Film Festivals | Massachusetts

The Boston LGBT Film Festival Branches Out

30 Apr , 2009  

Written by Max Gelber | Posted by:

Entering its 25th year, the re-named Boston LGBT Film Festival expands its locations as well as its messages.

With a brand new name and the addition of two new participating venues, the Boston LGBT Film Festival is set to showcase a new set of international, national and locally produced queer-based films and shorts this month, May 6-17.

An active participant in showcasing works that reach out to different parts of the LGBT community, the festival committee saw the opportunity to ring its 25th year as one of the longest running LGBT film festivals in the country, with a brand new name. The former Boston Gay and Lesbian Film Festival has now become the Boston LGBT Film Festival.

‘A lot of it had to do with being hosted by the MFA, having a certain continuity that they felt [was there], with a name that was historically known,” said James Nadeau, a lead programmer for the festival.

‘The festival has always worked at reaching out to different parts of the queer community to partner on screenings of films that reflect their/our lives, so it makes sense,’ said Aliza Shapiro, of Truth Serum Productions, who has been involved with the festival for many years.

This year, the Boston LGBT Film Festival has partnered with the Fenway Health Center and the Brattle Theatre alongside the festival’s regular home of the Museum of Fine Arts, to screen films. Due to the MFA’s ongoing expansion and construction, the festival had limited availability for evening screenings, making the transition into other venues an obvious move.

Since early 2007 Shapiro and Nadeau have been running a monthly queer experimental film/video and performance program at the Brattle called CineMental. This relationship and growing audience base simplified the transition of showing a few of the festival screenings there, according to Shapiro.

Fenway Health Center, a provider of health care to the LGBT community, approached the festival about screening films in their newly constructed theatre space at 1340 Boylston Street. ‘It seemed like a good opportunity to connect with [Fenway Heath] and do a few screenings there that have to do with our community’s health and issues of aging,’ said Shapiro.

The intimate settings that both Brattle and Fenway Heath theatres provide was an important factor in the festival’s decisions. The MFA’s Remis Auditorium, which seats close to 400 was found by organizers to be a challenge in showing lesser-known films. The addition of these two venues was also seen by the festival as a way to showcase more edgy and controversial material.

‘The MFA is a family oriented space. [So] there’s a decision to make, in term of what’s appropriate in each space,’ said Nadeau.

‘Branching out has allowed us to take some bigger risks with the kind of programming we’re doing,’ said Shapiro.

These bigger risk does not necessarily equate to placing a more political tone to the festival, which Nadeau feels is becoming less and less a priority for queer filmmakers, whom he feels are steering away from more politically centered work.

‘[Some films] run the gamut of work that is political simply for what it is, [and] then there are films that…actively make a political statement,’ Nadeau said.

To help celebrate the festivals landmark 25th anniversary, the organizers have gathered a panel to discuss the history of the festival, and it’s importance, as well as changes in queer filmmaking over the years. The panel will include new Harvard Film Archive curator David Pendleton, and filmmaker Barbara Hammer, who will also show two new films as well older works.

‘Hammer is an amazing force in the experimental film world and a pioneer and we’re pleased that she’ll be joining us,’ said Shapiro.

A main goal this year for the festival organizer, according to Shapiro, was expanding the amount of international films screened this year.

‘We wanted to reach out more beyond the US and connect with other film programmers to bring in some exciting new work from afar.’ said Shapiro.

Some of the international submissions include Kiss the Moon, about the life of transsexuals in Pakistan, and City of Borders, an Israeli documentary about an underground gay bar, which unites both LGBT Israeli and Palestinian citizens.

Though focused on showcasing the best in queer-minded cinema from all over the country and globe, the festival still tries to spotlight the best in local filmmaking talent as well.

‘We get to do a local filmmakers showcase with some curated films and an open call! Are you a local queer filmmaker who’s got a short film? Bring it to the Brattle during our local screening and you might get to see your film up on the big screen!’ said Shapiro, ‘Boston is such a film town and every year this becomes more and more apparent.’

The ‘Local Showcase’ will feature works by Shawn P. Cotter, Gina Kamentsky, Anne Continelli, Deb Malone, Carolyne Polansky, Ellen Richardson, Sam Smiley, and Peter Pizzi.

As a means to help bolster promotion for the festival, Shapiro says she made it her personal goal to create a festival trailer. To accomplish this task, she reached out to local artist/animator Kamentsky and filmmaker Pizzi.

‘A trailer is a great way to spread the word about the festival and it’s a teaser that can exist on the web to document what we’re up to here in Boston.’ Shapiro said, ‘They came up with a collaboration that resulted with our adorable new trailer!’

The festival also launched a stand-alone website to help continue the festival’s growth and presence. The trailer is available on the new site.

‘In the past, with the festival presented as a series put on by the MFA, our existence disappeared from the web after the programming had completed and their calendar moved on to the next events,’ said Shapiro. ‘With the new website we’re able to maintain our presence and use it as a hub for information while the festival is happening.’ Now, and into the future.

The Boston LGBT Film Festival runs May 6-17 – http://bostonlgbtfilmfest.org
MFA Film Program – www.mfa.org/film
Brattle Theatre – www.brattlefilm.org
Fenway Health Center – www.fenwayhealth.org


The Boston LGBT Film Festival runs May 6-17 – http://bostonlgbtfilmfest.org MFA Film Program – www.mfa.org/film Brattle Theatre - www.brattlefilm.org Fenway Health Center - www.fenwayhealth.org

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