Los Angeles, CA - Wednesday night, during their annual (and always) un-traditional media press conference, the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival unveiled their “Centerpiece” films and revealed this year’s award recipients. The duties of exposing the list of guests and noted celebrities headed to Philadelphia this year went to the festival’s new Executive Director, Rosemary Connors and longtime Press Liaison Lewis Tice, while two of this year’s festival programmers Scott Cranin and Kelly Burkhardt detailed the films in the spotlight for July’s events.
Displaying a natural talent for selecting a diverse slate, Burkhardt and Cranin presented the audience of media professionals and sponsors with a selection of films ranging from the comedic, to the sexy, to the serious… clearly showing that this year’s line-up has something for everyone. The agenda of centerpieces included the much anticipated remake of John Waters’ cult classic Hairspray, a “revolutionary romantic comedy” (and the most discussed title for a film in this festival), Jamie Babbit’s Itty Bitty Titty Committee, the newest screwball comedy from the filmmakers of the 2005’s festival “smash-hit” Girl-Play entitled Out At The Wedding, along with more serious films in the form of The Witnesses, a Golden Bear Nominee at this year’s Berlin Film Festival and The Bubble, an extraordinary film about prejudice and forbidden love between a Palestinian and a Jewish Man.
Meanwhile, Executive Director Rosemary Connors and Press Liaison Lewis Tice joked back and forth with audience members before exposing a poster sized blow-up of confirmed attendees. The celebrated guests include Hollywood silver-screen legend, Farley Granger (Rope, Strangers on a Train) being honored with an Artistic Achievement Award, Charlie David (Four Letter Word, Dante’s Cove), the recipient of this year’s Rising Star Award and playwrite / screenwriter / director Craig Lucas (Longtime Companion, Prelude to a Kiss) also receiving an award for Artistic Achievement. They also took time to confirm other rumored and much-buzzed about festival attendees including the cross-dressing, self-proclaimed “Supermodel” RuPaul, Broadway and film star Anthony Rapp (Rent) and the returning cast of Another Gay Sequel.
The evening detailed other revealing moments as festival staff uncovered this year’s advertising campaign by stripping away a burgundy curtain covering a full-color, enlarged version of the official program guide oozing with naked men and women wrapped in celluloid along with the debut of the festival’s trailer, a live-action version of the same scantily-clad men and sexy women playing in celluloid. This year’s festival guarantees to be more fresh, more flesh and more fun than ever before.
The 13th annual Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival runs from July 12-24. For more on the festival, visit www.phillyfests.com.
