by Will Batts, President of OUTMemphis
The annual Outflix Film Festival is a program of OUTMemphis: The LGBTQ Center for the Mid-South. OUTMemphis believes that it is vital for us to see images of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people that are not often visible in commercial movie theaters. Outflix seeks to correct that by highlighting our history, our loves, our losses, and our triumphs –stories ABOUT us told BY us.
The first film festival, founded by Brian Pera, was held in April 1997, and was called “Twinkie Museum: First Annual Queer Experimental Film Festival.” As Brian explains,
“I liked Twinkie Museum because like a lot of queer lingo it had refracted meanings, a sort of code logic, and because it was flippant but had hidden depths. I knew the name was provocative, but hoped that would create the possibility for conversation. To me the more important thing was the title’s reference to Harvey Milk and the story of the Twinkie Defense used by lawyers for Dan White, Harvey Milk’s assassin.”
For the first few years, the film festival was held on the University of Memphis Campus in the Psychology Auditorium and tended to show more experimental shorts and features. During the second year, local filmmaker Ira Sachs premiered his movie THE DELTA to the largest audience in the early years of the festival.
Beginning in April 2001, Outflix screened some films in a commercial theater as well as at Media Co-Op, formerly in the First Congo basement. The festival struggled with sponsorships and ticket sales and due to a lack of funds and leadership in 2004, no festival was held.
In August 2005, Outflix experienced a rise from the ashes! With new leadership and an enthusiastic committee, the Outflix Film Festival screened 14 films over a four- day event in the make shift church basement theater. Though the budget was small, the attendance exceeded expectations.
In 2006 & 2007 the Outflix revenue quadrupled and attendance tripled as it moved out of the church basement and into the Muvico multiplex theater in downtown Memphis.
Due to potential closing of the downtown theater, the 2008 Outflix Film Festival Committee decided to move the event once again. One of the oldest and most historic theaters was chosen to be the new home of the festival, Malco Ridgeway Four, where it continues to thrive and grow showing quality films from around the world.
The Outflix LGBQ Film Festival continues to be a well- regarded festival both in local circles and around the country. Each year, hundreds of filmmakers submit their entries and the review team has an increasingly difficult job finding the best, most diverse slate of films, typically screening 35-40 films from around the world. One of the enduring strengths of the festival from the beginning has been its appeal to straight allies. Pera explains,
“I just remember being really fascinated by how enthusiastic so many of the audience from outside the community were that showed up. That surprised me. I mean, they weren’t shocked. They were into it. They got the humor. And I realized that a big, unanticipated part of the festival was about finding allies and making new friends and contacts, and a renovation of the ideas around community.”
Join us for this year’s 20th Anniversary opening party on August 31 and the festival, which runs September 8-14! For more information – www. outflixfestival.org
Come OUT and see a movie with us!
Want to know more? Read the online interview with Brian Pera, Founder
OUTMemphis president Will Batts’ goes back to the beginning of the festival with the creator himself, Brian Pera. Read about the history, understand the innuendo, and hear about the unexpected support he received from
the beginning! Go to focusmidsouth.com and click on ‘articles.’
Movie Briefs
Lavender Scare In 1953, President Eisenhower declared gay men and lesbians to be a threat to the security of the country and therefore unfit for government service. In doing so, he triggered the longest witch hunt in American history.
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin THE UNTOLD TALES IF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN examines the life and work of one of the world’s most beloved storytellers, following his evolution from a conservative son of the Old South into a gay rights pioneer whose novels have inspired millions to claim their own truth. ** We’re showing this film at the preview party**
Below Her Mouth BELOW HER MOUTH is a bold, uninhibited drama that begins with a passionate weekend affair between two women. Dallas, a roofer and Jasmine, a fashion editor, share a powerful and immediate connection that inevitable
Cherry Pop “Cherry Pop” is about a newcomer struggling with being the outcast on his first night performing and a drag legend coming to terms with life after her last night performing. Cherry Pop is a real-time roller coaster ride where you better be strapped up, tucked in, and ready to go!
Jewel’s Catch One Jewel’s Catch One documents the oldest Black owned disco in America and establishes the legacy and businesswoman, activist, and healer, Jewel Thais-Williams, who stood up against hate and discrimination for 42 years.
I Dream in Another Language A young linguist travels to the jungle of Mexico to research a language on the verge of disappearing. Once there, he discovers its last two speakers clashed 50 years ago, and have refused to speak to each other since. Attempting to reunite them, the researcher discovers a secret past–and a forbidden gay love story.
Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America Growing up in rural North Carolina, Moises Serrano fell in love with a country that refused to recognize his full humanity–both as a undocumented immigrant and as a gay man.
Saturday Church A 14 year old boy, struggling with gender identity and religion, begins to use fantasy to escape his life in the inner city and find his passion in the process.
OUTFLIX FILM SCHEDULE
ALPHABETICALLY BY MOVIE NAME:
A Date For Mad Mary
Wed., Sept. 13 at 8:30 pm
AWOL
Tues., Sept. 12 at 6:30 pm
B&B
Fri., Sept. 8 At 10:30 pm
Mon., Sept. 11 at 2:30 pm
Behind The Curtain: Todrick Hall
Sat., Sept. 9 at 1:00 pm
Thurs., Sept. 14 at 4:30 pm
Below Her Mouth
Sat., Sept. 9 at 7:00 pm
Thurs., Sept. 13 at 2:30 pm
Center Of My World
Thurs., Sept. 14 at 8:30 pm
Cherry Pop
Fri., Sept. 8 at 9:00 pm
Forbidden: Undocumented And Queer In Rural America
Fri., Sept 8 at 7:00 pm
Wed., Sept. 13 at 4:30pm
God’s Own Country
Sun., Sept. 10 at 7:30 pm
Handsome Devil
Sat., Sept 9 at 9:00 pm
Mon., Sept. 11 at 4:30 pm
Heartland
Sun., Sept. 10 at 3:30 pm
Thurs., Sept. 14 at 2:30 pm
I Dream In Another Language
Wed., Sept. 13 at 6:30 pm
Jewel’s Catch One
Sat., Sept. 9 at 1:00 pm
Tues., Sept. 12 at 2:30 pm
Lavender Scare
Mon., Sept. 11 at 6:30 pm
Million Happy Nows
Sun., Sept. 10 at 1:30 pm
Saturday Church
Sun., Sept. 10 at 5:30 pm
Shorts Block
Thurs., Sept. 14 at 6:30 pm
Signature Move
Tues., Sept. 12 at 8:30 pm
Thurs., Sept. 14 at 1:00 pm
Something Like Summer
Sat., Sept. 9 at 3:00 pm
The Untold TalesOf Armistead Maupin
Thurs., August 31 at 7:00 pm
Tues., Sept. 12 at 4:30 pm
Woman On Fire
Mon., Sept. 11 at 8:30 pm
Bold move titles indicate movies that repeat on a different day.
Thursday, August 31
7:00 pm The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
Friday, September 8
7:00 pm Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America
9:00 pm Cherry Pop
10:30 pm B&B
Saturday, September 9
1:00 pm Jewel’s Catch One
3:00 pm Something Like Summer
5:00 pm Behind the Curtain: Todrick Hall
7:00 pm Below Her Mouth
9:00 pm Handsome Devil
Sunday, September 10
1:30 pm Million Happy Nows
3:30 pm Heartland
5:30 pm Saturday Church
7:30 pm God’s Own Country
Monday, September 11
2:30 pm B&B
4:30 pm Handsome Devil
6:30 pm Lavender Scare
8:30 pm Woman on Fire
Tuesday, September 12
2:30 pm Jewel’s Catch One
4:30 pm Armistead Maupin
6:30 pm AWOL
8:30 pm Signature Move
Wednesday, September 13
2:30 pm Below Her Mouth
4:30 pm Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America
6:30 pm I Dream in Another Language
8:30 pm A Date for Mad Mary
Thursday, September 14
1:00 pm Signature Move
2:30 pm Heartland
4:30 pm Behind the Curtain: Todrick Hall
6:30 pm Shorts Block
8:30 pm Center of My World
