When I interviewed filmmaker, Casper Andreas he said that he was very proud of his latest film, Going Down in La La Land, because it was a departure from his lighter fare; describing the film as a dramedy.  The execution of this coalescence of genre’s is effective; yet the overall feel of the film – doesn’t feel like a film to me; but rather the pilot of a new HBO or Showtime series.

I can picture watching the two lead characters, Adam (Matthew Ludwinski) with his immediate likability, sultry boy pout and good hair and Candy (Allison Lane), a dime a dozen blonde, set apart by being part flake/part mastermind – each week in a new adventure as they try to navigate their way into Hollywood fame and success. It could be sold as Entourage meets Will and Grace. 

Well, at any rate, as a film, Going Down in La La Land seemed to be well-received by our QFest audiences who were quite interested in knowing when the film will be available online or released outside of film festivals. Below is the Q & A:

Then it was on to the party at Trust (249 Arch Street) for those in heels, thankfully, it was just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Ritz East.

Great party space, just wish it was a little less treacherous to get up to and down from the upper level.

Acknowledgements go out to Darling’s Diner for catering and Termini Bros  for providing their famous cannoli’s.

Hopefully, throughout the festival you were keeping up on all the great Qfest coverage on Philly Gay Calendar – if not, click link to check out their reviews, pics and video interviews.

More pics, including sponsor shout outs can be found on Qfest facebook page.

Patrick Hagerty, QFest official photographer shots can be found on his Picasso Page

All the Q & A, interviews and review videos can be found HERE on youtube

Believe it or not, these are the Qfest protectionists

I interviewed this cute couple Joe and Doug together 14 years, both agreed Going Down in La La Land was fabulous! eCupid was excellent! And Perfect Family with Kathleen Turner was really good. But Joe became fascinated with Kink Crusaders, the documentary on the international leather convention in Chicago -  “It wasn’t what you’d think it was going to be, but it was really interesting. I think I’m going to have to take a Memorial Day vacation next year and go to Chicago. I’m not into leather, (Doug chimes in, “Yes, he is”) but it seems like a fun time”.

And I enjoyed talking to this local artist, Quynh-Mai Nguyen - “My definite favorite was Married in Spandex, I just loved how non-traditional it was, how goofy and awkward and it was just hilarious, it was great!”

One of the evening’s highlights was the male fashion show (see video below).   Very nice choices on the clothing, however,  I suggest you fast forward a bit to the swimsuit part of the tape, where I zoomed in on pecks, checks, abs and unmentionables:

Kudos to the organizer and sponsors of the fashion show: Noel Zayas Productions, House of Talent (model agency), Metro Clothing (retailer), Tommy Berner

The awards ceremony hosted by WMMR’s, Pierre Robert was video taped as well, but the din of noise made it impossible to hear – so here’s the list of Audience and Jury Award Winners:

Jury Awards

Best Short Film (Tie)- The Queen, directed by Christina Choe & The Kiss, directed by Ashlee Page

Best First Time Director – Romeos, directed by Sabine Bernardi

Best Documentary- Wish Me Away, directed by Bobbi Berleffi, Beverly Kopf

Best Feature Film – Tomboy, directed by Celine Sciamma

Audience Awards

Best Short Film – I Don’t Want to Go Back Alone, directed by Daniel Ribeiro

Best Documentary- Married in Spandex, directed by Devin Gallagher and Allison Kole

Best Comedic Film – Eating Out – Drama Camp, directed by Q. Allan Brocka

Best Feature Film- Gun Hill Road, Directed by Rashaad Ernesto Green

It’s been quite a ride! Sex, Romance, Drama, Camp, Drag and so much nudity; particularly shower scenes, LGBT filmmakers have a big thing for showers.

I did my best to keep you informed and hopefully a bit entertained.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for QFEST 18 – July 12- 23, 2012!

Le Anne Lindsay is a professional freelance blogger and social media manager who can also be found on her own blog  Tinsel & Tine

The Love Patient

Benjamin Lutz has real movie star chops. That much is certain after watching him carry the story of a lying, selfish manipulator from start to finish without ever losing his charm. Handsome but not primped to the 9th, Lutz has an easy-going accessibility that makes him an ideal leading man for romantic comedies like this one.

Playing an ad executive who pretends to have cancer as a last-ditch attempt to bring his ex back into the fold, Lutz navigates the character of Paul as an immature but well-meaning huckster and steers clear of the kind of smarmy arrogance that could have poisoned the appeal of his character. Coercing your doctor to lie to your family and carrying on a charade of phony chemo treatments for as long as it takes to get an ex out of his new beau’s arms and into your makeshift home hospital bed is a pretty low tactic; Pulling that off without looking like a downright bad person is no small feat, and in the hands of a lesser actor the story could have crashed and burned before the first I.V. was jammed into the our love patient’s bloodstream.

There are some strong supporting performances as well, such as the delightfully campy scenery-chewing screen time of Madison Gray as Paul’s foil and younger sister Madison, a self-made woman who resents her brother’s uncanny ability to luck out despite his clumsy, self-centered ways. Paul’s mother (Laura Ulsh) is also a force to be reckoned with, particularly when she hosts a macrobiotic dinner and hallucinogen-spiked new age-y ceremony led by a wild-eyed hippie with an indiscernible accent named Earth (Annabelle Monroe).

John Werskey, as Paul’s ex Ted, brings things down to earth as he earnestly struggles with Paul’s condition with his residual affections bubbling up to the surface, and the events unfold just as they should, although the pace does drag at times.

There is a streak of a sort of sitcom television mildness running through The Love Patient that stops it just short of its potential. This is, after all, a pretty dark affair, what with the C word hovering over everything, but other than a feather-light storyline involving a young boy who is afflicted, much of the story is played safe, almost to the point of blandness, and there are scenes where the actors visibly struggle to bring life to some stilted bits of dialogue. In a TV format, Paul’s apartment, where he spends most of the film, might suffice as the primary set, but on film the apartment doesn’t provide enough visual bang for your movie buck. It feels and sounds a little empty and stifling.

In any case, the premise for the The Love Patient provides a gutsy platform for the rom-com antics therein, and the conniving primary character Paul is brought to life with warmth and affability by actor Benjamin Lutz, whose love patient could drive a man’s man to a rush degree in nursing.

Eating Out: Drama Camp

You might accuse writer/director Q. Allen Brocka of beating a dead horse with a fourth Eating Out movie, except that he’s able to bring the familiar faces of yesteryear into a whole new context, and with the addition of talented new cast members and some inventive plotting, Drama Camp stands on its own and is right up there with the best of Judd Apatow and company.

The gang hits the woods this time around for a special theatrical camp experience headed by one Dick Dickey (Drew Droege AKA the face behind those hilarious Chloe Sevigny videos), an unbalanced thespian who hasn’t had sex for seven years and doesn’t see why anyone else should, either. That brings us to the very smart conceit that wins the day: NO SEX ALLOWED AT CAMP! That’s right. It’s a movie filled to brimming with hotties and hotties and hotties, and for a good portion of the movie, no one is allowed to get down. That keeps the tension up, and when the narrative finally lets us have it… it bears mentioning that the version of Drama Camp that will be screening on Logo on July 24th will be edited to leave certain things out. We’ll leave it at that.

Elsewhere, newcomer Harmony Santana (Gun Hill Road)brings heart to the proceedings as a trans actress who tries to be patient with her awkward suitor, and Daniel Skelton’s Casey sincerely tries to figure out his relationship with wandering-eyed Zack (Chris Salvatore). As Penny, Lilach Mendelovich punches things up as the scrappy camp underdog who hatches schemes to help Casey, leading to an especially memorable sequence involving an enticing pair of white briefs and some poison sumac.

Bite Marks

No such memorable sequence graces the screen during the running time of Bite Marks, which is unfortunate given the sharpness of its comic dialogue and its eerie set piece, a broke-down eighteen wheeler with a mysterious cargo of a single coffin, stranded overnight at a scrap yard in the middle of nowhere. With all that’s going for it, including wryly bright performances from the leads, writer/director Mark Bessenger still fumbles the events leading up to the final showdown between man and vampire, leaving everyone to run around aimlessly like a dismembered corpse with its head cut off.

Benjamin Lutz plays Brewster, a brooding trucker who picks up a gay couple on a backpacking trip, on the condition that they talk to him so he’ll be able to stay awake. Once they reach their supposed destination, the axl breaks and they have to wait for a mechanic to come check things out. And that’s where the carnage begins. And ends. The trio engage in some interesting discussion of vampire mythology throughout film history that leads to the movie’s own take on vampires, but the fanged monsters of Bite Marks, for the most part, don’t make much of a mark on the genre, and instead are dispensed of like so many gruesome whack-a-moles.

Brewster, for his part, has a compelling story that includes a cuckolded big brother and some secret desires, but the script takes him for a bold, yet unsatifying turn that could leave audiences cold. And as the gay backpacking couple, Windham Beacham and David Alanson do a bang-up job cracking wise and matching wits against their toothy nemeses. However, when Bite Marks arrives at its climactic third act, with all of its characters and occult forces in place, Bessenger seems content to simply draw a straight, uncomplicated line to the end, leaving this reviewer slack-jawed in mid-popcorn toss, sputtering “That’s it? Really?”

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 .

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

It has a lot of entities, off-shoots and expansions, but the company’s foundation was planted in Philly 30 years ago!  And original partners – Raymond Murray, Claire Kohler and Eric Moore are still going strong!

Last Saturday (July 9th) while filmmakers were here for QFest,

TLA hosted a party in the offices on 234 Market Street in Olde City.

Here’s some photos & video:

Group Shot with Ray Murray, Derek Curl, Thom Cardwell, Scud and Cast

Griffen Affel, VP of Sales for TLA Releasing and Print Traffic Manager for QFest w/ his girlfriend, Daylen and Ryan Suits, Creative Production Specialist at TLA Releasing

Carol Coombes, QFest Managing Director with her partner Raquel

TLA Releasing (QFEST SPONSORS) staff: KellyBurkhardt, Derek Curl & Amanda Rae Simon wishing TLA Happy 30th, discussing TLA Releasing’s mission and their love & support of LGBTQ cinema.

Below is guerrilla type media posting – ideally, I’d like to synch the video of the TLA memorabilia with the audio of Claire’s interview on the Marilyn Russell Show (95 Ben FM), in which she goes over the entire history of how TLA came to be.

Unfortunately, although I’m an old hand at blog writing, I’m a novice at blog media (need editing app) So, here are the two things separately. I’m sure some of the talented TLA staff can put it together for me.

TLA History_Claire Kohler_Ben FM.WMA

MORE Anniversary party PHOTOS, by QFest Photographer Patrick Hagerty

If you’ve been following us on facebook and twitter, you may have seen a number of post that start with Press Alert!  That’s because Megan Smith of  Brownstone PR | public relations, strategic development & event planning, has really been successful in getting the word out about Philly’s LGBTQ 17th Annual Film Festival – QFEST!

Here’s just a few press links and film reviews from QFest’s 2nd week:

As part of this year’s QFest, the evocatively-titled “Married in Spandex” addresses the volatile issue. Rather than attempting a comprehensive overview, the documentary focuses on a specific pair of lesbians, Amanda Kole and Rachel Turanski. The 20-something lovebirds from West Philly decide to get legally hitched… Chestnut Hill Local

QFest favorite picks/reviews from Cherry Grrl (Lesbian entertainment news + Culture) This was my second year attending QFEST, and I was once again impressed by the cultural breadth of independent queer filmmaking. Below are a handful of reviews of films that I recommend you see, either on the wide or home screen… – Cherry Grll

Ever see a film before it’s officially released? QFest audiences will have that opportunity on July 18 (7 p.m.) when Morgan, a new film by writer-director Michael Akers, is screened at the Ritz East.

Not only will Akers (he also directed Phoenix and Gone, But Not Forgotten) be available to answer questions after the showing of this romantic comedy, but co-writer Sandon Berg will also be in Philly for the screening to discuss what it was like working with the film’s hunky leading men Leo Minaya and Jack Kesy. – GPhilly 

The Jewish Exponent lists a few must-attend events for today – QFest being one of them.

With films boasting strong ticket sales and positive audience reaction, QFest is excited to announce this year’s festival favorites! As part of the Closing Night festivities on Monday, July 18, QFest will present a lineup of 7 films that serve as a great snapshot of this year’s 12-day LGBT cinema extravaganza. The lineup covers everything from politics and same-sex marriage, to the comedic tale of a young, “straight” man with queer fantasies… -Fest21

Finisterrae
A highlight of the QFest’s Danger After Dark sidebar, the debut of Sergio Caballero is pure sui generis—an extreme art film whose brow tilts high and low but never to the middle. Two ghosts, dressed in white sheets, traverse Europe to the end of the world, all so they can be reincarnated as earthly beings. Along the way, they encounter a forest with ears grafted on trees, subtitled talking reindeer Read more: http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/screen/The-Rest-of-the-QFest.html#ixzz1SB010SSe

Week two of the17th annual QGest of LGBT films is rolling onward with another blast of screenings, many of them world/east coast/local premieres and with an exciting crowd of directors and performers in town to push the product and to meet the fans at open parties and pre-and post-screenings.  University City Review

Tomboy Review

Mikael (Zoé Héran) is the new boy in town. He makes new friends easily, including Lisa (Jeanne Disson), and, since his family has arrived during the summer break, he spends a lot of time with his pals frolicking in the woods and at the swimming hole.
But once he’s back home with his pregnant mother (Sophie Cattani), hard-working father (Mathieu Demy), and little sister Jeanna (Malonn Lévana), things are different: Mikael is Laure, daughter, sister, and the “Tomboy” of the title…- Edge Philadelphia Review

Edge Philadelphia Q Fest Photo Album – The Best of Week 1

More to come…

What upcoming films still have Guests?  Where’s the Socializing?  What films have been chosen for the Monday TBA Slots?

All that information is found in this PDF

QFEST GUEST LIST 7.16.2011 (for Downloading)

and Viewed below: 

Please also continue to follow us on Twitter   and facebook for additions and reminders.

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)

If suspense fiction has taught us anything, it’s that visiting tidal islands inescapable during high-water hours is never, ever good for one’s health. This is duly discovered by the protagonists of “Unhappy Birthday,” a trio of mainlanders whose trip to a remote Northumberland locale proves unhealthy indeed. First mainstream feature for writing-directing duo Mark Harriott and Mike Matthews, veterans of gay erotica titles and nonfiction TV respectively, is stronger on atmosphere than narrative punch. Its horror trappings should attract niche VOD sales, though less adventurous genre fans might bridle at the pic’s gay content. – Movietimesfinder.com

Birthday parties have long been home to the exact ingredients needed to concoct a recipe for disaster. Especially in horror flicks. The latest murderous import from the UK realizes this and as a result is geared up to celebrate in a different way.

Unhappy Birthday, directed by Mark Harriott and Mike Matthews, stars David Paisley, Christina De Vallee, Jill Riddiford, Jonathan Keane and David McGillivray. – Dreadcentral.com

Unhappy  Birthday screens on Thur. 7/14 9:30 Ritz Bourse as part of Danger After Dark and in Qfest Friday 7/15 5pm Ritz East2 – Still time to purchase tix!

And don’t forget to like Unhappy Birthday facebook page

Becky Lane (Director), Amy Driesler (Actress) POKER FACE, Deb Shoval (Director) AWOL, Giovanna Chesler (Director) BYE BI LOVE

Qblogger did all women on Sunday – Love Her or Leave Her was such strong programming! All of the shorts were clever and expressed so much in so little time. But after polling a few women after the screening “AWOL” by Deb Shoval seemed to be the favorite, with several people saying they’d like to see it extended to a feature.

There were plenty of good questions for these female filmmakers. Below is the Q & A Video:

I’m so glad the woman next to me, Sandi (pic left) at Love Her or Leave Her, suggested I see Wish Me Away, instead of  Three.

Although, I rode home on the bus with a guy who liked Wish Me Away, but loved Three.

At any rate, Chely Wright who recently became the first gay country music star to come out, has quite a compelling story to tell. Her long  journey of denying her sexuality is well documented and moving.  Her personality is so likable and genuine – it’s heart-wrenching to see her anguish over coming out and knowing how it may impact her career and family relationships.

There’s a part in the film where her spiritual advisor is preparing her for fan rejection – “People can be mean, but nobody’s meaner than those mean for Jesus” – That says it all!

The doc’s soundtrack is a compilation of Wright’s songs, new and old. Can’t wait to download some of her music.  I’ve followed a number of country artists since the early 90′s, but somehow, I never heard a single Chely Wright song until this film.  I also somehow missed her coming out interviews in People, on Oprah and the Today Show!