FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Press Contact:
Hannah Howard
213.480.7088
outfest@outfest.org
Outfest Announces Call for Submissions for Screenwriting Lab and 25th Anniversary Film Festival in 2007
25th Festival Film/Video Submissions Due March 9
Screenwriting Lab Submissions Due January 26
Outfest, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and preserving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media, has announced its call for submissions for its 5th Screenwriting Lab and 25th Film Festival.
“Queer filmmaking has come a long way in the past two and half decades and, as we move into our 25th anniversary year, we’ll be looking into our past and to the future,” said Senior Director Kirsten Schaffer. “Filmmakers are telling different stories now and using different technology, but they continue to make films that move the culture forward. I am excited to see what this new crop of writers and directors has to offer and what innovative, creative media the 2007 filmmakers will deliver.”
Screenwriting Lab (Spring 2007)
Continuing Outfest’s commitment to supporting LGBTQ-themed films from conception to exhibition, this Lab nurtures emerging screenwriters and promotes promising screenplays that significantly feature LGBTQ characters and/or themes. Five screenwriters are invited to participate in a dynamic three-day workshop in Los Angeles in April 2007, working closely with established mentor writers. The Outfest Screenwriting Lab submission deadline is January 26th. Submission forms are available at www.outfest.org.
2007 Screenwriting Lab Initiatives:
· The five year-old Outfest Screenwriting Lab program celebrates growth and success in 2007 as part of Outfest’s 25th anniversary celebration. The Screenwriting Lab is expanding to include a Screenplay Reading Series, public readings of the five winning screenplays at Outfest 2007 in July.
· The first Screenwriting Lab project, KISS THE BRIDE has been made into a feature film. 2005 Lab Fellow Ty Lieberman’s romantic comedy stars Tori Spelling and Joanna Cassidy and is directed by Outfest Screenwriting Lab Mentor C. Jay Cox (LATTER DAYS, SWEET HOME ALABAMA), produced by Shadow Factory and Executive Produced and distributed by here! Films.
Outfest 2007: The 25th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (July 12-23)
Boasting nearly 250 international short and feature length films, exhibited over 12 days in at least 10 venues for audiences of more than 50,000 people, Outfest’s July festival is the oldest continuous film festival in Los Angeles (since 1982) and one of the world’s largest gay and lesbian film festivals. Outfest’s July festival is the organization’s founding program, and its 25th edition (July 12-23) will be the biggest yet.
Filmmakers are invited to submit completed narrative, documentary, experimental and animated films and videos (features and shorts). Outfest 2007 will feature the most extensive filmmaker awards program of any LGBTQ film festival, bestowing 15 awards for film and video excellence including the $5,000 HBO Outstanding First Narrative Feature Award. As the only LGBTQ film festival in the heart of the entertainment industry, Outfest offers comprehensive services for emerging filmmakers to forge connections in Hollywood. Submission forms and rules are available at www.outfest.org. The submission deadline is March 9th with selections announced by May 31st.
