Queer West Film Festival 2008

Gaywest Community Network Inc.

The 1st annual Queer West Film & Video Festival was on June 18, 2008

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Guest Speakers on June 18, 2008

Two guests speakers were on hand for Q & A following the videos. Kristyn Dunnion a self described saucy tart, Dunnion is the author of novels Missing Matthew and Mosh Pit. Her short stories are published in numerous collections. She earned a BA in English and Theatre at McGill University, and an MA in English at the University of Guelph. She has written articles and book reviews and has interviewed other authors for radio and print media. She enjoys facilitating workshops for emerging writers of all ages, but especially loves meeting with teens and young adults to talk about reading, writing, and life in general.

BIG BIG SKY a Duuion, demo video for the new speculative fiction novel by Dunnion. Teenaged assassin warrior women complete intensive military training as high-grade biodegradable weapons of the future. Big Big Sky is part anarchist fable, part distopian fiction, and part lesbian love story. The Video Short as produced by Dunnion and Helen Prancic. BIG BIG SKY is published by Red Deer Press, 2008.Purchase your copy at any tonight or t This Ain't The Rosedale Library (Nassau Street, Kensington Market) and Another Story (315 Roncesvalles). .Visit www.kristyndunnion.com Speaking and Q&A at 10:10 pm

Film-maker Robert Thomson, who works at Woody's talking about his two films Shot during the brutal snowstorms of January and February 2008,"Waiting" is Robert Thomson's first attempt at filmmaking. Originally intended to be a black comedy with an all drag cast, the weather prevented "Waiting" from evolving as conceived and, in the end, the weather itself ended up being a character in the film, providing an ideal background for the character's seated frustration and inertia.Mark Rosenbauer's music adds the perfect texture to this moody piece.

Armed with a new camera and a lifetime of cinematic longing, Thomson followed up "Waiting" with "Waking Up," which he considers his next logical step in the process of spiritual awakening. Shot in May and early June of 2008, this short film is a collage of moods and images,and reflects a more hands-off approach to life and filmmaking. "Waking Up" is about awareness and stillness. Visit Robert Thomson's web site: roberthomson.com Speaking and Q&A at 11:15 pm

Event Details: Wednesday June 18, 2008 we held the 1st annual Queer West Film & Video Fest @ Good Catch General Store 1556 Queen St. W. Parkdale Doors opened at 8 pm the show rna from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM An outdoor private theatre www.goodcatch.ca and on Saturday Evening August 23rd saw incredible two hours of some of the best queer youth film making today. A premier event, with many submitted videos, never previously shown publicly in Toronto by underground queer filmmakers. Both evenings were in the back parking lot of Good Catch General Store. Owner Jola Slovobak, donated 60 comfortable chairs. The movie screen was a white bed-sheet hung on one of the walls of the adjacent building. Every 20 minutes Slovobak would come out of her store and raffle off crafts, to help us raise funds, since we couldn't charge a fixed admission. The event was PWYC. Everyone raved about Jola's chocolate covered popcorn. all 60 chairs were filled and 25 people stood a back or sat on the ground. Our first Film festival raise $200, after we paid the driver from delivery of the chairs.The youth event didn't do so well, as we were hit by a sudden thunder storm. Next year we plan hold it indoors and a different location.

The Toronto Queer West Youth Film Festival was a celebration of short films made by people 25 years and under. We hoped that the festival will encourage young people to create and distribute films about their visions for a better world, and the issues that concern them most. Saturday evening August 23 was insightful and entertaining, as we collected films from across Canada, putting together an incredible evening of some of the best youth filmmaking today.

The first year of both film festivals was organizing nightmare the events were together in last than 30 days. Including sumissions, reviews, flyers, posters and newspaper announcements and an interview (Forest Lightbody and Michael F. Paré ) on ThatTV.com hosted by Donnarama. We also, couldn't say what films we had, as we did have distributor rights. Something we will correct in 2009.

Our Hereos in 2008
The Queer West Arts and Culture Centre, organizers would like to thank The AIDS Committee of Toronto for loan of projector, Good Catch General Store for location, set-up and technical help. The Consumer Group of Environics Research for supplying festival-goers with 150 bottles of the new Vitamin Water.(which quickly ran out) made by Soft-drink maker Coca-Cola Co. West Side Stories Video for screening room and both Inside Out Film Festival and WSSV for ideas on film selection and the many dedicated neighbourhood Volunteers that work so tirelessly to put the Festival together, Our Sponsors that make it possible, the Filmmakers for their art, and the Audience for supporting us!

Showing Toronto pride in creating new & exciting gay and lesbian Queer Festivals

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