FirstGirlILoved

 FirstGirlILoved

First Girl I Loved movie poster, one of the Closing Night selections for the 2016 QFilms Festival. 

UPDATE | The QFilms Festival, taking place September 8 through September 11, has released their final film lineup, with information about Q&As and attendance by film directors.

One large addition is a kickoff party in the days leading up to the festival, with a screening of Hairspray on Thursday, August 25 at 7:30PM at Alfredo’s Beach Club (5100 Ocean Boulevard). Food and drink will be available for purchase, and participants are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs on which to lounge while watching the classic John Waters flick featuring Ricki Lake, Divine, Sonny Bono, Debbie Harry and Jerry Stiller.

Please see the list below for the full 2016 QFilms schedule, which is subject to change.

PREVIOUSLY: The Center Announces 2016 QFilms Lineup, its Boldest Festival Yet

On 07/26/16 | The lineup for this year’s QFilms Festival, to take place September 8 through September 11 at Retro Row’s historic Art Theatre, will bring documentaries exploring the impact of a prominent Los Angeles-area gay nightclub, two ex-girlfriends who become true crime podcasters and drag balls.

It will explore fictional tales of transgender teens looking to attend weddings and a man accused of murdering his unfaithful boyfriend.

This year’s brand of QFilms will likely top those of years past, with a hefty lineup running the gamut of emotion, in fiction and nonfiction, aiming to attract a crowd as diverse as its selection.

 

“The QFilm Festival continues to be one of the only annual LGBTQ cultural programs in Long Beach outside of the annual Pride festivities,” said The Center’s Executive Director Porter Gilberg. “The shared experience of going to the movies is almost timeless and QFilms is a wonderful way to connect with the LGBTQ community.”

According to a release issued today, passes and tickets are available for purchase beginning in August through the QFilms festival page. Though submissions for this year’s festival are now closed, submissions for the 2017 festival are open starting in October, here. www.withoutabox.com

QFilms is Long Beach’s longest-running film festival, showcasing relevant films since 1993, according to the release. More than 1,500 people attend the festival each year, scoping out the scene and numerous Q&A sessions with filmmakers, actors, critics and other industry insiders.

“This year we are hosting several special programs, including a screening of Bruising for Besos which will be fully closed captioned so this program is accessible to the large deaf LGBTQ community here in Long Beach and Los Angeles,” said Gilberg. “We are also planning a first ever filmmakers’ open house with our partners at the Filmmakers Gallery. QFilms 2016 is definitely bigger, better, and more inclusive than ever before. The Center could not be more excited to host this amazing cultural program for our community.”

The complete schedule of screenings at the festival are as follows:

Thursday, September 8

  • 7:00PM | Jewel’s Catch One | celebratory documentary about the queer black woman who established Los Angeles’s landmark nightclub “for gays, lesbians, bis, tris and otherwise.”
  • 8:00PM to 10:00PM | Opening Night Party at the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach. 
  • 9:15PM | Shared Rooms | By Rob Williams | A “sexy and moving story” of several different gay men whose paths inadvertently cross between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
  • 10:00PM to 1:00AM | After Party at Hamburger Mary’s on Pine Avenue. 

Friday, September 9

  • 7:00PM | Women Who Kill | A dark comedy of manners involving two ex-girlfriends who have become true-crime podcasters. Writer-director-star Ingrid Jungermann’s screenplay has won awards at both the Tribeca and Outfest film festivals.
  • 8:00PM to 10:00PM | Friday Night Party at The Center
  • 9:15PM | Kiss Me, Kill Me | By Casper Andreas | A story that follows a man accused of murdering his unfaithful boyfriend. This twist-filled mystery’s cast includes Gale Harold of Queer as Folk fame. It recently won multiple awards including Best Narrative Feature at FilmOut San Diego.
  • 10:00PM to 1:00AM | After Party at Hamburger Mary’s on Pine Avenue. 

Saturday, September 10 and 

  • 10:30AM | Queer and Trans People of Color short film program | Selections: Afuera, Xavier, Gaysians, Transcend, Whittier Boulevard, Vessels and NUOC. 
  • 12:00 to 4:00PM | Film Industry Professionals Open House (also open to All Access Pass Holders) at Filmmaker’s Gallery in Long Beach. 
  • 12:45PM | Women in Shorts | Short film program featuring Wedlocked, Persistence of Memory, Partners, Angelino Heights, Vamonos and Never a Cover. Followed by a Q&A with filmmakers and cast members. 
  • 2:45PM | The Revival: Women & the Word | A fly-on-the-wall documentary focusing on four queer black women devoted to poetry and the spoken word.
  • 5:00PM | Retake | A film about a man played by Tuc Watkins (Desperate Housewives, Where the Bears Are) hires a hustler to accompany him on a life-changing road trip.
  • 7:15PM | Bruising for Besos | A film about a lesbian artist who finds her life upended when she falls for a Puerto Rican woman.
  • 8:00PM to 10:00PM | Saturday Night Party at The Center 
  • 9:30PM | Kiki | A film about the young, multicultural participants in New York City’s famed drag balls.
  • 10:00PM to 1:00AM | After Party at Hamburger Mary’s on Pine Avenue. 

Sunday, September 11

  • 10:30AM | Raising Zoey | The “inspiring” real-life story of a transgender teenager who won an anti-discrimination legal case against her school district.  Film will be preceded by short Dawn, followed by Q&A with director Dante Alencastre and subjects Zoey Luna, Ofelia Barba and Leticia Barba. 
  • 11:30AM to 1:30PM | Brunch at The Center (Free with festival pass or ticket to Raising Zoey or Men in Briefs)
  • 12:30PM | Men in Briefs | Short film program featuring Tremulo, Burning Soul: The Raising of the Flag, Bed Buddies, Seeking: Jack Tripper, Me + You and Boys on the Rooftop. Followed by Q&A with filmmakers and cast members. 
  • 12:30-3:30PM | QFilms Open House at the Filmmakers’ Gallery (2238 East Broadway)
  • 2:45PM | Angry Indian Goddesses (Los Angeles area premiere)
  • 5:15PM | Free CeCe | A “powerful” documentary (featuring Laverne Cox of Orange is the New Black) that confronts the culture of violence surrounding trans women of color. Followed by Q&A with director Jacqueline Gares. 
  • 7:15PM | First Girl I Loved | a Sundance Film Festival award winner about the love triangle between two high school girls and a jealous male best friend.
  • 7:30PM to 9:00PM | Closing Night Party at the Center
  • 9:30PM | Paris 05:59: Theo & Hugo | An initially racy but ultimately romantic tale (and winner of the prestigious “Teddy” Audience Award at this year’s Berlin Film Festival) of two men who meet in an underground sex club.
  • 10:00PM to 12:00AM | After Party at Hamburger Mary’s on Pine Avenue. 

According to the release, jury and audience awards will be presented to films in several categories. All net proceeds will benefit the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach and its important community outreach programs.

For more information, contact Porter Gilberg at 562.434.4455 ext. 245 or porterg@centerlb.org. For more information on the Art Theatre, visit www.arttheatrelongbeach.com. The Art Theatre is located at 2025 East 4th St. 

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