2008 Woodie Awards
A night at the movies becomes a social gathering
The Gay-Straight Alliance hosts 10th annual gay and lesbian film festival at Chabot College
Lane, Terri L.
Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: The Scene
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Over the past weekend, Chabot College's GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) hosted the 10th annual Southern Alameda County Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
The first year of this festival was held in the San Leandro library and has now found a home at the Chabot Little Theater. For the past three years, GSA has been sponsoring the festival.
This film festival is not specifically geared to present the newest and most passionate upcoming directors or producers but to create an alcohol free meeting event. Stephen Mahabir, film festival coordinator, said in an interview, "We are trying to create an environment for gays and lesbians to meet.
Instead of meeting at a bar, they can come here enjoy some free food and fellowship with other people sharing mutual interests." Shoshanna Tenn, one of the Chabot GSA advisers, added, "The film festival is meant as a social outreach event."
Though the film festival does charge an entrance fee, it's the fee that keeps the festival going. Mahabir said, "The proceeds from the festival go back into the festival. The money is used for buying the rights of the films and whatever is left over is used to plan the following year's festival."
Who enters this festival? Mahabir said, "Distributors and producers of GSA films enter into the festival. The films do not follow the 'mainstream' artistry that normal films focus on; these films are more independent."
This year's film festival had an added originality, thanks to the presence of local comedian Regina Stoops. She had some really great stories and her bit was hilarious. She was able to relate her personal relationship with her lesbian life partner to any straight married couples who might have been sitting in the room.
Her most classic moments were those when she would talk about her difficulties in raising her three sons and their takes on same sex love and her outlook on gay pride and how she is exhausted during gay pride month because of the excessive amount of pride she shows.
The first year of this festival was held in the San Leandro library and has now found a home at the Chabot Little Theater. For the past three years, GSA has been sponsoring the festival.
This film festival is not specifically geared to present the newest and most passionate upcoming directors or producers but to create an alcohol free meeting event. Stephen Mahabir, film festival coordinator, said in an interview, "We are trying to create an environment for gays and lesbians to meet.
Instead of meeting at a bar, they can come here enjoy some free food and fellowship with other people sharing mutual interests." Shoshanna Tenn, one of the Chabot GSA advisers, added, "The film festival is meant as a social outreach event."
Though the film festival does charge an entrance fee, it's the fee that keeps the festival going. Mahabir said, "The proceeds from the festival go back into the festival. The money is used for buying the rights of the films and whatever is left over is used to plan the following year's festival."
Who enters this festival? Mahabir said, "Distributors and producers of GSA films enter into the festival. The films do not follow the 'mainstream' artistry that normal films focus on; these films are more independent."
This year's film festival had an added originality, thanks to the presence of local comedian Regina Stoops. She had some really great stories and her bit was hilarious. She was able to relate her personal relationship with her lesbian life partner to any straight married couples who might have been sitting in the room.
Her most classic moments were those when she would talk about her difficulties in raising her three sons and their takes on same sex love and her outlook on gay pride and how she is exhausted during gay pride month because of the excessive amount of pride she shows.
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