cinema diverse

Cinema Diverse Marks 10th Year

Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival features Netflix series Eastsiders, including episode filmed in valley.

Site Staff LGBTQ+, The Guide

cinema diverse
(From left) Willam Belli, Stephen Guarino, and Max Emerson shoot a scene from Eastsiders at Burton House in Palm Springs.
PHOTO BY JOHN HALBACH

Cinema Diverse, the Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival, opens its 10th edition Sept. 21 and runs through Sept.  24 at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs and includes a new event, a special Best of Fest, the following weekend, Sept. 29-30, at the Mary Pickford Theatres in Cathedral City.

This 10th anniversary edition features special screenings and events, including the Palm Springs premiere (and 10th anniversary) of the docu-comedie Laughing Matters…The Men filmed over five days during the 2006 Palm Springs Pride Festival; a 10th anniversary screening of Here TV’s Shelter, and a special screening of the third season of the Emmy Award nominated Netflix hit, Eastsiders, including the episode that was filmed in Palm Springs in July.

Cinema Diverse, which began in 2008, was one of the first programs produced by the Palm Springs Cultural Center. This year’s Opening Night program includes a screening of The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin, a new film by Jennifer Kroot (To Be Takei, It Came From Kuchar). Best known for his ground-breaking Tales of The City books, this remarkable documentary follows Maupin’s journey from conservative son of the Old South into a gay rights pioneer whose novels have inspired millions.

Maupin plans to attend the Opening Night festivities, will participate in a Q&A after the screening, and be available to sign his new book, Logical Family- A Memoir, which will not be available in bookstores until October. He will also receive a lifetime achievement award from Cinema Diverse for his work as one of the world’s most beloved LGBTQ storytellers.

Cinema Diverse continues Sept. 22 with screenings beginning at 11 a.m. in all three of Camelot’s theatres. Ten feature length documentaries cover a variety of topics, including immigration, the struggles of being gay and muslim, the mystery surrounding the death of early transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson, the life of Mexican ranchera singer Chavela Vargas, and more.

An even larger selection of feature length narrative films include several films that debuted and subsequently won awards at Tribeca Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival , Sundance, SXSW, Frameline, and the Seattle International Film Festival.

Cinema Diverse will premiere its special Best of Fest event, Sept. 29-30, at the Mary Pickford Theatres in Cathedral City with highlights from the 2017 festival, including two WebOUT programs with @REELKEV, featuring arts blogger, Kevin M. Thomas. The series offers hand-picked episodes from all over the web, including the world premiere of the riotous comedy, Persianality.

See the complete schedule and buy tickets at cinemadiverse.org.