Sundance Day Six: Queer Panels, Parties & God

Gays talk about Net stuff! PlanetOut's Eric Wilson, glee.com's Matt Farber, director Angela Robinson, L-Wordster Ilene Chaiken, World of Wonder's Fenton Bailey and CBS News on Logo's Jason Bellini all chat about life after MySpace and YouTube.


While most gays have felt that this year hasn't featured as many queer-themed films as in past years, that hasn't stopped the many homo attendees at Sundance from gathering, movie-watching, partying and discussing "issues"...

In fact, the Queer Lounge hosted a couple of memorable panels this year, one to discuss the future of gay film and its role as a part of the YouTube revolution of homegrown filmmaking online, and what happens next. (The verdict: Nobody knows for sure! But expect innovative artwork and ideas to come from pretty much anywhere.) That panel was on Sunday and boasted reps from PlanetOut, World of Wonder's WOW.TV, The L Word's new OurChart.com and others, as CBS News on Logo anchor Jason Bellini moderated.



My favorite part of the internet Queer Lounge panel? Ilene Chaiken's totally hot boots.

This batch discussed gays and religion at the Queer Lounge: Save Me director Robert Cary and its star Judith Light, Rabbi Steve Greenberg, filmmaker Sandi Dubowski, Rev. Mel White, For the Bible Tells Me So director Dan Karslake, and moderator Tom Brook from the BBC. (And why does Tom look so spooked, eh?)


The following day (Monday) the Queer Lounge hosted another panel, this time about religion and gays and film, and featuring the filmmakers and castmembers of the ex-gay drama Save Me, the makers of the doc For the Bible Tells Me So, Trembling Before G_d director Sandi Dubowski (who's hard at work on a film about gay Muslims, In the Name of Allah), former Reagan-era Religious Right player-turned-gay activist Rev. Mel White, Rabbi Steve Greenberg and others. They ensued on a though-provoking discussion of gays, religion, acceptance, the fight for it, love and, yes, filmmaking and its role in all of this, too. This event was followed by another Queer Lounge reception (with ample drinks and food).

In fact, if you play your cards right at Sundance, you can almost float from party to party, brunch to lunch, buffet to buffet without ever having to pay for food or drink. Yes, swag takes many forms.

Anyway, here are more pics! And no, none of them of Dakota Fanning talking about her scandalous film, Hounddog. I don't think the gays are that concerned....

Cheers!

For the Bible Tells Me So director Dan Karslake. Not afraid of enjoying the party buffet... Yum!

Filmmaker Sandi Dubowski. Smile!

Dan Karslake's parents, and For the Bible Tells Me So exec producer Michael Huffington (who's gay but used to be married to Arianna Huffington and who once ran for governor of California -- why not?)

Veteran gay journalist/activist Jim Fourratt, and Sundance press office guys Cameron Yates and Charlie Olsky rock the Queer Lounge.

Filmmaker William Roebuck, Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Alex Bright talk religion in the Queer Lounge suite kitchen.

Later that night...



Dante's Cove star Gregory Michael and his bud Sunny Malick hang at the afterparty for the Mexican-American drama, La Misma Luna.

The cast and director (Patricia Riggen, center) of "La Misma Luna"--right before Harvey Weinstein came to their afterparty and proceed bidding like crazy for their film.

La Misma Luna stars Jesse Garcia (who starred in last year's "Quinceanera") and Pailo Heitz.

Writer/director/actor Craig Chester and Save Me actor David Petruzzi at the Save Me afterparty.

Casting maestro Kerry Barden and Telling Pictures' Jeffrey Friedman work the Save Me afterparty. Cheers!