Festival:
The 31st NewFest
Dates:
October 23-29
About:
Nonfiction makes up about just under half of the features lineup of New York’s LGBTQ film festival, an event I oversaw between 1996-2008.
SCREAM, QUEEN! MY NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
Documentaries claim two centerpiece slots: Megan Wennberg’s
DRAG KIDS, about four pre-teen Canadian drag performers, screens as the Documentary Centerpiece; while Roman Chimienti and Tyler Jensen’s
SCREAM, QUEEN! MY NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, which explores the impact of the classic horror franchise on one of its closeted actors, takes the holiday-themed “HalloKween” Centerpiece position.
ALL WE’VE GOT
The festival presents the world premiere of Alexis Clements’
ALL WE’VE GOT, which explores the remaining queer women’s spaces in the US; while also looking at the vital past with films like Megan Rossman’s
THE ARCHIVETTES, on the important work of the Lesbian Herstory Archives; Phillip Pike’s
OUR DANCE OF REVOLUTION, which explores the history of Toronto’s black LGBTQ community; and Jeff Wolk’s
LEONARD SOLOWAY’S BROADWAY, on the long career of the octogenarian Broadway producer.
QUEEN OF LAPA
Additional nonfiction includes Chet Catherine Pancake’s
QUEER GENIUS, which profiles the lives and creative practice of pioneering lesbian and queer creators, including poet Eileen Myles and the late Barbara Hammer; and Theodore Collatos and Carolina Monnerat’s
QUEEN OF LAPA, about a legendary Brazilian sex worker activist and the safe space for trans sex workers she established in Rio.
