NEWFEST 2010 Call for Submissions!
↑ Please click on the submissions form above to download your copy.
For more information contact: submissions@newfest.org
NewFest has been NYC’s premier forum of international LGBT film since 1988. Each year, NewFest provides a professional and public context for the presentation of innovative and challenging films from over 30 countries and reaches a dedicated audience of NYC’s film lovers, filmmakers, industry representatives, and journalists!
Submissions of films/videos of any length and in any genre that are by, about, or of interest to LGBT people are now being accepted for NewFest 2010: The 22nd Anniversary New York LGBT Film Festival, which will take place June 3-13, 2010!
Early Deadline: January 4, 2009
Final Deadline: February 15, 2009
Meet the Director: Tiona McClodden (black./womyn.)
Every day she’s hustling
At a time when her filmmaker colleagues are leaving the industry and selling their cameras for more profitable ventures, director Tiona McClodden is charging forward.
She’s doing whatever it takes to finance and sustain her films: grants, self-funding, and a Do-It-Yourself resourcefulness that’s lead her to independent self-distribution, and a knack for learning new skills to keep costs down.
When I caught up with Tiona by phone, she’d just gotten her hands on a sweet Sony HD tapeless camcorder — the camera she’ll use to shoot her next documentary film, Baby Makes Me.
Tiona’s full-length doc black./womyn. Conversations with Lesbians of African Descent screened at NewFest 2009 and is joining the Best of NewFest screenings at BAM on August 30. black./womyn. is a conversation across a spectrum of black lesbians, aged 18-60, on the issues that affect them: sexuality, identity, activism, religion, and more.
Filmmakers David M. Young and Tiona McClodden, NewFest 2009
Photo by SMHayhurst (homo-neurotic.com)
Q&A with Tiona M.
NewFest: How was your NewFest experience this year? You screened black./womyn., and participated in The Director’s Roundtable.
Tiona M: I was really honored to sit on the panel, because my film is not a typical documentary film. It was a good chance to connect with the audience and explain my intent behind my film. NewFest takes care of filmmakers… and I extend that to Logo as well, because I hung out in the Logo Lounge forever! It’s one of the few festivals where you actually had the chance to interact with other filmmakers.
NF: The title of your movie sounds heavy and serious, but I see comments on your blog and YouTube where people say they laughed their asses off. Is there room for humor in this film?
TM: The reason for the titling was just to be very transparent. So when you see the film, you’re gonna see… conversations with black lesbians! [Laughs] It is what it is! But within those conversations is tons of humor. It’s honest. These are real people, it’s not staged. I wanted to let the women shine in whatever way they wanted to, so if they wanted to be super serious, they were taken as that — if they wanted to be funny, great.
NF: What’s next for the film?
TM: I’m excited to put the film in the next stage, which is distribution. That will provide a whole other life [for the film]. I’m going independent –- I have a printer for my DVD digipak, I’m figuring out which languages to put subtitles in… all that good stuff, and trying to put it out by the end of the year.
NF: You’ve traveled all over the country to screen black./womyn. Have you gone abroad yet?
TM: I had two very different London screenings –- one was with Black Filmmaker Magazine, and one was with the London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. I had an offer to screen in Paris, but they wanted me to change the length, and I refused.
NF: You refused to edit your film on the grounds of being…. philosophical?
TM: I refused on the grounds of them being ridiculous! [Laughs] I’m aware of film festivals and what they show. People show crazy films of people not talking for three hours and then screen that in its entirety. This [black./womyn.] is one of the few films of its kind, and they want me to take 30 minutes off ??
NF: As you travel all over to screen, do you find a wide range of responses by region?
TM: In New York, they appreciate the film in different ways, but it’s very different from when I screen smaller towns. It was life-changing for them [smaller towns]… I come from a small town myself, and I know what it would feel like to see a film like this, given the fact that I may not even see over 10 other black lesbians in my community who are out.
NF: Have you been able to screen in your home state of South Carolina yet?
TM: When people find out what the film is, they don’t want to screen it. This has been my challenge in the south. Certain small colleges, the topic is too risqué for them, when it’s really not. It’s the same kind of resistance I’ve gotten from certain college programs, especially the HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities]. A lot of people won’t come to the screening because they’re worried about who will see them there. Honestly, when I screened at Bennett College, only 10 people showed up to my screening — but I promise you I shook hands with about 50 people. The DVD distribution will help… it will provide these private spaces. People can have a party or whatever and have people over in their own safe spaces.
NF: You have strong, high-profile black lesbians in your film, like poet and author Staceyann Chin. How did you hook up with her, and what voice did she bring to the film?
TM: She’s somebody I’ve known for a long time, as a good friend. Over the years, we’ve been supporters of each other’s work. A lot of people know her in a mainstream way from her book [The Other Side of Paradise] — she was an Oprah talking about being gay and Jamaican. She’s a really hard worker, I respect her producing really authentic work when nobody’s cheering or when you don’t have an audience. She’s been able to speak so candidly about the homophobia she faced in Jamaica — she represents that voice of the Caribbean. In the film, I didn’t want too many people who were super high-profile people — but the ones that I did, I wanted them to be the ones that I respected.
NF: You wanted people who are relatable, accessible.
TM: Right. I’m not gonna go and get… oh [expletive]… there’s nobody who’s out and black that I could get… [Laughs]
NF: Ha! Like the black Ellen?
TM: Right, the black Ellen! I’m not into super-duper celebrities that people would more so worship rather than respect. With Staceyann or Cheryl Clarke or KIN, these monumental artists, people can see them and say, “These people are doing it. Maybe I can do what I want to do.”
black./womyn. screens @BAM Aug 30
Tickets available now the for black./womyn screening at NEWFEST@BAM on August 30 at 4:30pm. For more information about Tiona’s film, visit her blog.
See Tiona’s film and stay for Kimberly Reed’s documentary, PRODIGAL SONS, screening at 6:50pm at NEWFEST@BAM on Aug 30.
Filmmakers Tiona McClodden and Kimberly Reed, NewFest 2009
Audience fave “DISH” screens at NEWFEST@BAM
Award-winning short film comes to Brooklyn
Brian Harris Krinsky’s DISH took the NewFest 2009 Audience Award for Short Film and will screen in the Men’s Shorts Program at NEWFEST@BAM on August 29.
DISH, a slice-of-life treatment of emo Latino teens in East Los Angeles, follows Israel and Louie as they do what teens do best: dish about each other’s sex lives via text messages.
From the director
In this QueerLounge video interview (a GLAAD project), director Brian Krinsky describes the film as an original story and talks about how he found the teen actors on Craigslist. “I just think the emo style is really cool — that’s the skinny jeans and the fringed bangs. I thought of all the kids who are Latino… it was a really niche world to look into, and I just started writing scenes and a story developed.”
DISH premiered at the 2009 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, followed by a European premiere at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival.
What the critics are saying
“… suffice to say that Dish packs more sexually-graphic dialogue, coming-of-age drama, wisdom and heart into 15 minutes than most two-hour movies do.”
- Movie Dearest Blog | Rev. Chris Carpenter (movie critic for Orange County and Long Beach Blade)
“We should be nervous about watching the sex talk of a couple of cute fifteen year olds, but this clever, tasteful and captivating film hits all the right notes, taking on profound issues without ever preaching… DISH is emblematic of a California of today, a Wassup Rockers/Elephant hybrid with its own identity.”
- WehoNews.com | Roy Rogers Oldenkamp
NewFest@BAM tickets
Don’t miss this short film coming to Brooklyn, NY, as part of the Men’s Shorts Program at NEWFEST@BAM. Tickets now on sale at the BAM website here.
Discount for NewFest Members
Members, get a discount at the Box Office by showing your membership card. Tickets are $7 — you MUST present your member ID card at the box office to purchase tickets. Each member can purchase a maximum of two member-price tickets per film. If you don’t have a membership card, send an email to membership@newfest.org and we will get it out ASAP.
Closing Night: 2009 Award Winners
Our closing night gala was an LGBT family affair, featuring the 2009 NewFest awards ceremony, a screening of POP STAR ON ICE, and an afterparty at Chelsea club Promenade. Yours truly got to sit next to legendary lez filmmaker Rose Troche for a hot minute. Johnny Weir and his entourage brought the fabulous to the SVA Theatre. The audience really connected with Johnny’s film, which received an amazing review last week from Variety.
“If we don’t tell our own stories, no one will tell our stories,” said acting Newfest executive director Lesli Klainberg, in a speech to the packed audience. Many independent film festivals have been hit hard by the economic recession. NewFest depends on committed volunteers and passionate fans to keep bringing you the best in LGBT cinema. Consider a NewFest membership today — at only $50, it’s a bargain to support the telling of our stories.
Read the full write-up of NewFest closing night at IndieWire. Edgy culture blog Homo-neurotic.com brings you all the eye candy from that evening, in this photo-blog post. We’ve also got loads of pictures of the stars, filmmakers, and fans at the NewFest photo site — check them out if you think our cameras caught you!
“Pop Star on Ice” directors David Barba and James Pellerito (either end) with Olympic skater and film subject Johnny Weir (left), Newfest acting executive director Lesli Klainberg (middle) and doc programmer Cameron Yates Thursday night at the SVA Theatre in Chelsea. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE
NewDraft Screenplay Competition Award
“The Most Famous Woman in the World” screenplay by Kerthy Fix & Craig Harwood
“Hannah Henri” screenplay by Akiva Penazola
Audience Awards
Short Film: “Dish” directed by Brian Harris Krinsky
Documentary: “Florent: Queen of the Meat Market” directed by David Sigal, produced by Trevor Laurence
Narrative: “Mississippi Damned” directed by Tina Mabry, produced by Morgan Stiff
Jury Awards
Special Jury Award: John Hurt (Quentin Crisp) – “An Englishman in New York”
Best Short Documentary: “Kaden Later” directed by Harriet Storm
Best Short Narrative: “Countertransference” directed by Madeleine Olnek
Best Feature Length Documentary: “Prodigal Sons” directed by Kimberly Reed
Best Feature Length Narrative: “Light Gradient” directed by Jan Kruger
Breakout Performance
Mireille Perrier – “Out of the Blue”
Gustaf Skarsgard – “Patrik 1.5”
Paparazzi Roundup
We’re updating with each event, capturing all the fun moments of this year’s festival! Click here for the full NewFest 2009 photo gallery!
Star Sightings at NewFest
NewFest volunteer David Pittock with “Ugly Betty” star Michael Urie
Last night, Michael Urie, the acclaimed actor who plays the super-fab Marc St. James on ABC’s “Ugly Betty” paid a visit to NewFest! Michael came to check out the very raw, unforgettable story of MISSISSIPPI DAMNED.
“It was really good,” said Michael after watching the film. So good he decided to catch the encore screening of the psychological thriller PORNOGRAPHY.
All the volunteers and attendees were excited to see Michael. “O-M-G! I can’t believe he’s here!” said an uber-excited volunteer. Thank the gods at “Mode magazine” that “Willamina” gave “Marc” the night off to check out NewFest. We love you Michael!
You never know who you’ll bump into at NewFest! Also spotted recently at the NewFest Logo Lounge: Barney’s creative director and America’s Next Top Model guest star Simon Doonan, promoting his new memoir, Beautiful People.
The Ladies Guide to NewFest
From “L Word” clones around the world (South Africa, Spain) to women’s basketball to black/womyn narratives, NewFest 2009 showcased a diverse roster of contemporary lesbian cinema.
On Sunday, NewFest welcomed the ladies in a special Women’s Night screening of The Baby Formula, a witty mockumentary about the misadventures of lesbian parenthood. Along with the films, we served up conversations and cocktails at the Logo Lounge mixer. Cheers, chicas!
All photos Twilla Duncan (c) 2009
You can still catch a strong lineup of women’s films at NewFest 2009! Today, Tuesday, June 9, we screen black./womyn.: conversations with lesbians of african descent at 5pm in SVA 2.
On Wednesday, June 10, we screen Ghosted, a haunting love story from director Monika Treut.
Ghosted (Germany, 2009, 89 mins)
Hamburg artist Sophie travels to Taipei for an art show produced in her murdered girlfriend’s honor. Sophie encounters Mei-Li, a pushy and seductive journalist investigating Ai-Ling’s death. While still in love with Ai-Ling and confused by her lust for Mei-Li, Sophie flees and Mei-Li follows. As the attraction goes stronger, Sophie comes to a startling discovery that changes everything she knows about Ai-Ling’s death.
Click here for tickets now!
Encore Screenings
Due to incredible audience response NewFest is proud to announce that the following programs will receive Encore Presentations at this year’s festival! Tickets are available now so please join us for these festival favorites.
Mr. Right
THURSDAY 3:30PM – SVA #1
A gay NYC teen faces devastating challenges when he’s sent to live with family in the South. Racial and sexual politics take their toll on a family, and ultimately a community, in this unique and powerful drama about coming to terms with oneself against terrible odds.
Rivers Wash Over Me
THURSDAY 5:30PM – SVA #1
A gay NYC teen faces devastating challenges when he’s sent to live with family in the South. Racial and sexual politics take their toll on a family, and ultimately a community, in this unique and powerful drama about coming to terms with oneself against terrible odds.
Click here to purchase tickets at regular prices.
Munroe Kicks Off NewFest Panel Sessions
On Friday, day two of NewFest, award-winning filmmaker Roberta Marie Munroe took the stage at the SVA theatres for a no-holds-barred workshop to kick off the NewFest 2009 industry panel sessions. Munroe shared the secrets of making exceptionally entertaining, high-quality short films to an audience of NewFest attendees fixated on her every word. The 90-minute interactive session was full of invaluable insight into the daunting task of creating short films.
The audience got a first-hand look into Munroe’s filmmaking style as she touched on all stages of production — everything from script development to post production and distribution. By focusing on what filmmakers should NOT do, Monroe was able to connect with the audience and leave an imprint of the things all filmmakers should watch out for while putting a film together.
With her charm and directorial skill in full display, Munroe got audience members to share valuable insight with each other. At the end of the workshop, attendees walked away with information that will empower them as they seek to grow their careers in the entertainment industry.
Don’t miss your chance to catch the remaining NewFest industry panels. Click here for the full schedule and ticket information.
Bad Boys, Young Ones, and Beyond
Bad Boys
UK gangbangers in Shank
Naughty boys need love too! Here’s a sample of our bad boy flicks:
- Shank June 6, 10pm
- Greek Pete June 6, 10pm
- The Good American June 7, 10pm
- College Boys Live June 8, 10pm
Youth Focus
Gramercy Stories
Whether you’re young or young-at-heart, you’ll love these films about next-generation queers.
- Gramercy Stories June 5, 3:30pm
- Off and Running June 6, 1:15pm
- Rivers Wash Over Me June 6, 8pm
Foreign Focus
Swedish adoption adventure: Patrik Age 1.5
NewFest is your key to an international stay-cation! Check out a sample of this year’s foreign films:
- All My Life – Toul Omri (Egypt) June 5, 3pm
- Out Of The Blue – La Surprise (France) June 5, 5:30pm
- Chica Busca Chica (Spain) June 6, 9:30pm
- Society(South Africa) June 8, 8pm
- Patrik Age 1.5(Sweden) June 10, 8:00pm
HIV/AIDS Focus
Sydney, Australia fights HIV in Rampant
Our positively fantastic guide to HIV/AIDS-positive films
at NewFest:
- Florent: Queen of the Meat MarketJune 6, 5:30pm
- Standing-N-Truth: Breaking the Silence June 7, 1:15pm
- Rampant: How a City Stopped the Plague June 11, 6:30pm
The Black/Gay Experience at NewFest
The rainbow is indeed a spectrum of colors. Black Gays and Lesbians, in particular, have unique experiences to share as members of a minority within a minority. Our Centerpiece Film, Rivers Wash Over Me, explores racial and sexual politics when a gay NYC teen is sent to live with family in the South. Films like Society chronicle a group of lesbian professionals living and loving in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Noah's Arc (USA, 2008, 101 min)
The groundbreaking Logo series jumps to the big screen for a special midnight showing of Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom. Picking up where the show left off, Noah and his friends head off to Martha’s Vineyard for Noah’s marriage to Wade. Naturally a weekend wedding getaway wouldn’t be complete without ensuing drama and one by one the boys’ relationships start to crack under pressure.
Drool (USA, 88 min)
Part Thelma & Louise and part Little Miss Sunshine, this unusual black comedy Drool follows the evolution of Anora, an unhappy housewife trapped in the suburbs with an abusive husband. Exciting new neighbor Imogene (Jill Marie Jones) provides a glimmer of hope, a lesson in cosmetics, and much more as the women hit the road for a mysterious quest.
black./womyn. (USA, 2008, 97 mins)
In black./womyn.: conversations with lesbians of african descent, out black lesbians between 18-60 years old speak about their challenges of balancing their gender, race, and sexuality. This sometimes light-hearted, sometimes sobering, always poignant film includes poets Cheryl Clarke and Staceyann Chin, artist Hanifah Walidah, and hip-hop performers KIN.
See the Festival Calendar for the full schedule of film location and times.
NewFest Brings Sexy Back
We’re bringing the summer sizzle to the big screen. Check out these films, and be thankful for the indoor AC at the SVA theatres, ’cause this celluloid will leave you hot and bothered! You’ll thank us later…
Steam (USA, 2009, 15 min)
Steam has its World Premiere in our Short Films: Men program. Two men trapped inside a steam room without a way out are trying to make sense of the situation and each other until a devastating revelation.
You want gritty and hypersexual, all within 89 minutes of a modern coming-of-age film? Then Shank is your flick, about 18-year-old gangbanger Cal, who spends his time doing drugs, recording his sexual encounters on a cell phone, and committing random acts of violence.
All My Life (Egypt, 2008, 119 min)
Spanning over two hours with a considerable amount of nudity, it’s easy to see why All My Life is being called the most daring gay Arab film to date. Framed around Egypt’s infamous 2001 Queen Boat arrests, All My Life is a drama about friends struggling to find love in an oppressive society.
Want your eroticism with a touch of epic mythology? Check out Raging Sun, Raging Sky, the final installment in Julian Hernandez’s trilogy, an epic, must-see masterpiece. Kieri travels from bathhouses to majestic mountaintops, shedding clothes and baring his soul, and stopping at nothing to find his love Ryo.
Ready for the Filipino Brokeback Mountain? Two well-known former teen heartthrobs star in No Way Out. While his wife is abroad, Joaquin has a steamy affair with a younger man named Waldo. Her return triggers a sequence of events resulting in Waldo running off to Manila. Hot on his trail, Joaquin discovers Waldo has become the latest missing person in a series of disappearances tied a notorious sex slavery ring.
The Good American (Germany, 2009, 92 min)
In The Good American, you’ll meet Tom Weise, controversial co-founder of Rentboy.com and producer of the HustlaBall. This insightful documentary profiles Tom’s work in the sex industry, producing the first ever HustlaBall in Berlin.
For over six months director Andrew Haigh followed a group of real-life London male escorts and worked with the guys and their stories to create this semi-improvised film about their lives. This no holds barred, sexually explicit look at their lives is surprisingly touching in its depiction of a makeshift family made up of wayward boys. Greek Pete has its NYC Premiere at NewFest at a midnight show on Saturday June 6.
Pornography (USA, 2009, 113 min)
Catch the World Premiere of Pornography. A journalist named Michael moves into a too-good-to-be-true Manhattan apartment with his partner and begins to notice strange details about the space. As he closes in on the truth, the lines of reality start to blur and the increasingly surreal twists of this bold psychological thriller prompt echoes of David Lynch’s work.
See the Festival Calendar for the full schedule and ticket information.
Free book giveaway with Roberta Munroe Short Film Workshop!
In a special offer to NewFest fans, we’re giving away free copies of Roberta Marie Munroe’s indie filmmaker’s bible
“How Not to Make a Short Film.”
Roberta Munroe screened short film submissions at Sundance for five years, and is an award-winning short filmmaker. From the first draft of your script to casting, production, editing, and distribution, this is your one-stop primer for breaking into the business. For reviews and a sneak peek, see the Amazon.com listing here.
Be one of the first 75 people to purchase tickets to Roberta’s master workshop and get the book free! Roberta will also be signing books at the event.
Roberta Munroe presents her Short Film Seminar this Friday, June 5 at 11:00am.
Click here for tickets. The first 75 to sign up will receive the complimentary book.
The Jock’s Guide to Enjoying NewFest
Calling all hardcore jocks, sports enthusiasts, spectators and fans! NewFest teams up with Outsports to bring you the best in LGBT sports cinema this summer! Read the Outsports article here, and check out the descriptions, trailers, and ticket information on our Film Guide.
Lady Trojans
Sunday, June 7
Purchase Tickets
Teen sexuality, love, heartbreak, coming out, and coming of age are seen through the eyes of players on a women’s high school basketball team in 1990s Tucson, Arizona. Lady Trojans unfolds with a flurry of sexually charged, youthful energy from the fierce competition on the court to the teammates’ tumultuous relationships off the court. As one woman comments, “It was like an orgy, everybody was sleeping with everybody, there was too much drama.”
Training Rules
Sunday, June 7
Purchase Tickets
“No drinking, no drugs, no lesbians.” These were the rules of Penn State basketball coach Rene Portland. Focusing on the dismissal of Lady Lions’ top scorer Jennifer Harris, this film by Oscar-nominated director Dee Mosbacher explores how homophobic practices in women’s collegiate sports destroy the dreams of many of its most talented athletes.
Punch Like A Girl
Monday, June 8
Purchase Tickets
Explore the lives and drama of female amateur boxers in and out of the ring. Focusing on athletes from competing gyms, ranging from Ontario’s oldest female boxer to a 23 year-old Jamaican boxer whose visa is about to expire, everything comes down to the final match. Who will be taken to the mat?
Pop Star on Ice
NewFest Closing Night Film
Thursday, June 11
Olympic skater and three-time National Champion Johnny Weir taught Kathy Griffin to skate, modeled for Heatherette, and rocked the skating world with his irreverent public remarks. This playful documentary reveals how a young Russophile and Chihuahua lover from rural Pennsylvania rose to pop stardom.
Small screen on the big screen
NewFest 2009 is your chance to see exclusive sitcom programming you won’t see anywhere else, from a pilot sitcom about four twenty-something Kansas City transplants in NYC, to a popular “Spanish L Word” web series turned feature-length film.
Astoria, Queens
NewFest screening: Saturday June 6
The GLAAD blog just posted about the NewFest Comedy Shorts program, screening on Saturday, June 6, and featuring Astoria, Queens — 21 minutes of a pilot sitcom about Kansas City transplants in New York City. Check out the post here.
Chica Busca Chica
NewFest screening: Saturday June 6
The same evening, NewFest screens Chica Busca Chica, a smash hit web series about a group of Latina lesbians, coming to you as a full-length feature film — think “The L Word” in Spain!
To purchase NewFest tickets to these screenings, click here.
Meet the Programmers: Cameron Yates
When you come to a film festival like NewFest, you’re in for an exciting and eclectic survey of LGBT cinema. Behind the scenes, festival programmers work to curate programs of films that reflect personal instinct, audience tastes, publicity potential and film quality. From short films to narratives, the NewFest programmers bring you their hand-picked best bets.
Cameron Yates, documentary programmer and filmmaker, has programmed for NewFest for the last three years. He’s also a Documentary Programming Consultant for the Hamptons Film Festival, and has worked for Sundance, the New York Film Festival, Albert Maysles, Zeitgeist Films, and contributed to indieWIRE. His first film “14 and Payrolled,” a portrait of four teenagers working as Pages for the Virginia House of Delegates, premiered on PBS in 2003, and he’s currently in post-production on his second documentary, “The Canal Street Madam” (working title), about a New Orleans Madam and her family.
Cameron is excited to continue his programming at NewFest 2009. For a sneak preview of the lineup, check out the NewFest Film Guide: Documentary.
The Filmmakers: Gay City News spotlight
NewFest kicks off June PRIDE season in NYC this summer! Gay City News interviews two filmmakers with works premiering at NewFest 2009. See the article “Celluloid Kicks Off Pride” by Gary M. Kramer to read more about the two featured filmmakers below.
The article also previews 4 other titles slated for screening at NewFest 2009. For information on how to purchase tickets to these films and more, see our Ticket Information page.
“The Boy with the Sun in His Eyes”
Todd Verow, director
NewFest World Premiere
June 9, 10:00pm, SVA 2
Official website
After his best friend Kevin commits suicide, John decides his life needs a change and he spontaneously heads off to Europe to follow Kevin’s muse Solange, a minor pop music diva and eccentric B-movie actress. As the odd pair become embroiled in a world of sex, drugs, and murder the boundaries of trust start to wear thin and John begins to wonder whether Solange is the victim of a bizarre lifestyle or its mastermind. Shot on location in Europe and featuring a killer soundtrack, Todd Verow’s most recent film is an homage to 80’s cinema and a fun installment in the prolific director’s portfolio.
“A Place to Live: The Story of Triangle Square”
Carolyn Coal, director
NewFest NYC Premiere
June 8, 4:00pm, SVA 2
Official website
What does it mean to be a senior citizen trying to survive on limited resources in America? Add to this the complications of being LGBT and having no comfortable place to call home. This audience award-winning film documents lesbian and gay male hopeful applicants partaking in a lottery to live in Triangle Square Hollywood, the country’s first affordable housing development for LGBT seniors.
Workshop and Panels: 2009 Lineup
In addition to films and parties, NewFest 2009 is excited to present a series of workshops and panels for film enthusiasts, industry professionals, cinephiles, and fans.
Click the image to see our workshop and panels at a glance!
Featured workshop
On Friday, June 5, we’re kicking off the festival with an exclusive to NewFest! Sundance programmer and award-winning filmmaker Roberta Marie Munroe presents her featured workshop “How Not To Make a Short Film” on June 5 at 11am. Click here for full details of this practical and insightful event.
Panels
We’ve also got a full lineup of panel events taking place at the Logo Lounge, located directly across from the SVA Theatre at 338 W. 23rd Street. These panels bring together industry professionals in the LGBT community in a dialogue of topical subjects in contemporary filmmaking.
The LGBT Movement: Politics, Policy, Progress
Panel highlights include State of the Movement, co-sponsored by IN THE LIFE, a media organization known for contributing to the national dialogue on LGBT issues, often broadcast on public television programming like PBS. Moderating this panel is Katherine Linton, well-known as a host and senior producer of the show.
Industry and Independents
Also check out a few panels devoted to industry shop talk — get a behind the scenes look at different aspects of filmmaking, from the Producer’s Roundtable to the Director’s Roundtable to the Working Actors Survival Guide presented by the Screen Actors Guild. For independent filmmakers, a panel on Do-It-Yourself Marketing and Outreach will help you with DIY distribution for your film. For the dates and times for these panel events, check out our Festival Calendar.
NewDraft: New Screenwriting Talent
In a special panel highlighting emerging talent, we’re proud to present the finalists for the 2009 NewDraft screenplay writing contest. To attend this reading, check out details on our Festival Calendar.
See the Festival Calendar for the full schedule of panels, with locations and times.
Hello, world! NewFest video teaser
Explore our website to find out more about all the events we’re hosting June 4-11 in Chelsea, NYC!
New designs at the NewFest store
Show your support for NYC’s premier LGBT film festival, and pick up a fun item.
We’ve got fresh designs and a range of goodies — from mugs to mousepads, shirts to sweatshirts, baby bibs to tote bags.
Check out our Cafe press store and add a little NewFest rainbow to your life.
Free Ticket Giveaway for “Away We Go”!
Directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes (“American Beauty”) from an original screenplay by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, this funny and heartfelt film follows the journey of an expectant couple (John Krasinski [“The Office’] and Maya Rudolph [“Saturday Night Live”), as they travel the U.S. in search of the perfect place to put down roots and raise their family. Along the way, they have misadventures and find fresh connections with an assortment of relatives and old friends who just might help them discover “home” on their own terms for the first time. The movie features the music of Alexi Murdoch.
To win free tickets for you and a guest:
— Email info@newfest.org with the subject line “Away We Go tix giveaway”
— Provide your name +1, phone number, and email
That’s it! We will confirm your reservation to the first 15 replies. Enjoy this movie on us next week — to get you in the cinema mood before NewFest kicks off in June!
Screening Info:
Thurs 5/28 at 7:00pm
Landmark Sunshine
143 East Houston St
New York, NY 10002
Volunteer with NewFest 2009!
Thanks for your interest in volunteering with NewFest. We can use your help in various areas — Logo Lounge, Events, Concession, etc — and we’re especially looking for extra help with the Box Office!
To get started, click here for an online application form. A new window will open — fill out your details, click “Continue”, and we’ll get back to you with more information.
We’ll also hold a few volunteer meetings in the coming weeks, so look out for those updates as well.
For questions or more information, email volunteer@newfest.org
View Larger Map
