FRAMELINE32 AUDIENCE HONORS GENDER-BENDING FAVORITE FILMS

Taking home awards from this year's Frameline film festival were filmmakers who blurred gender lines with audience-pleasing hits. The Audience Award for Best Feature Film belongs to first-time director from Argentina, Lucia Puenzo for her film XXY about an intersex youth who is forced to choose a gender while navigating the obstacles of adolescence.

Another first-time filmmaker, Ron Davis and co-director Stewart Halpern won the Audience Award for Best Documentary for his film PAGEANT, which follows five would-be beauty “queens” as they compete for the crown of Miss Gay America. The Canadian favorite NO BIKINI, directed by Claudia Morgado Escanilla about a 7-year old girl who decides to forego her swimsuit's top at summer camp took the Audience Award for Best Short Film.

Despite only three winners of this year's Audience Awards, many films of the Frameline32 festival were honored with standing ovations, standing-room-only question and answer sessions with the filmmakers and cast, and laughter and cheers throughout that were often heard from the street.

Among the festival hits were opening night film, AFFINITY, attended by the celebrated author Sarah Waters and the film's star Anna Madeley; STEAM, attended by director Kyle Schickner and star Ally Sheedy; the musical, WERE THE WORLD MINE, attended by director Tom Gustafson and star Tanner Cohen; the documentary CHRIS & DON: A LOVE STORY, attended by co-directors Tina Mascara and Guido Santi and the film's subject, Don Bachardy.

“The Frameline32 audience was by far the most enthusiastic audience for PAGEANT so far this year and one that we will never forget,” said co-director and executive producer Ron Davis, upon hearing of his award. “Going on to win the audience award for best documentary was a truly amazing experience for us. We couldn't be more proud.”

The popularity of the oldest GLBT film festival in the world continued in Frameline32, as many films played to sold-out audiences, including: AFFINITY, ALL MY LIFE; ANOTHER GAY SEQUEL: GAYS GONE WILD!; ANTARCTICA; THE EDGE OF HEAVEN; A JIHAD FOR LOVE; OUT IN INDIA: A FAMILY'S JOURNEY; READY? OK!; THE SENSEI; TAL COMO SOMOS/JUST AS WE ARE; TONGZHI IN LOVE; WILD COMBINATION: A PORTRAIT OF ARTHUR RUSSELL; Centerpiece Film XXY; and Closing Night Film, BREAKFAST WITH SCOT.

Several shorts programs also sold out. Audiences were thrilled throughout the festival by the attendance of high-profile directors and stars who led intimate discussions following the films in the AT&T Festival Pavilion, attended parties, and stayed to watch other films.

Frameline32's Closing Night marked the end of an era, as Michael Lumpkin, Frameline's Artistic Director bid his adieu to the festival after 25 years. San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival Frameline32: San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival screened June 19-29, 2008 at the Castro Theatre, (429 Castro Street), Roxie Film Center, (3117 16th Street), and the Victoria Theatre, (2961 16th Street) in San Francisco, and in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood, (2966 College Avenue).

The San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival is presented by Frameline, a nonprofit GLBT organization whose mission is to strengthen the diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and further its visibility by supporting and promoting a broad array of cultural representations and artistic expression in film, video and other media arts.

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