Vito Russo was at the forefront of every gay rights movement from Stonewall to the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, as a passionate advocate for justice in the newly formed ACT UP, and a co-founder of GLADD. In 1981, he published his landmark book The Celluloid Closet that examined the way Hollywood depicted homosexuality. It was the most extensive record to date of LGBT representation on screen, and forced an examination of film's often-homophobic messages. It still remains the definite text on the subjects and is studied worldwide. With heartwarming and humorous interviews of Vito's family and friends (Armistead Maupin, Jeffrey Freidman, Rob Epstein, and Lily Tomlin among them), and clips from an astonishing collection of film treasures, Vito presents a moving portrait of the person who paved the way for and proved the importance of LGBT film festivals like ours. Even after his death in 1990, his story continues to inspire and his mark on the gay community is unquestionable. (Description adapted from the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.)

Event Info↗

Hold the skepticism—the smart and funny group of people profiled in this fast-moving documentary have heard it all before. Meet Swank Ivy who makes YouTube videos debunking common beliefs; or David Jay, the movement’s poster boy and regular on television talk shows, including The View. (A)sexual documents the growth of this newly organized sexual minority while raising provocative questions about queer inclusiveness and the boundaries of “normal” sexual desire. In 2002 Jay created a website, asexuality.org; today, there are some 26,000 members of AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network). Members discuss coming out as an asexual, their struggles for acceptance, and the various subgroups within the community (to cuddle or not to cuddle?). Along with David Jay and other members of the asexual community, the film features academic researchers who speculate that there are over three million asexuals in the US. Sexperts Carol Queen and Dan Savage weigh in on the f ledgling asexual movement and its place in queerdom. Is it possible that in today’s sexualized society, lack of desire is perversion’s f inal frontier? (Description courtesy of Monica Nolan, Frameline International LGBT Film Festival)

Event Info↗

On May 6th, 2009 Maine became the f irst state to legislatively grant same-sex couples the right to marry. Seven months later, a referendum reversed this right, and Maine became thirty-first state to say “no.” Question One, a new documentary by award winning filmmakers Joe Fox and James Nubile, chronicles the fierce and emotional battle. The film chronicles in “War Room” fashion the behind the scenes workings on BOTH sides of the campaign (the first time this has ever been done). With deeply personal and revealing interviews, people bared their hope and heartache as they fought to the finish for an issue framed and anchored in passion and purpose. The film also documents the controversial leading role of California based campaign consultants Frank Schubert and Jeff Flint as referendum proponents. Schubert-Flint Public Affairs headed the 2008 campaign for Proposition 8 in California, and have since taken the lead in a nationwide effort to outlaw same-sex marriage in other states. (Description courtesy of filmmaker.)

Event Info↗