OUTFEST 2008

As they say when in Rome......

I learned about OUTFEST this weekend from the guy who has the same name. For those that don’t know, OUTFEST 2008 is the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Apparently the festival has been going on for a number of days now, and each night they screen a number of different films. I did a little research on the festival over the last few days and today was the first night that I actually went to go see a screening. This was the first film festival that I have ever attended.

I really had a nice night. In the lobby of the theatre before the screening I ran into a guy that I had met on Sunday at the function I attended. We spoke a little beforehand and I provided a bit more detail about my life and why I recently moved to LA. We then viewed the screening together. I got his business card and I look forward to his friendship and support as I continue to settle here in LA. He is a really nice guy who is a bit older than I, he already has a partner, and he has quite a few contacts here in town.

Tonight I saw Keen on Boys. Keen on Boys was a compilation of a number of different short films. The films were; Mr. A, Shotgun, Tá, Center of the Universe, Two Spirits One Journey, Romeo’s Kiss, and Silver Road. I thought all of them were decent shorts, but the ones that spoke to me the most were Center of the Universe, Two Spirits One Journey, and Silver Road. At the conclusion of the screening was a question/answer period with the writers of the films. I thought that was very cool, although the detail about film making is foreign to me. That is one of the funny things about me now living out here in Hollywood. I have never really been a film aficionado. I either find a film entertaining or a waste of time. I am here, and to steal a line from the short film Two Spirits One Journey, “you’re going to Hollywood, can you pick a more gay city.” And you guys know the rest.

Since I had such a nice night I decided that I would take advantage of this festival and screen a number of other films. So I bought tickets to Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild for Saturday night, Antarctica for Sunday afternoon, and Were the World Mine for Sunday night which also happens to be the Awards night as well as having an after party.

I’m looking forward to these remaining films for the cultural experience and the sense of community that they foster. And who knows, maybe I will meet someone. At a minimum, I hope my rigid and stiff concrete barrier will begin to crack as I gain more comfort and familiarity within the community.