15th Annual Portland Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

September 4, 2011 Jeff Bayer

The 15th Annual Portland Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (PLGFF) begins September 30 and runs through October 8 at Cinema 21. This year the festival begins September 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Cinema 21 with a very special screening of local filmmaker David Weissman's deeply moving We Were Here. The film chronicles the heavy impact the AIDS crisis had on San Francisco in the 80s through the eyes of five survivors. David Weissman will be in attendance. One of the subjects of the film is also scheduled to attend. This special screening is followed by a Gala Opening Night Party at 23Hoyt with hosted appetizers and drinks as well as a full cash bar and Holcombe Waller will perform a short set. Tickets for this event go on sale September 1.

The festival concludes on October 8 at Cinema 21 with the BBC production of The Night Watch based on the novel by Sarah Waters. Following four characters during World War 2 in Britain, the film explores many of the themes of gender and sexual identity typical in a Sarah Waters novel.

The festival's Centerpiece this year is Andrew Haigh's extraordinary drama Weekend. Easily one of the most compelling gay films of the last couple decades, the film has been a smash hit at festivals and a favorite among critics. Weekend is the story of two men who meet and have a one-night stand but end up spening the next 48 hours together developing a poignant connection with lasting impact.

Also, playing is Hollywood to Dollywood, a doc about twin gay brothers, Gary and Larry Lane's cross country road trip to deliver to Dolly Parton a movie script they wrote for her. The brothers travel in an RV named Jolene in hopes of meeting with the country music legend. Gary and Larry will be in attendance at this screening.

Also, playing this year is Gun Hill Road, a drama about a father returning home to the bronx from prison to discover his son is exploring a gender transformation. And from France, Tomboy will screen. The drama centers on a 10-year-old girl, Laure, whose goe away for the summer and is mistaken for a boy. She decides to pass herself off as boy for the remainder of the summer.

Tickets for all these films go on sale September 1. The full schedule and tickets for all programs will be available beginning September 9.

Kickstarter Filmmaker's Fund This year, to offset the cost of programming and bringing filmmakers to the festival, PLGFF has started a Kickstarter campaign called the Filmmaker's Fund. Our goal is to reach $1900. Donations can be made in almost any amount. The campaign ends Sept. 24 and if the goal is not reached by that point, the festival won't receive any funding, so please donate. You can make a donation HERE. AIDS Walk Portland This year PLGFF is participating in AIDS Walk Portland on October 2 at 9:00 a.m. You can join our team, PDX Queer Film, HERE. You can also join our Facebook event page.

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The Portland Lesbian & Gay Film Festival is a film arts group that annually showcases feature, documentary and short films from all over the world that are made by, about or of interest to the lesbian, gay, bi and trans community.

Film is a dynamic medium with the power to educate, inspire, intrigue and bring people together. Now in it's 15th year, PLGFF continues to bring thought-provoking and entertaining queer cinema to Portland. This year's festival takes place September 30 - October 8 at Cinema 21.