Savannah Gay & Lesbian Film Society Series Debut at The Jepson Center for The Arts
by Deb Riney 

The newly formed Savannah Gay & Lesbian Film Society, sponsored by First City Network in collaboration with Reel Woman Productions, will debut its first series of films on Sunday, September 21^st, the day following Pride, at the fabulous Jepson Center for the Arts.  It is most befitting that FCN, as Georgia’s oldest gay and lesbian organization, hold the Film Society’s debut at the Jepson Center, which is an extension of the Telfair Museum, the oldest public art museum in the South. Come enjoy continued history in the making and the best lesbian and gay cinema has to offer!

The evening starts off with a Short Films Program at 6 pm beginning with the delightful No Bikini where a young girl defies convention during her summer swim camp. Filled with humor, this film is less about defining one’s gender than it is about discovering personal strength. This little gem just won the Audience Award for Best Short Film in San Francisco and was the Grand Prize Winner at the 9^th PlanetOut Short Movie Awards.  

In Members Only, Amy, the new kid in town, can’t seem to get a date, or even a woman to look in her direction until she gets her “membership”. In a small-town café, a waitress finds the courage to accept her true desire in Loving Loretta, a tender film from Canada. In Lezbro: Don’t Cha Know the unique friendship is revealed between guys and dykes in a sassy mix of faux anthropology, reality and techno-pop music video.

When a journalist is assigned to write about Pretty Woman for an entertainment magazine, he invites five friends over to view, celebrate and skewer the modern-day Cinderella story in Screening Party. Our Shorts Program ends with Reunion,  the story of a gay TV decorating show personality who returns to his small Arizona hometown for his 20-year high school reunion, with his boyfriend in tow, and discovers his former classmates aren't exactly who they appear to be.

Our feature film will be PAGEANT, a superb multi, multi-award winning documentary.  Taking us behind the glitz and glamour of the 34^th annual Miss Gay America, the film focuses on five out of the fifty ordinary gentlemen who go to extraordinary lengths in seeking the crown. This contest is about the art of illusion, so hormones and surgical body enhancements are forbidden. PAGEANT features stunning musical numbers, while diving into the heart and soul of this make-believe world, the men behind the makeup, but it’s the film’s focus on the people under the mascara that makes PAGEANT truly resonate. Soon the real-life drama of the competition takes over as we watch extravagant performances and frantic costume changes, wondering who will walk away with the coveted crown. More than an immensely engaging story about men in women’s clothing, PAGEANT is an inspirational story about the power of chasing your dreams and the beauty of being yourself.

An Inaugural Reception for the Film Society and Series will be between the Shorts Program conclusion and the beginning time of our Feature Film. All ticketed film patrons attending the Shorts are invited to stay for the Reception and those ticketed for the 8:30 pm PAGEANT film are invited to arrive at 7:45 pm for the Reception.

Ticket prices for this gala evening of award-winning films including the Inaugural Reception at the fabulous Jepson Center for the Arts are: $15.00 for the 6 pm showing of Short Films; and $15.00 for the feature film, PAGEANT. It’s going to be a great evening of multi-variety films, come to both with our Reception break in between! Tickets will be available September 1st online at www.firstcitynetwork.net; at Simply Irresistible Home Accents, 15 West York Street (on Wright Square); and at TailsSpin, 1115-A Whitaker Street.  Depending on availability: tickets may be at the FCN Booth at Pride on September 20^th , and at the Jepson on September 21^st just prior to Showtimes.

Why should you come to see a movie at our Film Series vs. seeing it on DVD?

The first obvious answer is that you get to see the films on the BIG screen (we’re talking bigger than your big screen tv). And there just isn’t any comparison between watching a movie at home and watching it in the theater while also viewing it with the LGBT community. Won’t it be nice to sit with your partner and snuggle while roaring with the crowd during a funny part which can only be experienced at the theater? And, you can always hold hands at our theater Series while joining in the celebration of our community. And most importantly, we hope you will come to support the Film Society’s mission to organize and manage year-round cinema that supports and strengthens LGBT visibility through media arts. Your support will be the key element for our goal of providing you access to films and videos that provide both entertainment aspects and dealing with a wide variety of issues related to sexuality and gender, thus serving our community’s educational and cultural needs. So come meet old friends and make new acquaintances while enjoying a movie on the big screen. Come give your support and strengthen our visibility through the media arts. Come join the fun!

And if you really want to expand your enjoyment in the fun of it, we’re looking for Volunteers. Our ongoing film programs leading up to Savannah’s first Gay & Lesbian Film Festival next year won’t be possible without the dedicated support of Volunteers. Volunteering for the Savannah Gay & Lesbian Film Society is fun and a great way to connect with the LGBT community and make new friends. Email Deb regarding Volunteer opportunities at: debsavglfilms@yahoo.com . Come out and be a part of the big picture we envision for our community!

P.S. Speaking of coming out, mark your October calendar NOW! We realize it will be only a few weeks between our first Series Film but, to coincide with “National Coming Out Day” weekend, on October 12^th, StandOut Youth will sponsor and present, in collaboration with Reel Woman Productions, the next Series Film, Tru Loved, which is also being released to theaters nationally that same weekend! Yes readers we, right here in lil ole Savannah, will share the ability to screen this tremendous film whose Producer, Mr. Antonio Brown, has personally made possible.

When Tru’s two moms uproot her from the city to the burbs Tru despairs as she is surrounded by football players, Paris and Nicole wannabes and a doting, but closeted English teacher. Tru escapes into fantasy: she daydreams of living in a 1950’s black and white Leave It To Beaver-like household (with two moms and two dads, no less) and imagines herself as Maria in a Jets vs Sharks dance sequence. Tru Loved is an examination of one adolescent’s courageous ability to counter small-town small-mindedness on tough issues such as- interracial dating, gay parenting, and school-sanctioned homophobia. This family-friendly film features appearances by Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols, Bruce Vilanch, Alec Mapa, A Different World’s Jasmine Guy, Best in Show’s Jane Lynch, and David Kopay – the first openly gay professional athlete! This is an awesome First Class film not to be missed,so mark your calendar and make plans to attend. Please give you support to StandOut Youth for this Series Film. Tickets for the October 12^th film will be available at Pride and beginning September 12^th at TailsSpin, 1115-A Whitaker Street, 238-8848.

Film Society News By Deb Riney, SGLFS Director

I hope you have had the opportunity to see some of The Savannah Gay & Lesbian Film Society’s films that have screened recently at the Telfair Jepson Center for the Arts. The feedback, via our Audience Ballots, and by word-of-mouth, has been excellent. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to come out and enjoy some great LGBT cinema, and for those of you who have, I invite you to mark your calendars now for attending our next film “Were The World Mine” on Sunday, February 15, 2009 - a special Valentine weekend musical film.

This is an exciting time and a big step for our lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community in presenting positive, educational and entertaining cinema in a public venue that supports and strengthens our visibility through media arts. To help offset our operating costs we are working hard to garner the support of as many Sponsors as possible as we plan for Savannah’s first LGBT Film Festival next year. We strive to sellout every film screening in our ongoing Film Series. We are also offering you a special opportunity to support and strengthen our efforts by becoming a Charter Member of The Savannah Gay & Lesbian Film Society.

$100 Charter Memberships will be available for a limited time only, between now and November 1, 2009. After that date other membership levels will be established. However, only Charter Members will have the ability to receive on-going 20% discounts off of all future offered membership levels so long as a continuous non-expired SGLFS membership is maintained.

Please check out the SGLFS Charter Membership ad in below, or go online to our website at www.savannahgaylesbianfilmsociety.com and click “About Us.”

We invite you to become a part of the SGLFS history as a Charter Member. And, like the old motto said, “membership has its privileges”. In addition to four VIP film passes, CM’s receive invitations to special free movie screenings throughout the year and our first CM movie screening will be on November 13th. Don’t delay, become a CM TODAY!