Welcome Welcome to the 7th Annual GayCharlotte Film Festival The GayCharlotte Film Festival, first established in 2009, has become an annual event in the Queen City. It is a non-profit program whose goal is to entertain, enlighten, and build valuable bridges of understanding, support, and acceptance within and between the LGBTQ and ally communities in the Charlotte region. Now in our seventh year, the GayCharlotte Film Festival has become one of Charlotte’s premiere arts and cultural events, which has brought thousands of attendees together to celebrate the artistic, cultural, and historical contributions of LGBTQ and ally individuals, all through the power of film. Each year, we work to strengthen our program by expanding the diversity and subject matter of the films we show. In addition, to enhance the overall experience for film goers, we have in the past brought in film directors for panel discussions, as well as incorporated educational and awareness presentations from various scholars across the country. The GayCharlotte Film Festival seeks to offer something for everyone. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. With Pride, Teresa Davis, Richard Grimstad, Frank Kalian, Jim Kimbler The GayCharlotte Film Festival Committee
The GayCharlotte Film Festival operates under the fiscal sponsorship of Charlotte Pride, Inc., a 501(c) registered nonprofit corporation. All donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent provided by law. Please consult your tax advisor for the appropriate treatment of any contributions made to the GayCharlotte Film Festival. GayCharlotte Film Festival Media & Marketing: Matt Comer
Special Community Event FILM SCREENING & PANEL DISCUSSION ‘brocKINGton’
A documentary short by Mason Sklut, Maggie Sloane and Sergio Ingato Sunday April 27, 6:00pm
A free community event screening the documentary short brocKINGton, featuring transgender teenager activist Blake Brockington following his win as East Mecklenburg High School homecoming king in 2014. Best Documentary Short at the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival. A panel discussion featuring the co-directors Mason Sklut and Sergio Ingato and transgender community leader Paige Dula will follow the screening. ALSO SCREENS: Before featured films on April 24, 7pm; April 25, 4pm & 9pm.
Film Schedule DATE
FILM
TIME
Thursday April 23
To Be Takei
7:00 p.m.
Friday April 24
Tiger Orange
7:00 p.m.
Friday April 24
My Straight Son
9:00 p.m.
Saturday April 25
The Circle
4:00 p.m.
Saturday April 25
Tru Love
7:00 p.m.
Saturday April 25
Out in the Night
9:00 p.m.
Sunday April 26
The Dog
2:00 p.m.
Sunday April 26
Boy Meets Girl
4:00 p.m.
Sunday April 26
brocKINGton
6:00 p.m.
Sunday April 26
Eat With Me
7:00 p.m.
To Be Takei April 23 @ 7pm • Runtime: 94 minutes This documentary chronicles the life of Star Trek gay icon George Takei. With his wickedly funny gay wit, Takei takes his own, personal trek in search of life, liberty, and love. Footage of Takei’s childhood, in a WWII internment camp, is historically riveting. Interviews with the late Leonard Nimoy are touching, and coverage of Takei’s relationship with William Shatner is hilarious. Most importantly, Takei and his spouse Brad provide a candid account of their long-lasting relationship and activist endeavors. Tiger Orange April 24 @ 7pm • Runtime: 75 minutes In this warm, engaging drama, two estranged brothers, who are both gay, reunite after the death of their Dad. Raised in “small-town America” by their single father, one brother is a closeted introvert, and the other is an “outand proud” hunk. Upon reuniting, the brothers embark on an emotive and sometimes explosive attempt to adapt to each other’s differences. All the while, the brothers must overcome the tremendous force of internalized shame their father imposed on them. My Straight Son (Azul y no tan rosa) April 24 @ 9pm • Spanish with English subtitles • Runtime: 114 minutes Part comedy and part drama, this stunningly produced film follows Diego, a successful fashion photographer, must unexpectedly care for his straight, closed-minded teenage son. At the same time, his physician partner becomes a victim of a vicious hate crime attack. Diego turns to friends and “less than understanding” parents to provide support while he attempts to secure hospital visitation rights to see his partner and simultaneously tries to tackle parenthood.
The Circle (Der Kreis) April 25 @ 4pm • German with English subtitles • Runtime: 102 minutes This drama/documentary hybrid depicts pioneers of Europe’s gay emancipation movement. The backdrop of this exquisite film is Zurich’s gay underground between 1930 and 1960. Showcasing the work of Ernst Ostertag and Röbi Rapp, the first gay married couple in Switzerland, the film chronicles their lives including their youth during the Third Reich and their tireless contributions to the foremost gay journal “Der Kreis.”
Tru Love April 25 @ 7pm • Runtime: 94 minutes A movie pressure cooker, this complex lesbian romance depicts commitment-phobia Tru who has a control-freak straight friend named Suzanne. When Alice, Suzanne’s beautiful, widowed 60-year old mother visits, Tru falls for Alice. Tensions escalate as Alice begins to explore her free-spirited nature, and Suzanne becomes increasingly alarmed at her loss of control over her mother. Finally, once Suzanne discovers that sparks are flying between Tru and Alice, Suzanne stops at nothing to sabotage their romance.
Out in the Night April 25 @ 9pm • Runtime: 75 minutes This mind-boggling documentary chronicles the consequences suffered by seven young, African-American lesbians who attempted to defend themselves against a violent, sexual assault by a man on a Greenwich Village street. The attacker escaped, but not before he threatened to “screw them straight.” Of the seven women, the four who pled guilty to defending themselves were tried, convicted, incarcerated, and labeled the “Gang of Killer Lesbians.”
Queer Knitter in the Queen City Special Screening • Documentary Short • Directed by Mary Dalton Special screening preceding featured films on April 24, 7pm & April 25, 4pm, 7pm.
The Dog April 26 @ 2pm • Runtime: 100 minutes This true-life, gay Robin Hood story is a stunning documentary about John Wojtowicz who Al Pacino depicted in DOG DAY AFTERNOON. Made over a period of ten years, this film documents the events surrounding the 1972 attempted robbery of the Chase Manhattan Bank and the resulting fourteen-hour hostage situation. Most compelling are the candid and graphic details Wojtowicz provides while explaining that the bank heist was to pay for his boyfriend’s gender reassignment surgery. Boy Meets Girl April 26 @ 4pm • Runtime: 95 minutes Set in Kentucky, this touching, romantic comedy is about Rob and Ricky, best friends from childhood. Rob is a “man’s man” and Ricky is a beautiful, pre-op transgender woman. Life becomes complicated when a beautiful debutante and Southern belle, engaged to a U.S. Marine fighting in Afghanistan, enters their life and falls in love with Ricky.
Eat with Me April 26 @ 7pm • Runtime: 96 minutes In this warm, delicious comedy, Chinese mother Emma moves in with her gay son while she tries to sort out problems with her marriage. As she struggles to adjust to her son’s lifestyle of which she doesn’t approve, she encounters a bigger problem: the family’s Chinese restaurant is facing foreclosure. In an attempt to save the restaurant, she must connect with her son through cooking. This fabulous foodie film guest stars George Takei!
Red Carpet Sponsors
Box Office Sponsors
Spotlight Sponsors
Community Partner
SUPPORT THE FILM FESTIVAL IN 2016 Want to get a jump on 2016 sponsorship? Contact us today! film@charlottepride.org
1528 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207 (704) 364-2622
SUPPORT THE FILM FESTIVAL IN 2016 Want to get a jump on 2016 sponsorship? Contact us today! film@charlottepride.org
Special Thanks
Thanks from our Committee On behalf of our GayCharlotte Film Festival Committee we would like to thank all of those involved in making our 7th Annual GayCharlotte Film Festival a success, including... The generous gifts of Teresa Davis & Jim Kimbler The staff of Theatre Charlotte Charlotte Film Society Door prize and gift basket donors, including: Petco, EagleSpeak Coffee, littleSpoon Restaurant, Hissho Sushi Artisian Tropic Chips, Just Fresh, White Rabbit, Brixx Pizza - Dilworth Brixx Pizza - Foxcroft, Brixx Pizza - Blakeny, Brixx Pizza - Uptown Where the Bears Are, Scott Leonard - Beautiful You face/body cream