Media Contact: Rosario Pena
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Iconic Films, A Cult Classic, And Tribute To Houston Native
Highlights This Year’s QFest
July 9, 2019 (HOUSTON, TX) – The 23rd Annual QFest, Houston’s International LGBTQ Film Festival, will commemorate films of influence and personal inspiration with event appearances including Houston native Jonathan Caouette and Cassandro, the Exotico. The film festival begins Wednesday, July 24th running through Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 with screenings at Rice Media Center, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Brasil Café, Aurora Picture Show, Holocaust Museum Houston, and Mystic Lyon. Film highlights, address locations and interview opportunities are listed below. For full lineup and ticket and QPass information, please visit www.q-fest.com.
Highlights of QFest 2019 include:
PARIS IS BURNING – QFest Opening Night Gala
- Beautiful new restoration of the iconic and classic film, followed by an After Party in the Rice Media Center Gallery presented by Spectrum South and featuring live performances
Wednesday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m. – Rice Media Center, 2030 University Blvd. (77005)
CASSANDRO, THE EXOTICO!
- Hailing from El Paso, Cassandro, an openly gay, world-renowned prize-winning luchador who reinvented a staunchly macho sport, exudes resilience of all kinds—from the physical power to level his opponents, to coping with the scars of a body pushed to its limits.
Thursday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m. – Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet (77005)
TONGUES UNTIED – 30th Anniversary Screening
- Celebrated for its authentic representation of style and culture, as well its fierce response to oppression, the late Marlon Riggs’ film is one of the first to give voice to black gay men, presenting their perspectives on the racism, homophobia, and marginalization they experienced. Riggs was a Forth Worth native.
Friday, July 26 at 7:00 p.m. – Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
BEFORE STONEWALL
- In 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village, leading to three nights of rioting by the gay community, marking the beginning of the Gay Liberation Movement. Newly restored to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, and being shown as part of The Contemporary Arts Museum’s Stonewall 50 exhibition.
Saturday, July 27 at 5:00 p.m. – Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
MEN’S OWN STORIES
- Acclaimed Art Historian Bill Arning curated this selection of contemporary short films that traverse the intimate and the emblematic of Queer culture. Includes films by Duane Michaels, Skylar Fein, William E. Jones and others.
Saturday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m. – Aurora Picture Show, 2442 Bartlett St. (77098)
A Tribute to Jonathan Caouette: TARNATION – 15th anniversary screening
- Created from over 20 years’ worth of hundreds of hours of Super 8 footage, VHS videotapes, family photographs, and answering machine messages, TARNATION tells a very intimate and one-of-a-kind story of Caouette’s life growing up in Houston, and his relationship with his mentally ill mother, Renee.
- Best Documentary Award from the National Society of Film Critics, nominated for the Independent Spirits, the Gotham Awards, the L.A. and London International Film Festivals.
Sunday, July 28 at 5:00 p.m. – Rice Cinema, Rice Media Center 2030 University Blvd. (77005)
ANGEL – Pristine 35MM print
- Released in 1984 with the tawdriest of taglines (“High School Honor Student by Day. Hollywood Hooker by Night”), ANGEL is the street name for Molly, a young girl left to live on her own who makes ends meet and pays her private school tuition from the money she earns turning tricks. Becoming the target of a woman-hating serial killer, Angel, with the help of her chosen family, fights back not only save her life, but the lives of all her fellow prostitutes. Presented from a pristine 35mm lab print, ANGEL is sleazeploitation at its finest, and a continuation of QFest’s commitment to present forgotten gems in glorious 35mm!
Sunday, July 28 at 7:30 p.m. – Rice Cinema
- Jonathan Caouette –TARNATION
- Scheduled to attend screening
- Filmmaker Harrod Blank and subject Rusty Tidenburg – WHY CAN’T I BE ME? AROUND YOU (QFest Closing Night Gala)
- The film follows Rusty on this difficult journey of embracing and exhibiting both genders, while still hoping for acceptance, and love. Filmmaker Harrod Blank meets other gender-non-binary art car enthusiasts who shed further light on gender identity in America. Scheduled to attend screening
- Daniel Beliavsky – SECRET MUSIC (Feature Competition)
- The film follows Pulitzer prize-winning American composer David Del Tredici (b. 1937) through his transformative and uninhibited commitment to writing what he calls “gay music,” a repertoire that celebrates the joys and honors the struggles of his life as a gay man. Scheduled to attend screening
Available for advance phoners or before film screening
- Cassandro – CASSANDRO, THE EXOTICO!
- Abel Ferrara – PASOLINI
- This biopic—released in the United States for the first time—chronicles the final hours of Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini (Willem Dafoe) before his 1975 murder.
- Jennie Livingston – PARIS IS BURNING
LOCATIONS:
Rice Media Center
2030 University Blvd. (77005)
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
1001 Bissonnet (77005)
Brasil Café
2604 Dunlavy St. (77006)
Aurora Picture Show
2442 Bartlett St. (77098)
Holocaust Museum Houston – Smith Campus
5401 Caroline (77004)
Mystic Lyon
5017 Lyons Avenue (77020)
QFest
Dedicated to promoting the arts as a powerful tool for communication and cooperation among diverse communities by presenting programs by, about, and of interest to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community.
QFest is a sponsored project of Aurora Picture Show, a 501c3 presenting artist-made, non-commercial film and video, and dedicated to expanding the cinematic experience and promoting the understanding and appreciation of the moving image.
QFest is generously supported by the fiscal contributions of The John Steven Kellett Foundation, and The Hollyfield Foundation. Additional support provided by Presenting Media Sponsor Spectrum South.
www.facebook.com/QFestHouston/ | www.q-fest.com | http://www.aurorapictureshow.org
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