..Gary Dretzka
..Noah Forrest
..Leonard Klady
..R.J. Matson
..David Poland
..Douglas Pratt
..Ray Pride
..Michael Wilmington

July 19, 2004

For Immediate Release

OUTFEST ANNOUNCES FILM COMPETITION WINNERS

Outfest, one of the world’s largest gay and lesbian film festivals and the largest film festival in Southern California, has announced its coveted 10th Annual Film Competition Awards, sponsored by Tylenol PM, in which 16 competitive film awards were announced in three categories: Grand Jury Awards, Audience Awards and Special Programming Awards.

Outfest 2004, the festival’s 22nd edition, featured 220 films and videos from 22 countries, exhibited in nine venues over 12 days. The festival boasted 98 separate programs, four galas, 69 feature film programs, 14 short film programs, six special events and five panels. The awards ceremony, held prior to the Los Angeles debut of “Straight-Jacket” at the John Anson Amphitheatre, included such celebrity presenters as Lauren Ambrose, Bobby Gant, Dave Koz, Lucy Lawless, Judith Light, Martha Plimpton and Kevin Williams.

“Outfest had a marvelous year,” said Stephen Gutwillig, Executive Director. “We featured an interesting, eclectic and far-reaching assortment of films, perhaps one of our strongest lineups in years, and our audiences responded overwhelmingly well. The movies, the parties, the panels, the events – they all exceeded even our enthusiastic expectations. I am happy to say it’s been another good year.”

The winners of the Grand Jury Awards are as follows:

· OUTstanding American Narrative Feature – “Brother To Brother”

Director: Rodney Evans

· OUTstanding International Narrative Feature – “Wild Side”

Director: Sebastean Lifshitz

· OUTstanding Documentary Feature – “A Fine State This Is”

Director: Jessica Chandler

· OUTstanding Screenwriting – Ryan Shiraki and Lecia Rosenthal

For “Poster Boy”

· OUTstanding Actor in a Feature Film – Roger Robinson

For “Brother To Brother”

· OUTstanding Actress in a Feature Film – Robin Greenspan, Lacie Harmon & Lee Friedlander

For “Girl Play”

The winners of the Audience Awards are as follows:

· HBO OUTstanding First Narrative Feature – “Dorian Blues”

Director: Tennyson Bardwell

This award also includes a $5,000 cash prize, courtesy of HBO

· OUTstanding Lesbian Narrative Feature – “Girl Play”

Director: Lee Friedlander

This award also includes a $1,000 cash prize, courtesy of Wolfe Video and Olivia Cruises

· OUTstanding Narrative Feature – “Brother To Brother”

Director: Rodney Evans

· OUTstanding Documentary Feature – “Drag Kings on Tour”

Director: Sonia Slutsky

· OUTstanding Narrative Short Film – “Gift For Living”

Director: Tamika Miller

· OUTstanding Documentary Short Film – “Butch Mystique”

Director: Debra A. Wilson

· OUTstanding Soundtrack – “Callas Forever”

Director: Franco Zeffirelli

The winners of the Special Programming Awards are as follows:

· Freedom Award – Patrik-Ian Polk, Writer/Director

For “Noah’s Arc”

· OUTstanding Emerging Talent – Ekachai Uekrongtham, Writer/Director

For “Beautiful Boxer”

· OUTstanding Artistic Achievement – Jennifer Reeves, Writer/Director

For “The Time We Killed”

The Film Competition jurors were Effie T. Brown, C. Jay Cox and Harriet “Harry” Dodge for the American Features Competition; Suzy Capo, David Ehrenstein and Joel Soler for the International Features Competition; and Kara Lynch, Nancy Rosenblum and Carl Spence for the Documentary Competition.

Outfest 2004 is presented by Absolut and HBO. Premiere sponsors include Adelphia, The Advocate, Avis, Directors Guild of America (DGA) and here! TV. For more information, log on to www.outfest.org or call 213/480-7065.

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