Going Down In La-La Land

ImageOut favorite director Casper Andreas' latest film, GOING DOWN IN LA-LA LAND blends his usual sexy romp with a somewhat darker subject matter. The film played to a nearly sold out crowd tonight at the Little. What did everyone think?

Cho Dependent

The latest concert film from everyone's favorite outrageous, queer-loving, Asian-American comedian, Margaret Cho, CHO DEPENDENT is sure to bring down the house tonight at the Dryden Theatre. The film's producer, Lorene Machado will be in attendance and will being taking questions following the film.

Cho Dependent will be preceded by two shorts, paying hilarious homage to bizarro fashionista hipster, Chloë Sevigny: Chloë "Birthdays" and Chloë "Memorial Day".

Harvest (Stadt Land Fluss)

A sweet and subtle tale of first love between two apprentice farmers HARVEST will speak to anyone who's experienced a time when they were uncertain about what they truly wanted out of life (meaning all of us). The film screens this evening at 6:45 in Little 1.

Tomboy

A critical and audience favorite around the world (winning awards in Berlin, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Torino), Tomboy hits the Dryden Theater screen at 4pm today. The superb acting from the young stars is reason enough to come see, and the writing and gorgeous cinematography are top notch as well.

Before the feature, enjoy Loop Planes, an endearing American short film about pink hair, rollercoasters, and new feelings.

Program 7 is part of the 2011 Youth Project Film Series of ImageOut.

Morgan

An emotional drama about the difficult road to recovery faced by a cyclist in the wake of a tragic accident that leaves him paralyzed, MORGAN is an inspiring tale that will have you cheering in your seat. Catch the film this afternoon at 4pm in Little 1. We're pleased to have guests Michael Akers (Writer/Director) and Sandon Berg (Writer/Producer) in attendance for a Q&A following the movie.

Leave It On The Floor

1:30 at the Dryden Theater, get your ballroom on with Leave it On the Floor. It will have your toes tappin, your heart pumpin, and your smile smiling too.

Program 5 is the first film of our Youth Program Series, so bring your friends! And if they are under 21, they'll get in for free.

My Last Round (Mi Último Round)

Unique, dramatic, tender, brutal (in the boxing-sense). Each of these words describes My Last Round to a tee. It may be sunny and warm in Rochester today, but such days will return in the near future, we promise. The dazzling array of ImageOut programs may not be around on area theater screens ever again! Join us today for a great day 2.

The Tents/T'Aint Nobody's Bizness

Day 2 will be off to a great start with The Tents, a fashion forward look at the history and growth of the Bryant Park Fashion Week shows of yester-year.

Before the feature, our audience will be treated to a fascinating and entertaining look at the First Ladies of Blues in T'Aint Nobody's Bizness: Queer Blues Divas of the 1920s. Director Robert Philipson is our special guest for the screening and will take the stage for a lively Q&A after both films so stick around!

Four More Years-in just four more hours!

Continuing the opening-night festivities at 9:30 tonight is Four More Years, a political dramedy from Sweden. With our own election season right around the corner, it will be a welcome relief to see another country sweat for a bit.

There are still a few tickets left for our second program, but they will be going fast, so head on over to the Little Theater box office to get yours now!

The Night Watch

At 7:00 the first of our 45 spectacular programs begins. The Night Watch is a captivating whirl of life and love in World War II London.

The screening sold out a few days ago, but you can try your luck in the rush line outside the theater. Nice night for it!

Vote ImageOut Best Film Festival in Rochester!

The final ballot City Newspaper's annual "Best of Rochester" poll has been released, and ImageOut has made the final four in the category of "Best Film Festival". We're up against some stiff competition, so show your support and cast your vote today!

AFter Ellen reviews an ImageOut 19 highlight

Though we do have a number of premieres each year, some ImageOut films have already gotten stamps of approval from other festivals, blogs, and press. Check out this great review for one of my Indie faves, Jamie and Jessie are NOT Together. You can catch it as program 28 at ImageOut 19.

'We Were Here' Gets NY Times Seal Of Approval

This year's Documentary Centerpiece, We Were Here, was recently awarded the New York Times Critic's Pick of the week. The emotional documentary received a glowing review from critic Stephen Holden, who summed up the movie's ultimately hopeful message perfectly:

"As grim as some of it's images are, 'We Were Here' is above all a film about love: not romantic love but the kind that really matters, in which people selflessly show up and keep on showing up for one another in the worst of times."

ImageOut's online ticket sales begin tonight at 5:00pm, so make sure you get your ticket to what is sure to be the most powerful film screening at this year's festival. And don't forget that our first in-person ticket sale will also be held this Sunday, September 18th, at the ImageOut office in Village Gate.

For full details on purchasing tickets, visit our website.

What's on your must-see list?

Festival Fair Launches 2011 ImageOut Lineup

It's finally here! We are launching the 2011 October lineup tonight at the Festival Fair at the Strasenburgh Planetarium, Rochester Museum and Science Center starting at 6:30pm. You'll get a chance to pick up a copy of the Program Guide and buy tickets in advance before it becomes available to the general public starting September 16.

There will be a cash bar and free tasty hors d'oeuvres while you mingle and chat with other Festival patrons and film lovers. As a special treat, you can hear Michael and Jessica talk about the highlights of the 2011 lineup at 8pm before the free screening of the fab film Christopher and His Kind at 8:30pm.

For more details on tonight's event, check out this page.

Most importantly, we'll have time to post more updates on this blog as we won't be buried in watching DVD screeners and writing program descriptions anymore!

Edith Windsor Challenges DOMA!

Nary a dry eye left the theater after ImageOut's packed screening of Edie and Thea: A Very Long Engagement back in 2009. The touching documentary made it easy to love these women who had been together for more than 40 years, and who were finally married in a long-anticipated ceremony in Canada at the end of the film.

But their story did not end when the cameras were turned off.

As reported at the end of the film, Thea passed away after a long illness. The loving pair were legally prepared with wills, but the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) slapped Edie with a huge estate tax bill. True to her nature, Edie is fighting DOMA all the way to the supreme court and the NY attorney General has joined in her case.

You can read more about the challenge here.

BEGINNERS Opens at the Little

I'm excited that BEGINNERS starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer is finally opening here in Rochester! Be sure to check it out at the Little Theatre starting tonight. It's one of my favorite gay-themed films from late last year (Toronto Int'l Film Festival) and I was hoping that I could include it in my ImageOut October lineup. It was wishful thinking indeed as a film as good as this would definitely get mainstream distribution. Anyway, I'm just glad that it can be seen by our audiences.

This comedic drama is a memory piece about a son and his dying father, who recently comes out to him as being a homosexual. Here's what the New York Times says about the film.

~Michael Gamilla

Midnight in Paris

Now, I have never been a fan of Woody Allen movies, but that has changed with his latest offering; Midnight in Paris.

What I enjoyed most, however, has little to do with Woody Allen or even the star, Owen Wilson. It is the supporting cast portraying famous writers and artists that caught my attention. Kathy Bates is always a hoot, and her Gertrude Stein in no exception. Adrian Brody's Salvador Dali is hysterical, and Corey Stoll's Papa Hemingway is everything I imagine the uber-macho tragic literary figure would be.

Midnight in Paris is playing for a bit longer at The Little Theater, and is a great way to use those Groupons you've been hanging on to!

Summer Blockbusters

Hollywood is notorious for its summer blockbusters. This year is no exception to the usual onslaught of action flicks and thrillers. What is on your summer screen list?

This week's Entertainment Weekly proclaims Super 8 as the best flick of the season.

Perhaps your entire July is scheduled around re-watching the entire Harry Potter Series before The Deathly Hallows Part II ends the ginormous franchise.

X-Men: First Class, Captain America, Green Lantern, or Thor could give you your fill of super hero adventure.

ImageOut fans may be especially interested in the new Christopher Plummer-Ewan MacGregor drama Beginners.


I know I'll be at the Drive-in every chance I get!

UNDERTOW on Bluray and DVD

The 2010 ImageOut Audience Award winner, Undertow, is now available on Bluray and DVD. Check it out at Wolfe Video. It's definitely a good one to own.