The 29th Connecticut LGBT Film Festival concluded June 11 with dual screenings in downtown Hartford at Spotlight Cinemas and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. During the Festival’s nine-day run, audiences enjoyed more than 50 films from 17 countries and had the opportunity to interact with actors, directors, screenwriters and producers.

“Like all Americans, the committee of the Connecticut LGBT Film Festival woke on June 12 to the shocking news that 49 of our LGBT brothers and sisters had been murdered in Orlando,” said Festival Co-Directors Shane Engstrom and Laura Williams. “We are profoundly saddened that such a terrible tragedy occurred just hours after our closing night celebration ended. Horrible events like this underscore the need for and importance of LGBT festivals of all kinds. Yes, we continue to grieve. But we must seize every opportunity to come together to embrace and celebrate the diversity and beauty of our community, to educate people outside our community about who we are, and to affirm our dignity and worth as citizens with full rights to life and liberty. That will continue to be our mission.

“With heavy hearts at this terrible moment in our history, but also with deep gratitude for all of the film makers who contributed their work and their art to the 29th Connecticut LGBT Film Festival, we announce the following Audience and Jury Award winners.”

Audience Award - Best Feature

Winner:

S&M Sally

Runner Up:

That’s Not Us

Special Mention:

Summertime (La Belle Saison)

Audience Award - Best Documentary
Winner:

An Act of Love

Runner Up:

Strike a Pose

Special Mention:

Women He’s Undressed

Jury Award - Best Short

Winner:

Trembling (Trémulo)

Runner Up:

Dawn

Special Mention:

Xavier

Trembling succeeded in telling a delicate story of budding love in a unique setting, with incredible acting and gorgeous cinematography to round it out.

Jury Award – Best Feature

Winner:

Closet Monster

The Jury felt that Closet Monster reached beyond the traditional coming out story to tell a multi-layered story of trauma, dysfunctional families and sexual exploration with a good dose of humor and luscious scenery mixed in.

Jury Award – Best Documentary

Winner:

Strike a Pose

The Jury selected Strike a Pose for its ability to connect with the audience by reaching into the souls of its subjects to draw out the raw emotion of their deeply intimate stories of fame, loss and fear, but also brotherhood and resiliency in the aftermath of the HIV/AIDS crisis. 

Director’s Award

Michelle Ehlen (S&M Sally)

This year’s Director’s Award goes to Michelle Ehlen who has entertained our audiences with her wry humor both on the screen and in person for many years now, culminating with this year’s screening of S&M Sally, the final chapter in her three part comedic series.

Out Film CT, which organizes the Festival, is a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to presenting outstanding LGBT cinema and other theatrical events throughout the year, culminating in the nine-day Connecticut LGBT Film Festival. Connecticut's longest-running film festival holds a special place in our state’s cultural landscape, bringing the community together to introduce, celebrate and rediscover the ideas and values that make the LGBT community unique. Out Film CT also presents the EROS Film Festival each fall and the Second Thursdays Cinema series, with screenings at Cinestudio on the second Thursday of the month. www.outfilmct.org