by Malana Battle
QFest is taking place from Thursday, July 11th until Monday, July 22nd. If you’re wondering, QFest is the same as the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. The festival has been around for almost 20 years. In 2009, the festival was joined by the Philadelphia Film Alliance and agreed to shorten the name.
The QFest kicked off with its opening night last Thursday at the Lit Ultra Bar. Friday night the festivities had surely taken off with several movie premieres including Meth Head, Beyond the Walls, Two Mothers, Breaking the Girls, Truth, and several others all at the Ritz. Saturday’s lineup included premieres of The New Black, G.B.F., Boy Meets Boy, Solo, and many more. Followed by Troubled Youth, Deception, Valentine Road, Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf?, Cruising for Sex, and many other movies on Sunday; along with replays of Truth and Solo.
If you missed out on any of those movie premieres don’t worry you can catch them being replayed throughout the rest of the festival. There is still another week of QFest with a full lineup of movies and activities!
Thursday, July 18th, you don’t want to miss the Romeo Romeo and Tumble Down joint after party. A night full of dancing and a burlesque show is sure to please this crowd from 9pm-2am at the Tavern on Camac.
Friday, July 19th, it’s time to get wet, wild and frisky! It’s a pool party, but not just any pool party it’s a sexy one! Stimulus presents Queeradelphia Splash Party from 10pm-2am at the North Shore Beach Club. This is a 21 and up private event for the LGBTQ community. Don’t want to make a big splash? No worries! It’s Friday night so there is always another option for you! Visit Baltimore presents the I Am Divine Drag extravaganza! Watch international drag superstar, Divine, in the movie I Am Divine. This goes down at the Tavern on Camac from 11:30pm-2am.
Saturday, July 20th, start your afternoon off with the McGreevy Benefit at Sofitel Philadelphia Hotel from 4pm-6pm. This is a post screening reception of Fall to Grace, a HBO documentary about New Jersey’s Ex-Governor Jim McGreevy who said “I am a gay American.” Following the premiere of RoadStrip, come to Voyeur Nightclub for RoadStripping with the CockyBoys at 10pm.
For a full listing of Philadelphia QFest events and screenings check out their website at www.qfest.com. Also visit www.tlagay.com if you’re interested in purchasing LGBT DVDs.
