NewFest opened July 24th with presentation of Future Beach by Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz, about a lifeguard who falls in love with a German tourist in the aftermath of a tragedy.

Wonderful tribute to admired queer filmmaker Ira Sachs, who is this year's recipient of the 3rd Annual NewFest visionary award. "Cinema is a place of freedom" said Sachs during his acceptance speech prior to the opening night film-"What I have learned over the last 25 years is that queer vision doesn’t come with making people comfortable, or from accepting what is. Being an artist is in part an act of rupture. But it is moments like this, with the embrace that comes with this award, that certainly makes keeping on a little easier."

Closing Night is New York's premiere of Gerontophilia, by controversial Canadian filmmaker Bruce LaBruce, exploring an intergenerational gay love story, an 18 year old boy who discovers he has a fetish for the aged, gets a job in a nursing home and develops an unexpected relationship with an older man.

For more information visit NewFest.org.

by L. Fietz