What’s Up @ QFest
Gone is the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. But never fear, there will a film festival in July, it’s just going to have a less cumbersome name to say. Much like how this past spring’s film festival was renamed Cinefest, the summer one shall now be known as just merely QFest.
After splitting with the Philadelphia Film Society earlier this year, the Philadelphia Cinema Alliance is using the 15th anniversary of the festival, which this year runs from July 9th through the 20th, to make some changes and spruce it up. This isn’t your parent’s festival, or even the one you may remember from last year.
Thom Cardwell, Development Director of the Philadelphia Cinema Alliance, said that while some might be surprised by the changes this year it was better since the name was changing "not to do it piece mealed."
It’ll be hard to not see the changes. From screening venues to new party locales and even the number of films, everything is new this year. Rather than everything being located in and around the gayborhood, things are going to be spread out this year. The Prince Music Theater will still serve as the main theater, but gone are both the Wilma and the Art Bank. Instead a second "hub" has been created in Old City at the Ritz East. By branching out, it allows the festival to take advantage of new locations for parties such as City Tavern, Marathon Grill and Tavern on Camac.
But don’t worry, even with all of the changes this year, Cardwell maintains that this is still the same festival that everyone has come to love over the last 15 years.
"It’s not a new beast," Cardwell said. But he does have a new slogan about newly christened Qfest: "New name, new vision, new attitude."
Awards
The PIGLFF is the third largest gay and lesbian film festival in the country and as such they have been able to attract big name guests in the past. This year is no exception. There are four awards being given out this year.
Chad Allen, who has come to the festival previously, will receive his first award from the festival. The actor who has been in the limelight for almost 20 years is receiving the Artistic Achievement Award while in town to support his latest film.
Sharon Gless, who has created so many memorable roles over years, will be in town in support of her new film Hannah Free. But she won’t be leaving empty handed as she will be picking up this year’s Gay Icon Award before the July 19th screening. Gless is known for her role in Queer As Folk and more recently as the psychotic stalker Colleen Rose on Nip/Tuck as well as being a strong supporter of the gay community. In Hannah Free the she plays a lesbian looking for a lost love.
Joining the ranks of people like Charlie David in receiving the Rising Star Award is H.P. Mendoza. As a musician Mendoza has released multiple albums and as a filmmaker garnered notice for his film Colma: A Musical. He will be on hand to receive his award before the July 16th screening of Fruit Fly.
The inaugural Barbara Gittings Award will go to Dee Mosbacher. Named after the activist, the award was created with the Equality Forum to be given to an out member of the entertainment, arts, sports, politics or media industry. Mosbacher will be presenting her documentary Training Rules, which examines the impact of homophobia on female athletes - regardless of their actual sexuality.
