by Damian Garde
Daily Lobo
This year's Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival has been a success, said Roberto Appicciafoco, the festival's curator.
"We sold out all of the screenings on opening day," he said. "We're the fastest-growing film festival in the region."
After growing in attendance by 90 percent in 2005, the festival expanded to include screenings at the Film Center at Cinemacafe in Santa Fe, in addition to the Guild Cinema and the Southwest Film Center.
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"The turnouts have been great this year," said Keif Henley, co-owner of the Guild. "Perhaps even better than last year."
David Monson said the festival, which started Friday, is catching on.
"But I still think it could use more advertising," said Monson, who has seen six films in the festival
this year.
This year's incarnation presented films from 16 countries, many of which premiered at the festival prior to theatrical release. However, Appicciafoco wants to turn the camera on New Mexico.
"We added the first short-film category for New Mexico filmmakers," he said. "That's something we want to continue to bring out."
Screening-committee member James Monta§o said the state is more conducive to cinema than ever before.
"New Mexico itself is becoming this hub for filmmaking in general," he said. "And it's a great time to be an independent filmmaker here in Albuquerque."
The festival featured documentaries, shorts and feature-length films.
"In programming, we try to get a good balance between the various mediums," Appicciafoco said.
Now in its fourth year, the festival has been beneficial to Albuquerque's gay community, said sponsor Steve Benoit.
"We didn't have anything like that," he said in reference to the festival. "We really needed something to get the community together, and the movie theater's a great place to meet people."
Monson agreed.
"It's a great nonalcoholic activity, which is rare," he said.
Benoit said Albuquerque is more tolerant than other cities. As a result, the gay community isn't as tight-knit as in other places, he said.
"So, this festival provides a place for the community to gather and interact," he said.
Monson sees the festival as an opportunity for people from disparate areas to come together.
"We don't really have a gay ghetto here in Albuquerque," Monson said. "So it's good to bring people together."
Henley agreed, adding that the Guild was more than happy to support the festival.
"How could we not host this?" Henley said. "Alternative voices need to be heard, and these things are very much in the Guild's
philosophy."
Monta§o said the festival appeals to everyone, including those outside of the gay community.
"It gives exposure to not just the gay community, but to everyone else," he said. "But for us, we get to see things we normally would not. Here in Albuquerque, we have a vibrant community, but it's not that way elsewhere. These films allow us to see a different viewpoint on the community."
To Ken Murphy, the festival is just about the movies.
"I suppose, for some, it might be a cultural event," he said. "But I just go to the movies."
This year's festival marks the first time the curators will give awards to the best films screened at the
festival.
With this year's festival wrapping up tonight, Appicciafoco is already thinking about the next one.
"Since we're getting more national recognition as a festival, I definitely want to bring more talent in," he said.
Appicciafoco aims to bring more directors from different backgrounds to the 2007 festival.
The festival will close tonight, following the screening of two of its most anticipated films.
The first, "3 Needles," examines the ways in which cultures treat the issue of AIDS. By studying the disease's effects on Asia, North America and Africa, "3 Needles" is a powerful look at a global epidemic, Appicciafoco said. The film stars Lucy Liu, Stockard Channing and Chloâ Sevigny.
"Puccini for Beginners," a romantic comedy revolving around opera-goers, will also be screened. The film, which stars Gretchen Mol, was written and directed by Maria Maggenti in her first production since 1995's "The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love," a film Appicciafoco reveres.
"3 Needles"
Today, 5 p.m.
"Puccini for
Beginners"
Today, 7 p.m.
Guild Cinema
$9 per film
3405 Central Ave. N.E.
Awards party
Martini Grille
4200 Central Ave. N.E.
Today, 9 p.m.
