Pride Films and Plays’ Queer Bits Film Festival Announces Short Films to Receive Chicago Premiere

Pride Films and Plays announces eight short films and three episodes from Chicago-based webseries receiving their Chicago premieres during Queer Bits Film Festival at the Pub Theatre (3914 N Clark) on June 30^th, 2014.

Pride Films and Plays’ Queer Bits Film Festival will include a sexy comedy about two straight actors stripping down to rehearse a gay love scene, a touching and truthful story of a father and son trying to reconnect in the wake of a traumatic experience, a light-hearted documentary about a lesbian couple trying their hand at filmmaking, and a powerful and action-packed drama about two young men fighting for love in an institution waging war on homosexuality.

And the featured webseries could not be more diverse! Dudes finds three friends on the wrong side of their thirties searching for sex and love all over the city while Coffee Talk is about friends confronting hot-button issues over a cup of coffee. These are just some of the tantalizing offerings at Queer Bits Film Fest which will be at the Pub Theatre on June 30^th at 7:30PM. The full program is listed below.

The screening commences at 7:30PM and will be followed by a brief talkback with some of the filmmakers. The Pub Theater bar will be open beginning at 6:30PM. Please come early and have a drink with us!

Warning: some of the short films and webseries episodes contain adult themes, language, and brief nudity. You are going to love them!

Tickets are $10. VIP Tickets are available for $15 and include prime table seating. Tickets can be purchased at brownpapertickets.com or by calling 1.800.838.3006.

Queer Bits Film Festival Program (in alphabetical order)

A Heart Felt

Director/Writer: Jingyang Cheng (USA, 13 minutes)

Featuring PFP Ensemble Member Tom Chiola

Following a heart transplant surgery and an encounter with the donor’s family, an old man is forced to reevaluate his relationship with his long estranged son.

Angie & Jackie Final Cut

Directors: Angie West, Jackie Nunns and Andrew David (UK, 11 mintues)

This light-hearted documentary follows Angie and Jackie, a lesbian couple in their 50s who try their hand at making a film for the first time.

Another Woman’s Scent

Directors: Angie West and Jackie Nunns; Writer: Sarah Reilly (UK, 2 minutes)

On a lazy Sunday afternoon, she remembers being drawn to another woman’s scent. Erotic lesbian transitioning/coming out, a true story by Sarah Reilly, poet and artist.

The Best Man

Director: Michael J. Saul; Writer: Heath Daniels (US, 14 minutes)

As they prepare for their wedding, Scott and Johnny reflect on their long-term relationship; from a teenage first date after band practice to the meaning of monogamy.

Coffee Talk: Episode 5: Sugar Daddy

Director: Anthony Peeples; Writer: Cole Fowler (US, 4 minutes)

Riley supposes Blake’s relationship to his sugar daddy is based on “mutual benefits”. Is his college buddy a ho?

Coffee Talk: Episode 6: Gay Marriage

Director: Matthew Wrobel; Writer: George Smart (US, 5 minutes)

Equal rights under the law: Dennis asks Mark, if heloves him forever, but Mark is only interested in watching a college hockey game.

Dream Shreds

Animator: Mira Chendler (Netherlands, 3 minutes)

The appearance of a bird during a girl’s sleep brings about strange dream shreds.

Dudes: Episode One: Have We Come to This?

Director: Brett Emanuel; Writer: Andrew Pemberton-Fowler (US, 14 minutes)

When Tyler gets the shock of his life, he moves in with his socialite ex-boyfriend, David, and David’s escort roommate, Miles.

Eden

Director: Sean Willis; Writer: Jason Rostovsky (US, 15 minutes)

“Eden” is a dystopian drama, centered around Adam and Everett who must escape from an institution whose goal is to cure them of their homosexuality.

On the Nature of Hotness

Director: Christine McHugh; Writer: Richard Snyder (US, 9 minutes)

A short film comedy of one man’s journey into the realm of Hotness, from teenage obsession to adult wisdom around sex, sexuality, and love.

Performance Anxiety

Writer and Director: Reid Waterer (US, 15 minutes)

Two straight actors rehearse for a movie’s upcoming gay love scene. How will they make out?

About Queer Bits Film Festival

Queer Bits Film Festival is Pride Films and Plays’ recently re-titled Film Festival is now in its third year and prides itself in providing the best LGBT short films with their Chicago premieres.

The first screening and incarnation of Queer Bits occurred in November 2012 in Center on Halsted’s Hoover-Leppen Theatre. In November 2013, five short films received their Chicago-premieres in the same venue during Pride Films and Plays’ annual Gay Film Weekend. The enthusiasm for these festivals led Pride Films and Plays to continue the festival as an on-going event alongside their annual Great Gay Screenplay Contest.

Another Queer Bits Fest will be held during PFP’s Gay Film Weekend November 14 to 16 at Center on Halsted.

Tickets are $10. VIP Tickets are available for $15 and include prime table seating. Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/674062

For more information visit pridefilmsandplays.com.

About Pride Films and Plays

Founded in 2010, PFP is a script and screenplay development company that works with an international network of writers to develop work with LGBT characters or themes through our the Great Gay Play and Musical Contest, Great Gay Screenplay Contest, and Women’s Words for plays and screenplays by women with lesbian characters or themes. We also stage full productions of new and classic LGBT work, winning 2 Jeff Awards in 2013 for Best Musical and Best New Work for Leo Schwartz’s Under A Rainbow Flag, and a Jeff Award in 2014 for Nora Lise Ulrey’s performance in The Children’s Hour. PFP’sAt The Flash performed at the Dublin International Gay Fest recently, and was nominated for Best New Writing and Best Acting Awards.

For more information on contests or productions, visit www.pridefilmsandplays.com.