Outfest Los Angeles

I used to attend Outfest religiously because it was the only Gay film festival that would actually have a strong line up of Latino gay films. It is also the second oldest American Gay & Lesbian Festival after Frameline (San Fransisco). Well, technically Los Angeles had the first Gay film festival but that one didn't survive. California has 3 of the oldest Gay film festivals in the world: San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Fresno.

A few years ago I stopped going after a pair of Homophobic Trans women were allowed to trash, during a panel, the privilege of gay men. I was so fucking upset I bowed never to go back. John Ramirez would be spinning in his grave if he had seen what became of his festival.

I may go see the short film programs since those are qualifying screenings for the 2020 Academy Awards.

[quote] it was the only Gay film festival that would actually have a strong line up of Latino gay films.

That's still true this year. The strongest and most interesting films in the bunch this year are the international offerings from Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, and Guatemala.

[quote] California has 3 of the oldest Gay film festivals in the world: San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Fresno.

I never would have guessed that about Fresno.

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[quote]I never would have guessed that about Fresno.

Why not? They produced Audra McDonald!

R5, well they are the raisin capital of the world, no?

R5, well they are the raisin capital of the world, no?

I missed the Italian gay feature (An Almost Ordinary Summer) but have my doubts as to whether it was any good? I have yet to see a gay Italian film that's any good -- the gay couple almost always ends up as a B plot. Did anybody check it out?

Well, I finally saw one of the Outfest films tonight and it was a good one -- Shiny Shrimps, a French film about a water polo team going to the Gay Games in Croatia. It was great fun and highly recommended.

The actor who plays the theatre director in Grace & Frankie was in the audience -- he seemed nice.

I ended up watching "Fireflies" since I wasn't going to make it to "Tu Me Manques" and "Bit."

Fireflies was really good, it's about a gay Iranian migrant that ends up in coastal Mexico and there he encounters a Central American migrant that is escaping gang life in Honduras. It's a very emotional and tender film. I highly recommend it. The lady playing Leti was one of the highlights of the film.

I regret not going earlier to the festival to watch "Sell By" with Scott Evans.

R10, I really wanted to see that film but it conflicted with another event. I'll have to catch it later on.

I really wanted to see this Bolivian one, but missed out.