THE AUSTIN JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL (AJFF)
APRIL 13-19, 2013

LGBT Films:

YOSSI
(Eytan Fox, 2012, Israel)
Sunday, April 14 at 9:30pm; The Regal Arbor Cinema at Great Hills
In this sensitive follow-up to Eytan Fox’s 2002 festival smash YOSSI AND JAGGER and Polari25 selection, Yossi is a workaholic cardiologist who lives alone, unable to find a worthwhile romantic connection since the death of his lover. But, when Yossi is forced to take a vacation, he meets a handsome young soldier who reawakens his passion for life and his ability to love.

OUT IN THE DARK
(Michael Mayer, 2012, Israel/Palestinian Territories/USA)
Thursday, April 18 at 9:30pm; The Regal Arbor Cinema at Great Hills
Torn between a homeland that would renounce him for his sexual identity and an Israel that repudiates him for his nationality, Nimr finds a safe haven in Roy, an idealistic Jewish lawyer he meets at a club in Tel Aviv. When Nimr’s visa is suddenly revoked and violence crashes down around them, the two must fight to find a way to be together.

CINE LAS AMERICAS
APRIL 16-21, 2013

LGBT Films:

UN MUNDO PARA RAÚL
 (A WORLD FOR RAUL)
(Mauro Mueller, 2012, Mexico/Switzerland/USA)
Wednesday, April 17 at 2:00pm; MACC (FREE)
(Part of Panorama Shorts Showcase)
When thirteen-year-old Raúl is asked to entertain the local landowner’s son, a game of power and pride starts between the two boys.

PORNO STAR
(Yashim Bahamonde and Nelson Mendoza, 2011, Peru/Saint Lucia)
Wednesday, April 17 at 2:00pm; MACC (FREE)
(Part of Panorama Shorts Showcase)
Luca is a jobless guy forced to earn money fast when he is faced with the threat of being evicted from his house.

EL EFECTO K. EL MONTADOR DE STALIN 
(THE K EFFECT. STALIN’S EDITOR)
(Valentí Figueres, 2012, Spain)
Thursday, April 18 at 4:00pm; Alamo Drafthouse Village
Maxime Stransky, a childhood friend of Sergei Eisenstein, is an actor in 1920s Moscow and an adventurer of the revolution, a counterfeiter and Hollywood producer – Stalin’s film editor. Together Stransky and Eisenstein will experience the great journey of personal creation through cinema and the collective formation of a new society.

FILME PARA POETA CEGO (FILM FOR A BLIND POET)
(Gustavo Vinagre, 2012, Brazil/Cuba)
Thursday, April 18 at 6:00pm, MACC
Glauco Mattoso, a blind sadomasochistic poet, agrees to participate in a documentary about his own life, but the conditions he imposes raise difficulties for the inexperienced director.

YO INDOCUMENTADA (I, UNDOCUMENTED)
(Andrea Baranenko, 2011, Venezuela)
Thursday, April 18 at 6:00pm; MACC (FREE)
Tamara, Desiree, and Victoria are Venezuelan women who live in Caracas and share much more than the city they live in: They are transgender women in a country in which you cannot legally change the name you were born with. The women unite and through a series of legal actions and tireless activism for equality, test the willingness of Venezuelan institutions to ensure the basic right of its citizens: the right to identity.

DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR
(Iris Almarez and Gustavo Ramos, 2012, USA)
Thursday, April 18 at 7:00pm, Alamo Drafthouse Village
In the mid-1990s a medicated grungy girl stopped taking her medication (Prozac), crossed over a rainbow, and became a woman in a crazy, wonderful place called San Francisco. Lulu, Rocio, and Illusion are struggling with the sexuality and gender roles that we all play. It is said that there is someone for everyone, and the heroines in this story put that theory to the test in a city with a history of love at its core – but will they respect themselves in the morning?

O CÉU SOBRE OS OMBROS (THE SKY ABOVE)
(Sergio Borges, 2011, Brazil)
Thursday, April 18 at 8:00pm; MACC (FREE)
Blurring borders between documentary and fiction, this film portrays a few moments from the lives of three men from Belo Horizonte: a transsexual prostitute and academic, a Hare Krishna soccer fan, and a would-be writer.

A ÚLTIMA VEZ QUE VI MACAU (THE LAST TIME I SAW MACAO)
(João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui Guerra da Mata, 2012, Portugal/France)
Thursday, April 18 at 9:45pm; Alamo Drafthouse Village
Part memoir, part city symphony, part noir-ish B-movie adventure, the new feature from critically acclaimed filmmaking duo João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui Guerra da Mata (TO DIE LIKE A MAN) is a sensual, shape-shifting ode to one of the world’s most mythic, alluring and exoticized cities.

HABANA MUDA
(Eric Brach, 2012, France/Cuba)
Friday, April 19 at 8:00pm; MACC (FREE)
In Havana’s deaf-mute community, Chino and his family struggle to make ends meet. When Chino encounters a Mexican male tourist who falls in love with him, he and his wife discuss the possibility of him fleeing to Mexico in order to make a better living and send money back to the family in Cuba.

ROUTE 22
(Malina Panovich, 2012, USA)
Saturday, April 20 at 1:30PM; Alamo Drafthouse Village
(Opens for DREAMER)
Ana, a quiet, gay teenager, encounters resistance and acceptance from different women in her life. She tries to connect with her opinionated Hispanic mother Mercedes, Jessica, a tall blond from school, and an intriguing girl named Olive she sees at the bus station, all in the course of single day.

Polari is pleased to announce the return of the Queer Youth Media Project (QYMP), our annual FREE summer film workshop for LGBT and ally youths, which will take place from July 22– August 2, 2013. This workshop is presented in partnership with the Austin School of Film (ASoF) and will be facilitated by the very talented local filmmaker Evan Roberts (33 TEETH, KEAH KOWALSKI!).

We are very proud of this exciting and empowering program, which not only teaches LGBT and ally youths the entire filmmaking process from pre-production through festival exhibition, but also provides a rare opportunity for often isolated LGBT and ally youths to connect and create in a fun, supportive, and collaborative environment. At Polari we believe that every story is important and that it’s vital to provide LGBT and ally youths with tools for self-expression. Accordingly, all LGBT and ally youths (approximately age 14-19) are encouraged to apply. Everyone is welcome, from those who have filmmaking ambitions, to those who just want to make new friends while participating in a cool and creative activity.

The QYMP is an excellent – and entirely free – way for LGBT and ally youths to enliven their summers, learn a new expressive skill and broaden their friendship and community circles. As an added bonus, students will have the opportunity to screen their films at the 26th Annual Polari Film Festival in October, 2013.

For more information and a link to the application, please visit polarifest.com/QYMP

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to Email Curran Nault.

LGBT FILMS:

PIT STOP
SXSW Premiere | Friday, March 8 at 9:15pm | Alamo Drafthouse – Slaughter Lane
Directed by talented Austin filmmaker (and Polari25 jury member) Yen Tan, PIT STOP is a beautiful, quietly moving film about the lives and loves of two gay men in small town Texas. PIT STOP premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this past January to rave reviews. Additional information and screening times!

BIG JOY: THE ADVENTURES OF JAMES BROUGHTON
World Premiere | Saturday, March 9 at 1:30pm | Stateside Theater
BIG JOY celebrates the life and art of revolutionary pre-Beat-era poet and underground filmmaker James Broughton who boldly followed his own “weird” path from the “Lavendar Scare” of McCarthy-era America through the birth and evolution of the modern gay rights movement. BIG JOY is the first feature co-directed by rising documentary talents Stephen Silha and Eric Slade. Additional information and screening times: http://schedule.sxsw.com/
2013/events/event_FS13802

BEFORE YOU KNOW IT
World Premiere | Saturday, March 9 at 4:00pm | Stateside Theater
Award-winning director-cinematographer (and past Polari board member and festival alum) PJ Raval is another hometown boy featured in SXSW. His latest film, BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, is an intimate observational documentary that gives viewers uncommon access to the lives of three gay seniors as they navigate the adventures, challenges and surprises of their golden years. Additional information and screening times!

MR. ANGEL
World Premiere | Saturday, March 9 at 7:30pm | Vimeo Theater
The provocative MR. ANGEL follows BUCK ANGEL, the notorious transgender porn star, as he challenges dominant sexual representation with a new genre of pornography, and reunites with his parents, who are unaware of his newfound fame. MR. ANGEL is the second feature doc by Dan Hunt, whose CRUEL AND UNUSUAL (co-directed with Janet Baus and Reid Williams) was well received at Polari in 2006. Additional information and screening times!

I AM DIVINE
World Premiere | Saturday, March 9 at 9:15pm | Alamo Drafthouse Ritz 1&2
I AM DIVINE, one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year, chronicles the life of Glen Milstead, a once bullied “fat kid” who became one of the most beloved outsider icons, as the in-your-face and larger-then-life “Divine” of John Waters fame (and beyond). I AM DIVINE is directed by celebrated documentary filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz who brought us last year’s crowd favorite VITO (a Polari and AIDS Services of Austin co-screening at BIG LOVE). Additional information and screening times!

CONTINENTAL
World Premiere | Sunday, March 10 at 1:30pm | Alamo Drafthouse Ritz 1&2
CONTINENTAL takes a stylish look back at the infamous Continental Baths, which opened in NYC in 1968, and became a groundbreaking site of gay sexual freedom and indulgence, as well as a launching pad for the careers of such queer icons as Bette Midler and LaBelle. CONTINENTAL is directed by Malcolm Ingram, the leading-edge talent behind such recent documentary hits as SMALL TOWN GAY BAR (2006) and BEAR NATION (2010). Additional information and screening times!

ADDITIONAL FEATURE FILMES OF LGBT INTEREST:

THE PUNK SINGER
Sunday, March 10 at 10:00pm | Vimeo Theater
Directed by Sini Anderson of Sister Spit fame, THE PUNK SINGER gives viewers, through archival footage and intimate interviews, an unprecedented glimpse into the life of feminist icon and notorious riot grrrl Kathleen Hanna, lead singer of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. Additional information and screening times!

PUSSY RIOT: A PUNK PRAYER
Tuesday, March 12 at 9:30pm | Stateside Theater
PUSSY RIOT, directed by Oscar-nominated Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin, tells the unbelievable story of the feminist art collective Pussy Riot who made headlines last year for performing a 40 second “punk prayer” inside Russia’s main cathedral. This performance led to their arrest and imprisonment on charges of religious hatred, shocking and galvanizing their supporters around the world. Additional information and screening times!

LGBT SHORTS:

And, don’t forget about the shorts! Some of the LGBT shorts at SXSW include:

NOT MY TYPE
Valentina Weatherspoon, our 2012 Polari Queer Youth Media Project filmmaker, will screen her short film, NOT MY TYPE as a part of the SXSW Texas High School Shorts Competition. This animated film explores how Valentina found her type through three kisses. Valentina created the NOT MY TYPE and SICK KIDS projects during Polari’s QYMP summer filmmaking camp. Both films premiered before the Polari Film Festival’s Opening Night Film as part of its 25th Anniversary Year Program Additional information and screening times!

“Big Shot”
Christeene’s “Big Shot” music video directed by PJ Raval, starring the local, infamous drag terrorist, as well as some ghostly free roaming rabbits. Additional information and screening times!

SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
Lauren Wolkstein’s SOCIAL BUTTERFLY about a 30-year-old American woman who enters a teenage party in the South of France, causing the guests to wonder who she is and what she is doing there. Additional information and screening times!

DEFLATED
DEFLATED a Polari25 selection following a young boy’s gender dilemma in the aisles of a superstore, directed by Filmmaker Assistance Program recipient Dustin Shroff, will also be playing as part of “Faces of Austin.” Additional information and screening time!

This list may not be entirely complete, and if we have inadvertently left your LGBTQIA film off the list, please let us know.

LGBT EVENTS:

There’s also several LGBT events and parties happening during SXSW, including our own Official SXSW Queer Brunch. Visit rawrgg.com for more information about these exciting queer happenings.

–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–

AUSTIN, Texas, February 26, 2013 — Polari (previously AGLIFF – Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival) announces the official launch of its 26th season. The Polari Nonprofit Organization is currently open for early bird discounted memberships and is accepting film submissions for the Polari Film Festival Program this October 16-20, 2013 in Austin, Texas.

“It is the steadfast mission of the Polari Nonprofit Organization to support the needs of upcoming and established LGBTQIA filmmakers through film programs that spread community awareness and equality,” Lindsay Muse, Polari Executive Director, says. “Polari’s educational film programs provide experiences that improve our society and the well-being of our patrons. We are honored to continue to grow Polari’s audience and partnerships to better serve and inspire generations to come.”

Curran Nault, Polari Artistic Director, asserts, “Polari provides a crucial space for LGBTQIA artists to showcase their work, and to connect with audiences and industry professionals in the vibrant city of Austin, as well as a space for audiences to come together and bond while enjoying quality and cutting-edge queer works. We have always been fortunate to receive so many outstanding film submissions each year, and we cannot wait to see the cinematic treasures our community members have been passionately creating this year.”

Polari’s Film Festival Program is open for film submissions through June 22, 2013. Enter your film now for a chance to debut your work at the largest and longest running LGBTQIA film festival of its kind in the Southwest. To submit your film to our juried and awarded festival, visit the 2013 Film Submission Page on PolariFest.com

Support the LGBTQIA community by becoming a member of Polari today. Membership provides support and resources for our year-round film programs, and secures your registration to join us October 16-20, 2013 for Polari Film Festival programming, industry panels and networking events. All memberships are tax-deductible and directly benefit Polari’s community-serving programs.

About The Polari Nonprofit Organization
Film Programs Serving The LGBTQIA Community
Polari promotes LGBTQIA empowerment and awareness through screenings and community programs, which seek to enlighten, educate and entertain our clients and patrons. Polari’s non-profit programs include the Queer Youth Media Project, My Queer Movie Project, Filmmaker Assistance Program, Community Partnership Program and Family Screening Program, all of which culminate in the Polari Film Festival.

The press accreditation process is currently open for members of the press interested in attending Polari’s Film Festival. Email Polari for press inquiries.

Stay tuned to PolariFest.com for more 2013 season information!

ANY DAY NOW

Monday, March 4th

Stateside at the Paramount (719 Congress Ave.)
Doors @ 6:30pm | Film @ 7:00 pm

Inspired by a true story from the late 1970s, ANY DAY NOW touches on legal and social issues that are as relevant to our communities today as they were 35 years ago. When a teenager with Down syndrome (Isaac Leyva) is abandoned by his mother, a gay couple (Cumming and Garret Dillahunt) takes him in and becomes the loving family he’s never had. But when their unconventional living arrangement is discovered by authorities, the men are forced to fight a biased legal system to save the life of the child they have come to love as their own.

Winner of the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at Tribeca, Outfest, and eight other film festivals around the country, and a GLAAD nominee for Best Film of 2012, this Austin theatrical premiere is not to be missed! Bring your tissues and be prepared to be deeply moved by the film that THE NEW YORK TIMES calls “an outraged, unblinking depiction of institutionalized homophobia,” and the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER raves is “Powerful! Superb! Depictions of custody battles have become a cinematic staple, but few register with the heartfelt emotion of ANY DAY NOW.”

Tickets:
Online Advance Admission – $11

Film Fan Admission with Card at Box Office – $7

Polari members with Card at Box Office – $8
Facebook Event Page

Featuring special appearances by SXSW LGBTQIA filmmakers!
Connect with filmmakers and industry tastemakers!
Support awareness and equality for the LGBTQIA community!

Saturday, March 9 from 11:00am-1:00pm
Polari’s Headquarters at ASoF (1632 E. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78702)
This event is open to all SXSW badge holders and our RSVP list!
RSVP now to reserve attendance: sxsw@polarifest.com

ANY DAY NOW

Monday, March 4th

Stateside at the Paramount (719 Congress Ave.)
Doors @ 6:30pm | Film @ 7:00 pm

Inspired by a true story from the late 1970s, ANY DAY NOW touches on legal and social issues that are as relevant to our communities today as they were 35 years ago. When a teenager with Down syndrome (Isaac Leyva) is abandoned by his mother, a gay couple (Cumming and Garret Dillahunt) takes him in and becomes the loving family he’s never had. But when their unconventional living arrangement is discovered by authorities, the men are forced to fight a biased legal system to save the life of the child they have come to love as their own.

Winner of the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at Tribeca, Outfest, and eight other film festivals around the country, and a GLAAD nominee for Best Film of 2012, this Austin theatrical premiere is not to be missed! Bring your tissues and be prepared to be deeply moved by the film that THE NEW YORK TIMES calls “an outraged, unblinking depiction of institutionalized homophobia,” and the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER raves is “Powerful! Superb! Depictions of custody battles have become a cinematic staple, but few register with the heartfelt emotion of ANY DAY NOW.”

Tickets:
Online Advance Admission – $11

Film Fan Admission with Card at Box Office – $7

Polari members with Card at Box Office – $8
Facebook Event Page

Featuring special appearances by SXSW LGBTQIA filmmakers!
Connect with filmmakers and industry tastemakers!
Support awareness and equality for the LGBTQIA community!

Saturday, March 9 from 11:00am-1:00pm
Polari’s Headquarters at ASoF (1632 E. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78702)
This event is open to all SXSW badge holders and our RSVP list!
RSVP now to reserve attendance: sxsw@polarifest.com

Visit PolariFest.com for 2013 Polari Film Festival Info!