A comedy about a 'fruit-fly' looking for a 'fag stag' will be the first in a series of films which will be screened in a new monthly gay movie night in Auckland.
New York filmViolet Tendencies will screen at the Galatos on Thursday the 16th of September.
The nights are being hosted by Number 8 Films, a local filmmaking trust which created the shorts Teddy and Communication and is raising funds for its next piece The Colonel's Outing.
Organiser Christopher Banks says it's great to have a gay film festival, but that only happens once a year.
"Auckland is New Zealand's gay capital, and GLBT people here should have more opportunities than that to see films with themes and characters that are relevant to them, and there's lots of great stuff out there being made."
Violet Tendencies stars Mindy Cohn from 80s sitcom The Facts of Life as an aging ‘fruit fly' looking for love in Manhattan's gay scene.
"She doesn't want to leave her gay friends behind, so she goes in search of the mythical male version of herself – the ‘fag stag'," Banks says.
"We're really pleased to have secured this film for its New Zealand premiere, it has been going down a storm at all the major summer gay film festivals in the USA."
Tickets to the showcase are $20 and can be booked online, with door sales priced at $25. Seating at the venue is cabaret-style and free snacks will be provided. Spot prizes (dinner and a bar tab) have been generously provided by Caluzzi and Urge Bar.
The showcases will also feature live Q&A sessions after the screening with the filmmakers, over Skype.
"Filmmakers rarely travel to New Zealand for festivals, so we thought this would be a great opportunity to give Auckland audiences a chance to interact with filmmakers in the same way that festival audiences overseas get to all the time," Banks says.
Auckland Gay Film Showcase – ‘Violet Tendencies'
Thursday September 16, doors open 6:30pm, film starts at 7:00pm
Galatos, 17 Galatos St, Newton
