and Lexi work out the kinks of their long-term relationship.

SCREENSHOTS FOR A GOODBYE

Dir. Ruth Caudeli, Colombia, 2020, 10 mins Andrea and Maca are facing the day after a break-up and struggle with all the difficulties that come with a goodbye between lovers.

WERE YOU GAY IN HIGH SCHOOL?

Dir. Niki Ang, USA, 2020, 13 mins Two queer women recall their awkward, closeted high school days of kissing boys and straight-girl crushes.

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 47

SHORTS: HEIRLOOMS + HISTORIES Runtime: 1:35:43 Queer people connect across generations, both in front of and behind the camera, in this intergenerational celebration of identity and wisdom. Whether it's a bisexual mother documenting her trans son's birthday wishes, a history of indigenous trans healers that crosses oceans and centuries, or a New York elder concretizing her place in the city, HEIRLOOMS + HISTORIES spotlights the strength and necessity of bonds across ages, and the gifts that can only be exchanged by queer descendants.

CARO COMES OUT

Dir. Brit Fryer, Caro Hernandez, USA, 2020, 12 mins An experiment, and a comedy, about coming out to an entire Cuban family.

TAKE ME TO PROM

Dir. Andrew Moir, Canada, 2019, 20 mins Queer people aged 17 to 88 reflect on 70 years of their high school prom memories.

QUEENIE

Dir. Cai Thomas, USA, 2020, 19 mins Queenie Lawrence, a 73-year-young Black Lesbian and resident of the Marcy Projects, navigates applying for the Stonewall Houses, NYC's first LGBT Elder affordable housing.

KAPAEMAHU

Dir. Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, USA, 2020, 8 mins Four mysterious stones on Waikiki Beach carry a legacy of healing, community, and legendary trans spirits within them.

FABIU

Dir. Stefan Langthaler, Austria, 2020, 30 mins Arthur, an 80-year-old retiree, lives in a modest home in Vienna, lovingly caring for his seriously ill wife Martha. When a new Hungarian care worker enters the picture, Arthur's routine is broken.

WISHES

Dir. Amy Jenkins, USA, 2019, 6 mins The yearnings of a child for an alternate identity are traced through a decade of birthday wishes filmed by their mother.

SHORTS: TIL WE (CAN) MEET AGAIN Runtime: 1:20:39

PXSSY PALACE

Dir. Laura Kirwan-Ashman, UK, 2019, 6 mins Meet the brains behind one of London's hottest and most creative queer nights. An introduction to Pxssy Palace, a London-based QTIPOC (queer trans intersex people of color) collective and clubnight from filmmaker Laura Kirwan-Ashman.

FLOURISH

Shorts Programs

We miss being in the same place as you! The survival of LGBTQ-inclusive physical spaces are essential for our community to connect and thrive, so gather round for this diverse collection of shorts that celebrate a time when we could assemble together to celebrate our creativity, expression, and individuality. From a pan-Asian queer Brooklyn dance party to a Brazilian beachside paradise, you’ll feel right at home living vicariously through these space-specific stories ’til we can meet together again.

Dir. Heather María Ács, USA, 2020, 14 mins Follows five characters, including a seasoned drag queen and a young queer couple stumbling through nonmonogamy, at a queer dance party and drag club. The stories swirl together as the magic of queer space pulls them in and the transformative power of drag allows them to break free.

DANCING ON MY OWN

Dir. Alexandra Cuerdo, USA, 2020, 13 mins A love letter to the queer Asian experience, inspired by New York's radical dance party Bubble_T.

KAMA'ĀINA (CHILD OF THE LAND)

Dir. Kimi Howl Lee, USA, 2019, 16 mins A queer 16-year-old girl, Mahina, must navigate life on the streets in Oahu, until she eventually finds refuge at the Pu’uhonua o Wai’anae — Hawaiʻi’s largest organized homeless encampment.

BREAKWATER

Dir. Cris Lyra, Brazil, 2019, 26 mins A group of young lesbians from São Paulo go on a trip to a remote beach for the new year's celebration, where they relax, make music, and build emotional refuge for themselves. They own their bodies and their memories, and they feel free.

FREE FUN

Dir. Fehmi Öztürk, Turkey/Cyprus, 2019, 5 mins When Kika entered to have fun in a Virtual Reality-based game, she encountered something she never expected. Nothing will be the same anymore.

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 49

Community Partners THANK YOU TO OUR FESTIVAL AND YEAR-ROUND COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Ali Forney Center

Lesbian Herstory Archives

American Museum of Natural History

Leslie-Lohman Gallery

Americas Society / Council of the Americas

The LGBT Community Center

Amida Care

Making Gay History

ASIFA East

Make the Road NY

Asian Cinevision

Margaret Mead Film Festival

Athlete Ally

Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment (MOME)

Brazilian Consulate in NY

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)

Cultural Affairs

New York Times Film Club

Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

New York Trans Advocacy Group

Browning School

New York Women in Film & Television

BUBBLE_T

NGLCCNY

The Bush Film Series

NYC Department of Education

Callen-Lorde

NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project

Centre for Social Innovation

The OUT Foundation

Chapin School

PFLAG NYC

ClexaCon

PFLAG’s TransFamilies Project

Cultural Services of the French Embassy

The Phluid Project

Dance Films Association

Queer/Art/Film

Ethical Culture Fieldston School

Quad Cinema

Family Equality Council

ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York

Film Fatales

Remezcla

Friends Seminary

Riverdale School

The Film Collaborative

Rooftop Films

The Future of Film is Female

SAG-AFTRA

The Gender & Family Project

SCRUFF

of the Ackerman Institute

Sige!

Hetrick-Martin Institute

Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)

Horace Mann School

SVA Theatre

Hot Rabbit

The Tank

Housing Works

TransNewYork

Human Rights Campaign

Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund

Human Rights Watch Film Festival

The Trevor Project

Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP)

Trinity Church

GAPIMNY (Gay Asian Pacific Islander

The Tyler Clementi Foundation

Men of New York)

New York Latino Film Festival

British Consulate New York

Upright Citizens Brigade

The Generations Project

Urbanworld Film Festival

GLAAD

Wildfang

Global Action Project

WNYC Studio’s Nancy

GLSEN

WNYC Studios

GMHC

Wolfe Releasing

Japan Society

Women Make Movies

The JCC Manhattan

World of Wonder

Latin Reel

Vimeo

Become a NewFest ™ Member Today. Annual membership is included with all Festival Passes and Major Donor Gifts. Benefits include: •

Early Priority Ticketing to New York’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

•

Discounts on tickets to every Festival screening, including Opening Night and Closing Night Screenings & Parties.

•

Priority seating throughout the Festival.

•

Admission to the NewFest Filmmaker Lounge at Cinépolis Chelsea throughout the festival and a chance to meet the most talented independent LGBTQ+ filmmakers and allies.

•

Plus Free and Discounted Screenings Throughout the Year.

Join us at www.NewFest.org/join

Queer Stories Won't Be Silenced! 51

NewFest Program 2020

Articles inside

Ticketing & Festival Info

Shorts Programs

Opening Night Film

Drive-In Films

Legacy

Closing Night Film

Episodics

Members

Welcome Letter

Staff & Board, Charter Circle