It’s NewFest’s 25^th anniversary: Celebrate with us this September!

The world of 1987 seems far away — we were deep in the years of the health crisis, and ACT UP was first being organized in New York. It was the year Barney Frank, an obscure Congressman from Massachusetts in his 4^th term, came out publicly. And it was the year NewFest, New York’s LGBT Film Festival, was founded by Susan Horowitz, John Lewis and Daryl Chin.

This year marks NewFest’s 25th anniversary and so much has changed since our early days. If you had told our audience back in 1987 that one of our documentaries would end up being entered as evidence before the Supreme Court in defense of same-sex marriage, they probably wouldn’t have believed it.

Join the celebration: NewFest opens Friday, September 6^th and runs through Wednesday, September 11^th.

There’s a lot to celebrate. This year, the festival returns to our new home at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, one of the nation’s most important venues for independent film. Get ready for a program of must-see New York and world premieres. Parties and events you won’t want to miss.

Of course, there’s also much that remains to be done. After all, the technology of entertainment isn’t standing still. Which is why NewFest is joining forces with Outfest to create a national LGBT media arts organization. You heard something of this last year, and this year we’re moving forward with the planned merger of our two organizations.

The result will make NewFest stronger — with programming that will be year round as well as our annual festival.

Join with our vibrant and creative community: support NewFest today!

Whether you’ve been with us since 1987 or whether you just joined us last year, the strength of our organization is its membership. Thank you. Your support is crucial. If you were a Basic Member last year, consider moving up to become a Friend or Supporting Member. (Of course you get more benefits!) And if you were a Major Donor, consider giving just a little bit more. And doing it now.

Go to http://newfest.org/wordpress/2013memberships/

Help make our 25^th NewFest better than ever. We look forward to seeing you this September.

2012 Visionary Honoree Edie Windsor

Supermodels Carol Alt and Pat Cleveland with Timothy Greenfield Sanders

Michael Riedel and Charles Busch

Carol Alt

Pat Cleveland

Details Here

Due to high demand, we have added a second screening of I Want Your Love – Friday 27 at 9:30pm at the Walter Reade Theater.

Click here to buy tickets ($14 non-members, $12 members) and keep checking back for more screening updates!

Previous volunteers:  you will be sent a reminder with your login and password.  Click here to login and self schedule yourself for available shifts.

To register as a new volunteer:  Click here to sign up.

Young & Wild: Closing Night (Tuesday 7/31)

Click here to view the Film Guide. 

To buy tickets:  Members – click ‘Member login’.  Non-members click ‘Become a NewFest Member’

NewFest 2012 will open with the East Coast premiere of Joshua Sanchez’s debut feature FOUR, executive produced by Neil LaBute. Starring Wendell Pierce (“Treme” and “The Wire”) and Emory Cohen (“Smash”) and adapted from Christopher Shinn’s hit play, FOUR follows four people as they spend a holiday encountering life changing moments, both subtle and writ large and learn to cope with the lack of honesty in their lives. FOUR is a touching and at times raw look at personal connections and the loneliness of everyday life.

Closing Night will be Marialy Rivas’ acclaimed Chilean film YOUNG & WILD.  Based on the life of co-screenwriter Camila Gutiérrez, the film is a sexually-charged, stunning and energetic look at family and youth culture in contemporary Chile.  The film was the recipient of the World Cinema Screenwriting Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

Among the fourteen narrative and four documentary features (all New York premieres) are three additional 2012 Sundance Film Festival favorites: Macky Alston’s latest documentary LOVE FREE OR DIE about openly gay New Hampshire Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson (winner of the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Prize for An Agent of Change), Sally El Hosaini’s MY BROTHER THE DEVIL about two British Arab brothers in London who are forced to confront their inner demons (winner of the World Cinema Cinematography Award), and Aurora Guerrero’s debut feature MOSQUITA Y MARI, featuring two breakout lead performances by Fenessa Pineda and Venecia Troncoso. Also screening is Thom Fitzgerald’s latest, CLOUDBURST starring Olympia Dukakis, Brenda Fricker and Kristin Booth.

In addition, NewFest is proud to present a screening of Eytan Fox’ acclaimed Israeli film YOSSI at the JCC Manhattan on July 30th.  YOSSI is the sequel to Fox’s international hit YOSSI AND JAGGER, which premiered at NewFest in 2003.

For the full film schedule, click here

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to renew your membership today at http://bit.ly/KfMkv8 to secure best access to 2012′s Festival!

Non-members will be able to buy tickets beginning Thursday 28th June.

We are pleased to announce that memberships at the Contributor Level and above will give you reciprocal benefits at Outfest.  Click here for more details and to renew your membership.

What if I want to submit my film this year? 

Submissions to this year’s festival are closed.  There will be no new call for entries. If you submitted your film to Outfest it will also be considered for NewFest. Submission guidelines for next year’s festival will be announced at the end of 2012.

Are you still accepting tax-deductible donations?

YES. Donations are especially important at this critical threshold, as strong finances are key to forming an exciting national partnership with Outfest. Please donate here.

What about publicity and press inquiries?

All inquiries should be directed to Adam Kersh at Brigade Communications, adam@brigademarketing.com, tel:

I wish to volunteer. Who should I contact? 

A call for volunteers will happen in late June/early July . We look forward to an exciting festival this year, appreciate your participation.  Details will be posted here.

When will it happen? What about tickets?

NewFest is scheduled for July 27-31st. Tickets will go on sale in June.

Where will it be?

NewFest is proud to announce its partnership with the Film Society of Lincoln Center.  Most films will be shown at the Walter Reade Theater, 165 W.65th St, New York, NY 10023 (between Broadway and Amsterdam).  We will also be showing YOSSI at the JCC Manhattan, Amsterdam Avenue at 76th St.

Outfest, which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year, will be responsible for programming this year’s edition of NewFest which will take place July 27 – 30, 2012 at a venue to be announced.

“Extending the reach of Outfest as a national organization and ensuring that Outfest continues to be a leader in bringing stories of the LGBT community to audiences is a great way to celebrate our 30^th anniversary milestone,” said Outfest board Co-Presidents Jon Larson and Laura Ivey. “We look forward to working with the team at NewFest on their festival this year and on future initiatives,” added Kirsten Schaffer, Executive Director of Outfest.

NewFest Board Co-President Steve Mendelsohn said, “Outfest brings a wealth of knowledge and wide-ranging capabilities to NewFest and will enable us to enhance our annual festival and expand our year-round programming. The potential benefit for NewFest and New York’s LGBT film community as a whole is something we’re very excited about.”

CHECK BACK HERE FOR  EXCITING DETAILS IN THE COMING WEEKS!