Photos provided by David Wolff
The upcoming OutReels Film Festival is celebrating its 13th year with a vibrant lineup of LGBTQ+ films, showcasing a mixture of shorts and features from November 8–10. Over the course of three days, 17 total films will screen within eight time-blocks at the Warsaw Federal Incline Theater. Tickets for each block are $12, or guests can purchase a weekend ticket package for $56.
The team behind OutReels is a small but passionate group of volunteers united by their love of film. The festival was founded by directors David Wolff and Chuck Beatty with the intention of creating a space to showcase LGBTQ+ films and creatives. “Theaters tend to lack gay stories, so film festivals are one of the few places that you can see these diverse narratives,” Wolff says. “There’s something about watching a film together with a sense of community, and you also have filmmakers coming in from all over the country to have a Q&A session to give people the opportunity to ask the questions they have after watching.”
As the festival approaches, the pair are most excited to see viewers’ reactions to the films that they selected back in April. “These are stories about our community, but they are universal,” says Wolff. “Every one of us wants to be loved, to belong, and to be our true authentic selves. The core of these movies is a core that anyone can identify with, so you can relate to and latch onto.”
Without giving away too much, we dive into some of the film highlights of what viewers can see at the upcoming festival.
Booked
Not only was this comedic feature shot in Cincinnati, but it was written, directed, produced, and stars students from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. The story follows two high-school theater students who attempt to make it in the theater industry, determined to prove their worth to the people who doubted them. Director: Cassie Maurer, Friday, November 8, 7:30 p.m. (75 minutes)
An Unexpected Community
This 70-minute feature film highlights the early days of the pandemic, when people lacked social outlets and experienced isolation, particularly those in smaller, rural communities. An Unexpected Community portrays the newly founded Women on the Net, who met online five days a week to connect women and transform feelings of isolation into laughter, joy, and community. A talkback with the creators—director Kathryn L. Beranich, and Women on the Net founder Andrea Meyerson—will follow the film as well. “Andrea is very well known around the country, so it is a big deal to get her here,” Wolff says. Director: Kathryn L. Beranich, November 9, 3:30 p.m. (70 minutes)
Lavender Men
Taking the stage as the centerpiece film, Lavender Men explores the rumors surrounding the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and his alleged same-sex relationships throughout his lifetime. The film unfolds through a community theater production of Lincoln’s life, as the cast introjects their own experiences and identities into his story. Director: Lovell Holder, November 9, 8 p.m. (99 minutes)
E Is For
With a unique blend of science fiction and drama, E is For is built around a young queer person named E, who comes back to their small, conservative hometown and begins to hear voices. However, they soon realize it’s not just any voices, but their own voice from what feels like a parallel universe. Autobiographical in nature, this film explores themes of identify and self-discovery. Confused? After you watch the film, The director, actor and writer, and director of photography will participate in a Q&A so viewers can ask any lingering questions. Director: Welles Davis, November 10, 4:30 p.m. (105 minutes)
Regarding Us
The closing film of the weekend is a feature created from a previous short, The Back-Up Plan, that screened at OutReels in 2019. The story follows a transgender woman who works as a teacher at a Catholic high school. When people find out through social media, she loses her job. Despite not being a teacher anymore, she feels connected to the family and children she meets and continues her efforts to help students however she can. “It’s a beautiful film,” says Wolff. “The placement is important as the end portrays a story of triumph and relationships. Ending the festival on a beautiful and upbeat note is much more fitting over a movie that has a sad and depressing conclusion.” Director: David Beck, November 10, 7 p.m. (98 minutes)
Facebook Comments