The historic Art Theatre will be hosting this year’s Long Beach QFilm Festival September 7th – 10th.
Discounted full-festival and five film passes are now available for purchase through the QFilms festival page at qfilmslongbeach.com. Individual tickets are also available during the second week of August.
Long Beach’s longest-running film festival since 1993, the QFilm Festival annually presents narrative features, documentaries and short films that embody the rich diversity and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities. More than 1,500 people attend each year to savor a mix of West Coast, California and local premieres as well some of the most acclaimed features on the film festival circuit. Numerous filmmakers and cast members of the films to be shown will be present for audience discussions after many screenings. Festival events will feature nightly parties, Sunday Drag Brunch, and opportunities for attendees to meet and mingle with filmmakers, actors, critics and other industry professionals.
The 2017 QFilm Festival will open at the Art Theatre the evening of Thursday, September 7th with the Long Beach premiere of “The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin,” a new and acclaimed documentary about the longtime activist and author of the popular “Tales of the City” book series. It will be preceded and followed by an Opening Night party for all pass- and ticket-holders at the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach, located directly next door to the Art Theatre.
Two feature films will have their local premieres the night of Friday, September 8th. “The Feels” is a hilarious yet heartfelt comedy about a woman who has never had an orgasm but receives unexpected help from her girlfriends during a bachelorette party. Cast member Ever Mainard won a Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress at last month’s Outfest film festival. It will be followed by “Something Like Summer,” a romantic drama with musical interludes that explores the relationship between two gay friends over a decade. It is based on the bestselling young adult novel. A festive party for all attendees will take place between screenings at The Center.
A number of other narratives and documentary features will screen on Saturday, September 9th and Sunday, September 10th. These are: “The Lavender Scare” (Los Angeles premiere), a revealing documentary about the persecution of LGBT employees of the US government during the Cold War; “A Million Happy Nows” (Long Beach premiere), in which a longtime lesbian couple confronts the challenge of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease; “Extra-Terrestrials” (Los Angeles premiere), a story about family secrets and the first feature film by award-winning Puerto Rican writer-director Carla Cavina; “Sebastian” (California premiere), an enjoyable gay romance co-starring Katya from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” that results when a man falls for his boyfriend’s visiting cousin; “Saturday Church” (Long Beach premiere), about a young queer boy experimenting with his sexuality and gender identity who finds refuge in an unusual church; “Signature Move” (Long Beach premiere), in which a Pakistani-Muslim woman and a Mexican-American woman discover romance; and “Alaska is a Drag” (official Los Angeles premiere), a delightful expansion of Shaz Bennett’s award-winning short film about an aspiring drag superstar stuck working in an Alaskan fish cannery.
In addition, QFilms 2017 will boast four spectacular short film programs between Saturday and Sunday: Men in Briefs, Women in Shorts, Queer & Trans Shorts, and the first ever Latinx Shorts Spotlight. QFilms’ full shorts lineup will be announced within the next two weeks along with the complete festival schedule.
Jury and Audience awards will be given to worthy films in several categories. All net proceeds from the festival will benefit The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach and its important community outreach programs.
For more information on the Art Theatre, please visit www.arttheatrelongbeach.com.
