Peeter Rebane’s Firebird Opens Atlanta’s LGBTQ film festival, Out on Film, rolls out film lineup for next month’s hybrid presentation
Peeter Rebane’s Firebird Opens Out on Film presented by WarnerMedia announced the lineup of films and events for the 34th edition of the Atlanta-based LGBTQIA+ film festival today.
The Oscar® qualifying film festival returns to theaters this year as part of its hybrid presentation.
Taking place September 24-October 3, Out on Film will open with Peeter Rebane’s Firebird and present the world premiere of William T. Horner and Stacey Woelfel’s Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way as the Closing Night selection.
Additional world premieres include Jan Miller Corran’s Along Came Wanda, Antony Hickling’s Down in Paris, and Jade Winters’ One Four Three. Alessandro Guida and Matteo Pilati’s Mascarpone will make its U.S. Premiere.
Out on Film will once again offer a rich selection of LGBTQIA+ films curated from around the world. 43 features (25 narrative films, 18 documentaries), 17 shorts programs with 98 films and 2 webseries, representing 24 countries will be available this year, as well as a world premiere art installation. More screenings and virtual programming will be announced soon.
Out on Film Festival Director, Jim Farmer, said, “It’s wonderful to be back in theaters this year, and its equally wonderful knowing we have such an expansive, international lineup of films to present both in-theater as well as virtually. As one of the few film festivals that are still growing despite all of the challenges present, we are thrilled with this international lineup, including our world premieres and more films we can’t wait to introduce our audiences to.”
Out on Film will open on Thursday, September 23 at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema (931 Monroe DR NE) with the Southeastern Premiere of Peeter Rebane’s Firebird. The British drama set during the Cold War follows a forbidden love triangle between a soldier, a fighter pilot and his female comrade amid the dangerous surroundings of a Soviet Air Force Base. The world premiere of William T. Horner and Stacey Woelfel’s Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way will take place on Closing Night, Sunday, October 3 at the Out Front TheatreCompany (999 Brady Ave NW). The documentary looks at the life of Pedro Zamora, who gained fame on MTV’s The Real World, and utilized that platform to open up his life, his joy, and his influence to the world until his death at the age of 22.
Centerpiece selections include T.J. Parsell’s documentary Invisible: Gay Women in Southern Music, which explores a group of gay women songwriters who overcame more than we could imagine to write some of the most familiar and beloved “number one” hits for some of country music’s greatest stars. Phil Connell’s Canadian drama, Jump, Darling features Academy Award-winning legend Chloris Leachman in her final starring role in the story of an actor turned drag queen at a crossroads in his life, who moves in with his grandmother to keep her from having to move into a nursing home. Vivian Kleiman’s documentary No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics looks at the life and career journeys of five scrappy queer comic book artists journey from DIY work and isolation to the cover of Time Magazine and the international stage, offering a fascinating window into everything from the AIDS crisis and workplace discrimination to the search for love and a good haircut.
Additional world premieres include; Out on Film alumni Jan Miller Corran’s Along Came Wanda about a road trip with two friends inspired by a teapot from an old lover which involves a guru Daiku, a psychic, a ranch hand, and his horse Blaze, all the while two friends are falling in love; Antony Hickling’s French film Down in Paris, about a filmmaker, suddenly overwhelmed by anxiety during filming, who walks off set and wanders through the Paris night in search of answers, comfort and inspiration; and Jade Winters’ British thriller One Four Three, about a woman, having just left her family for a relationship with a woman, finds herself in the hospital with amnesia following an attack – and now must uncover what happened and who did it to her. Alessandro Guida and Matteo Pilati’s Italian film, Mascarpone will make its U.S. premiere at Out on Film with its story of a man who must find a new place to stay, a job, and a new purpose in life after getting dumped.
Also making its world premiere will be the art installation of “The Hate Shield Project”. Artist Matthew Terrell debuted “The Hate Shield” in October 2019 at Atlanta Pride. The mobile, soundproof wall blocked both sight and sound of hate preachers at Pride that year, with the mirrored back side of the walls ensuring the preachers could only see themselves. It also significantly reduced the loudness and hearing distance of the hate preachers, effectively neutralizing them and transforming their efforts into a comical, futile display. By disarming their hate, their words and actions only served to make them look small and ridiculous. The footage captured on the body camera reveals this shift. In this art installation which will be present at both Out on Film theater locations, Terrell will use the actual original panels of “The Hate Shield” to create a soundproof pod, where viewers can watch a short, first-person POV documentary about the project.
Amanda Bearse
Amanda Bearse will be receiving the 2021 Trailblazer Award virtually. After roles in All My Children and the horror classic Fright Night, Bearse became a household name playing Marcy D’Arcy on Fox’s Married…With Children. At the height of her acting career, Bearse came out as a lesbian to the public with a cover article in The Advocate and her activism for the LGBT community began as the first poster child for HRC’s National Coming Out Day. After 35 years in entertainment, Bearse, who grew up in Atlanta, has become a top television director, having helmed episodes for such series as Malcolm & Eddie, The Jamie Foxx Show, Dharma & Greg, Reba, MADtv, and The Big Gay Sketch Show, as well as acting, appearing most recently in John Heder’s Topawingo, with Billy Eichner’s upcoming Bros, set to shoot this fall. A special “In Conversation” event with Bearse will be available virtually on September 23.
More highlights include Debra Branham’s Being Bebe, which captures the incredible rise of the first ever winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the legendary BeBe Zahara Benet. The film won the 2021 Best Documentary Award at the Provincetown International Film Festival. Prolific documentarian Jeffrey Schwarz’s is back with his latest, Boulevard! A Hollywood Story, about the creative triangle of the legendary Gloria Swanson, and two struggling songwriters, Dickson Hughes and Richard Stapley, who created the Broadway smash hit. Nathan Hale Williams brings Bernard David Jones, Dyllón Burnside, Thomas Hobson, and Jenifer Lewis together to bring George M. Johnson’s words to life in this dramatic reading of their book All Boys Aren’t Blue.
For information on purchasing passes, tickets, and additional details on Out on Film, please go to: outonfilm.org.
The 2021 Out on Film official selections:
OPENING NIGHT SELECTION
Firebird SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
Directed by Peeter Rebane
Country: UK, Running Time: 107 min
At the height of the Cold War, a troubled soldier forms a forbidden love triangle with a daring fighter pilot and his female comrade amid the dangerous surroundings of a Soviet Air Force Base. Tom Prior (who also co-wrote the film) and Oleg Zagorodnii star in this fast-paced, sexy and slickly made feature.
CENTERPIECE SELECTIONS
Invisible: Gay Women in Southern Music
Directed by T.J. Parsell
Country: USA, Running Time: 107 min
This extraordinary documentary explores a group of gay women songwriters who have successfully navigated the male dominated country music genre and have written “number one” hits for some of country music’s greatest stars. Among the featured artists are Bonnie Baker, Cindy Bullens, Ruthie Foster, Jess Leary and Chely Wright. The film also features appearances by the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Pam Tillis.
Jump, Darling
Directed by Phil Connell
Country: Canada, Running Time: 90 min
Half-prepped before a dressing room mirror in the back of a bustling city gay bar, Russell, an actor turned drag queen struggling to find his voice is given a wrenching ultimatum. Overcome by indecision, he escapes to his grandmother’s house in the country. There he finds sardonic Margaret in steep decline. In a perfect, if precarious, solution for both of them, he moves in to protect her from her greatest fear—the local nursing home. Featuring the brilliant Cloris Leachman in her final starring role, Jump, Darling pairs the love of drag with an aging iconic diva to ask the questions about what inspires us to carry on.
No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics
Directed by Vivian Kleiman
Country: USA, Running Time: 78 min
Five scrappy queer comic book artists journey from DIY work and isolation to the cover of Time Magazine and the international stage, offering a fascinating window into everything from the AIDS crisis and workplace discrimination to the search for love and a good haircut. Their work and personal stories are sure to make you laugh but also make you think about the challenges and triumphs encountered and overcome along the way.
CLOSING NIGHT SELECTION
Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way WORLD PREMIERE
Directed by William T. Horner and Stacey Woelfel
Country: USA, Running Time: 98 min
To borrow the slogan of MTV’s The Real World, this is the true story—the true story of a pandemic, politics, misunderstanding, prejudice, the impact of the media, and AIDS activist Pedro Zamora, his life, his joy, and his influence, as told by people who knew and loved him and witnessed the strength of his commitment and its impact. Pedro refused to give in to the disease he knew would kill him, demanding throughout his decline and hospitalization that MTV “keep the cameras rolling.” While he died on November 11, 1994, at the young age of 22, his insistence on his way with bravery, humanity, and love truly changed the world.
ADDITIONAL FEATURE FILMS (IN-PERSON)
All Boys Aren’t Blue
Directed by Nathan Hale Williams
Country: USA, Running Time: 40min
Bernard David Jones, Dyllón Burnside, Thomas Hobson, and Jenifer Lewis bring George M. Johnson’s words to life in this dramatic reading of their book. Each of the characters represent Johnson at different stages of his life. The memoir is a firsthand account of trials, tribulations, and triumphs that have made Johnson into the person they are today.
Preceded by:
Preceded by Smoke, Lilies, and Jade
Directed by Deondray and Quincy LeNear Gossfield
Country: USA, Runnin Time: 28 min
Alex, a young Harlem Renaissance artist and writer, plays around at love and life until he meets Beauty, appropriately named, who makes no bones about his same-sex desires. Billy Porter (as the Narrator) and Alexandra Grey stay.
Along Came Wanda WORLD PREMIERE
Directed by Jan Miller Corran
Country: USA, Running Time: 90 min
A memory jogged by a teapot from an old lover quickly turns into an adventure of discovery for Mary Beth Higgins and her newfound friend Wanda as they hit the road in Wanda’s RV/Soup Truck. Along the way they meet guru Daiku and the enticing Laura, a psychic named Davina Moonbeam, a ranch hand Karl and his horse Blaze all the while two friends are falling in love. Starring Cathy DeBuono and Constance Brenneman.
Being Bebe
Directed by Debra Branham
Countries: USA/Cameroon, Running Time: 90 min
This crowd-pleasing film, lovingly directed by Debra Branham, captures the incredible rise of the first ever winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the legendary BeBe Zahara Benet. Winner of the 2021 Best Documentary Award at the Provincetown International Film Festival.
Beyto
Directed by Gitta Gsell
Country: Switzerland, Running Time: 98 min
A talented swimmer and motivated apprentice, Beyto is in the midst of life with a bright future ahead of him. But when the only son of a Turkish migrant family falls in love with his coach Mike, an ideal world falls to pieces.
Bliss
Directed by Henrika Kull
Country: Germany, Running Time: 91 min
In a world where their femininity is considered a commodity, two sex workers fall in love with each other. Together – and yet each on her own – they experience the one moment when happiness seems possible, but their love is threatened by different ideas of life and their own abysses.
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story
Directed by Jeffrey Schwarz
Country: USA, Running Time: 85 min
When Gloria Swanson, the iconic star of Sunset Boulevard, saw an opportunity to parlay her silent film glory into a new phase of her career, she began to envision a musical stage adaptation of her most famous film. Enter Dickson Hughes and Richard Stapley, two struggling songwriters (and romantic couple) looking for their big break. The men find themselves whisked away by Swanson to a sumptuous house in Palm Springs, where the trio set to creating the musical from the ground up. As the days wear on, a triangle begins to take hold that goes beyond mere creative partnership. From the dark alleys of L.A. to the desert nirvana of Palm Springs to the posh New York theater world, ‘Boulevard!” is the tale of three individuals who attempt to share a melody with all those people out there in the dark and how the music of that moment defined the rest of their lives.
Boy Meets Boy
Directed by Daniel Sanchez Lopez
Country: Germany, Running Time: 75 min
Harry has been partying for 48 hours when he meets Johannes on the dance floor of a club in Berlin. With 15 hours until his flight home, Johannes offers to help him print his boarding pass. This mundane task leads to a day together wandering the city. The contrasts in their lives and values force each one to confront their own truths. Boy Meets Boy is a feature length mumblecore about the journey of a brief encounter and the mark left by a fleeting moment of joy.
Down in Paris WORLD PREMIERE
Directed by Antony Hickling
Country: France, Running Time: 102 min
Richard, a filmmaker in his forties, is suddenly overwhelmed by anxiety during filming. He walks off set and wanders through the Paris night in search of answers, comfort and inspiration. During his sleepless night, he meets many people, some friendly, some disturbing, some known, some unknown. Richard has to confront his fears and question his deepest desires until the first light of dawn.
Forgotten Roads
Directed by Nicole Ruiz Benavides
Country: Chile, Running Time: 71 min
Claudina is a traditional woman from the countryside. After the passing away of her husband, she gets into a lonely routine. Having a difficult economic situation, Claudina has to move with her dearest grandson, Cristobal and her daughter Alejandra, knowing that both women have a distanced relationship. Living together, Claudina meets the neighbor Elsa, an independent and married woman who sings at a hidden bar calle Porvenir (The Future). Claudina starts a relationship with Elsa, falling in love. She then develops a journey of self-knowledge to be free
From the judgment of her daughter and friends on a religious and conservative little town, which is obsessed with a UFO sighting.
Isaac
Directed by Angeles Hernandez and David Matamoros
Country: Spain, Running Time: 84 min
Based on the Spanish stage play by Antonio Hernández, Isaac follows two old friends, Denis and Nacho, who meet again, 16 years after having an intense relationship as teenagers.
Landlocked
Directed by Timothy Hall
Country: USA, Running Time: 80 min
A man reunites with his estranged, transgender father as they journey to scatter his late mother’s ashes off the Georgia coast. Landlocked marks the feature film debut of transgender actress Delia Kropp in the lead role of Briana.
Mascarpone U.S. PREMIERE
Directed by Alessandro Guida and Matteo Pilati
Country: Italy, Running Time: 101 min
Antonio is a 30-year-old family man whose life finds an unexpected twist when he’s suddenly
Dumped by his husband, whom he depends on both psychologically and economically. He needs to find a new place to stay, a job, and a new purpose in life. Antonio finds a room in an apartment owned by Denis and starts to work in a bakery owned by Luca while attending pastry school. Through this process he discovers that it was wrong of him to give up his independence for the sake of his relationship in the past.
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
Directed by John Carluccio
Country: USA, Running Time: 93 min
Maurice Hines; Bring Them Back is a compelling portrait of a trailblazing entertainer who navigates the highs and lows of his lengthy showbiz career and a complex relationship with his superstar brother, tap dance legend Gregory Hines.
My Fiona
Directed by Kelly Walker
Country: USA, Running Time: 86 min
How do you navigate the world when your best friend inexplicably takes her own life? For Jane, she finds herself drawn to Fiona’s wife and child, seeking solace and perhaps more in the relationship that gently unfolds. The question of grief and tenderness and the catastrophic consequences of blending the two come to a head in Jane’s life as she attempts to pick up the pieces, heal and move on, but life isn’t so easy as to tie everything up with a bow.
No Ordinary Man
Directed by Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt
County: Canada, Running Time: 83 min
American jazz musician Billy Tipton developed a reputable touring and recording career in the mid-twentieth century, along with his band The Billy Tipton Trio. After his death in the late ‘80s, it was revealed that Tipton was assigned female at birth, and his life was swiftly reframed as the story of an ambitious woman passing as a man in pursuit of a music career. The genre-defying documentary No Ordinary Man seeks to correct that misrepresentation by collaborating with trans artists. As they collectively celebrate Tipton’s story as a musician living his life according to his own terms, they paint a portrait of a trans culture icon. No Ordinary Man features leading voices and breakout stars in the trans community, including Marquise Vilsón, Scott Turner Schofield, Susan Stryker, C. Riley Snorton, and Thomas Page McBee.
One Four Three WORLD PREMIERE
Directed by Jade Winters
Country: UK, Running Time: 75 min
A woman enters a lesbian relationship, leaving her fiancé and family devastated. But a violent attack by an unknown assailant finds her hospitalized with amnesia. With nothing to lose, she begins the dangerous task of uncovering who she is and who attacked her.
Potato Dreams of America
Directed by Wes Hurley
Country: USA, Running Time: 95 min
Potato Dreams of America, based on the award-winning short film, is an autobiographical dark comedy about a gay boy growing up in the Soviet Union, his mail-order bride mother and their adventurous escape to America. The rich ensemble cast includes Jonathan Bennett and Lea Delaria.
Raw! Uncut! Video!
Directed by Ryan A. White and Alex Clausen
Country: USA, Running Time: 79 min
A love story about fetish porn, Raw! Uncut! Video! Chronicles the rise and fall of homegrown gay porn studio Palm Drive Video and explores how a devoted couple helped battle a devastating health crisis by promoting kinky sex. Legendary leatherman Jack Fritscher met Mark Hemry in 1979 at Harvey Milk’s birthday party, and the two fell head over heels in love. When the AIDS epidemic swept through San Francisco, the couple left the city to begin a new venture: turning a rural ranch in Sonoma County into a safe-sex porn studio that offered viewers new sexual possibilities in an age of plague. Casting rugged nonprofessional models to explore their unique erotic fantasies onscreen, the studio explored a wild array of queer kinks—and helped champion sex positivity.
Rebel Dykes
Directed by Harri Shanahan and Sian A. Williams
Country: UK, Running Time: 82 min
Rebel Dykes is a full-length documentary about the explosion that happened when punk met feminism, told through the lives of a gang of lesbians in the riotous London of the 1980s.
Sweetheart
Directed by Marley Morrison
Country: UK, Running Time: 103 min
Socially awkward and environmentally conscious teen ‘AJ’ has a few things on her mind. Mostly how the methane from all the cows is destroying the planet, and how she would rather be anywhere in the world than on holiday with her painfully uninspiring family. Following AJ’s suspension from school, mum Tina has dragged AJ out of her bedroom and driven four hours to the family’s favorite coastal holiday park in Dorset. Joining them is AJ’s neurotic and heavily pregnant older sister Lucy, their curious younger sister Dayna and Lucy’s foot-rubbing, attentive boyfriend Steve. For AJ, the only thing worse than spending an entire week with her uniquely ‘un-woke’ family is being in a holiday cabin with no Wi-Fi. She’s determined to have the worst week of her life, but her plan comes unstuck when she meets carefree lifeguard Isla who sees through AJ’s uniquely adopted persona. With echoes of My So-Called Life and Juno, Sweetheart is a quirky, nostalgic coming-of-age tale for a new generation.
Trans in Trumpland
Directed by Tony Zosherafatain
Country: USA, Running Time: 101 min
A trans Iranian American journeys across the country, uncovering the complexities of being trans in the Trump era. He meets four trans Americans facing unique challenges, intertwining the personal and political during an unprecedented time in the United States. Amidst growing injustice, each character’s story is a powerful testament to self-discovery, resiliency and the promise of freedom.
Two (Shtaim)
Directed by Astar Elkayam
Country: Israel, Running Time: 75 min
Two follows a couple as they set out on the long road to conception and realize their dream of having a baby.
We Need to Do Something
Directed by Sean King O’Grady
Country: USA, Running Time: 97 min
After Melissa and her family seek shelter from a storm, they become trapped. With no sign of rescue, hours turn to days and Melissa comes to realize that she and her girlfriend Amy might have something to do with the horrors that threaten to tear her family – and the entire world – apart in this unnerving thriller.
ADDITIONAL FEATURE FILMS (VIRTUAL)
Disruptor Conductor
Directed by Sharon Lewis
Country: Canada, Running Time: 47 min
Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser is an unlikely hero on a mission to create live orchestral music. In Disruptor Conductor the out composer is on a mission to break down institutional walls and bring live orchestral music to young people, the LGBTQ community, people on the autism spectrum and prison populations — anyone who might not have had access to it or who may have felt unwelcome in traditional spaces.
A Distant Place
Directed by Kun-Young Park
Country: South Korea, Running Time: 117 min.
A Distant Place takes us into the rural life of Jin-woo, a sheep rancher who lives a humble existence with his adorable niece, Seol, and the kindly family who employs him. When Hyeon-min, an old friend from university shows up, Jin-woo finds himself facing feelings he had long locked away. Things become even more difficult when his estranged sister Eun-yeong returns wanting custody of Seol. Told against the spectacular backdrop of the rolling Korean countryside, the film is a beautiful, delicate drama that probes the complex psyche of a solitary man
Emergence: Out of The Shadows
Directed by Vinay Giridhar
Country: Canada, 80 min
For Kayden, Jag, and Amar, awakening to and expressing their sexuality within conservative South Asian families was a lonely and terrifying experience. Denial, shame and despair haunted
their youths, even threatening their lives. Yet, they’ve emerged. In the feature documentary Emergence: Out of the Shadows, the disparate journeys of Kayden, Jag and Amar converge around a shared sense of compassion and healing as they bravely convey their often heart-wrenching stories. Confronted with tradition and taboo in their Punjabi Sikh cultures, Jag’s parents and Amar’s mother choose love and support for their children, offering courage and inspiration to individuals and communities struggling with acceptance.
Euromerica
Directed by Steven Norris
Country: USA, Running Time: 57 min
In 2020, the global market research firm IPSOS determined that only six percent of Americans had ever seen the Eurovision Song Contest – despite the fact that the annual event is the most watched live music event in the world, second in viewership only to World Cup Soccer. After the 2019 edition of the contest, the organizers at the European Broadcasting Union announced the contest would be expanding to America. Then COVID-19 happened. During the height of the pandemic, Eurovision was canceled for the first time in the contest’s 65-year history. These changes and challenges offered a perfect launching point for Atlanta filmmaker Steven Norris to find American superfans who’ve been following the contest each year.
The Fandom
Directed by Ash Kreis
Country: USA, 88 min
The Fandom dives headfirst in the imaginative world of “furries,” the often-misunderstood internet subculture of fans of the anthropomorphic arts. Using a bountiful collection of archival tapes and images, this documentary traces the evolution of the furry fandom from its roots in the 1970s to the expansive, international community it has become today. Join a host of charming characters (including the grandparents of the fandom itself) on this heart-warming journey through the decades. Witness the many triumphs and challenges that shaped “furry” into the most unique fandom of all time
The Greenhouse
Directed by Thomas Wilson-White
Country: Australia, Running Time: 97 min.
Grieving the death of her mother Lillian, Beth Tweedy-Bell wakes one night to find a portal to the past in the forest surrounding her family home. Swept away by visions of her idyllic upbringing with her three siblings and two loving Mums, Beth becomes mesmerized by the past, unable to see the dangers that lie ahead
Iftah
Directed by Moti Rachamim
Country: Israel, 42 min
Iftah deals with the life of a gay man who tears his family apart due to his sexual orientation.
Gemmel & Tim
Directed by Michiel Thomas
Country: USA, 86 min
In 2017 and 2019 respectively, Gemmel “Juelz” Moore and Timothy “Tim” Dean, two gay black men, both died of a meth overdose at the now-infamous Laurel Street apartment of Ed Buck, a once influential Democratic donor, businessman and LGBTQ+, animal, and political activist.
The deaths sent shockwaves through LA’s LGBTQ+ community and particularly West Hollywood, LA’s gay mecca. The ensuing media circus cooked up a spicy concoction of sex, drugs, race and politics, but had no appetite for the in-depth human stories of who Gemmel and Tim truly were.This documentary looks at Gemmel and Tim’s parallel walks of life through the eyes of their extended families: memories, correspondence, things they did and didn’t share with each other, and the reasons that led them to their tragic fate.
The Novice
Directed by Lauren Hadaway
Country: USA, 94 min
An obsessive novice rower climbs the ranks of her college’s rowing team in this acclaimed psychological thriller, winner of the Best U.S. Narrative Feature Film at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival.
Port Authority
Directed by Danielle Lessovitz
Country: USA, 101 min.
Paul must confront his white boy realness after arriving in New York and getting involved with explosively divisive groups: the queer ballroom scene and some straight debt collectors, while falling in love with a trans woman.
P.S. Burn This Letter Please
Directed by Michael Seligman, Jennifer Tiexiera
Country: USA, 100 min
A box of letters, held in secret for nearly 60 years, ignites a five-year exploration into a part of LGBT history that has never been told. The letters, written in the 1950s by a group of New York City drag queens, open a window into a forgotten world where being yourself meant breaking the law and where the penalties for “masquerading” as a woman were swift and severe. Using original interviews, never-before-seen archival footage and photographs and stylized recreations, “P.S. Burn This Letter Please” reconstructs this pre-Stonewall era as Lennie, Robbie, George, Michael, Jim, Henry, Claude, Tish and Terry—former drag queens now in their 80s and 90s—reveal how they survived and somehow flourished at a time when drag queens were both revered and reviled, even within the gay community. The government sought to destroy them, then history tried to erase them. Now they get to tell their story for the first time.
See You Then
Directed by Mari Walker
Country: USA, 75 min
A decade after abruptly breaking up with Naomi, Kris invites her to dinner to catch up on their complicated lives, relationships and Kris’ transition. Over the course of a one-night encounter, they engage in a series of increasingly intimate and vulnerable conversations, before a shocking revelation is unveiled. See You Then focuses on the universal truth that no matter how much you change, a part of you will always stay the same.
A Sexplanation
Directed by Alex Liu
Country: USA, 76 min
To right the wrongs of his all-American sex education, a 36-year-old goes on a quest to uncover naked truths and hard facts – no matter how awkward it gets. He’s on a mission to strip away his sexual shame by meeting with the researchers and educators who are helping us build a healthier, sexier future.
The Sixth Reel
Directed by Carl Andress and Charles Busch
Country: USA, 94 min.
A down-on-his-luck movie collector discovers a legendary lost film and becomes entangled in an outrageous adventure to deliver it to the right hands before it is lost forever. Co-directed by and starring the legendary Charles Busch, this clever comedy also stars Margaret Cho, Tim Daly and André De Shields
Yes I Am – The Ric Weiland Story
Directed by Aaron Bear
Country: USA, 62 min
Narrated by Zachary Quinto and produced by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (World of Wonder), the story of Ric Weiland’s life and legacy can be measured in incredible milestones. He was one of the first employees at Microsoft. He helped focus and organize their early successes. It made him wealthy and influential at an early age. He never felt overly comfortable with his wealth, as he didn’t feel that he deserved it. Other people had worked harder for what they had, he thought. So, to quiet the nagging doubt, he turned to philanthropy. Out and proud since the ‘70s, Ric was a champion for gay rights. During his life, he donated more than $20 million to fund more than 60 non-profit organizations. His efforts to establish representation and resources for the LGBT community still have a profound impact today.
SHORT FILM PROGRAMS (IN PERSON)
BEST OF WOMEN’S SHORTS – FROM A to Q
From A to Q
Directed by Emmalie El fadli
Country: UK, Running Time: 19 min
Pure
Directed by Natalie Jasmine Harris
Country: USA, Running Time: 12 min
Play It Again
Directed by Daniel Abramovici
Country: Canada, Running Time: 9 min
St Clair W
Directed by Emily Ryder
Country: Canada, Running Time: 3 min
Chocolate Milk
Directed by Latisha Di Venuto
Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min
Noor & Layla
Directed by Fawzia Mirza
Country: Canada, Running Time: 13 min
And Then
Directed by Jenn Ravenna Tran
Country: USA, Running Time: 17 min
BEST OF MEN’S SHORTS – HEAR MY VOICE
Virgin My Ass
Directed by Adar Sigler
Country: Israel, Running Time: 17 min
Getting Closer
Directed by Ethan Roberts
Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min
The Coronation
Directed by Dhruv Sud
Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min
The Unsure Masseur
Directed by Reid Waterer
Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min
Trade
Directed by Blair Baker
Country: USA, Running Time: 9 min
As Simple as That
Directed by Luciana Bitencourt
Country: Brazil, Running Time:19 min
Hear My Voice
Directed by Charles Meunier
Country: UK, Running Time: 12 min
LOCAL SHORTS
Vestirse
Directed by John e. Kilberg
Country: USA, Running Time: 8 min
If I’m Good
Directed by Jonathon Pawlowski
Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min
Pink and Blue
Directed by Carmen LoBue
Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min.
Over My Dead Body
Directed by Quinlan Orear
Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min.
Reverend Falls
Directed by Patrick Seda
Country: USA, Running Time: 15 min.
Meet the Team Taking J-Setting from Underground Clubs to the Main Stage
Dir. Frederick Taylor
Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min.
One Day
Directed by Carly Johnson
Country: USA, Running Time: 2 min.
The Traveler
Directed by Mya-Breyana Morton
Country: USA, Running Time: 17 min.
Black Boi Majik
Directed by Lyrik London
Country: USA, Running Time: 36 min.
HORROR SHORTS
The Cruise
Directed by Richard Louprasong
Country: USA, Running Time: 7 min
Sundown Town
Directed by Mylo Butler
Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min
Twin
Directed by Mark J. Parker
Country: USA, Running Time: 12 min
Aquaramine
Directed by Jack Dentinger
Country: USA, Running Time: 20 min
New Flesh for the Old Century
Directed by Elizabeth Rakhilkina
Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min
Griffica
Directed by C.J. Arellano
Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min
BEST OF TRANS SHORTS – A FINE GIRL
Before the Eruption
Directed by Roberto Pérez Toledo,
Country: Spain, Running Time: 9 min
Imperfectly Complete
Directed by Bruce Chiu,
Country: USA, Running Time: 15 min
Four Fruitbites
Directed by Dave Quantic,
Country: USA, Running Time: 8 min
The Chris Mosier Project
Directed by Alex Huebsch.
Country: USA, Running Time: 9 min
The Bodies of Siegfried
Directed by Emilio Rodríguez,
Country: Chile, Running Time: 12 min
A Fine Girl
Directed by Darcy McKinnon and Biliana Grozdanova,
Country: USA, Running Time: 17 min
The Duchess of Grant Park
Directed by Brandon Mitchell
Country: USA, Running Time: 19 min.
DRAMA SHORTS
Almost a Year
Directed by Jamieson Baker
Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min
Flames
Directed by Deondray Gossfield and Quincy LeNear Gossfield
Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min
Inertia
Directed by Mat Johns
Country: UK, Running Time: 18 min
Roadkill
Directed by Aliza Brugger
Country: USA, Running Time: 15 min
Sheer Qorma
Directed by Faraz Arif Ansari
Country: India, Running Time: 30 min
SHORTS PROGRAMS AND WEB SERIES (VIRTUAL)
ANIMATED SHORTS
Inverted
Directed by Dina Indykh, Tal Meshulam, Shelly Salem, Eden Dolev, Omran Tlalka, Raz Negev, Dor Kaplan, Michael Jacob, Neomi Hazan, and Liat Meik,
Country: Israel, Running Time: 13 min
Are You Still Watching?
Directed by Alex Cardy, Tali Polichtuk, and Kitty Chrystal,
Country: Australia, Running Time: 6 min
My Aunties
Directed by Richard O’Connor,
Country: USA, Running Time: 2 min
For All the Kings
Directed by Rosabel Su,
Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min
Luv U Cuz
Directed by Eric Pumphrey,
Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min
It is Love
Directed by Manrique Cortes Castro,
Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min
Together Again
Directed by Stuart Ruston,
Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min
AROUND THE WORLD
Nicki
Directed by Saman Haghighivand
Country: Iran, Running Time: 19 min
Escaping the Fragile Planet
Directed by Thanasis Tsimpinis
Country: Greece, Running Time: 17 min
Cocoon Love
Directed by Xiaowen Wang
Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min
Dwarf Planet
Directed by Adrian Chiarella
Country: Australia, Running Time: 7 min
The Lonely Prince
Directed by Shivin and Sunny
Country: India, Running Time: 15 min
COMEDY SHORTS
Waking Up
Directed by James Patrick Nelson
Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min
Graduation
Directed by Robin Wang
Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min
Flex
Directed by Matt Porter
Country: USA, Running Time: 20 min
Sunday Dinner
Directed by Kevin Mead
Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min
Stephen and James – Best Girlfriends
Directed by Dave Quantic
Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min
The Test
Directed by Jessica Smith
Country: Australia Running Time: 8 min
Squish
Directed by Xavier Seron
Country: Belgium, Running Time: 20 min
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS – THE BEAUTY PRESIDENT
Trade Center
Directed by Adam Baran
Country: USA, Running Time: 9 min
The Beauty President
Directed by Whitney Skauge
Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min
The Dancing Man of L.A.
Scott Sheppard, and Jen Fodor
Country: USA, Running Time: 26 min
The Black Cop
Directed by Cherish Oteka
Country: UK, Running Time: 24 min
Eleven Weeks
Directed by Anna Kuperberg and Julie Caskey
Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS – FREEDOM DAY/THE LODGE
Freedom Day
Directed by Rianne Pyl
Country: USA, Running Time: 24 min
It’s Just Me
Directed by Jared Moossy
Country: USA, Running Time: 18 min
Into The Light: A Trip Through Baltimore Ballroom
Directed by Jason Gray and Kathryn Martin
Country: USA, Running Time: 25 min
The Lodge
Directed by Pam Walton
Country: USA, Running Time: 40 min
EVERYTHING UNDER THE RAINBOW SHORTS
No Goodbyes
Directed by Billy Clift
Country: USA, Running Time: 25 min
I Just Wish You Told Me
Directed by Michelle C. Bonilla
Country: USA, Running Time: 16 min
Swimming to the End of the World
Directed by Todd Verow
Country: USA, Running Time: 7 min
Skeletons
Directed by Adam DeCarlo
Country: USA, Running Time: 18 min
Swimming
Directed by Shadi Ghaheri
Country: USA, Running Time: 15 min
The Makeup
Directed by Ronny Rose
Country: USA, Running Time: 16 min
EVERYTHING UNDER THE RAINBOW SHORTS II
The Act
Directed by Thomas Hescott
Country: UK, Running Time: 18 min
As the Winter Turns to Fall
Directed by Megan Arnold
Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min
The Ugliest
Directed by Victor Ridaura
Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min
The Nailing of an Older Woman
Directed by Holly Anstey
Country: UK, Running Time: 10 min
Someone Else
Directed by Luke McCarthy
Country: Australia, Running Time: 17 min
Diary Room
Directed by Ben Mann
Country: USA, Running Time: 20 min
FINDING YOUR VOICE
Curtis
Directed by Jon Bryant Crawford
Country: USA, Running Time: 9 min
Heavenly Brown Body
Directed by Leslie Foster
Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min
The Pageant
Directed by Kasey O’Brien
Country: USA, Running Time: 7 min
Pool Boy
Directed by Luke Willis
Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min
Tho
Directed by Jake Villadolid and Heather Muriel Nguyễn
Country: USA, Running Time: 7 min
Blunt
Directed by Hisonni Mustafa Johnson
Country: USA, Running Time: 20 min
LATINXTRAORDINARY
Mano Santo
Directed by Stephanie Camacho Casillas
Country: Puerto Rico, Running Time: 13 min
Mora & Chenchi
Directed by Diego Toussaint
Country: Mexico, Running Time: 19 min
Karina’s Suit
Directed by Frank Benitez
Country: Colombia, Running Time: 20 min
Unliveable
Directed by Matheus Farias and Enock Carvalho
Country: Brazil, Running Time: 20 min
Quinceañero
Directed by Justin Floyd
Country: USA, Running Time: 20 min
SEXY SHORTS
Motta
Directed by Nish Gera
Country: UK, Running Time: 15 min
Private Photos (Photos Privadas)
Directed by Marcelo Grabowsky
Country: Brazil, Running Time: 20 min
The Night Train
Directed by Jerry Carlsson
Country: Sweden, Running Time: 15 min
Fisherman
Directed by Nicky Miller
Country: Germany, Running Time: 10 min
WEB SERIES
Boy Culture (two episodes)
Directed by Allan J. Brocka
Country: USA, Running Time: 28 min
I Am Syd Stone (full series)
Directed by Denis Theriault
Country: USA, Running Time: 83 min
WORLDLY AFFAIRS
We Were Stars to Burn
Directed by Pius Kung
Country: Hong Kong, Running Time: 18 min
Sansara
Directed by Pius Kung
Country: Russian Federation, Running Time: 6 min
I Want to Make a Film about Women
Directed by Karen Pearlman
Country: Australia, Running Time: 12 min
Identibye
Directed by Sajjad Shahhatami
Country: Iran, Running Time:15 min
Bracha
Directed by Mickey Triest and Aaron Geva
Country: Israel, Running Time; 12 min
Marlon Brando
Directed by Vincent Tilanus
Country; Netherlands, Running Time: 19 min
ART INSTALLATION
“The Hate Shield Project” WORLD PREMIERE
Artist Matthew Terrell debuted “The Hate Shield” in October 2019 at Atlanta Pride. This mobile, soundproof wall blocked both sight and sound of hate preachers at Pride. The back side of the walls were mirrored, so the preachers could only see themselves. The project significantly reduced the loudness and hearing distance of the hate preachers, which resulted in more people having a positive experience at Pride. Usually, the preachers yell at passersby, pick on people, say hurtful things, and try to provoke violence. “The Hate Shield” neutralized that.
During the deployment, Terrell and his team wore body cameras, to capture the experience up close. This video is a first-hand account of what it was like to be in the loud, hateful melee, and the chaos that was up close. One peculiar thing happened once “The Hate Shield” went up… the scene became much more joyful. Even humorous. With “The Hate Shield” blocking both sight and sound of the preachers, what they were doing became a comical, futile endeavor. By disarming their hate, their words and actions only served to make them look small and ridiculous. The footage captured on the body camera reveals this shift.
In this art installation, Terrell will use the actual original panels of “The Hate Shield” to create a soundproof pod, where viewers can watch a short, first-person POV documentary about the project. The original body camera footage will be edited together with an introductory interview to give viewers an in-the-drivers-seat experience of taking part in the counter-protest at Atlanta Pride. This short video will be played on loop, so viewers can pop in whenever they want to view the show. This would be ideal for people to do while they wait between screenings, or for people who arrive early to a show.
Peeter Rebane’s Firebird Opens Atlanta’s LGBTQ film festival, Out on Film