Although the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival is still a few months away, participants in this weekend's annual Pride Parade and Rally have a chance to check out the artistic side of several local gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered filmmakers.
The films will be shown in conjunction with Pride events at The Little Theater and are sponsored by Three Dollar Bill Cinema, producers of the annual Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.
Founded in 1995, Three Dollar Bill Cinema regularly recruits dozens of volunteers to help put on events and screenings. It is known in the Seattle film scene as providing queer cinema with a strong outlet to screen films that would otherwise be ignored by national and even local film festivals.
"Ninety percent of the films we play wouldn't play Seattle if they didn't show in our festival," said executive director Justine Barda.
Of particular interest this year is "By Hook or By Crook," which plays Friday, June 27, through Sunday, June 29, at 7 and 9 p.m. at The Little Theatre. Described as "a female version of 'Midnight Cowboy,'" it's an independent film that is already exciting members of Three Dollar Bill Cinema.
"[Hook] represents the kind of innovation that queer film is capable of," Barda said. "While the story is familiar, you've never seen these characters before."
And you may only be able to see these characters at the Little Theatre screening.
"Without major studio or distributor backing, the filmmakers were unable to afford a film transfer," said Little Theatre programming director Jason Plourde. "The film can only be shown digitally with video projection, which limits the number of venues where it can play."
Digital projection is still in its infancy. Filmmakers like George Lucas, with his more recent "Star Wars" installments, and indie directors like Richard Linklater, with last year's "Tape," have used the digital film and projection process, but most theaters are not equipped to project movies digitally.
"By Hook or By Crook" has been a labor of love for its filmmakers and for festival distributors. It first played in the 2001 Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, and seeing the process of making, perfecting and screening the film has been satisfying for all parties.
"It's been wonderful for our festival to have played a part in the evolution and formation of this film," Plourde said, "and so seeing it in its final cut in a small, theatrical release is exciting."
"It was extremely well-received when at the festival and I'm glad that people are going to get a chance to see it again," Barda added.
Plourde believes that members of the queer community will enjoy the film's story and themes.
"[It] is really a buddy movie between two butch characters experiencing the strength and importance of friendship. The two leads are magnetic and completely engaging," he said.
Screenings of "Hook" are accompanied by a short film called "Estranged," by Todd Downing. The short depicts a woman trying to bring back the romance in her life via her telephone line, and it stars New York drag queen artist Flloyd in the lead role.
Other films in the series this weekend include "Lock Up Your Songs and Daughters: Anti Queer Films, 1950-1990," a collection of rare films picked from a vault of anti-gay educational films presented in classes and on television.
Titles in the series include "Red Light/Green Light," "The Germ Fighter," "Perversion for Profit," "The Report: The Gay Agenda," and "The Heterosexual Agenda."
Screenings of the films were made possible not only by Three Dollar Bill Cinema's efforts at seeking out unsung films made on shoestring budgets, but also by Northwest Film Forum, which operates The Little Theatre and the Grand Illusion theater in the University District.
"Northwest Film Forum has been one of our best supporters all along," Barda said.
As Three Dollar Cinema continues to gain volunteers and employees with each year in operation, both Barda and Plourde look forward to providing more access for LGBT filmmakers to have their films shown. There are projects in the works as well, one of which provides 8mm film to 10 community members so they can make short Super8 films.
And Plourde emphasizes that Seattle is unique in the many different kinds of films that are shown around town on a daily basis.
"Seattle is fortunate to have independent and art-house theaters willing to show queer work," Plourde said. "Where else can someone see dozens of great queer films from around the world, with hundreds of fellow gay, lesbian and transgendered viewers in the span of a week in Seattle?"
The Little Theatre is located at 608 19th Ave. E. For more information, call 675-2055 or go to www. wigglyworld.org/littletheatre. www.nwfilmforum.org[[In-content Ad]]
