NEWFEST: NYC'S LGBT FILM FESTIVAL

A Special Offer to Friends of NewFest

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:10:45 +0000

Exclusive Advance Screening and After Party for
THE BIG C and WEEDS Season 6

Thursday August 12th, 6:30pm
SVA Theatre, 333 W. 23rd St
RSVP to showtimescreening@stampeventco.com today!

Why Are Marketers Missing Out on Opportunities With LGBT Audiences?

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:38:35 +0000

This piece originally appeared in the July 14, 2010 issue of Advertising Age.

Last week in the heart of Chelsea, in New York City, Joan Rivers got a standing ovation from her adoring gay and lesbian fans after the screening of a documentary about her life, “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work.” The sold-out event at NewFest, New York’s premiere LGBT film festival, attracted a well-educated, professional (and good-looking) crowd of New Yorkers, most of whom were gay, and all of whom are prime targets for many of today’s brands from Heineken to American Express, and yet mainstream sponsors like these two (who, by the way, underwrote the Tribeca Film Festival in April) were nowhere to be found.

NewFest was made possible this year thanks to the generosity, primarily, of the fashion designer Marc Jacobs, with additional sponsorships from Showtime’s “The Real L Word,” Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams, TekServe, Grand Marnier, IFP, The Gem Hotel, Viña Casablanca, Chilean wines Santa Carolina and NYC’s Gay & Lesbian Center, among others. Some of these sponsors are certainly big, mainstream brands, but what is interesting to me is that the top three are either owned by gay men or, in the case of Showtime, do programming specifically oriented to the gay and lesbian community. So I scratch my head, wondering if major brands simply don’t care about advertising to the LGBT community anymore.

The screening for ‘Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work’ received many sponsors, but none of the big guns.

“When brands actually create campaigns specifically targeting the LGBT community, they get comparatively stronger ROI,” says Bob Witeck, CEO, Witeck Combs Communications, a marketing communications and strategic consulting firm working in the LGBT market for over 17 years. According to Witeck, the key to tapping into this market is authenticity, consistency and durability. For brands like Orbitz, American Airlines and Kimpton Hotels, to name a few, marketing to the LGBT community has consistently paid off.

Hmm, that sounds a lot like what happens when marketers commit to marketing to Hispanics. In fact, there are a lot of similarities between these two markets. Both are racially and socio-economically diverse; both are trend-setting, technologically savvy, early adopters and heavy influencers; both are highly concentrated in the top ten DMAs of the country; both get the short end of advertising budgets, and yet both are fiercely loyal to brands that make an effort to reach them in relevant ways. Of course, it’s the LGBT market that gets the brunt of the hate mongering from conservative right-wingers, although lately I’d say Hispanics are certainly feeling the hate too, need I mention … Arizona?

But I digress. This month is gay pride month, and all across the nation, cities large and small will be hosting events to celebrate their lesbian and gay communities. According to Richard Florida, a professor of business and creativity at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, gay men and lesbians are a critical part of the so-called “creative class” that help cities become economically more competitive by making them more attractive to the intellectual classes that, in turn, help develop cultural and technological innovation, which foments the growth of our nation’s economy.

Research also shows that, even in tough economic times, LGBT communities tend to have more disposable income. So again, I scratch my head and wonder what the heck is going on.

“Gay-inclusive storytelling is what is suffering,” says Witeck. “Budgets are shifting to mainstream agencies who claim to have the LGBT competency in-house, but in reality assign the job to someone on staff who just happens to be gay.” And then, there’s also the issue around push-back from objectors like Bill O’Reilly and interest groups who are anti-gay. “Brands have a hard time navigating what they consider a cultural dialogue or debate, even though public opinion has changed, and acceptance is stronger,” says Witeck.

Specialized shops like Witeck-Combs, Prime Access and Target10 continue to do an excellent job for their clients, but the sad reality is that over the past two years, half a dozen gay advertising shops have closed, including the legendary Double Platinum, run by Stephanie Blackwood and Arthur Korant.

It seems like we are at a tipping point where it is tempting to want to bring minority groups into the fold and advertise with a one-size-fits-all message. But we all know that, in this post-advertising era where consumers are in control, it’s all about the long tail. NewFest closed last night with a sneak preview of CNN’s documentary “Gary & Tony Have Baby,” which airs nationwide on June 24th at 8 p.m. After ten fun-filled days of movies and parties, NewFest officials estimate that over 20,000 New Yorkers (who can sometimes be a tough crowd to please) watched, laughed and cried at 100 different stories of our community. What a missed opportunity for those brands who want real consumer engagement!

About the author: Chiqui Cartagena is the senior VP of multicultural marketing at Story Worldwide. She is also the author of Latino Boom!: Everything You Need to Know to Grow Your Business in the U.S. Hispanic Market.

DOWNLOAD & Share! NewFest 2010 Pics

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:10:15 +0000

Photographer Scott Pasfield’s portraits for NewFest are also available on our Facebook page.

NewFest Workshops: The Complete Podcasts

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:00:36 +0000

There’s an easier way than ever to attend a NewFest Filmmaker Workshop… in the comfort of your own home. Our innovative seminars (led by some of the best pros in the business) are now available as podcasts for download. Check us out on Podbean… or subscribe to our iTunes podcast feed. http://newfest2010.podbean.com/

BEST of the BEST: Our Filmmaker Awards

admin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:24:07 +0000

For our fourteenth year in a row, NewFest 2010 is thrilled to announce the winners of the Annual Filmmaker Awards, our highest accolades of the season. All were awarded tonight at the screening party for Violet Tendencies, our closing night feature.

In addtion to emcees Lesli Klainberg, Executive Director of NewFest, and Steve Mendelsohn, Co-President of the NewFest Board of Directors, several other boldfaced types turned out to present the honors. They included actor Ash Christian, as well as documentary filmmakers (and past honorees) Kimberly Reed of Prodigal Sons and John G. Young (Rivers Wash Over Me).

JURY AWARDS

Best Narrative Short: Curious Thing (left) by Alain Hain

Best Documentary Short: (Tie) At Night I Was Beautiful by Steven Wilsey; Last Address by Ira Sachs

Best Documentary Feature: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls by Leanne Pooley

Best Narrative Feature: I Killed My Mother by Xavier Dolan

Outstanding Performance: Morty Diamond as Syd in Open

Outstanding Performance Honorable Mention: Tatiana Maslany as Ruby in Grown Up Movie Star

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Documentary: Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement (left) by Susan Muska and Greta Olafsdottir

Narrative: Children of God by Kareem Mortimer

Short Film: Go-Go Reject by Michael J. Saul

NEW DRAFT SCRIPT COMPETITION

Vampire Strippers Must Die! by Keith Hartmann

The Mystic Chord by Rob Williams

Other presenters at the awards show included: NewFest Narrative Programmer Jonathyn Pankrantz; Documentary Programmer Cameron Yates; and Short Films Programmer Bryce Renninger.

VIOLET TENDENCIES, Closing Ceremony SATURDAY at NewFest

admin — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:03:17 +0000

Saturday night… NewFest 2010 is proud to present VIOLET TENDENCIES, the latest feature from New York director Casper Andreas (Slutty Summer, Between Love & Goodbye, The Big Gay Musical.)

Written by Jesse Archer, it’s the story of Manhattan’s most fabulous fruit fly, Violet (Facts of Life alum Mindy Cohn) and her coterie of hunky gay BFFs. Casper – who also co-stars in the movie – has a preview.

One of the things that makes Violet Tendencies such a success is that all of your characters are so believable. How do you make this happen as a director?

Well I remember, actually, when I was in acting school, I had a teacher who said that 98 percent of directing is casting. (Laughs) I don’t know if the number is that high, but certainly it has a lot to do with it, you know, in terms of finding the right cast members for the right roles. As a director, it’s always harder when, for various reasons, you’re forced to cast someone for a part who is not really right for it. Being an independent filmmaker, and, you know, having full control over everything makes it easier. Thanks to that I am able to cast whoever I want. That’s a big part of it.

As far as the type of director I am, I think because I’m also an actor, I’m pretty good at communicating with other actors. You know, they’re pretty delicate creatures, and you have to deal with each one on a highly personal, individual basis. They’re very different. I feel like since I am an actor, and have dealt with and know a lot of actors, I’m not afraid of talking to them or afraid of giving them directions. What’s always interesting is figuring out how you’re going to get them to do what you want them to do. One of the most fun things about directing is being able to mold and shape the performances.

Here, as in all of your movies, you incorporate a lot of interesting women into the story line. Is this true of your personal life as well?

I guess so. But I don’t really have a fag hag (laughs) the way Violet is to the boys in the movie. Jesse (Archer, who wrote the script) is really the one who had the idea for this film, originally, as a spin-off to A Four Letter Word, which is a spin-off of Slutty Summer. So, when he wanted to write this film I was already working on my next picture, Between Love & Goodbye, and told him to go ahead. I wasn’t sure how the idea of a film about a fag hag would play out, but when I saw the script, I loved it and realized the idea was wonderful. Jesse definitely feels like it was an homage to fag hags. For him, I think he felt like, too often in his life, fag hags would disappear after a while, because they all go off and get married. Sooner or later they move on, so Jesse wanted to write a script about this fag hag who found herself stuck in the gay world.

Violet – played by Facts of Life star Mindy Cohn – is truly a revelation in this…

Yes! People who’ve seen the trailers have told me it’s perfectly believable that Natalie Green would grow up to be Violet.

… as is former soap opera actor and Playgirl model Marcus Patrick.

I had Marcus in mind for this part fairly early on. I was in Los Angeles last year opening Between Love & Goodbye, and he was on the cover of one of the magazines there. He had a big photo spread and was being interviewed about how he had worked as a go-go dancer at some of the gay bars in West Hollywood. Of course, he’s super hot, and an actor, and I thought he’s be great to work with. So when I read the script (for Violet Tendencies) I knew he would be perfect for the role of Zeus. I think in the script Jesse had written a character who was not necessarily so handsome, and we wondered if a guy who looked like this would work with the character of Violet, but he did.

Their chemistry is amazing. Did you allow them to improvise very often?

I did. I absolutely allow it, depending on the actor. Sometimes I even encourage it, if there’s a scene that doesn’t really work or feel so natural. I’ll say, why don’t we ad lib and improvise it, try this and try that. Sometimes you will work with an actor who loves to change dialogue and improvise a little too much, but you obviously can’t have too much of that either. You have to stay true to the script, and keep the story moving forward.

I just shot a film in LA. One of my lead actors – she’s fantastic – did a lot of improvising. So I let her keep doing it, but I also made her do each scene one time as written, just to be able to have different options to work with.

What were the specific challenges of working in LA versus NYC?

First of all, it was a great experience just in terms of being to shoot somewhere else. Since I’d done everything here in New York, it was really fun to be able to try something different. Shooting in LA was certainly a different place to make a film; it was much more difficult because they don’t really have a whole lot of support for independent filmmaking, or for indie filmmakers in general. In New York you have a lot of tax breaks, a lot of support from the city – free locations, easy permits, use of police. In LA you have to shell out money for everything. For example, if you’re shooting up in the hills, you’re required to have LA firemen on duty, who you have to pay by the hour, things like that. Those kinds of expenses add up quickly, which makes things more difficult. But the plus side is that it was easy to hire a great crew, and of course there’s great actors out there, so overall it was a fun experience. I definitely enjoyed it.

Back to Violet Tendencies. Your character and his partner Riley (Sam Whitten) confront the loaded topics of gay marriage and adoption…

Well, you know, these things are interesting to me, now that I’m getting a bit older as a gay man. Some things I’ve dealt with in my own life. For example, do you remember that one line in the film about paying a surrogate in India 20 grand to carry your baby? It’s true. I was sitting at a brunch with a bunch of gay men in Boston when someone brought up real-life gay couples using these agencies in India, and I thought, wow, I have to tell Jesse about this and get it into the script. It really does happen!

So how did a nice boy from Scandinavia like you end up working in NYC as an actor – producer – director?

I moved to New York to be an actor. That’s why I came to the US and to New York specifically. I’m from a small town in Sweden, so I was always attracted to the idea of living in a big city, living in New York, living in the US. So, I went to acting school in New York, so that’s how I ended up here. I got into filmmaking through my writing, and feeling like I was kind of frustrated just being an actor waiting for permission to express myself.

So you made your own career?

Definitely. I started my own production company, because it’s kind of the same deal as being a writer as it is being an actor: If you’re waiting for someone else to hire you, it’s very hard to make that happen. So I just decided to go ahead and do it myself.

Do you see your future as an actor, or director?

I think both. Plus, I would like to keep writing. I’m not really interested in producing and distribution, which I’m also doing, but it’s really only just a means to an end – a way to keep getting my films made. But I hope to be able to focus more on the creative aspects of filmmaking – the writing and directing really – but also the acting, because I certainly love acting.

Evans Forlidas

From our Film Guide: Prolific filmmaker Casper Andreas (Between Love & Goodbye, A Four Letter Word) returns with a hilarious, politically incorrect, and heartfelt look at the lengths we’ll go for love and friendship. Violet (Mindy Cohn, “The Facts of Life”) prides herself on being “the oldest living fag hag” but the title comes with a price: she can’t seem to meet Mr. Right. Or even manage to be anywhere near him. Poor Violet never really has a chance to try, because her overwhelming social duties include consoling her recently-dumped roommate Luke (Jesse Archer, A Four Letter Word), helping go-go dancer Zeus (Marcus Patrick, “Days of Our Lives”) organize his AIDS fundraiser, and solving her co-worker Riley’s (Samuel Whitten, “One Life To Live”) ongoing feud with his boyfriend Markus (director Casper Andreas). When no-nonsense co-worker Salome (Kim Allen, “Army Wives”) convinces Violet she has to ditch her Chelsea boys, Violet starts the separation process but her gays won’t let go easily, especially when they’re in need! With a hot ensemble cast, some surprising cameos from NYC nightlife regulars like Michael Musto, Hedda Lettuce, and Jack Mackenroth, and razor-sharp dialogue sure to please, Violet Tendencies is a must-see take on modern gay life in New York City. Q&A with Director and Cast. NewFest will also present the 14th Annual Filmmaker Awards Ceremony at the screening. Closing night party at the Chelsea Art Museum to follow.

Filmmaker Workshops at The Cell

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:38:32 +0000

For the second weekend in a row, and with the help of our friends and co-sponsors at IFP, our expanded program features more Filmmaker Workshops Saturday afternoon.

Now is your chance to meet our seasoned panelists – up close and personal – as they share their knowledge about everything the aspiring performer or filmmaker needs to know to make it big in the business. And the best part? There’s only a $10 suggested donation to attend each class.

Here’s a quick preview of our seminars being offered RIGHT NOW:

Strategies for Music In Narrative and Documentaries (Noon)

Music, which plays a crucial role in documentaries and narrative films, frequently provides the most obstacles and frustrations to filmmakers. Music industry professionals advise and guide you through processes ranging from clearing third party material to finding the right composer for your aesthetic requirements and budget. Moderator: Diedra Meredith (right), executive director of The LGBT Recording Academy.

Case Study in Narrative Indie Producing (1:30pm)

Producer-director-writer John G. Young joins Darien Sills-Evans, himself an actor, producer and writer, on a journey through the entire production and release process of their award-winning narrative and 2009 NewFest hit, RIVERS WASH OVER ME.

Shooting Digital For Documentary (3pm)

Director of Photography Elaine Epstein (right) conducts an informative workshop exploring the latest in digitalphotography equipment, technology, and technique. Discover what the latest innovations can do and get a hands-on look and expert advice on this rapidly changing field.

Tickets are still available. Just click on the Film Guide link above for details.

Walk-ins are always welcome.

FRIDAY Movies and More at NewFest

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:59:16 +0000

Reserve your tickets online for easy pick-up at The Cell, just across from the SVA Theater, 23rd Street at Eighth Avenue, in the heart of Chelsea.

Both our Daily Film Grid and our 2010 Program are available as pdf downloads by clicking the thumbnails at left and below.

THURSDAY: Comedy, Music & Queer Culture

admin — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:55:58 +0000

Important documentary film making. Hilarious comedy. Original musicals. We’re bringing it ALL to you today at NewFest 2010.

Think of New Zealand and you may think of wool sweaters, Lord of the Rings, and mutton. Not after tonight. At THE TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS you’ll meet one of funniest and most original acts in show business today… as these lesbian identical twins from that other land waaaayyy down under yodel, schtick and fight for LGBT rights in a touching new documentary. As a special treat, they’ll also perform LIVE after the screening and take questions from the audience. Oh yes, there will be LOTS of questions. Showtime is 7:30pm.

THE HERETICS continues filmmaker (and Hampshire College film professor, at right) Joan Braderman’s important work, documenting the impact Heresies magazine made and continues to make in the feminist community. That’s at 5pm.   Bear community impresario, documentary filmmaker and Kevin Smith-protege Malcolm Ingram is on hand LIVE to answer your questions at the screening of BEAR NATION at 10pm. And keep reading this website… we’re previewing the show with an original interview with the director himself.

Musical theater more your style? FRUIT FLY is the coming-of-age story of the world’s most adorable Filipina performance artist in the world’s second gayest city, San Francisco. You won’t call this Fruit Fly a ‘fag hag’ after watching H.P. Mendoza’s (left) musical comedy with its original new score. The soundtrack is already available on iTunes… download it now and sing along with the show at 10:30 tonight.

Didn’t make it to these crowd-pleasers when we showed them the first time? You asked, we listened: Our Thursday slate includes repeat screenings at of ROCK HUDSON: DARK AND HANDSOME STRANGER and CHILDREN OF GOD, both back by popular demand. Check this website for listings and showtimes.

Tickets are available online, or at the SVA Theater box office, 23rd Street at Eighth Avenue in the heart of Chelsea.

Malcolm Ingram’s BEAR NATION

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:00:08 +0000

Watch the trailer.

Consider the common bear, with his large, heavy build, awkward gait and huge appetite. Hunted since prehistoric times for his meat and fur… precisely as he is today by many in the LGBT community.

Malcolm Ingram is fascinated by this.

The Toronto born-and-bred indie film director knows intuitively what it means to be a bear, that emerging subset of meatier, furrier gay men. Not only is he one; his latest film, BEAR NATION, examines the phenomenon in up-close and personal detail for a wider audience. We talked to Malcolm to learn more about these strong, cuddly creatures ahead of his movie’s Thursday debut at NewFest.

Fans of your earlier film Small Town Gay Bar will immediately see that this documentary is much lighter in tone…

It’s lighter, but it’s also a whole lot different. I went in like I was afraid it would turn out to be a lot more negative. Talking to folks within the community, well, people were so thankful that I was even there that, I don’t know, that Bear Nation turned out to be a love letter, a celebration, of what it means to be a bear.

That’s exactly one of the issues your movie examines. Would you be willing to pin yourself down and define ‘bear’ for us right now?

No! One of the biggest problems within the gay community in general is that everybody is so f–king quick to subcategorize us. The whole L-G-B-T-A-B-C thing is just so wrong. I like the word ‘queer.’ Hey, I’m totally queer, and I love that word. I don’t feel the need to narrow things down and say ‘I’m a bear with top tendencies, blah blah blah.’ In the end, I’m queer, and I like sucking d–k. I’m a dude who sucks c–k. I’m in that category… ultimately, there is a political element to our sexuality, but whatever.

Malcolm Ingram, left, with Bear Nation executive producer Kevin Smith.

So you consider yourself a bear.

Oh f–k yeah. If you saw me… I’m like 6′3″, 300 pounds (laughs) so I definitely am one. The bear community helped me come out of the closet; I didn’t come out until I was in my thirties. My introduction to gay culture was something I didn’t understand or fit into. Like, I would walk into a normal gay bar, and I didn’t fit into that whole world at all. I mean, it was like people were looking at a bus pass that nobody was waiting for. So the place I found my sexual identity, was at a bear bar (The Faultline in Los Angeles) where I suddenly realized, yeah, I have a sexual currency. It was kind of like when in The Wizard of Oz when everything went from black and white to color.

While making your movie, what other bear scenes did you find to be as welcoming?

The thing is, what’s so great about the bear community is that it’s welcoming everywhere you go. Period. The thing about it is, it’s global. Though there are bear clubs as far away as Japan, there’s a certain uniformity to the whole experience wherever you go. If you wanna go somewhere in the gay community where you know you’re going to be accepted just go the bear bar. Because at a bear bar, you’re going to find all kinds of different people where, essentially, if you don’t fit in, hey, that’s a great place to begin.

A guy you interviewed in Bear Nation says “being a bear is a state of mind.”

Yes. There are a lot of people who want to subcategorize everything, who feel the need to label everything. And I’m totally cool with it, but for me the bear community is the place for misfits, the people who don’t fit into any other rigid categories. It’s just a good place to hang your hat: It’s nonjudgmental, and the net is cast pretty wide. Ultimately, if you hang out in the bear community, you’re gonna eventually find someone who you want to f–k or someone who wants to f–k you!

GRRR! So what’s the best place for a bear lover to get his paws full of honey?

We shot at the XXL (Club) in London, and it’s one of the most amazing places I’ve ever seen. The club has at least five different staging areas, and they fill it every Wednesday and Saturday. They run a major bear event twice a week, and they fill the place up… and get this, they’ve been doing it there for ten years. And if you go there, you’ll see the hottest, most interesting, eclectic group of guys. That’s because London gay nightlife is strongly influenced by, if not completely centered around, bear events.

You sure don’t talk like a guy who didn’t come out of the closet until his 30s.

It’s not so much that I didn’t come out, it’s that I didn’t have any group to come out to. It would have been like coming out in a vacuum; I just didn’t feel any connection. You know, I was having gay sex kind of under the radar, sure, but I didn’t really even figure out I was gay until the bear community gave me my identity. I mean, I looked at the gay community, and I felt like I was some kind of impostor until I found my niche — bears.

I say this because that’s the story I heard told over and over again while making Bear Nation. When doing my interviews for it and for Small Town Gay Bar, they were of people who were all sort of finding out where they belonged.

People trying to find a place to connect.

Absolutely. Plus, the bear scene is very much a celebration of masculinity. The difference between the leather scene, which also emphasizes a pointed display of manhood, is that it feels like those guys are wearing their masculinity kind of like drag, do you know what I mean? It just doesn’t feel as natural as the bear scene. It’s manufactured… their hyper-awareness of masculinity. Bears celebrate maleness in a much more organic way. You know, we in society put so much pressure and so much attention on physical appearance. Ultimately, the only thing that f–king matters is what’s in your head. Period. Being a human being is not just about what you look like. It’s everything else, man, that makes you who you are.

Evans Forlidas

Malcolm Ingram, the director of “Small Town Gay Bar,” delivers an insightful yet comical exploration of bear identity, body image, and community, featuring bears of all ages and types. From Kevin Smith appearing on the cover of “A Bear’s Life” to behind the scenes of a Chicago circuit party called Bear Run, this documentary is for not only for members but also the aspiring and the bear-curious.

Click the pic to download your very own desktop grizzly bear!