REACH LA NEWS

MY RECORDED LIFE: QUEER YOUTH LOS ANGELES @ OUTFEST

six compelling new works from the REACH LA queer youth video production program

SATURDAY JULY 12 2008 12 NOON
at the REDCAT Theater
Walt Disney Concert Hall
631 W. Second Street, LA 90012

PRODUCED BY REACH LA
This year’s LGBTQ youth video production program features seven exciting young video-makers working in six different video genres to tell their unique stories of being young and queer in Southern California. Ranging from experimental performance to edgy narrative drama, diaristic expose to a mock-u-mentary fashioned with dolls. All of these videos are united by a need to render visible these close to the bone stories that ask us to look through the lens to the often hidden spectrum of LGBTQ youth.

For more information contact
Gina Lamb 213.622.1650 ex 107 (more…)

The staff of REACH LA hosted an evening of fun, food, shopping, singing and “voguing” at its annual holiday party. REACH LA “familia” from the G2G Leadership, Ovahness and Reel Ghetto Queer workshops stopped by through out the evening. Friends came out to support the Chiapas Women’s Collective by buying handmade belts, pocketbooks, bracelets, purses, tablecloths and clothes from Oakwood School students. Each year the Oakwood students travel to Chiapas and visit the many women who participate in the collective.

The REACH LA LGBTQ Youth Video Production Program is pleased to present the premiere screening of “The Pretty Boy King of Hollywood” a new documentary by Maurice Lopez a.k.a. The Pretty Boy King. This video will take you on a tour of LGBT youth events (with a pretty boy twist) throughout Southern California - guided by, our always engaging and entertaining host, The Pretty Boy King! The screening will take place on Saturday Dec 1st at 6:30 pm at the Egyptian Theater 6712 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028. This event is part of FUSION: THE LOS ANGELES LGBT PEOPLE OF COLOR FILM FESTIVAL taking place Nov 30 – Dec 2 at the Egyptian Theater. All YOUTH 21 and under GET IN FREE – so no excuses - come for the great independent films and videos, music and spoken word, activist panels, and of course the parties!

FOR MORE INFO GO TO:
www.myspace.com/prettyboyempire
FOR TICKETS AND FUSION FESTIVAL INFO GO TO:
www.outfest.org

The REACH LA LGBT Youth Video Production program is funded by the Durfee Foundation Gay and Lesbian Fund of the Liberty Hill Foundation

REACH LA’s Queer Youth Nation survey of LGBT youth video production celebrated its 5th anniversary year at OUTFEST by screening a selection of the some of the best shorts included in the program over the last five years. The aim Queer Youth Nation is to showcase the unique stories of LGBTQ youth of color and to inspire other young people to tell their stories through digital media. (more…)

The 5th annual digital video production workshop for LGBTQ youth and their allies began this week with 14 participants and will continue through November 2007. Youth project ideas run the gamut from narrative stories of family relationships, a documentary on gender transition, a parody of gay males attraction to Cher produced with dolls as actors, LGBT discrimination in public places, and LGBTQ teen suicide. Video shorts from the workshop will be submitted to FUSION and OUTFEST LGBT Film Festivals. During the course of the workshop youth participants will learn all aspects of digital story telling from writing, and producing to editing their projects and distributing their videos.
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Eight new videos by REACH LA youth video makers were selected to screen as part of the FUSION Festival shorts program “Youth Movement: Los Angeles” at Egyptian Theater. The youth filmmakers attended and spoke after the screening as part of the Q&A session.

“Queer Youth Nation” is REACH LA’s annual national survey screening of LGBT youth videos at OUTFEST. This years screening “Larger Than Life: Queer Youth Nation 2006” included 12 new videos by LGBT youth from across the nation. Each year the audience for the screening gets larger and this year was no exception with a full house at Barnsdall Municipal Gallery Theater and a robust question answer session plus reception after the screening. Queer Youth Nation continues to be one of the most popular screenings at OUTFEST and draws a new youth audience to the festival each year. Eight new video shorts by youth in the REACH LA digital video program premiered in this year’s program. Included in the program, “My Crazy Life”, the story of Enzo Ybarra, produced by Studio C and APLA’s M-powerment received the OUTFEST Audience Award for Best Documentary Short. All the youth filmmakers received all-access passes to OUTFEST including invites to opening and closing night gala events and got to participate in industry sponsored meeting with agents, film directors, writers, etc… organized by OUTFEST. In addition, two REACH LA youth directors were chosen to be assistant programmers for OUTFEST 2006 and were responsible for selecting films in this year’s festival.

Ana Lopez REACH LA video artist, co-founder of “Queer Youth Nation” program and former Youth Outreach Coordinator at REACH LA has been honored with the 2006 Youth Courage Award for her bravery in confronting discrimination and her commitment to advocating for LGBTQ youth issues. The Colin Higgins Youth Courage Awards are given each year to acknowledge remarkable lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender youth who refuse to be silenced by societal norms, demonstrating amazing courage when confronted with hardship, intolerance and bigotry based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Ana was flown to New York City to receive her award at the Trevor Awards Gala held on June 22.

As part of her award, she is also awarded an expense paid trip to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s “Creating Change Conference” this year.