OUTFEST, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is coming to a close today and the awards were announced this morning. I was delighted to see that A MARINE STORY won the audience award, the grand jury award and an acting award for Dreya Weber. Sweet. A MARINE STORY is the first film I worked on when I got to town. I went to one of the weekly industry mixers held by LGBQT icon JD Disalvatore (The Smoking Cocktail). Since she was producing the film, she introduced me to director Ned Farr and lead actress (also Mrs. Farr) Dreya Weber and the rest is history. I loved the project and thought it was important and told a story that needs to be in the mainstream. I loved that the script didn’t take predictable, cliche routes. And, as it turned out, actress Paris Pickard (Saffron) was good friends with Alec’s girlfriend, Jamie. (The film world is so dang tiny.)
I was also delighted to see that the Peruvian film CONTRACORRIENTE received a Special Artistic Achievement Award. Kathy Wolfe (Wolfe Video) said it was incredible and not to be missed. As usual, she was right.
I must also mention a LAUGH OUT LOUD short film I saw, YOU MOVE ME. The premise line for the short did NOT impress me at all and I thought I would hate it. But it was really funny. Witty dialogue, two funny characters, and I hear it may become a feature. You’ll want to catch it for sure!
The full list of OUTFEST winners:
Special Programming Award for Freedom, Sponsored by ONEHOPE Wine
THE TOPP TWINS, Directed by Leanne Pooley
Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement
Sponsored by The Los Angeles Athletic Club
UNDERTOW (CONTRACORRIENTE), Directed by Javier Fuentes-Leon
Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent
Sponsored by Kodak
Drew Droege, Actor
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by CRE – Computer Rentals & AV Solutions
I’M JUST ANNEKE, Directed by Jonathan Skurnik
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Entertainment Partners
YOU MOVE ME, Directed by Gina Hirsch
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Flm
Sponsored by Yellow Cab
FOREVER’S GONNA START TONIGHT, Directed by Michelle Lawler
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Overture Films
A MARINE STORY, Directed by Ned Farr
Audience Award for Outstanding First U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by HBO (cash prize of $5,000 from HBO)
THE FOUR-FACED LIAR, Directed by Jacob Chase
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by Stella Artois
CLOSE (POD BLUZKA), Directed by Lucia Von Horn Pagano
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Wolfe
SAMARITAN, Directed by Magnus Mork
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film
Sponsored by The Directors Guild of America
STRANGE POWERS: STEPHIN MERRITT & THE MAGNETIC FIELDS, Directed by Kerthy Fix and Gail O’Hara
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Absolut
THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER, Directed by James Kent
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
Sponsored by The Standard Hotel, Downtown and Sunset Blvd.
Dreya Weber, A MARINE STORY
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film
Sponsored by Ramada West Hollywood
Stephen Guarino, BEARCITY
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Screenwriting
Sponsored by APA Talent and Literary Agency
Douglas Langway and Lawrence Ferber, BEARCITY
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Lexus
A MARINE STORY, Directed by Ned Farr
