The Qfest Red Videos

Yesterday, TLA had an informal gathering at the offices for all the filmmakers and guests in town. Great spread by Joseph Divon of Innovative Catering Concepts. And I’m going to go through Barefoot Wine Bubbly withdrawal after the festival; as it’s been my QFest drink of choice.

Since we had the directors, cast, producers etc in one place, we rounded them up for informal video chats in one of the back rooms of the TLA offices, where there’s a red curtain, hence the blog post title.  Here’s the results!

If you’ve missed any of the videos taken at post screening Q & A’s and audience exit interviews on facebook and twitter, you can find them on my youtube channel .

Interview with Casper Andreas (Going Down in La La Land)

QFest has had a good, long relationship with Casper Andreas (The Big Gay Musical, Between Love & Goodbye, A Four Letter Word,Violet Tendencies) making his latest film Going Down in La La Land the perfect choice for our closing night film.

We got a chance to have a little chat with Casper on La La Land, filmmaking and QFest!

Q: What attracted you to the novel “Going Down In LA-LA Land”?

CA: I used to live the struggling actor life in LA about 10 years ago; so I loved the depictions of that world in the novel. I also thought it was interesting why anyone (like the lead character Adam) would think it would be a good idea to get into pornography.

In addition, I really loved some of the characters in the novel — in particular Candy — and I thought it would all lend itself really well to a feature film.

Q: Going Down in La La Land is about the seamier side of the entertainment industry. Any first hand knowledge of the porn world?

CA: No. But I have a friend who worked on the administration side for a company in LA ; he gave me advice on the script in addition to helping  me secure some locations and extras for some of those scenes.

Q: Other than comedic, how would you describe your signature style; particularly for viewers who have not yet seen your previous films?

CA: Well, if they haven’t, they should buy them at once!

I guess I’m mostly known for my sexy romantic comedies. This film is a bit darker — more of a dark comedy, or a dramedy, and I like the tone of it a lot. For me, it’s important to make films that are well-acted, nicely shot, and with interesting stories that have something to say, even if on the surface, they might be very light and comedic. So far all my films have been very low-budget; but I work very hard for them to not look low-budget!  I think “Going Down in LA-LA Land” is my most ambitious film to date and my sleekest looking film as well.

Q: You founded Embrem Entertainment in 2004.  So many filmmakers want to produce and distribute their own films. How hard was it to get Embrem started? And did you have help with financing?

CA: My first film “Slutty Summer” was shot on a micro budget and me and my roommate at the time, who came on as a producer, put up all the money and countless hours into making the film. The success of that film made it easier to get investors for my second one.

Today it’s even more possible to make a great looking film on a tiny budget, if you have some talent and are willing to put the time in.  So I would advice anyone who wants to do it, to stop talking about it and go out and do it!

Q: Does Embrem go to film festivals and seek out films to distribute?

CA: I got into distributing my own films as a way to get them released the way I wanted, keep some control, and hopefully be able to pay back my investors faster, but I’m not really interested in distributing anyone else’s films at this time.

Q:  The QFest film synopsis says that a strong element to the film is the relationship between the lead Adam and his roommate Candy. Was this the case in the novel? Or did you punch this up for the film?

CA: That was in the novel as well. Candy says and does some hilarious things in the novel that I included in the script. I changed the character a bit from the novel though to make her more likable and a little less of a user.  Actually, Candy in the film is also partly inspired by my straight female roommate who I lived with in LA for a while and who like Candy, was always looking for a man to help support her.

Allison Lane who plays the role is fantastic. At screenings so far everyone adores her! I think we succeeded in creating two leading characters who are endearing in all their flaws and who the audiences are rooting for in the end.

Q: And, was it difficult casting to find a Candy that would have the right chemistry with Matthew Ludwinski?

CA: Actually, I cast Allison first. She had a role in my film “A Four Letter Word” and I just loved her and as I was writing the script I  knew she would just be perfect for it. I had worked with Matthew as well — he had a role in my film “Between Love & Goodbye” and he was the first person I read for the role of Adam. But since it’s quite a demanding role (Adam is in almost every scene). I felt I needed to see other actors as well; so I auditioned actors both in LA and NYC for the role before offering it to him.

I then had Matthew and Allison meet up and work together on their relationship and they became great friends. It’s funny, at the time of us making the film they were both based in NYC. Matthew moved to LA earlier this year, and now Allison just moved to LA as well, and is staying with Matthew while looking for a place.

Q:  What do you love about QFest?

CA: That you play all my films!! QFest has been very supportive of my work over the years – all six of my features, plus a short, has played the festival. “A Four Letter Word” was the opening night film in 2007 and “The Big Gay Musical” was the closing night film in 2009. Last year, “Violet Tendencies” was a centerpiece film. I’m thrilled to be back with another closing night film!

“La La Land” screened this month at Oufest here’s an excerpt of Greg in Hollywood.com’s review:

The movie was shot in 19 days in and around Los Angeles. While it has its dark moments,  overall, “it’s a feel-good movie. You can’t stop laughing from beginning to end. I think anyone who has ever pursued acting or moved to LA will really relate to this movie.”

Single tickets and Closing Night Combo tickets are available.

Don’t forget to like Going Down in La La Land facebook page

The One (video Q & A)

The One is an engaging film about a man about to marry the perfect woman, until he finds the perfect man. Although you are pulled into the story thru Tommy (Ian Novick) dishing to his side-kick type friend (Michael Billy) about his hook up with a “virgin”;  I still wouldn’t really classify this film as a  Rom/Com.  Not because the other woman is a man, but it doesn’t really have the beats of a traditional romantic comedy. And the lead character, (Ken Doll handsome) Daniel (Jon Prescott) plays it straight, I mean, there’s no comedy to his performance.

QFest Attendee had this to say about the film on facebook:

Rajnish Dave

The One: this movie is truly a gem! Its a masterpiece and achieves perfection in all aspects of the film. The entire cast delivers an engaging performance and the relationships truly explore in-depth the ethics / morality. I liked the closed book metaphor at the end with Daniel and the split mirror reflection of drunk Tommy. Only sour point was the caricatured acting of Tommy’s male friend in the movie. He seemed forced into an otherwise perfect masterpiece. Tommy’s confidante could have been his mom or a more subdued and believable female friend.

We were pleased to have the film’s director, Caytha Jentis with us for a Q & A after Monday Night’s screening (video below)

REVIEW: “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same”

Bridget O’Loughlin from PhillyGayCalendar.com reviews

“Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same.”

When I saw the opening night submission, I believe that my reaction was,”Ugh, really? Lesbian aliens?” This might have been true for others, as the theater was not as full as I would have hoped it would be for opening night, but I want to change that for their second screening being held on Monday, July 11th.

While on the surface, Madeleine Olnek’s “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same”, is a black and white kitchsy alien movie, it is so much more than that. Olnek combined her thoughts about searching for the right person and feeling like you are never going to find them, along with the “big feelings” that we have all experienced when we meet someone new that we are dating. Instead of those two concepts being turned into the “usual” lesbian movie, she used her great imagination to translate that into a funny, original movie about aliens coming to earth….

Read more at PhillyGayCalendar.com

Punch Me Director Robert X Golphin Answers Q-Questions

Q: What was the first LGBT film you ever saw?  Did you watch it openly or in secret?

RG: To be honest, I cannot recall the first LGBT film I saw. But there are many stories and characters over the years that have inspired me a great deal, both as a filmmaker and a man.

Q & A:  Fill in the blanks: When it comes to being a filmmaker what I lack in …equipment  I make up for in… story and character.

Q: Although we know you’d like to see every film screening at QFest, just give us your top 3 pick of films  (besides your own), you want to see or have seen in the festival.

RG: This is such an unfair question. Man, I’m stumped. The loglines and plots are just too darn intriguing. But if someone were dangling me over a bridge and forcing me to choose 3 picks (besides my own, “Punch Me”), I suppose one of them would have to be a beautiful film that I saw at Sundance called “Gun Hill Road”. Another would be “My Last Round” (especially since my film screens alongside it). And a third would be “Looking For Simon”.

– Best Regards,

ROBERT X. GOLPHIN (Award-Winning Filmmaker/Screenwriter Award-Nominated Actor)

Video: Elwood Idris Simon, Robert X Golphin and Brian Anthony Wilson

 

Punch Me screens Wednesday, July 13th 7:15pm Ritz East 2 and Saturday, July 16th 12pm Ritz East 2.  Robert along with actors Brian Anthony Wilson and Elwood Idris Simon will be in attendance at both screenings!

( Punch Me USA, 2011, 14 min )

With a romance on the rocks and a father on his sick bed, a young man must accept his true identity before he loses the two people he loves most. Local filmmaker Robert X. Golphin writes, directs and stars in this arresting dramatic short.

Be sure to like both Robert’s own facebook page and the Punch Me facebook page

J.T. Tepnapa Director of Opening Night Film – Judas Kiss

Q: What was the first LGBT film you ever saw?  Did you watch it openly or in secret!

JT: The first gay movie I ever saw was Torch Song Trilogy (Also see Kanchi Wichmann post) on VHS. I was just  coming out and dating an older man. At first I was wondering why my cute older dude boyfriend was making me watch the guy with the funny voice.  This movie is weird. And then I saw Matthew Broderick! OMG Ferris! I ended  up falling in love with Torch Song Trilogy and Harvey too.

Now I’m the older dude making young gay men watch it. It’s a classic!

Q&A: Fill in the blanks: When it comes to being a filmmaker what I lack in… CAMERA TECH, I make up for in DELEGATION -

I started out as an actor and started putting myself into short films. Although I love actors and love crafting performances out of my cast, my  weakness is the technical stuff that makes that camera thingy work. That’s why I surround myself with really smart people that understand the technical aspects of movie making. Not only does it make my job easier, it  also has helped me grow as a filmmaker.

Although we know you’d like to see every film screening at QFest, just  give us your top 3 pick of films  (besides your own), you want to see  or have seen in the festival.

1. Going Down in LA-LA Land - I keep missing this film at festivals.
2. Tomboy - I loved this movie at Frameline.
3. Finding Mr. Wright - Cause I love me some Matthew Montgomery!

 J.T. Tepnapa (Director Judas Kiss)

JT also sent us this montage behind the scenes look at Judas Kiss

BEST OPTION: Order Opening Night Combo (Judas Kiss) and After Party on the 33rd Floor of the Loews Hotel – featuring Smirnoff Vodka, Bluecoat Gin, Barefoot Wines, culinary creations and DJ June Rodriguez – Thursday, July 7, Beginning 7:15 PM

And don’t forget to like Judas Kiss facebook page!

Spotlight on Winner Takes All

Fatelink Productions is not playing when it comes to marketing their Short, Winner Takes All, they’ve sent a wonderful amalgamation of materials for the film.  

Actually, We’d  like to take this moment to thank ALL the filmmakers who have contributed to the Qblog, can’t wait to see what else comes in!

Winner Takes All (Directed by Camille Carida) is a dark comedy tackling the “looks” hierarchy in gay L.A.. It follows the unapologetic manipulator Ryker as he engineers a fight between his two lovers….with Ryker himself as the ultimate prize. After all, Ryker (Gavyn Michaels, “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency”) is gorgeous and talented and smart and famous (sort of), so he deserves to be a prize, right?

Here’s a clip and film introduction by writer/producer Hunter Lee Hughes:

In addition, Hunter Lee Hughes is the first filmmaker to send a video response to the 3 Q-Questions! What was Hunter’s first LGBT film to make an impact on his life? Watch to find out.

And for QFest’s Spanish-speaking audience. Winner Takes All principal actor,  Adrian Quinonez did an interview with “Los Ojos Del Espectador”  click HERE to read.

Winner Takes All screens on Friday, July 8, 5:15 PM (Ritz at the Bourse) & Monday, July 11, 9:15 PM (Ritz East Theater 2) Preceeding the film Over the Edge .

And also

Thursday, July 14, 9:30 PM (Ritz East Theater 2) & Sunday, July 17, 9:30 PM (Ritz at the Bourse) preceeding the film Kink Crusaders.

Join us for an after-party on Thursday, July 14, until 2:00 AM at The Bike Stop, (204 S. Quince Street), in the Gayborhood. Where Hunter and Kink Crusaders’ Dorjan Williams (Editor/Co-producer) and Lombodara Das  will be talking with QFest Attendees!

And don’t forget to like both  Winner Takes All facebook page and Kink Crusaders facebook page!

Kanchi Wichmann “Break My Fall” Answers Q-Questions

Q: What was the first LGBT film you ever saw? Did you watch it openly or in secret?

KW: I think the first LGBT film I saw was Torch Song Trilogy – My dad was sharing a flat with some friends and I found it in their video collection. The first LGBT film I saw that really had an impact on me though was Go Fish, I was deep in the emotional turmoil of my first lesbian relationship and went to see it with a straight male friend. Afterwards he kept waffling on about the film and I was in another dimension, having never seen women like that on screen before!

Q & A: Fill in the blanks: When it comes to being a filmmaker what I lack in…Crowd Pleasing_ I make up for in… Originality.

Although we know you’d like to see every film screening at QFest, just give us your top 3 pick of films (besides your own), you want to see or have seen in the festival.

1. Dirty Girl
2. My Mama Said Yo Mama’s a Dyke
3. Gun Hill Road

Thanks,

Kanchi Wichmann
Director: Break My Fall

Filled with sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll, Break My Fall brilliantly follows a sexy gender-bending dyke couple who work hard and play harder in East London’s vibrant queer underground.

Set across three days, baby butch Liza (Kat Redstone) and fiery Sally (Sophie Anderson) are a couple struggling to make ends meet both financially and emotionally. This tumultuous pair find respite with their incestuous friends; in the success of their band, The Blankets; snorting coke; and their fervent sex life. Everything comes to a head the day that Liza turns 25 and the lovers decide this is the turning point in their relationship. What starts out as quiet and romantic rapidly descends into an ominous night that will redefine their lives. Director Kanchi Wichmann splendidly captures the beauty and volatility that surrounds young love. Break My Fall is one of those films that sticks in your conscious for a very long time. — Kelly Burkhardt

Break My Fall screens Thursday, July 14, 7:15 PM (Ritz at the Bourse) & Friday, July 15, 5:00 PM (Ritz at the Bourse) Tickets on Sale Now!   And don’t forget to like the Break My Fall facebook page

Michael Simon, The Love Patient (Q & A)

Michael Simon, writer/director of The Love Patient was the next filmmaker to respond to our Q-Questions:

Q: What was the first LGBT film you ever saw?  

MS: Well, who can forget Making Love with Harry Hamlin and Michael Ontkean. The scenes
where they meet and get hot for each other in the doctor’s office were pretty racy. And how about when Kate Jackson deliberately drops and smashes a dinner plate in the dining room to get his attention. Priceless!! I saw it with two friends and you can be sure we both wanted examinations after that

Q & A: Fill in the blanks – When it comes to being a filmmaker what I lack in …camp  I make up for in… heart.

Although we know you’d like to see every film screening at QFest, just give us your top 3 pick of films  (besides your own), you want to see or have seen in the festival.

Shorts

RUBDOWN
I WAS A TEENAGE WEARBEAR

Features

BITE MARKS
Longhorns
The Perfect Family

Michael

A hunky but self-centered ad executive pretends he has life-threatening cancer in order to win back the love of his ex in this wild American indie comedy.

QFest is thrilled to host the world premiere of the often hilarious, raucous tale of what one man would do to gain back his ex. Paul (Benjamin Lutz, Love Bites) is a cocky, fast-talking, hard-living, self-centered hunk and ad executive who thinks he may have lost a good thing when sensitive hunk Brad (John Werskey, also in Love Bites) drops him and begins dating another man. Not used to losing and determined to regain his love, Paul, in Lucy-inspired “great idea,” announces to all that he has cancer, a sad situation which is sure to have Brad running back to him. But the plan he concocted spirals out-of-control when Paul’s family spring into action by moving into his apartment and making it a near-hospice. With distraught parents and a skeptical sister hovering around, any chance of reigniting the romance with his ex becomes remote. A plan B is needed! Populated by outrageous characters, this is a fun, entertaining, wacky romantic comedy of what one man would do for love, brought to us by director Michael Simon (Gay Zombie). — Raymond Murray

Check out The Love Patient film intro video, which features Michael Simon pop interviewing strangers, asking the question, “What is the craziest thing you’ve done for love?”

Michael and the Qblog would love to hear your answers too!

The Love Patient screens Saturday, July 9, 9:30 PM (Ritz East Theater 1) and Sunday, July 10, 5:00 PM (Ritz East Theater 1) Tickets on Sale Now!   And don’t forget to like Love Patient facebook page.

Scud Interview (Love Actually… Sucks!)

Q: When it comes to love, sex and relationships, What do you hope our QFest audience will take away from this film (Love Actually… Sucks!) ?

Scud: I reckon many audiences may find sympathetic experience from their own love. To me the film is a vibration, a sign, an exclamation to what love is and means to our life, and the fact that passion is often very fateful, as the shopkeeper in the island said to “Spider”: rivals meet, lovers drift apart (a concept in Buddhism). Some love like that just can’t work out in the current life and there is little we can do about it.

The reason for leading this post with the ending question to the film’s director Scud, is because it’s such a wonderful answer!  And an enticing teaser on the qfest.com website blog feed. (Scroll down for more Scud Interview)

But as a proper introduction to the post, we are so looking forward to presenting the World Premiere of Love Actually… Sucks!  And screening Amphetamine; but we are overly stimulated by the fact that Scud, the filmmaker of these two World Cinema centerpieces will be at QFest in person, along with members of his cast (Ryo van Kooten, Haze Leung and Lareine Xu).

Here’s the synopsis, in case you haven’t had a chance to check out this film yet:

Taking inspiration from six different court cases involving crimes of the heart, Scud examines the intense, often self-destructive sexual longings among several well-to-do young Hong Kong residents – gay, lesbian and straight. The film opens with the most scandalous wedding reception ever put on film: a young couple’s marriage ends (in the most dramatic fashion) before it begins. There is the 30-ish married gym instructor who trolls the active bathroom scene for young flesh; a lesbian couple with roleplay issues; a dance instructor who becomes the object of attraction to his much older student; a married painter who falls for his male model; a brother and sister who take family togetherness a bit too literally; and a young man who becomes increasingly deranged until he takes his love interest problems into his own hands. In Scud’s world, every love story is a fairy tale – but here the stories are sexual and troubling. Overall, a complex, sensual and compelling film. (Cantonese with English subtitles) — Raymond Murray

Attendees will  have a chance to discuss both films at length with Scud, during the festival Q & A’s after each screening: Love Actually… Sucks - Saturday, July 9, 7:30 PM (Ritz at the Bourse) & Sunday, July 10, 9:30 PM (Ritz at the Bourse).

Amphetamine – Friday, July 8, 7:00 PM (Ritz East Theater 2) & Saturday, July 9, 12:15 PM( Ritz East Theater 2)

However, in advance of the Q &A’s, I had a chance to ask Scud a few questions for the QBlog:

Q: Did you do a lot of research on the 6 court cases the film represents? Or did you just use the headlines of these crimes for the beginning idea?

S: Some of those were rather high profile cases, like the “Spider” story which hit the headline a few times, to the extent that we could dress him with the same cloth, interviewed the shopkeeper who met him, and shot at exactly the same location where he spent the last 19 days of his life. For the less covered ones we went to court files to make sure the drama is close to the reality whenever possible.

Q:  When shooting, did you film all the scenes of one story completely before shooting the next story?

S: We had to shot the scenes in parallel. The need for so many casts from different parts of the world also limited our options.

Q: How are movies with a lot of sex received in Hong Kong? Are your films able to reach a wide audience?

S: Unfortunately, the film has yet to clear the censorship of both Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Asian especially Chinese community is still very conservative on sex scenes and so called moral issues such as incest. My earlier films actually set precedents for the HK cinemas, like “Amphetamine” caused so much controversies that there was a wide debate on whether we need a censorship body at all.

Q: What are you looking forward to doing in Philadelphia besides attending QFest?  When was the last time you were in the United States?

S: I was in a few film festivals in US last year, and just returned from California. I’ve never been to Philadelphia but knowing it was the first capital and major city of USA. I’m very excited to meet the audiences over there and look forward to any questions and discussions about my films in this greatest film market of the world.  But sightseeing or the sort is not my cup of tea.

Here’s QFEST video of  both Amphetamine and Love Actually post screening Q & A’s:

Scud also sent us some behind the scenes footage on the making of Love Actually… Sucks! (Note: Don’t adjust your computer’s audio, it’s subtitled without sound).