Cybil Shepherd, Jane Lynch et al. Set for OUTFEST 2010, 7/8-18

Outfest, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media, has announced additional programming for Outfest 2010: The 28th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. In addition to its original lineup, Outfest will be showcasing special events, panels, free screenings and its popular "Under the Stars" series at the Ford Amphitheatre.

Special Events include "A Conversation with Jane Lynch;"with Variety's Senior Film Critic/Features Editor Peter Debruge; a sneak preview of an upcoming episode of Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva" series followed by a Q&A with guest stars Candis Cayne and Cybil Shepherd, creator/executive producer Josh Berman and Lifetime's JoAnn Alfano, EVP Entertainment; as well as the panels "Coming Out in Hollywood," with actress Meredith Baxter, veteran publicist Howard Bragman, and others to discuss the "in" or "out" debate among celebrities; "Cast Away," headed by LA's top casting directors; "Writers Under the Influence: The Top LGBT Films That Inspired Us" moderated by film historian/critic David Ehrenstein and lead by an A-list group of screenwriters and writer/directors (Kimberly Pierce, Guinevere Turner, Barry Sandler, Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, and Angela Robinson) about which movies of the past five decades influenced and inspired them; and "Trans-Politics Then and Now: From Queens at Heart to Bella Maddo," a discussion about transgender politics.

The Ford Amphitheatre will once again host its "Under the Stars" screening series, headlined by the Outfest 2010 musical "Grease 2." Other screenings include the concert doc "Le Tigre: On Tour" with a live set by JD Samson, the romantic comedy "Is It Just Me?," the Slamdance favorite "The Four-Faced Liar" and the Closing Night Gala "Spork."

Furthermore, Outfest invites audience members to its Screenwriting Lab Reading; hosts the 10th Anniversary screening of "The Broken Hearts Club" with writer/director Greg Berlanti, producer Mickey Lidell, and actors Andrew Keegan and Timothy Olyphant; as well as free screenings of the inspiring documentary "A Small Act," and the Legacy Project screening of "Out of The Shadows / Sign of Protest." Outfest is also hosting its annual Family Fun Day for which for the very first time the festival will be projecting a series of homemade, self-produced shorts on the big screen made by the families of the Outfest community.

To buy tickets and for a complete listing of films in the Festival, log on to www.Outfest.org
or call 213-480-7065.

Outfest's 28th film festival is presented by HBO, Grand sponsor Absolut Vodka. Premiere Sponsors are the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Clear Channel, Directors Guild of America, The Gay AdNetwork, Healthy Choice, Here Media, Lexus, Logo TV and Variety, with Official Sponsors The Event Division, Leslie, Wallace & Associates LLP, One Hope, Orbitz, Room&Board, Southwest Airlines, Stella Artois and TechPal.

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