Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

By Tony Adams

I'm covering the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival for QNY, and I'm running into all sorts of New Yorkers amid the beautiful folks of Miami.

Before the opening film I Killed My Mother, a delightful coming-of-age Montreal movie, I stopped to chat with hot Brooklyn-born actor Wilson Cruz.

More photos of people you may know, after the break.

Seated with me in the Guzman Center are from left to right Juan Duarte, Jack Bentley. Michael Finnegan and Paul Sasseville. Paul lived in Manhattan before moving to Miami where he is a very successful realtor.

At the gala party celebrating the opening of the festival, I made the acquaintance of two delightful ladies of New York City,  Madeline Olnek and Laura Terruso who have a short film, Dyke Dollar, in the festival. Madeline was the story collaborator for the film and Laura directed it. Dyke Dollar will be screened on Monday.

The party was held at the Calix Gustav Gallery in the Wynwood Arts district of Miami. Here are Kareem Tabsch, Director of Programs for the festival, and Amanda Fernandez-Leon, director and owner of the gallery.

Kareem scored the best line of the night during his opening remarks on stage before the screening. He said "It's good to see so many old faces present and some new ones. And some new faces on some old faces."

I also met two very handsome guys from Paris, Jonathan Menant and Max Levaloir who are also going to the Cannes Film Festival and hoped to see me there. I assured them I never miss it.

And here is Lewis Tice who produced the movie Bear City much of which was shot at New York Eagle. Bear City is about to jump into the festival circuit. I was an extra in that movie and Lewis assures me that I did not entirely end up on the cutting room floor.