OUTFEST by chris carpenter
n 1982, the Rubik’s Cube was all the rage, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial was the number one movie, and Madonna’s career was just beginning. It was also the year a group of LGBT volunteers at UCLA first organized what would
become Outfest, The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. That initial event featured a mere three films: Taxi Zum Klo, Making Love and the lesser- known Queen of Sheba Meets the Atom Man. Outfest 2012, which is set to take place Thursday, July 12 through Sun-
day, July 22, will celebrate the global growth of LGBT-themed films over the last three decades, with special anniversary screenings of those movies, as well as the Los Angeles premieres of 147 productions from 24 countries. Outfest is today the oldest of the many annual film festivals in Los Angeles and the lead- ing LGBT film festival in the United States. “In this 30th anniversary year, it is remarkable to see the evolution of queer
storytelling,” said Outfests Executive Director Kirsten Schaffer. ”Outfest began with just three films and now we are screening nearly 150 high-quality movies that represent the rich diversity of our community; stories that contribute to changing culture and attitudes about LGBT people.” Several of the most prominent queer filmmakers of the last 30 years—in- cluding Gregg Araki (The Living End), Rose Troche (Go Fish) and Tommy O’Haver (Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss)—will be feted during a special Directors Tell All program on Sunday, July 15.
screening nearly 150 high-quality movies that represent the rich diversity of our community; stories that contribute to changing culture and attitudes about LGBT people.”
“Outfest began with just three films and now we are Opening Night Gala events on Thursday, July 12 will include the L.A.
premiere of the excellent documentary Vito, about author/historian Vito Russo of The Celluloid Closet fame, as well as presentation of the 16th Annual Outfest Achievement Award to John Waters. Waters needs little introduction as the writer-director of such contemporary classics as Pink Flamingoes, Female Trouble, Polyester, Hairspray, Pecker (my personal favorite), A Dirty Shame and, of course, Serial Mom. For me, Outfest wouldn’t be complete each year without the Sing-Along Musical Night at Hollywood’s Ford Amphitheater. This year’s selection, largely in tribute to Waters, is the 2007 musical version of Hairspray starring John Tra- volta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah and Zac Efron. It will be held the evening of Thursday, July 19. Attendees are encouraged to dress in costume as characters from the film and naturally, to sing along.
16 RAGE monthly | JULY 2012
AT 30 Other movies being shown during Outfest 2012 that I have seen in advance
and recommend highly include: Sassy Pants (see next page for our interview with one of its stars, Oscar nominee Haley Joel Osment); the International Centerpiece film Young & Wild; local filmmaker Aurora Guerrero’s lesbian romance Mosquita y Mari; the sweet Slamdance Film Festival award-winner Heavy Girls, from Germany; the Swedish girl-on-girl tale Kiss Me; Stud Life, from Great Britain; and Katherine Brooks’ facebook exposé, Face 2 Face. For a complete listing of films or to purchase tickets for screenings and related events, please call 213.480.7065 or visit
outfest.org. Quentin Lee is another prominent queer filmmaker who has been featured at
Outfest several times. The director of such Asian-fusion movies as Drift and The People I’ve Slept With is back this year with White Frog, a moving family drama that incorporates homosexuality, conservative Christianity and Asperger’s Syndrome. It boasts a great cast that includes Glee’s Harry Shum Jr., out actor BD Wong, the lovely Joan Chen (The Last Emperor, Lust, Caution) and in a potentially star-making performance, Boo Boo Stewart (The Twilight Saga). The Hong Kong- born Lee took time out just prior to starting work on a new film, provocatively titled Chink, to speak with The Rage Monthly about White Frog. “Reaction to the film has been really good,” Lee reported. “We’ve played one
festival so far (the San Francisco International Asian American Film Fest); kids in particular, really loved the movie.” The central story in White Frog is about two brothers (Shum and Stewart)
afflicted by what others may perceive as “handicaps” who are being raised by fundamentalist Christian parents (Wong and Chen). When tragedy strikes, one of them must stand up to defend his brother’s honor and become the man he is meant to be. The screenplay, written by Ellie Wen but shepherded by Tony Award- winning playwright and producer David Henry Hwang, found its way to Lee via facebook. “What happened was a year and a half ago, the writer contacted me on facebook and said, ‘Hey, I’d love for you to direct this!’ It was very personal for
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