Maxwell Granitz, Contributing Writer
August 22, 2018
It’s a well-known fact marginalized populations experience a dearth of representation in media, including works that portray these groups but do so in a misrepresented or negative light. While some films from the past released nationwide do depict marginalized groups, including LGBT people, it is also the 21st century and their portrayals may not hold up to modern scrutiny (i.e. 1980’s Cruising or 1997’s In & Out).
Entering its 30th year, NewFest, New York’s LGBT film festival, is a space for film buffs, LGBT travelers, locals with a love for the arts and everyone in between to view the latest and best of new works relating to the LGBT community. In October of each year, the program of films premiere at a handful of theaters in Manhattan, with more venues added recently to meet the demands of growing interest in both submitting films and attending the festival.
For LGBT travelers, film festivals highlighting works by creatives in the community are an experience all in their own. And as said before, it helps to see yourself in a given creative work to feel a strong connection to the piece. Films premiered at NewFest often go on to receive further critical acclaim, such as 1998’s Edge of Seventeen, which was recently shown at a public screening at Manhattan’s Ace Hotel in promotion of this year’s festival. The 2018 festival takes place October 24-30, with the schedule of films to be announced soon.
Likely participants include Hooked, a subverted, homoerotic take on Pretty Woman by LA-based writer and model Max Emerson, and Femme, a retrospective on self-expression as it relates to same-sex relationships, by New York writer and actor Corey Camperchioli, who also stars in the film alongside Broadway actress Stephanie Hsu and RuPaul’s Drag Race participant Aja.
Individual festival passes start at $150, and this level of admission includes an annual membership with NewFest, 4 tickets to general festival screenings of your choice, entrance to the priority seating line at all screenings, invitations to select events, acknowledgement in the festival program. The schedule of films is subject to change.
For more information, visit the festival website, https://newfest.org/festival/, and be sure to sign up for the mailing list.