The cinema is peppered with love stories. We have romantic comedies, we have dramas, we have tragedies. We have off-the-wall quirky movies and pretentious indie films. To quote “Love Actually,” “Love, actually, is all around us” - in the world of movies. Not even just love stories, but stories of personal relationships of all varieties – romantic, platonic, and everywhere in-between. But: for the most part, if you go to the movies, the central characters dealing with the central conflicts will be straight. There is a vast array of LGBT film that doesn't make it to mainstream cinema (there are some excellent exceptions, though: see A Single Man, the best movie Colin Firth will ever make), which is a shame, not only because there is some serious talent that goes unnoticed, but because as the LGBT community continues their fight for equality, it is important to showcase art along this theme so it enters into the public consciousness as a norm.
Luckily, we have the Louisville LGBT Film Festival, which I attended last year, and can guarantee a good time. (Check out the incredible Cloudburst, my personal favorite from last year's selection.) I will, unfortunately, be unavailable to provide on-the-scene reporting this year, but here is the information so that you might attend and see some great film:
This year's LGBT Film Fest will be held this weekend, Friday through Sunday, at Village 8 Theaters, located at 4014 Dutchmans Lane. It opens on Friday at 7:00 with Margarita, whose star Nicola Correia-Damude will be in attendance. This will be followed by the kick-off party at Chill Bar in the Highlands. Screenings continue all day Saturday (Marc Samuel and Brian McArdle, stars of Hot Guys With Guns, will be in attendance for the screening of their film at 8:50), and the festival will conclude with three films on Sunday.
Festival passes are available for $45 in advance or $50 at the entrance; tickets for individual films are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Complete details about the festival, its schedule, and ticket sales can be found at the official website.
Image: Facebook event page
