By Lara Kinne–
The Floyd Theater was in rainbows last weekend as Louisville’s LGBT Film Festival returned to campus in its second consecutive year. Presented by the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, thirty-seven film entries were showcased over the course of four days. Film series were divided into two-hour sessions, many of which included Q&As with the directors and stars of those featured.
Spanning from comedies to dramas, shorts, documentaries and a music video, the festival lineup provided an inspiring set of local and international talents. Highlights of the festival included an appearance by country singer Chely Wright and “Wish Me Away,” a biopic about her experience coming out to the public and her family.
Sunday morning isn’t the ideal time to catch a flick, but it’s a rewarding experience. Almost everybody missed the 10AM series.
“This Shining Night” opened the day with a digestible short. Two father are concerned about their oldest daughter who is drawn to a ghostly woman she sees at night. One dad witnesses her behavior after hours, but decides to let her be. He saw that she was safe and joyful. Perhaps recalling his own struggle with feeling strange at a young age, he reacts with nonchalant understanding and love.
“The Wedding Dance,” an excerpt from a TV series project, was funded for about three minutes of play with enough time to introduce a newly bound family and an endearing first dance.
In the series feature, “Unfit: Ward vs. Ward,” a lesbian mother fights custody of her daughter against her ex-husband. The court ruled she go to the father despite his prior conviction for the murder of his first wife. Overwhelming public support could not sway the voice of the judge who said the child should live in a non-lesbian world. It’s is a significant reminder of why LBGT organizations (and events such as the LGBT Film Festival) exist—so everybody can live in a lesbian world.
As any new and upcoming annual event goes, attendance numbers will increase as support from the community continues to grow. The future of Louisville’s LGBT Film Festival is a promising one.
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Photo courtesy LGBT Film Fest
