Abe’s NewFest Wrap

By Abe Friedtanzer 

Saltanat Nauruz stars in "Welcome to the USA"

There are so many film festivals going on right now, and I’m very glad that I was able to screen so many selections from NewFest. I had the chance to watch fifteen films from the  32nd edition of the New York LGBTQ Film Festival, which took place online this year, representing more than a third of the feature slate. I had already seen Uncle Frank at Sundance, and I would definitely recommend that Alan Ball film, which comes to Amazon Prime on November 25th.

Here are NewFest’s jury prize winners for this year... 

Feature Directorial Debut From a Black LGBTQ+ Filmmaker Award TAHARA
Emerging Black LGBTQ+ Filmmaker Award MERCURY AFROGRADE, BUCK, and SHIP: A VISUAL POEM
NY Short Film Grand Jury Award QUEENIE
NY Short Film Special Mentions SHIP: A VISUAL POEM and SEE YOU SOON
U.S. Narrative Feature Grand Jury Award COWBOYS
U.S. Narrative Feature Special Mention CICADA
Doc Feature Grand Jury Award KEYBOARD FANTASIES: THE BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND STORY
Doc Feature Special Mention YOUR MOTHER’S COMFORT
Intl Narrative Feature Grand Jury Award WELCOME TO THE USA
Intl Narrative Feature Special Mention DATING AMBER 

I’m very excited to see that two of my top five films earned prizes and that my sixth place choice, Cowboys, was also rewarded. Here are my choices for the best of this year’s NewFest, which I’m happy to report featured some great comedies...

Abe’s 'Jury-of-One' Top Five NewFest 2020 Films 

• Dating Amber (coming to VOD on November 13th) – two gay and lesbian teenagers pretend to date to try not to stand out in 1990s Ireland
• Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt) – a 17-year-old in Australia gets unwanted help from her dead lesbian aunt to ask another girl out to prom
• Alice Junior (streaming on Netflix) – a trans social media star in Brazil has to contend with a new school that isn’t suited to her unique energy
• Breaking Fast (releasing sometime soon from Vertical Entertainment) – a gay Muslim man spends every night of Ramadan eating and bonding with the same man
• Welcome to the USA – a woman in Kazakhstan examines her life after she wins a green card lottery for the US

Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy in "Breaking Fast"

Best Director: David Freyne (Dating Amber)

Best Actor: Steve Zahn (Cowboys)

Best Actress: Anne Celestino Mota (Alice Junior)

Best Supporting Actor: Spencer Neville (The Obituary of Tunde Johnson)

Best Supporting Actress: Diara Aliyeva (Welcome to the USA)

Best Screenplay: Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt)

Sophie Hawkshaw & Zoe Terakes are Abbie & Ellie

Best Cinematography: Tahara

Best Ensemble Cast: Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt)

Based on the quality of the films I watched, this is definitely a festival I’ll be attending, whether in person or virtually, in the future. 

Did you catch any films at NewFest, and, if so, what stood out most for you?

Comments

[Ryan T.]

This was my first real film festival and the fact that it was virtual made it possible for me to actually see so many movies. I think my final tally was close to 20+ feature films and many, many more short films.

My favorite feature films were Breaking Fast, Summer of 85, Dating Amber, Cured, White Lie, Gossamer Folds, Rūrangi, Sublet, The Strong Ones, Dating Amber, and Monsoon.

I wished I had liked Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt) because the concept is GREAT, but I thought the plotting was a bit of a mess despite game performances. Similarly I thought Anne Celestino Mota was a STAR but the rest of the film did not meet her level at all.