QFest 2016 Kicks Off Tonight in Houston

By: Jul. 20, 2016
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Entering its 19th year, QFest returns to its roots in Houston, kicking off tonight, July 20!

The story of QFest begins in 1996, when a group of maverick arts organizations collaborated and created The First Annual Houston Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, better known as The HGLFF. Inaugurated by Loris Bradley of DiverseWorks, Liz Empleton of Rice Cinema, Sarah Gish of Landmark Theatres, and Marian Luntz of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The HGLFF would soon grow to include Steve Buck of The Angelika Film Center and Andrea Grover of The Aurora Picture Show. In its early years as a multi-venue annual event, The Southwest Alternate Media Project (SWAMP) served as the festival's non-profit fiscal sponsor. The first co-presidents of the HGLFF were Gudrun Klein and Andrew Edmonson, followed by Margaret Zigman and Ernie Manouse. In 2005, Margaret Zigman became the festival's President.

In 2006, the festival's tenth anniversary, under then-Board President Sixto Wagan, Rob Arcos, formerly of Landmark Theatres, was named Festival Director and Kristian Salinas was named Program Director. Now charged with creating its own program, the festival condensed its previous two week run into a five-day weekend. In 2007, led by new Executive Director Kristian Salinas, The HGLFF's 11th year launched with a new name - QFest.

Statement from Kristian Salinas, QFest Artistic Director:

"I am honored to welcome you to QFest 2016: The 20th Annual Houston International LGBTQ Film Festival! QFest was founded in 1996 to proudly serve the cultural needs of the Greater Houston Area. Created to build and grow a sense of community through the power of film among our city's diverse constituencies, I am thrilled to have the support of nine wonderful organizations and businesses serving as venues for our program of ten shorts and twenty-five feature films, thirteen of which are directed by women, and five of which are US Premieres! I am proud to once again have the opportunity to showcase the important cinematic achievements of queer artists with our Second Annual Freedom of Vision award. This year, we honor Italian director Liliana Cavani, an accomplished artist with a body of work spanning fifty-five years. The nature of her films makes this recognition especially timely, as the United States continues the longest war in our history, not to mention the casual manner in which aspiring presidential candidates continue to emphasize the US's military role in deciding world affairs.

"Eight films make up this year's Centerpiece selections, including two selected for a Special Centerpiece category meant to highlight work presenting trans subject matter in a manner
that feels both fresh and illuminating: Anna Muylaert's Don't' Call Me Son and Alexandra-Therese Keining's Girls Lost. Trans issues are also addressed in Sara Jordenö's thunderous and invigorating Kiki, hailed as a spiritual successor to Paris is Burning, and Robyn Symon's winningly unpredictable Uncle Gloria: One Helluva Ride. Each of these films represent a means for QFest to respond to the unfortunate defeat of HERO, a result of a mean-spirited campaign devised to encourage fear and hatred of the trans community.

"In a year that saw the loss of so many important icons, it would have been impossible to have celebrated the contributions of each and every one, however, there was no denying a tribute to the indomitable Patty Duke (Valley of the Dolls) or the incomparable David Bowie (Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence), all in 35mm. And though Jack Smith has been gone for many years, a new 16mm print of Flaming Creatures allowed us the opportunity to celebrate the father of the underground! Finally, I just couldn't wait until 2017 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Slava Tsukerman's category-defying cult classic Liquid Sky, a film so ahead of its time it took audiences by surprise, BECOMING one of the highest grossing indie films of all time, and continuing its legacy as an influential work of art decades after.

"I realize that for many of you, deciding how to choose what to see will prove a real challenge. I have only one word: "Good!'"

For tickets and information, go to www.q-fest.com.

QFEST SCHEDULE:

Launch Party: Wednesday, July 20 | 6:00pm

QFest20 Festival Preview and Launch Party

Venue: DiverseWorks

Admission: FREE

Thursday, July 21

(Opening Night)

Note: It's listed as date and time, film(s), venue, then price! :) :) :)

Opening Night: Thursday, July 21 | 7:00pm

Other People, The Orchid, and Pink Boy

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Admission: $10

OTHER PEOPLE:

Directed by Chris Kelly
(2016; 97 min; USA; Color; DCP; The Festival Agency)

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE writer Chris Kelly's directorial debut is a semi-autobiographical journey, juggling tragedy with gut-busting laughter. David (Jesse Plemons) is a struggling comedy writer who has returned to his family home to assist his mother (Molly Shannon in an extraordinary performance) as she battles with terminal cancer. Stuck in an awkward place, trying to deal with the emotions that come with watching your mother's health decline while also dealing with heartbreak and disappointment, David quietly struggles on a daily basis. It doesn't help that his father (Bradley Whitford) will not acknowledge that David is gay, or that David has lost touch with his much younger sisters, for various self-absorbed reasons.

THE ORCHID (La orquídea):

Directed by Ferran Navarro-Beltrán

(2016; 3 min; Spain; Color; In Spanish w/ English Subtitles; Print Courtesy of the Artist)

A father has something important to tell his son, but can only get through to his voicemail.

PINK BOY:

Directed by Eric Rockey

(2015; 15 min; USA; Color; Print courtesy of the Artist)

A portrait of Jeffrey, a gender-creative boy being raised by BJ, his butch lesbian aunt, in rural Florida.

Friday, July 22 | 7:00pm

Tribute to Liliana Cavani: The Skin

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Admission: $10

LILIANA CAVANI: With a career spanning 55 years and 31 films, director Liliana Cavani's body of work continues to provoke impassioned, divisive reactions from audiences. As an out lesbian and a self-proclaimed atheist working within what continues to be a male-dominated industry essentially overseen by none other than The Vatican, Ms. Cavani's enviable level of international success serves as a testament to her uncompromising, defiant artistry. QFest presents three films proudly showcasing Ms. Cavani's defiance, each an incendiary examination of war and its aftermath, all a testament to her ability to disturb, bemuse, confound, and infuriate. And at age eighty-three, Ms. Cavani has announced a new project, the intriguingly titled Death is for the Living.

Friday, July 22 | 7:15pm

American Centerpiece: Spa Night

Asia Society Texas Center

Admission: $10

Friday, July 22 | 7:30pm

The First Girl I Loved

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Friday, July 22 | 7:45pm

Kiki

Houston Museum of African American Culture

Admission: $10

Friday, July 22 | 9:30pm

Tribute to Patty Duke: Valley of the Dolls

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Saturday, July 23

Saturday, July 23 | 12:30pm

Tribute to David Bowie

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Saturday, July 23 | 1:30pm

The Freedom to Marry

Montrose Center

Admission: FREE

Saturday, July 23 | 3:00pm

Liebmann

Rice Media Center

Admission: $10

Saturday, July 23 | 3:30pm

Tribute to Jack Smith: Flaming Creatures

Aurora Picture Show

Admission: $10

Saturday, July 23 | 5:00pm

Special Centerpiece : Don't Call Me Son

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Saturday, July 23 | 5:00pm

Tribute to Liliana Cavani: The Night Porter

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Admission: $10

LILIANA CAVANI: With a career spanning 55 years and 31 films, director Liliana Cavani's body of work continues to provoke impassioned, divisive reactions from audiences. As an out lesbian and a self-proclaimed atheist working within what continues to be a male-dominated industry essentially overseen by none other than The Vatican, Ms. Cavani's enviable level of international success serves as a testament to her uncompromising, defiant artistry. QFest presents three films proudly showcasing Ms. Cavani's defiance, each an incendiary examination of war and its aftermath, all a testament to her ability to disturb, bemuse, confound, and infuriate. And at age eighty-three, Ms. Cavani has announced a new project, the intriguingly titled Death is for the Living.

Saturday, July 23 | 7:00pm

AWOL

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Saturday, July 23 | 7:30pm

International Centerpiece: Next to Me

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Admission: $10

Saturday, July 23 | 8:30pm

Search Engines

Brasil Cafe

Admission: $10

Saturday, July 23 | 9:00pm

Paris 05:59 (Théo et Hugo dans le même bateau)

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Sunday, July 24

Sunday, July 24 | 12:30pm

Tribute to Liliana Cavani: The Year of the Cannibals

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

LILIANA CAVANI: With a career spanning 55 years and 31 films, director Liliana Cavani's body of work continues to provoke impassioned, divisive reactions from audiences. As an out lesbian and a self-proclaimed atheist working within what continues to be a male-dominated industry essentially overseen by none other than The Vatican, Ms. Cavani's enviable level of international success serves as a testament to her uncompromising, defiant artistry. QFest presents three films proudly showcasing Ms. Cavani's defiance, each an incendiary examination of war and its aftermath, all a testament to her ability to disturb, bemuse, confound, and infuriate. And at age eighty-three, Ms. Cavani has announced a new project, the intriguingly titled Death is for the Living.

Sunday, July 24 | 1:30pm

Upstairs Inferno

Resurrection MCC

Admission: FREE

Sunday, July 24 | 2:00pm

Uncle Gloria: One Helluva Ride

Ripcord

Admission: FREE

Sunday, July 24 | 2:30pm

Experimental Centerpiece: Cancelled Faces

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Sunday, July 24 | 3:00pm

Women He's Undressed

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Admission: $10

Sunday, July 24 | 4:30pm

Special Centerpiece: Girls Lost

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Sunday, July 24 | 5:0pm

Documentary Centerpiece: Uncle Howard

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Admission: $10

Sunday, July 24 | 6:30pm

Lazy Eye

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Sunday, July 24 | 8:30pm

Special Anniversary Screening: Liquid Sky

Rice Cinema

Admission: $10

Monday, July 25

(Closing Night)

Closing Night-Monday, July 25 | 7:00pm

Love Island and Fuck First

Rice Cinema
Admission: $10

LOVE ISLAND: Directed by Jasmila Žbani?; 2014; 86 min; Croatia/Germany/Bosnia and Herzegovina/Switzerland; Color; DCP; The Match Factory. Acclaimed Bosnian director Jasmila Žbani? first feature comedy is a romantic screwball comedy worth of Ernst Lubitsch! While on vacation with her husband, Liliane, a very pregnant French-born newlywed, reencounters her ex-girlfriend, Flora, who happens to be the entertainment hostess at the very resort where the couple are staying. Adding a dash of Sir Noël Coward to the comical intrigue, Liliane's Bosnian husband, Grebo, unaware of Liliane's past romance, pursues the shapely Flora for his own amusement

FUCK FIRST: Directed by Sticky Biscuits
(2016; 4 min; Germany; Print Courtesy of the Artists)
Sticky Biscuits' latest music video is a PSA for couples inspired by Dan Savage.

QFest is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts as a powerful tool for communication and cooperation among diverse communities by presenting programs by, about, or of interest to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community.



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