SCREENING SCHEDULE

DATEEVENTLOCATION
Friday, March 7 ScreeningsSHOWROOM CINEMA, Asbury Park, NJ
6:00pDoors OpenOpening Reception
6:15pHappy BirthGay (16 mins) – IsraelA Mom throws her son a grandiose surprise BirthGay party, celebrating a year of his coming out of the closet.
6:30pSondesh (10 mins) – BangladeshFarhana’s seemingly content traditional marriage hides her longing for a deeper connection. A chance encounter with another woman, ignites the spark within.
6:45pTaper (13 mins) – United StatesA Queer, Black kid going to a Predominately White Institution needs to get a haircut. He finds a Black barbershop, but finds himself having to tone down to blend in. DIRECTOR + CAST Q&A
7:15pBut First They Must Catch Us (12 min) – United StatesA meet between a trans woman and her new trans neighbor descends into a surreal spiral during which the pair finds a moment of clarity, peace, and closeness amidst an unforgiving world. DIRECTOR Q&A
7:45p Chase Me (3 min) – United StatesWhen jogger Tony comes upon a curiously competitive runner, their encounter turns into a fierce race of athleticism and wits. DIRECTOR + LEAD ACTOR Q&A
8:00pFabulous Seven Forever (100 mins) – United StatesAfter more than thirty years apart, a group of high school friends reunite to memorialize their recently deceased high school drama teacher. DIRECTOR + CAST Q&A
Saturday, March 8 SCREENINGS SHOWROOM CINEMA, Asbury Park, NJ
2:00pDoors Open
2:15pThree Vendors of Ipanema (25 mins) – United States“The Human Being is Only Free When He is Master of Himself,” these words frame the lives of three street vendors who descend from their neighborhood favelo above Rio De Janeiro’s famous Ipanema Beach in Brazil to sell their goods in the “farme” section of the beach. The three have been known and loved by the LGBTQ+ community for decades. DIRECTOR Q&A
3:00pShape Notes (12 mins) – United StatesA middle-aged church organist seeks help caring for his aging mother and finds the courage to start exploring his identity. DIRECTOR + LEAD ACTOR Q&A
3:30pIt’s Always Been Me (72 mins) – DenmarkIT’S ALWAYS BEEN ME follows Max and Bastian from the end of their childhood into puberty, a chaotic time where mind and body grows apart. Max is born as a girl, but just came out as a transgender boy. Bastian is born as a boy, but feels he is a girl. DIRECTOR Q&A
5:00pElijah (19 mins) – United StatesA Bengali Muslim taxi driver in NYC struggles with the reality that the American Dream may never be his. Crisis hits his family when his daughter expresses her desire to live fully as a man. DIRECTOR Q&A.
5:30pWarm Film (90 mins) – SerbiaTorn between the desire of becoming famous, and the fear of being labeled, two young actors explore how gays were portrayed throughout the history of Yugoslav cinema.
7:00pDon’t Cry For Me All You Drag Queens (9 mins) – United States“Don’t Cry For Me All You Drag Queens” pays homage to legendary New Hope (PA) drag queen Mother Cavallucci by weaving together present and past to provide a striking portrait of belonging and memory. DIRECTOR + CAST Q&A
7:30pLove is Merely A Madness (11 mins) – United StatesExplores the challenges of finding romantic connections among the gay community in the digital age. DIRECTOR Q&A
8:00pCowboy Boots (13 mins) – United StatesJack, a gay cowboy from Nebraska, finds anything but the promised land he envisioned when he visits a San Francisco gay club for the first time.
8:15pBar. Boy. (20 mins) – United StatesAt his local gay bar, sixty-something Gary encounters twenty-something Julian. DIRECTOR + CO-PRODUCER + CAST Q&A
8:50pCircle (10 mins) – TurkeyA chador (female gown) brought to a men’s tailor shop confronts Arif with reality once more.
9:00pAvant-Drag! (92 mins) – GreeceTen drag performers find solace in each other as they rebel against their oppressive reality and those who control it. DIRECTOR Q&A TBD
Sunday, March 9MEET THE FILMMAKERS BRUNCH,
AWARDS CEREMONY, SCREENINGS		QSpot LGBTQ Community Center, Asbury Park
2:00pDoors OpenMeet the filmmakers brunch, Awards Ceremony
3:15pCorahe (15 mins) – SpainLola and Julia work as flamenco performers in Seville, Spain. Their relationship is challenged by the survival of the flamenco tradition in modern times. DIRECTOR Q&A
3:45I Need Somebody to Love Tonight (3 mins) – United KingdomDriven by a remake of the Sylverster tune, this is the story of someone who wakes up, cuddling their pillow, and attempts to find love via speed dating.
3:50pA Poings et A Coeurs (8 mins) – FranceTranswomen practicing boxing talk about their experiences, their gender euphoria, problems, oppressions, but mostly talk about how they are linked by their practice of the sport.
4:00pLeft for Dead (4 mins) – United StatesSinger songwriter Laura McLean evokes the dark soul of a Southern coastal town rocked by a horrific hate crime, in her original song for the documentary film Park View, “Left for Dead.”
4:10pSituationship (4 mins) – United StatesThis short film tells the story of a queer “situationship”. It explores the magnetic connection between two women, showcasing moments of both euphoria and emotional chaos. DIRECTOR Q&A
4:30pIt’s Always Been Me (72 mins) – DenmarkIT’S ALWAYS BEEN ME follows Max and Bastian from the end of their childhood into puberty, a chaotic time where mind and body grows apart. Max is born as a girl, but just came out as a transgender boy. Bastian is born as a boy, but feels he is a girl.
6:00pMedia As A Mirror: A Reflection Of The Queer Experience (35 mins) – United StatesA short film following five queer Rutgers students exploring their relationship with LGBTQ+ representation in media. DIRECTOR Q&A