Gustav Peter Wöhler and Saving Face open the 16th Hamburg Gay&Lesbian
Film Festival

The 16th Hamburg International Gay&Lesbian Film Festival is scheduled to
begin on Tuesday, 11 October, 2005.
The show place for this year’s celebration is the Streit’s Kino located at Jungfernstieg, a hot spot for tourists, fashion and Hanseatic tradition just south of the city’s Lake Alster. The audience can look forward to an evening full of variety and entertainment with Gustav Peter Wöhler, a theater original from Hamburg, as host of the event. This famous singer/actor is accompanied by a film original, namely: Saving Face by Alice Wu USA 2004, 35mm, 96 Min., OF, European premiere The triumphant debut of this Chinese-American director Alice Wu and a touching comedy about the life of the Chinese community in New York City. We warmly welcome director Alice Wu to present her film in person. During the following festival week, more than 150 international short and feature films will be presented as a part of over 50 programs. Last year approximately 12 400 people attended the event, and the organizers hope this growing trend will continue. The festival is continuing to grow creatively as well, as the 16th year of this festival’s existence is braver and more varied than ever in its current selection of feature films, documentaries and experimental programs.
Over 700 films were submitted to and screened by this year’s festival team. From this pool they chose the best and have again created never-before-seen programs, a trademark of the country’s largest and longest-running LGBT film festival. Next to the Panorama section filled with current productions there will also be a series of film programs according to specific thematic emphases, such as the series dedicated to Israel and southeast Asia. In response to the new trend in queer cinema, the festival organizers have also put together a horror series. Short films were also given more spotlight in 2005. In addition to the traditional short film programs, special experimental and Australian programs will be a part of the week of film.
Largely due to the success of last year’s workshop, Judith Halberstam, an influential voice in Queer Theory from the University of Southern California, will host a discussion on the impact of transgender themes in film.
Once again the audience has the responsibility and honor of choosing the three best short films, endowed with the increased sum of 500 euros each. Choosing to appropriate funds for the short film prizes is an initiative the festival organizers have undertaken to support upcoming film artists.
The diverse program will be rounded off by two festival parties and the nightly “Nachtbar”, where directors will be interviewed.
The Hamburg International Gay&Lesbian Film Festival is scheduled to take place from 11 –16 October. The complete program will be published on September 26 and made available on the website: www.lsf-hamburg.de.