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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

LGBT Filmmakers Speak OUT in Boston

Produced by Charlotte Robinson










Listen to Conclusion: LGBT Filmmakers Address Issues in Boston
In the first installment of our exclusive audio montages Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™, talks with filmmakers about their films appearing at the Boston LGBT Film Festival that runs May 5 through May 15th. We also had the opportunity to talk to the filmmakers about their personal commitment to LGBT Civil Rights.
The World Premiere of “eCupid” was screened on Friday, May 6th at the Brattle Theatre. Writer, Producer and Director J.C. Calciano was on hand with members of the cast for a Q & A. Mr. Calciano’s first film “Is It Just Me?” was a huge hit at the 2010 film festival. His new romantic comedy is about a young ad executive who is in a dead-end job, turning 30 and his seven-year relationship is stuck in a rut. A birthday wish brings a mysterious phone APP into his life that is guaranteed to help him find love. Marshall soon gets much more than what he had originally planned. The voice of the APP is the fabulous Morgan Fairchild. When asked what his commitment was to LGBT civil rights Calciano stated, “As an LGBT filmmaker I want to make films that make a positive message to bring out ideas of love, respect and community. One of the commitments I’ve made to all my films is a percentage of all the proceeds goes to the Trevor Project and when the film screens I often do a deal with the local film festival to give a percentage of the box office to the local LGBT community center.”

Following “eCupid” is Mike Skiff’s “Kink Crusaders” on Friday, May 6th at 9P at the Brattle. “Kink Crusaders” goes behind the scenes at the annual International Leather Competition where thousands of LGBT people from around the world have gathered for over 30 years in Chicago to compete. Skiff documents contestants with humor, tasteful eroticism and pathos. It reveals an LGBT community with spiritual connection, openness and understanding of exploring their sexuality. Whether you’re kinky or vanilla, gay or straight, or anywhere in between, this wildly unique and surprisingly discreet documentary will make you stand up and cheer. There was an afterparty at Machine/Ramrod 1254 Boylston Street, Boston for “Kink Crusaders.”

Casper Andreas new film “Going Down in La La Land” is making its Northeast Debut May 7th at 7:30P at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Adam arrives from New York with dreams of making it big in L.A. He moves in with his zany best friend Candy who between auditions, spending her time at the gym and shopping is looking for a wealthy man. Adam gets off to a rocky start, complete with parking tickets and an insufferable job answering phones. A new job in production looks promising but soon Adam finds himself dealing with down-and-out directors, washed up starlets, and meth addicts, as he starts to lose himself in a seamy underworld of gay porn and prostitution. The film opens with Josh Levy’s hilarious short “4 Pounds” starring Scott Thompson from “Kids in the Hall” who gave us his fabulous insight about the dilemma of aging in our gay community.

We also chatted with Fernanda Cardoso whose film “Bloomington” is showing on Saturday May 7th, 6P at the Brattle. It’s about a student crush on a professor and the crush just might be mutual. “Bloomington” is a fresh and twisty take on the coming-of-age drama. Jackie is a former child actress attending college in search of independence. When she connects with a seductive professor her “normal” college experience gets turned upside down. The following film debut is Jake Yuzna’s “Open” at 8:30P at the Brattle. This film is charting new territory in gender, sexuality and identity. This feature debut takes us on two parallel road trips in which the travelers try to find love in the twin cities.

Gay Ally and Actress/Producer Dreya Weber appears in “A Marine Story” on Sunday, May 8th at 8:30P at the Brattle. “A Marine Story” stands up to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ honestly with this unflinching look at the policy’s effects on gays and lesbians in uniform. With the repeal of DADT still in transition we asked Dreya what her personal commitment was to LGBT civil rights. Weber stated, “Well my brother is gay and my sister is what she describes as bisexual so I grew up in a home that was very aware of the kind of challenge it is to live openly. Beyond that this specific issue of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, every single American should have been up in arms because it cost the military hundreds of millions of dollars to keep the policy going, not to mention the loss of skilled personnel. These issues of discrimination effects us all.”

Next week we’ll post the conclusion of our filmmakers audio interview series. The Boston LGBT Film Festival runs from May 5th to the 15th at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Brattle Theatre, Cambridge and the Fenway Community Health Center in Boston.
For Info & Tix: www.bostonlgbtfilmfest.org










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