Gay Christmas? It’s Outfest 2007!
This past week I was in LA for the 25th Anniversary of Outfest, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival…and what an amazing week it was. Films, parties, events, dinners, boys and booze…what could be better?!
The opening night film Save Me (starring Chad Allen, Bobby Gant and Judith Light) drew a capacity crowd at the beautiful Orpheum Theater in downtown LA. In the 11th hour…just minutes before the opening speeches were to begin…the person who was scheduled to do all the introductions cancelled so they asked yours truly to be the V.O.G. (Voice of God). It was a blast…I felt like the announcer at the circus. I even got to play make-up artist to Dan Jinks (Academy Award Producer of “American Beauty”).
Newly ordained Minister, Tori Spelling brought down the house with her opening ‘gay benediction.’
The film was very well received and the post screening party was fantastic. Disco balls everywhere, fantastic food, booze provided by Absolut and gorgeous boys everywhere…and that was just opening night.
The next day more screenings, panel discussions and one of the annual highlights, the filmmaker’s party hosted by here! Networks at Stephen Macias’s house…and once again it was packed to the gills…and fun, fun, fun!
A few film highlights were: the Israeli film “The Bubble,” “For the Bible Tells Me So,” the newly restored print if the classic gay film, “Parting Glances” (with original cast members Steve Buscemi, John Bolger, Kathy Kinney and Richard Ganoung all in attendence) and the sold-out outdoor screening of “Shelter.” What a gorgeous way to see a film.
I have to say, Outfest is truly one of the highlights of the year for me…I look forward to it and feel sad when it is over.
It has grown into such an impressive festival. Back in 1996, when my first film “Scream Teen Scream” was at Outfest, it was a much, much smaller festival and where it has come since then is truly AMAZING.
Congratulations to all involved and I encourage everyone to check it out next year.
See you there-
J
