Indy to host gay film festival

The second annual Indianapolis Gay & Lesbian Film Festival starts this coming weekend in Indianapolis.\n"We've worked really hard to get a broad mix of films that would cater to the entire community," festival co-director Pam Powell said. This year the festival will try to embrace diversity even further and "look for more movies about women, youth, and people of color."\nPowell also said this year's line-up will have a little more "zest." Art films, shorts and comedies are slated for viewing. Most of this line-up are also being premiered in Indiana.\nNotably present this year will be actor Jason Stuart of NBC's "Will & Grace." Stuart will be on-hand at the premiere of his new film "10 Attitudes."\n"It's a look at looking for love in all the wrong places ... Los Angeles," Stuart said. \nBefore the film, Stuart will perform his stand-up routine and will host a VIP reception for festival pass holders. Stuart's live act will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, and his film begins at 7:30 p.m.\nThe festival will showcase more than 15 films over a three-day span at Key Cinemas located on the corner of South Keystone and Hanna Avenue. For more information about festival movies including times and descriptions, visit www.queerasfilm.com.\nMargaret Cho is a stand-up comedian whose sexuality is ambiguous, but Stacey Harbaugh, an Indiana Youth Group staffer said Cho is "by far my favorite stand-up comedian. She is wonderful ... she is hysterical. She is definitely a hero to gay and lesbian people everywhere."\nCho's film "The Notorious C.H.O." also makes its Indiana premiere at 9:30 p.m. Saturday.\nThe Indiana Youth Group funds this year's $275,000 budget through several grants from federal and state agencies as well as foundations. \nThe leading federal grant is from the Administration of Children and Families and is to be used for homeless outreach. The State Department of Health consistently pledges funds to pay for HIV awareness programs.\nThe Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Foundation Trust is also depended on for private money.\nIndiana Youth Group Executive Director Rob Connoley said the event was begun for two reasons. \n"The obvious is we want to have a high profile fund-raiser," he said. "Two years ago myself and another staffer were in an office bemoaning Indiana having so little high profile queer events. There is no Pride event in Indy. So we said, if we're going to put Indy on the map, a film festival was the highest profile thing we could do."\nTickets can be purchased at the ticket counter of Key Cinemas. An Adult Full Festival pass is $30. A day pass is $15. Individual movie tickets can be purchased for $7 each, but to attend the VIP event featuring Stuart, an additional $20 is charged and is only available with the Full Festival Pass.\nIU academic Dr. Iris Yob, academic coordinator at the Collins Living Learning Center, recommended IU students attend the event if possible. \n"Films that explore and celebrate the lives of different others such as gays and lesbians perform a valuable service for the community," Yob said. "It affirms and legitimized the differences which make community varied and strong, and informs us all about the members who make up the human family"