Many of the most important queer films in cinema history share a birthplace: the Sundance Film Festival. Organized by the Sundance Institute, the legendary annual fest in Park City, Utah, has boasted international and U.S. premiere titles as varied as the groundbreaking New York ballroom documentary Paris Is Burning in 1991, Donna Deitch’s 1985 lesbian road drama Desert Hearts or even recent masterworks like Luca Guadagnino’s 2017 adaptation of Call Me by Your Name.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke with Kim Yutani, director of programming at Sundance, about some of the most important Lgbtqia+ films to debut there.
“Seeing the films that Sundance has programmed over the years, especially around the early 1990s with the New Queer Wave, that was what attracted me to Sundance,” says Yutani, who’s been working with the festival for 17 years, and has also worked in various positions within the film industry, like as Gregg Araki...
The Hollywood Reporter spoke with Kim Yutani, director of programming at Sundance, about some of the most important Lgbtqia+ films to debut there.
“Seeing the films that Sundance has programmed over the years, especially around the early 1990s with the New Queer Wave, that was what attracted me to Sundance,” says Yutani, who’s been working with the festival for 17 years, and has also worked in various positions within the film industry, like as Gregg Araki...
- 6/26/2023
- by Hilton Dresden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Balloting for the 2019 Emmy nominations began Monday, June 10, and a day later FX‘s drama series contender “Pose” began its second season. The premiere episode “Acting Up” featured emotionally and politically charged performances from series stars Mj Rodriguez, Billy Porter and Indya Moore, all of whom are contending for nominations for their work on season one.
If you thought season one of the series brought the waterworks — I mean, remember episode six “Love Is the Message,” one of two eps the series submitted for consideration in the Best Drama Writing category — then you may not be ready for the season two opener/tearjerker. The premiere — directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton, an Emmy contender for helming “Mother of the Year” from season one — opens with Blanca (Rodriguez) and Pray Tell (Porter) visiting the infamous Hart Island in Bronx, NY, a potter’s field where thousands of AIDS victims were buried apart from...
If you thought season one of the series brought the waterworks — I mean, remember episode six “Love Is the Message,” one of two eps the series submitted for consideration in the Best Drama Writing category — then you may not be ready for the season two opener/tearjerker. The premiere — directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton, an Emmy contender for helming “Mother of the Year” from season one — opens with Blanca (Rodriguez) and Pray Tell (Porter) visiting the infamous Hart Island in Bronx, NY, a potter’s field where thousands of AIDS victims were buried apart from...
- 6/12/2019
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
Venus Xtravaganza was a transwoman who lit up both Harlem’s ball scene and “Paris is Burning,” the seminal 1987 documentary that dove into the world that let her and others like her — trans, queer, poor, creative, spectacular people — thrive. She had a wide smile, a hushed speaking voice that drew people closer, and a swoop of blonde hair that was so heavy she’d have to lift it out of her eyes with her entire arm. The last time we see her in the documentary, she’s smoking a cigarette on the pier as it’s revealed that she was later killed, strangled in a hotel room by someone who knew they’d never have to pay for it.
For a long time, this was the only kind of story transwomen got to see about themselves onscreen, making it that much harder to imagine a life without such a tragic ending.
For a long time, this was the only kind of story transwomen got to see about themselves onscreen, making it that much harder to imagine a life without such a tragic ending.
- 7/23/2018
- by Caroline Framke
- Variety Film + TV
When I first saw "vogueing" -- that is, the manufactured version of it presented in Madonna's "Vogue" video -- all I wanted to do was define it. It's a dance, but it's about rigidity. It's gay, but it's a pantomime of commonplace fashion spreads. It's self-presentational, attitudinal, geometric, contorted, winkingly narcissistic, actually narcissistic, and stony-smirky-silly-serious fierce. It's a mirage, but it's undeniable. It's just the best. And when you see the real thing as presented in the unforgettable 1991 documentary Paris is Burning, you realize that the act of "striking a pose" is just a warped-ass, queeny way of being yourself in the face of your real-life hardship, minority status, and what the world's done to morph you and your flagrant gayness into something much less Op-u-lent.
I'm obviously preaching to the realness choir here, but there's a thundering righteousness to the subjects of Paris is Burning that is just timeless.
I'm obviously preaching to the realness choir here, but there's a thundering righteousness to the subjects of Paris is Burning that is just timeless.
- 6/13/2012
- by virtel
- The Backlot
Matt Canada here with another edition of "Screen Queens". Last week we looked at To Wong Foo, a mainstream lighthearted approach to drag queens and their fab subculture. So this week, a more realistic, nuanced, and sensitive approach to the same subject. Jennie Livingston's seminal documentary Paris Is Burning is a film I have been trying to find for years now, and it more than lives up to its reputation.
The film examines New Yorks mainly black and latino ball subculture, in which groups of queens, termed Houses (ex. House of Labeija, House of Xtravaganza), compete for prizes in categories like 'Realness' (most able to pass in the straight world), 'Pretty Girl', 'High Fashion Winter Sportswear', 'Miss Cheesecake', and 'Town and Country' to name just a few. Livingston's camera explores the lives of the different types of members within these Houses: famed drag queen Dorian Corey; House 'Mothers' Anji Xtravaganza,...
The film examines New Yorks mainly black and latino ball subculture, in which groups of queens, termed Houses (ex. House of Labeija, House of Xtravaganza), compete for prizes in categories like 'Realness' (most able to pass in the straight world), 'Pretty Girl', 'High Fashion Winter Sportswear', 'Miss Cheesecake', and 'Town and Country' to name just a few. Livingston's camera explores the lives of the different types of members within these Houses: famed drag queen Dorian Corey; House 'Mothers' Anji Xtravaganza,...
- 10/17/2009
- by CanadaMatt
- FilmExperience
California
Nerve charts the sexiness of the entire Terminator franchise
Posterwire if you're in Southern California you'll want to check out this exhibit. Bob Peak's movie posters are a-ma-zing. The one to your left is for The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
Gallery of the Absurd totally awesome "14" has a gallery show in June. Go! Her celebrity illustrations are so... gah
Guardian Charlie Kauffman considering a TV series. Is this a good idea?
/Film the voice of Mickey Mouse passes away. Rip
Seattle
Towleroad Seattle International Film Festival gets the premiere of Johnny Weir documentary Pop Star on Ice
NYC
Michael Musto and TransGriot salute Octavia St. Laurent from Paris is Burning. She passed away a few days ago. Rip Octavia. Boy did the Oscar documentary committee screw up in 1991 when they ignored both Paris is Burning and Madonna's Truth or Dare, two of the best docs of the entire decade.
Nerve charts the sexiness of the entire Terminator franchise
Posterwire if you're in Southern California you'll want to check out this exhibit. Bob Peak's movie posters are a-ma-zing. The one to your left is for The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
Gallery of the Absurd totally awesome "14" has a gallery show in June. Go! Her celebrity illustrations are so... gah
Guardian Charlie Kauffman considering a TV series. Is this a good idea?
/Film the voice of Mickey Mouse passes away. Rip
Seattle
Towleroad Seattle International Film Festival gets the premiere of Johnny Weir documentary Pop Star on Ice
NYC
Michael Musto and TransGriot salute Octavia St. Laurent from Paris is Burning. She passed away a few days ago. Rip Octavia. Boy did the Oscar documentary committee screw up in 1991 when they ignored both Paris is Burning and Madonna's Truth or Dare, two of the best docs of the entire decade.
- 5/21/2009
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
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