Reel Affirmations
reel affirmation ra nonprofit allvolunteer lgbt film festival washington dc founded held every year midoctober reel affirmation one largest lgbt film festival term attendance united state baltimore gay life newspaper called one top three film festival entire lgbt community guidebook claim one largest lgbt film festival world listing lgbt film festival claim largest allvolunteer film festival world reel affirmation program one ten washington dcbased lgbt nonprofit art organization one ten overseen board four officer nine board member fulltime paid executive director oversaw daytoday operation organization operation run board three volunteer director one ten program including reel affirmation conceived organized implemented volunteer planning reel affirmation begin conclusion year festival deposit placed secure venue corporate sponsor secured ongoing process last august programming team feature film womens short men short documentary begin researching screening film february film secured contract beginning early may although contract finalized early july coordinating committee oversees implementation vip relation hospitality volunteer coordination marketing embassy relation public relation aspect film festival funding reel affirmation come corporate sponsorship ticket sale additional support come grant provided dc city government reel affirmation previously sponsored twoday film festival coincided capital pride program began sponsoring monthly film screening titled ra xtra beginning stopped event ra ra xtra resumed november organization also formerly sponsored diva outdoors twomovie outdoor screening classic gayrelated movie hillwood estate museum garden former home marjorie merriweather post heiress post cereal fortune reel affirmation cofounded barry becker mark betchkal matthew cibellis keith clark gay resident washington dc wished found gay art organization began meeting founded lgbt art organization one ten reel affirmation organization first program four sought advice input frameline largest lgbt gay film festival u financial administrative assistance frameline first reel affirmation film festival opened october first festival venue biograph theater georgetown day festival screened feature film short subject documentary attendee opening night film father coming closing night film together alone festival expanded screen opening night film cineplex odeon embassy theatre district author armistead maupin opened festival ra screened short featurelength work shown biograph following year festival screened feature short added screening goetheinstitut charles sumner school film festival firm financial footing frameline provide administrative financial support ra festival continued expand screening film dropping smaller venue biograph sumner school adding larger one west end cinema festival also conducted screening hirshhorn museum sculpture garden—one first gay event held federal building also year festival scored first u premiere fifth anniversary reel affirmation fourthlargest lgbt film festival united state attendance attendee although festival screened film year expanded fifth large venue amc courthouse theatre virginia year later dropped two smaller venue favor seat goldman theatre dc jewish community center dupont circle reel affirmation growth led move cineplex odeon embassy west end theater film fest moved seat historic lincoln theatre located near u th street nw ra screened feature film short documentary two venue turning point reel affirmation several year declining attendance woman led festival director sarah kellogg create special womens program event known woman filmmaker brunch continued ever since feature woman filmmaker screening discussion film particular appeal woman ra also lgbt film festival season screen boy dont cry awardwinning film debuted new york city screened reel affirmation opened theater nationwide honor festival continuing success gay lesbian activist alliance bestowed distinguished service award reel affirmation festival director sarah kellogg ra screened movie attendee day run addition lincoln theatre film festival used several location including goetheinstitut sixth synagogue landmark e street cinema washington dc well afi silver theater silver spring maryland reel affirmation struck relationship shakespeare theatre company film festival use lincoln theatre holding larger film screening company sidney harman hall festival executive director margaret murray left november four year ra head—leaving festival debt according washington blade lgbtq newspaper dc number factor responsible debt diminishing number corporate sponsor timing murray resignation donor recruitment beginning following year lack preparation ra murray departure increasing number popular lgbtq event competing festival october fewer advertiser festival program booklet poor weather several day festival discontinuation festival vip program left dependent single ticket sale heavy drop single ticket sale many board member left organization new board member recruited three volunteer took ra daytoday operation july ra organizer announced film festival would move october april funding shortfall one news source reported ra organizer intended hold october film festival community fundraiser brought —far less hoped enough allow october festival occur move april prompted part hope dc government grant would allow festival occur however march ra official cancelled april event continuing heavy debt several grant awarded organization festival organizer scheduled th reel affirmation lgbtq film festival october – additional change occurred th film festival film festival longer held event shakespeare theatre company primary film festival venue lisner auditorium george washington university gwu venue included gwus documentary center gwus marvin center amphitheatre atlas performing art center fhi globe theater west end cinema one original venue film festival early festival also instituted embassy screening series lgbtq film specific country screened nation embassy washington dc screening occurred embassy israel embassy france embassy germany goetheinstitut woman filmmaker brunch continued held although venue u navy memorial heritage center arleigh burke theater festival volunteer coordinator mark heckathorn estimated festival would draw attendee reel affirmation continued recover financial crisis march held oscar party muscular men covered gold welcoming patron public invited view academy award gayfriendly setting reel affirmation hosted truncated fourday festival november – venue changed festival returned longtime venue dc jewish community center goethe institut well ra xtra venue carnegie institution science reel affirmation ceased offer annual film festival conclusion event one ten turned reel affirmation program dc center nonprofit organization offering several different program local lgbtq community dc center reestablished ra xtra program monthly film screening offered beginning reel affirmation planned threeday film festival august – gala hispanictivoli theatre reel affirmation present four major award year award bestowed based audience balloting honor given best feature best documentary best male short best female short beginning reel affirmation added two new award included first time director best international movie award reel affirmation formerly distributed plantaseed filmmaker grant end festival grant established supported audience donation silent auction held throughout year festival varied amount year year grant awarded one ten board filmmaker filmmaker previously produced feature film short documentary intended help filmmaker complete current work progress grant discontinued festival reestablished filmmaker grant award renaming keith clark barry becker filmmaker award honor cofounder festival dickey jeff rough guide washington dc london rough guide yenckel jim frommer pauline pauline frommers washington dc hoboken nj wiley reel affirmation one ten parent organization reel affirmation