aGLIFF Names Darren Stein as the 2023 Legacy Award Recipient for PRISM36

Austin’s oldest film festival and premiere LGBTQ+ film fest of the Southwest, aGLIFF has revealed director Darren Stein as the 2023 Legacy Honoree for PRISM 36 with special events and screenings including a 10th anniversary screening of G.B.F. The 36th annual festival PRISM 36 takes place in-person August 23–27, 2023 in Austin, TX with screenings, events, Q&As and more. More information on the festival can be found at agliff.org/prism.

Darren Stein is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer from Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley and is responsible for cult Queer classics including Sparkler (1997), Jawbreaker (1999), and G.B.F. (2013) - all being screened at this year's aGLIFF festival. Stein will be in Austin to provide insight into the making of each film in post-screening Q&A's and he will be joined by G.B.F. screenwriter George Northy as well as the scheduled reunion of cast members, pending availability for the anniversary screening.

“Partnering with aGLIFF to support G.B.F.'s Austin premiere at the Paramount back in 2013 was my first time working with the festival, so I am elated to bring the film back to Austin for the 10th Anniversary at PRISM 36, said Artistic Director Bears Rebecca Fonté. “Jawbreaker’s scenario in which the ugly duckling is essentially made over, made popular, and then exposed by the cool girls was fulfillment on screen for many young trans and queer individuals in its time.Sparkler is a lost gem that rewards with each discovery, a queer spin on the guy road-trip flick. We're excited to bring the creator Darren Stein and his films to Austin screens to help entrench them in the Queer Cannon.”

aGLIFF's Legacy Honoree Award is given annually to a queer filmmaker whose work has been important in providing a foundation for the evolution of LGBTQ+ cinema. Stein's films encompass this spirit, offering work that explores teen and young adult life through a queer lens in a funny, dark, and heartfelt manner. Since its creation in 2018 to honor Austin filmmaker Yen Tan, the award has celebrated a wide range of queer indie trailblazers and pioneers including Rose Troche, Jim Fall, and Madeline Olnek.

"It’s wild to think 10 years have passed since making G.B.F.,” said Legacy Award recipient and director Darren Stein. “The fact that they're screening three of my films with Jawbreaker and Sparkler on 35mm film is a testament to how important the film-going experience is to them. It’s increasingly rare for festivals to screen actual film prints and I’m grateful that was a priority for them."

Named the 2022 Nonprofit of the Year by the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, aGLIFF cultivates the Texas LGBTQ+ community by enlightening, educating, and entertaining moviegoers through programs that enrich LGBTQ+ and ally communities while developing LGBTQ+ awareness. The nonprofit organization’s programs include Community Partnership Programs, “Queer Spectrum” Monthly Screening Series, and the Queer Black Voices Fund, all of which culminate around its annual film festival, PRISM.

For PRISM 36, aGLIFF will additionally offer a virtual component August 28 – September 4, 2023, after the in-person festival has concluded. The PRISM 36 virtual festival will not be a full line up but will include select titles playing in-person.

More information about the PRISM 36 festival will be announced over the coming weeks.

10TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING

G.B.F | US | 2013 | 93 minutes | English | 10th Anniversary Screening

Director: Darren Stein | Writer: George Northy | Cast: Michael J. Willett, Sasha Pieterse, Paul Iacono, Xosha Roqeumore

The fight for supremacy between a trio of the school’s most popular girls takes an unexpected turn when Tanner (Michael J. Willett) becomes its first openly gay student. As they race to bag the big trend in fashion accessories – the Gay Best Friend – Tanner must choose between his skyrocketing popularity and the friends he is leaving behind. Darren Stein (whose seminal queer cult classic JAWBREAKER shows he knows a thing or two about lunchroom politics) delivers another biting satire of high school clique culture, featuring Sasha Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars), Paul Iacono (The Hard Times of RJ Berger), Evanna Lynch (the Harry Potter franchise) and Xosha Roquemore (The Mindy Project).

Scheduled to attend: Writer George Northy, and cast members, pending availability along with Darren Stein who will receive this year's Legacy Honoree Award.

ADDITIONAL Darren Stein SCREENINGS

Sparkler | US | 1997 | 96 minutes | English

Director: Darren Stein | Screenwriters: Darren Stein, Catherine Eads | Featuring: Park Overall, Veronica Cartwright, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jamie Kennedy, Steven Petrarca

After her husband cheats on her and a phone psychic tells her to look for ‘three kings,’ Melba (Park Overall) meets three guys on their way to Las Vegas to gamble for their rent money. Following along, the down-on-her-luck trailer-park Californian girl finds herself facing new stakes after she reconnects with high school pal Dottie (Veronica Cartwright), a bisexual stripper who works at a bar called the ‘The Crack” and lives with its butch owner. When Melba’s ex finds a sweepstakes check for $1 million in Melba’s name, he too makes his way to the gambling capital of the world to try to luck at conning her out of the money.

Sparker on 35mm. Scheduled to attend: Darren Stein.

Jawbreaker | US | 1999 | 86 minutes | English

Director and Writer: Darren Stein | Featuring: Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz

In a birthday prank, three of Reagan High School’s most popular girls kidnap their friend, and their Satan-in-heels leader (Rose McGowan) shoves a jawbreaker into her to mouth to keep her from screaming. When she chokes to death, this teen queen clique will do anything to keep the accident a secret. This includes inviting the only witness, a schoolmarm closeted lesbian named Fern Mayo, into their circle and giving her the mean-girl-makeover. But when the second-in-command (Rebecca Gayheart) gets cold feet about the cover up and Fern becomes more popular than her Svengali leader, the plans begin to unravel.

Jawbreaker on 35mm. Scheduled to attend: Darren Stein and cast members, pending availability.

TICKETS: aGLIFF encourages fans to consider membership to get the best access and support aGLIFF’s year-round programming. Members and badge holders have priority access to reserving tickets for individual films and events upon purchase.

 

PRISM 36: Early bird festival badges are available through Friday, July 28 for $95; regular price badges available at $125 beginning Saturday, July 29. Memberships get the best access, support aGLIFF’s year-round programming, and include festival badges and an array of other perks depending on the level. Memberships are available now; Festival badges are on sale now at agliff.org/badges. A limited number of single tickets for the opening night film are available now for $25 and include the opening night screening, live Q&A, the opening night reception with lights bites and a complimentary drink ticket. All other single tickets will start at $15, plus applicable service fees and will be on sale one week before the festival based on availability.

 

Darren Stein SCREENINGS: A limited number of individual tickets for the G.B.F 10th Anniversary Screening are available for $25.00 and include entrance into the official after party at The Austin Eagle (includes one drink ticket). 3-film packages are available and include tickets for each of Darren Stein’s retrospective screenings over the weekend + the G.B.F after party for $45.00. 

aGLIFF MEMBERSHIP: Memberships start for as low as $25 a month and are available for purchase now. Memberships can be paid upfront or in monthly installments. Memberships include festival badges and an array of other perks depending on the level and range in price from $300 to $2500 and above. Memberships are available now at agliff.org/members.

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