THE WORLD’S ONLY MULTICULTURAL LESBIAN/GAY/BISEXUAL/TRANSGENDER

PEOPLE OF COLOR FILM FESTIVAL

TO TAKE PLACE IN LOS ANGELES NOVEMBER 11-13

Outfest, one of the world’s largest gay and lesbian film festivals, will present Fusion, the only multicultural gender-inclusive LGBT People of Color Film Festival for the third consecutive year. To be held in Los Angeles November 11-13, 2005, Fusion is a celebration of extraordinary films, music, spoken-word, workshops and panels. Every program of Fusion is comprised of films and videos that represent a variety of racial and ethnic communities, as well as a range of gender identities.

This three-day, 14 program festival consists of documentary, narrative and short films and videos, including the new Margaret Cho narrative film “Bam Bam and Celeste,” the Closing Night Gala. Cho wrote and co-stars in the film with Bruce Daniel along with a fabulous supporting cast including Jane Lynch, Alan Cumming, John Cho, Wilson Cruz, Kathy Najimy and Elaine Hendrix. Other highlights include William E. Jones’s “Is It Really So Strange?," a documentary about Southland Latino Morrissey fans (followed by a performance by the Morrissey/The Smiths cover band The Sweet and Tender Hooligans), and “The Aggressives,” an award-winning documentary about New York’s underground lesbian Drag Balls.

Fusion’s Opening Night Gala on November 11th is a program of highly accomplished multicultural shorts at The Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd. The festivities begin at 8:00 p.m., with an after-party immediately following. Saturday’s seven separate programs will all occur at the Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., beginning at 11:00 a.m. Sunday’s programming will begin at 1:00 p.m., at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre of the Japanese American Community and Cultural Center, 244 South San Pedro Street in downtown Los Angeles. Tickets and other information may be found at www.outfest.org or by calling 213.480.7088.

Fusion will also feature SABOR CON FUSION (Saturday, November 12th, 6:00pm), a three hour multi-media event of spoken-word, film, music and live performance. Confirmed performers include: Ricoshade, Joshua Pilgrim, Butchlalis de Panochtitlan Angie Evans, Jair The Literary Masturbator, Dyvacat, Natalie Martin and Labrynth. Host and Curator: Naya’hri Suhalia.

More than 15 local Los Angeles community-based, nonprofit organizations have rallied together to partner with Outfest to ensure a successful, all-encompassing festival.
“Fusion is a one-of-its-kind festival that builds bridges between L.A. communities, celebrates local artists, affirms identity and fights homophobia,” said Stephen Gutwillig, Executive Director of Outfest. “Up until now, there has never been a cohesive festival that showcased and blended so many ethnicities within a queer context. I’m thrilled OUTFEST is presenting Fusion, the only multicultural lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people of color film festival.”

Following is the planned schedule of films and other activities:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11
8:00pm OPENING NIGHT GALA
A kick-off celebration of truths, beauty and passionate encounters.

TWO CARS, ONE NIGHT, Director: Taika Waititi
DANI & ALICE, Director: Roberta Marie Munroe
CRIMSON MARK, Director: Hyun-Jin Park
DAVID, Director: Roberto Fiesco
A GIRL NAMED KAI, Director: Kai Ling Xue
ON THE LOW, Director: Luther Mace
VIERNES GIRL, Director: Aurora Guerrero

10:00pm Gala After-Party

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12

11:00 am WALK IN THE LIGHT
Director: M.R. Stiff, USA, 2004, video, 30 min.
This moving and thought-provoking documentary takes a look at queer spirituality and the LGBT-friendly Unity Fellowship Church in South Central Los Angeles. Followed by a panel discussion with the film’s participants: Reverend Charles Lanier, Cookie Fields, Reverend Patti Dershem, and director M.R. Stiff.

1:00pm LOST AND FOUND
From challenging parent-child relationships to long distance yearning to intergenerational love, these illuminating, entertaining stories depict complex and unconventional bonds. LEAD ROLE: FATHER, Director: PJ Raval
ANNIVERSARY, Director: Shamiran Samano
9:30, Director: Mun Chee Yong
BROOKLYN’S BRIDGE TO JORDAN, Director: Tina Mabry
LAST FULL SHOW, Director: Mark V. Reyes
3:00pm FILMMAKER FORUM: ARCHIVING IS FOR EVERYONE!
Archivists from UCLA Film and Television archive will talk about the importance of saving and preserving LGBT films and videos.


4:00pm FUSION UNDERGROUND

Memory, loss, self-love and bold sexuality fuel these voices and visions on the fringe.
CONFRONTAGE, Director: Rex Rude
HER, Director: Kai Ling Xue
ROAD RASH, Director: Chris Vargas
SNIFF, Director: Ming Yuen Ma
LA CHINA, Director: Diego Postigo & Antonia San Juan
SCHOOL BOY ART, Director: Erica Cho
DESTINATION TO BE DETERMINED, Director: Seema Kapur

6:00pm SABOR CON FUSION
Annual spoken word event with shorts.
THE NAKED TRUTH, BET/Kaiser Family Foundation;
MISS-UNDERSTANDING, Director: Raquel Garcia & REACH LA;
THIS IS HOW I LOVE YOU, Director: Christopher Harris & REACH LA (winner of OUTstanding Documentary Short Film 2005).

9:30pm IS IT REALLY SO STRANGE?
Director: William E. Jones, 2004, USA, video, 80 min.
A brilliantly moving and sensitive exploration of the significance of reclusive singer-songwriter Morrissey from Manchester, England, who has become an icon and hero to his gay and straight Southland Latino/a fans.

11:00pm Musical Performance by The Sweet and Tender Hooligans.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13
1:00pm Behind the Scenes of NOAH’S ARC

Join director Patrik-Ian Polk and cast members of NOAH’S ARC as they show outtakes from and discuss the making of the first-ever black gay television series.

1:00pm-4:00pm Arts N’ Craft Conversation
Crafting a space for dialogue and art. We’ll provide craft/art materials and snacks. You bring creativity and good conversation.

3:00pm TELENOVELAS
Murderous dykes, hot Latino men, lesbian moms with gorgeous (and possibly insane) girlfriends, and a married man with his eye on his brother-in-law take sex and drama to outrageous extremes.

ROSA NEGRA 2, “COMO CORRE EL AMOR,” Director: Viva Ruiz
SAINT MARTIN DE FOURTH STREET, Director: Robert Banks Ramirez
THE DL CHRONICLES, Directors: Deondray Gossett and Quincy LeNear

5:00pm THE AGGRESSIVES
Director: Daniel Peddle, 2004, USA, video, 75 min.
These candid portraits of New York-based, outspoken “aggressives,” don’t necessarily identify as lesbians, men, or drag kings, but defy gender roles and expectations of sexuality with their inimitable style and attitude.
Plus short: FEMININE SENSE; Director: Crystal Weston

7:30pm BAM BAM AND CELESTE
Director: Lorene Machado, Scr: Margaret Cho, 2005, USA, 85 min.,
Thirytysomething fag and fag hag duo Celeste (Margaret Cho) and Bam Bam (Bruce Daniels) flee their hostile Midwestern town in a hot pink Honda CRX and head straight for the Big Apple - only to re-encounter their evil high school nemeses. Features Cho in a double role (as her mother) and a fabulous supporting cast of Jane Lynch, Alan Cumming, John Cho, Kathy Najimy and Elaine Hendrix.

9:30pm Closing Reception