Telling stories through film and conversation.
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WILDsound's The Film Podcast

In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.

Posts tagged lgbtq film festival
EP. 1131 - John-Carlos Estrada & Zak Zeh (BARBETTE + FONTAINE)

BARBETTE + FONTAINE, 14min., USA
Directed by John-Carlos Estrada, Zak Zeh
A century apart, two Texas icons unite through art, resilience, and a shared legacy of self-expression and freedom.

https://instagram.com/barbette.fontaine

Get to know filmmaker John-Carlos Estrada:
The idea for Barbette + Fontaine came from an award-winning TV news profile I reported on for CBS Austin. After the broadcast story aired in June 2022… I was Inspired by a dream where the legendary Texas drag icon Barbette urged me to tell their story. We’re honored to provide Barbette with their final performance and take pride in doing so. Here’s the link to the CBS Austin story: bit.ly/3CeAXTG

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1092 - Filmmaker Jessica Q. Moore (ONCE AND AGAIN)

ONCE AND AGAIN, 5min., USA
Directed by Jessica Q Moore
Tasha, a woman in her mid 40’s, trudges through the end of her day until she sees an old flame on the train platform. The lovers reminisce and rekindle feelings towards each other only to realize that circumstance continues to keep them apart.

Get to know the filmmaker:

You know that feeling when you’re walking around and you think you’ve seen someone that you know, but you’re not sure? The film started as a prompt in Grad school. We picked three elements out of a bag or hat. The three elements were mode of transportation, color, and object. I chose train, yellow, and a scarf, which was perfect for me because I was already thinking of telling a story about lost love. It was actually a film I thought of in two parts, the first part being when the two characters are younger and we see Tasha jilted by rejection of her initial proposal. The second part, is Once and Again, where they see each other decades later.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1079 - Filmmaker Jay Beckett (DADDY)

DADDY, 20min., USA
Directed by Jay Beckett
Rodrigo is an unstable, and materialistic queer man who falls madly in love with his sugar daddy. Rodrigo’s best friend finds out that he is married to a woman and has a new born son. His world collapses along with his mind. Heartbroken and mentally disturbed, he goes on a quest to seek revenge.

https://www.2ndactfilms.com/daddy
https://www.instagram.com/daddy_theshortfilm/

Get to know the filmmaker:
Well, this was my thesis film at LA Film School. I’ve done dramas and documentaries in the past, but never a thriller. So it was a perfect time to explore the horror/thriller genre specially about queer people.


You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at
www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

February 5, 2023 - Filmmaker Azure Kwok (MONODIALOGUE)

MONODIALOGUE, 5min, USA, Drama
Directed by Azure Kwok
A surreal encounter with Adam reveals everything about Addison’s past, present, and future.

https://www.theythemfilms.com/
https://instagram.com/theythemproductions

Get to know the filmmaker:

Monodialogue was initially just a shower thought. I wrote it into a stage play at first and I wasn’t exactly happy with how it turned out. I was living in Seattle at the time and was surrounded by a group of talented and ambitious friends who are all eager to work and learn in the filmmaking field. So I adapted it into a screenplay and brought them all onto this project. They loved the idea and were incredibly supportive of me. Honestly, my friends were my biggest motivation behind making this film. We wanted to make something together that we’re proud of, and Monodialogue happened to be the thing.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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August 16, 2022 - Actor/Director Daniel Montgomery (THE JESSICA CABIN)

THE JESSICA CABIN was the winner of BEST FEATURE FILM at the LA LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

https://www.instagram.com/marykateandashtray

Director Biography - Daniel Montgomery

Daniel Montgomery is an LA-based director/writer/actor known for his work in the worlds of comedy and horror. A USC School of Dramatic Arts, NC School of the Arts and UCB alum, Daniel is the artistic director and writer of LA’s premier immersive theatre company JFI Productions (Creep LA, The Willows). He is also the co-founder of sketch comedy duo turned production company Mary-Kate and Ashtray. Recent work includes award-winning short film Tall Betsy and onscreen in HBO’s Barry.

Director Statement

I wrote and directed The Jessica Cabin in the heart of the pandemic. My time stuck inside was measured by a listlessness and unsettlingly deep introspection that permeated my days: these are the bones of this film. I felt like a ghost. So I wrote about being one.

Inspiration also came from outside of myself. Shortly into the pandemic, two of my best friends, both in their early 30s, came out: one as gay, the other as non-binary. I was moved to create this film as an opportunity for them to be authentically represented onscreen for the first time. (They star in the film)

So, if those elements are the bones, the heart of this film is the universal desire to intimately connect with others. To be seen. And find reciprocated love. Everyone in the film is looking for a connection, and somehow the wires have gotten crossed. At times, to the extreme. I was inspired to portray this theme in every color: dark and light, grounded and fantastical.

Most importantly, I wanted to make a (slightly) spooky film that's decidedly queer: where the "fear" and drama doesn't come from the horror being queer; rather it's just an aspect of the characters' lives. Or, in this case, after-lives.

I hope you chuckle a few times, I hope you get the tingles, and I hope you disappear for a little while.
But not forever.

Film playing on the Film Festival Streaming service later this month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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June 28, 2022 - Screenwriter Clare Bradley Smyth (BEAUTY/BEAU)

“BEAUTY/BEAU” is the winning LGBTQ+ TV Pilot screenplay written by Clare Bradley Smyth.

Conversation with Clare, followed by the best scene screenplay reading.

“The story of a teenage rock star whose journey begins the night they reveal being F to M. It’s prom night in Kalamazoo, IL 2003. BEAUTY ROBERTS dressed like a prom queen shakes in front of a mirror. Their prom date SAM pleads under the window to understand why she took off. Beauty wants to see themselves for who they truly are, which is Beau. Beauty/Beau is transgender. He is also a talented singer songwriter with a rock star edge. Beauty cuts off their hair, washes off their makeup, and takes off to Chicago to make it as Beau. “

Go to the WILDsound TV app. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

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May 31, 2022 - Filmmaker Charlie Steers (I’M NOT CHRIS HEMSWORTH)

I’M NOT CHRIS HEMSWORTH played to rave reviews at the May 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

Project Links

I'M NOT CHRIS HEMSWORTH is a ridiculous adventure comedy that parodies the "mistaken identity trope" and has a surprise musical ending!


Conversation with writer/director/actor Charlie Steers on the making of this very funny comedy.

Film also showing on the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


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May 26, 2022 - Filmmaker/Actor Jesus M. Rodriguez (TWO WEEKS TO 29)

TWO WEEKS TO 29 played to rave reviews at the May 2022 LA LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

Project Links

Two Weeks to 29 gives us snapshots of the sexually charged relationship between Ricardo, a lonely art photographer who just turned 51, and Paulo, a sexy Brazilian man who will turn 29 in two weeks. What starts as just sex, develops into a deep and complex relationship, despite the age difference and the fact that Paulo is engaged and will marry his girlfriend in just six months.

Conversation with award winning actor & director on the making of the film.

Film also showing on the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


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May 16, 2022 - Filmmaker Matthew Perifano (COME AWAY DEATH)

COME AWAY DEATH played to rave reviews at the May 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

“The Clown's Song in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night evokes the fear an isolation of the early years of the AIDS epidemic.”

Conversation with filmmaker/creator Matthew Perifano on the making of the film.

Film also showing on the WILDsound TV app. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


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May 8, 2022 - Composer/Producer Madstone Rowan (LIPSTICK OF THE BRAVE)

LIPSTICK OF THE BRAVE was the winner of BEST SOUND & MUSIC at the April 2022 LA LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

Project Links

Directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Bill Plympton, “Lipstick of the Brave” represents the animated journey of Madstone Rowan, composer and performer, as they find inspiration in the rock and pop music which inspired them to move beyond the gender binary and embrace their non-binary self.


Conversation with Madstone Rowan on the process of how the film got made.

Film also showing on the WILDsound TV app. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


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April 22, 2022 - Filmmaker Yiqin Ng (SAM)

SAM was the winner of BEST ROMANCE FILM at the Feb. 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.


”Sam is a newly divorced man who decides to question and explore his sexual identity. He goes out all out to impress his dinner date and it goes well until a revelation turns the situation awry. The dinner date unexpectedly falls apart and Sam is forced to come to terms with his perceptions and possibly misguided notions about people with HIV.”

Conversation with Singapore filmmaker Yiqin Ng on the making of the film.

Film also showing on the WILDsound TV app. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


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March 30, 2022 - Filmmaker Jack Hessler (SHY LITTLE BOY)

SHY LITTLE BOY played to rave reviews at the March 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

“In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a newspaper reporter interviews two teenage drag queens as they get ready for a performance.”

Conversation with filmmaker Jack Hessler on the purpose and personal story making this film.

Film also playing at the WILDsound TV app all day on April 3rd. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

March 27, 2022 - Filmmaker Col Dymock (LOVE DOESN'T EQUAL SEX)

LOVE DOESN’T EQUAL SEX played to rave reviews at the March 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

“Documentary about five people on the asexual spectrum sharing the stories of how they knew they were asexual, who they told, and how it affected their lives afterwards.”.

Conversation with Producer Col Dymock on the making of the film at Humber College and their reasons for making it.

Film also playing at the WILDsound TV app all day on April 3rd. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.



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March 26, 2022 - Filmmaker Priya Mishra (BATH BOMB)

BATH BOMB played to rave reviews at the March 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival. “On her mother's death anniversary, Emiko struggles with suppressing her grief and insecurities in front of the woman who loves her most.”

Conversation with writer/director Priya Mishra on the making of this personal film.

https://www.instagram.com/bathbomb.film/

Film also playing at the WILDsound TV app all day on Sunday March 27th. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

March 3, 2022 - Filmmaker Mark S. Schoen (WHAT’S ‘GAY’? ASKED MAE)

WHAT’S ‘GAY’? ASKED MAE was the winner of BEST ANIMATION at the February 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.


http://sexsmartfilms.com/

Based on the book by Brian McNaught, the three-minute animated movie provides an excellent resource for teachers and parents on how to educate youngsters, ages 5 - 10, on the loving context of “gay” before they hear, “That’s so ‘gay’.”

Conversation with filmmaker Mark S. Schoen on the process making this animation movie.

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February 25, 2022 - Filmmaker Olivier Lallart (F"G)

F’G was the winner of Best Performances at the February 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

“Seventeen-year-old Thomas is attracted to Esteban, a fellow student. After a drunken kiss at a party, the rumor about Thomas' homosexuality quickly spreads around school, and the young boy soon faces judgement and discrimination...”

Film also playing at the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


Conversation with French director Olivier Lallart on the making of the film.

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Feb. 11, 2022 - EXPECTING Film Team - Director: Jared Milrad. Actors: Jack Settipane, Kiana Madani

EXPECTING was the winner of BEST DIRECTION at the January 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.


Film also playing at the WILDsound TV app next month. You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.


Conversation with writer/director Jared Milrad, and his two leads Jack Settipane & Kiana Madani on the making of the film.

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February 8, 2022 - Filmmaker Gaby Dunn (GRINDR BABY)

GRINDR BABY was the winner of Best Performances at the January 2022 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

Film playing at the WILDsound TV app next month. You can watch for free and sign up at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform.

“A non-monogamous queer couple grapples with a pregnancy test after one of them has an unprotected one night stand. (Knocked Up but if Seth Rogen was pregnant.”

Conversation with writer/director Gaby Dunn on the making of the film.

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February 3, 2022 - Filmmaker James Elinski (PILLOW TALK)

PILLOW TALK was the winner of BEST DIRECTION at the LGBTQ+ Short Film Festival. Also playing at the WILDsound TV app all day today. You can watch for free and sign up at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is always a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform.

“With a new dating device that simulates physical touch, an isolated chef, Jerome, uses it to make a genuine connection. After only finding men looking for virtual one-night stands, he finally stumbles upon Minoru, an awkward artist who lives on the other side of the world.”

Conversation with James Elinski on the making of the film.

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January 6 2022 - Filmmaker Matthew Riutta (MEDIAN)

MEDIAN was the winner of Best Cinematography at the December 2021 LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

“A gay activist rallies the queer community after he and a trans activist are assaulted by a group of religious extremists.”

Conversation with Bay area filmmaker Matthew Riutta on the process making this award winning short film. We also dive into Matthew’s “day job” career as a Location Manager and working on films like “Fruitville Station”, “The Master”, and “Moneyball”.

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