NewFest,
New York’s leading LGBTQ film and media organization and one of the
world's most respected LGBTQ film festivals, has announced its full
line-up for The New York LGBTQ Film Festival’s 32nd year. The festival
will kick off with the New York City premiere of Francis Lee’s highly
anticipated AMMONITE starring Academy Award-winner Kate Winslet and
Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan. Winslet will also present Lee with
the festival’s inaugural World Queer Visionary Award ahead of the
special drive-in screening, taking place at the Queens Drive-In at
Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The festival will close with the virtual
New York premiere of Faraz Shariat’s Teddy Award-winner NO HARD
FEELINGS. The announcement was made today by NewFest’s Executive
Director David Hatkoff and Director of Programming Nick McCarthy.
The 32nd edition of The New York LGBTQ Film Festival will take place
October 16-27, 2020, with more than 120 new films accessible to ticket
holders nationwide via NewFest’s on-demand platform. Individual tickets
and all-access passes are on sale now at newfest.org.
The first-ever virtual edition of NewFest will include a robust lineup
of panels and conversations surrounding LGBTQ+ topics, in addition to
its regular programming of new features and short film premieres, and
will incorporate virtual live events as well as select drive-in
screenings. Introductions to the films will be shot in front of historic
LGBTQ sites, community organizations and queer-owned businesses
throughout New York City.
“With the Presidential election right around the corner and a Supreme
Court seat now open, it is more urgent than ever that queer stories be
told and celebrated,” said Executive Director David Hatkoff. “We have
created an 11-day event that will meet and speak to this moment,
delivering a thought-provoking, inspiring and joyful look at the LGBTQ
community and the unique challenges it faces, while also paying homage
to the incredible queer legacy that exists in NYC. We can’t wait for
audiences around the country to view these incredible films, and
hopefully be inspired to raise their own voices in pride and protest on
November 3rd and beyond.”
“Featuring the newest work from leading international auteurs, Academy
Award winners, and emerging LGBTQ filmmakers premiering their work for
the first time, this year’s line-up channels themes that inform our
community and society at large while confronting the edges of democracy
and celebrating our strong history of LGBTQ ancestry that broke barriers
before,” said Director of Programming Nick McCarthy. “By highlighting
portraits of hometown heroes and unsung global icons, celebrating the
clear fact that All Black Lives Matter, standing up for the visibility
of our LGBTQ siblings around the world, and encouraging
intergenerational dialogue within our community, our 32nd annual program
will raise human spirits by uplifting our diversity of voices.”
The full program for the festival’s 32nd edition includes three drive-in
screenings, 24 narrative features in competition, 14 documentary
features in competition, three full-season episodics, one global
episodic showcase, and 10 shorts program screenings, including a
specially-curated shorts program for LGBTQ-identified high school
students in partnership with the New York City Department of Education.
Among the 41 features playing the festival, all are New York City
premieres, with one world premiere (NORA HIGHLAND), one international
premiere (THE FLASHPOINT), two US premieres (ALWAYS AMBER and DATING
AMBER) and one sneak preview (UNCLE FRANK).
This year at NewFest, 63% of films are directed by women and non-binary
filmmakers, and 76% of content is about and/or by underrepresented
voices (women, people of color, trans, bi and differently abled).
Highlights announced today by the festival include a special sneak
drive-in preview of Academy Award winner Alan Ball’s road trip comedy
UNCLE FRANK, which follows a teenage girl and her gay uncle who take a
road trip back to their hometown. The film, which had its world premiere
at Sundance this year, stars Paul Bettany, Sophia Lillis, Peter
Macdissi and Steve Zahn.
Each night of the Festival will feature a Spotlight film. Spotlight
Films include french auteur François Ozon’s drama SUMMER OF 85, a sexy
summer romance about two teenage boys who meet on the coast of Normandy,
and New Zealand filmmaker Max Currie’s RURANGI, in which a trans
activist returns to his hometown to reconnect with his roots and
estranged father. Other Spotlight films include topical time-loop drama
THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON, New Zealand trans drama RURANGI, recent
Toronto (TIFF 2020) favorite SHIVA BABY, hometown hero doc KEITH HARING:
STREET ART BOY, stunning supermodel portrait KELET and celebratory
lesbian documentary AHEAD OF THE CURVE. NewFest will not screen a
Spotlight film on the evening of Thursday October 22 to encourage
viewership of the Presidential debate.
Additional highlights include the International Premiere of THE
FLASHPOINT, a galvanizing documentary that examines political
polarization and the rise of right-wing homophobia in Poland through
public art and the symbolic meaning of the rainbow, and a special
one-night virtual screening event for NORA HIGHLAND, a feature based on
the play with the same name, shot entirely on computers during the
COVID-19 Pandemic. The screening of NORA HIGHLAND, which explores the
casting process surrounding an iconic and seminal gay character in a new
Broadway revival, will be followed by a Q&A with director Ryan
Spahn and actor Michael Urie.
The Festival will also host a special 25th Legacy Anniversary screening
for Kino Lorber’s BLOODSISTERS: LEATHER, DYKES, AND SADOMASOCHISM, the
iconic documentary about the San Francisco leather scene, which had its
New York Premiere at NewFest back in 1995.
Individual tickets for virtual films ($12 regular, $10 for members) and
drive-in tickets (starting at $45 per car) are now on sale for purchase
on www.newfest.org,
with all-access virtual passes starting at $95. For more information,
to purchase tickets/passes, or to become a member, go to www.newfest.org.
