AGLIFF Announces Films For PRISM 34

Austin's oldest film festival, aGLIFF (All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival) announces the official program selections for PRISM 34 running August 26 - September 6, 2021 in hybrid form, both in-person and online.

Founded by Scott Dinger, the 34th annual festival will feature over ninety films including features, documentaries, and shorts over twelve days while additionally hosting exclusive festival events and screenings. Memberships and badges are available now with members given priority access to in-person screenings, online film streams, as well as entry to in-person and online artists conversations, Q&A's, and other festival activities. Access to the festival can be purchased at agliff.org/badges.

"We can't wait to get back in the theater and share these films with our aGLIFF community. I've felt like I was keeping a secret for months with all these amazing films making their Southwest Premiere at Prism 34," said aGLIFF Artistic Director Bears Rebecca Fonté. "This year our program selection committee really challenged themselves to look at films differently and searched for singularity. We embraced ambitious filmmakers unafraid to challenge the audience and themselves. And we trusted the fascination of a good story well told. Our rebranded section titles reflect the depth and cross-communication of the program. This is a very exciting time in queer cinema. Our stories can be about anything, our characters can be anyone. This program is packed with terrors and turn-ons, romance and rebellion, it's packed with us. I am very proud for this to be my first program as Artistic Director."

Closing Feature "Sh*t & Champagne" will wrap-up the twelve days bringing drag, champagne, and shenanigans in person to Pioneer Farms with the Southwest premiere of writer, director, and San Francisco drag queen extraordinaire D'Arcy Drollinger's wacky send-up of 70's sexploitation flicks. Adapted from Drollinger's wildly successful stage show, "Sh*t & Champagne" is fiendishly fun wall-to-wall slapstick and camp, thanks to the unerring comic timing of Drollinger and a supporting cast of all-stars drag talent, including Steven LeMay, Matthew Martin, and RuPaul's Drag Race-alum Alaska Thunderfu&k.

PRISM 34 will also feature a special "advanced screening" of "Everybody's Talking About Jamie." Directed by Jonathan Butterell with screenplay and lyrics by Tom McRae and songs composed by Dan Gillespie, this film adaptation of the award-winning musical from London's West End will play the festival for an in person special screening.

Previously announced Opening Night and Centerpiece films included the North American premiere of "BLITZED: The 80s Blitz Kids Story," (Opening Night) featuring Boy George, Midge Ure, Gary Kemp, Rusty Egan, Marilyn, Princess Julia, Andy Polaris, Robert Elms, Chris Sullivan, Stephen Jones, Dylan Jones, La Roux, Michele Clapton, Darla-Jane Gilroy, Fiona Dealey and Steve Dagger; and the Southwest Premiere of Boulevard! A Hollywood Story (Centerpiece) written and directed by aGLIFF alumni Jeffrey Schwarz (Tab Hunter Confidential, I Am Divine), Boulevard! looks into the strange but true story of Gloria Swanson and the FIRST Musical version of Sunset Boulevard.

"While the films will always be the core of our festival, the opportunity to connect and have fun at our special events and parties fosters friendship and community," said aGLIFF acting President Todd Hogan-Sanchez. "This year will not disappoint from a lavish afterparty on opening night to closing with a drag show hosted by Austin's drag icon Nadine Hughes & company, aGLIFF's PRISM 34 will truly be a 12-day celebration of LGBTQ+ people and stories."

After last year's festival created a new online community, PRISM organizers are planning several fun hybrid, in-person and online only social events such as trivia night with "The Big Queer Quiz Thing LIVE!", for the ultimate trivia experience playable in person at Austin Eastciders Restaurant & Bar or at home online; the in person only closing weekend "Drive In & Drag" an after screening drag experience with a drag show hosted by Austin drag icon Nadine Hughes in an open air dance hall exclusively at Pioneer Farms; along with the previously announced online event hosted by everyone's favorite Tupperware lady Dixie Longate for an interactive "aGLIFF Happy Hour with Dixie Longate." Additional events both online and in person will be announced shortly.

The PRISM 34 festival schedule, events and late additions will be announced over the next few weeks. More information on PRISM can be found at agliff.org/prism.

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