Draft:ImageOut

ImageOut
Location	Rochester, New York
Founded	1993
Website	http://www.imageout.org/index.php

ImageOut is an independent, non-profit organization in Rochester, New York serving to present LGBT arts and cultural experiences through film and other creative works.

Throughout the year ImageOut hosts several programs, including art exhibitions, literary publications, and film screenings. During autumn, ImageOut presents its annual film festival, which has become the largest LGBT film festival in New York State.

The 2016 ImageOut Film Festival will take place on October 6 to October 16. The festival will celebrate its 25^th anniversary in 2017.

History

In 1993, the Rochester Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival was established under the auspices of The Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley and The Rochester Lesbian and Gay Political Caucus. The first festival included 100 films documenting the global Lesbian and Gay community during the past and present. Each show attracted almost 90% of the theatre's capacity, cementing its place as a vital and exciting event to the Rochester LGBT community.

The festival's second year brought new and innovative changes. The Third Coast Call for Work was introduced, a distinct entry category to highlight the work of regional film and video makers, as was sign-language interpretive services for films, making Rochester one of only a handful of festivals in North America to offer it for the deaf and hearing-impaired community.

By 1995, the film festival had grown dramatically. More than 100 films and videos were exhibited, and the closing night gala reception at the George Eastman House Museum became an annual celebratory conclusion to the festival week. Archival Night at the Dryden Theatre was also introduced in 1995, featuring classic films of gay cinema's past from the George Eastman House Museum Motion Picture Archives. A third venue, the University of Rochester, allowed the festival to reach a younger audience. By this time, more than 4,000 people were attending often sold out films.

In 1996, as a result of such rapid growth and support, the Rochester Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival became an independent, not-for-profit 501(c) 3 corporation, and the festival was named ImageOut. After four years, ImageOut joined the ranks of the ever-growing national Lesbian and Gay Film Festival community, rivaling many festivals in cities both comparable to and larger than Rochester.

From two venues in 1993 to five in 2001, ImageOut not only expanded the number of seats available, but also areas of the city where films are screened. The addition of The Cinema Theatre and Nazareth College allowed ImageOut to reach East, and to the thriving community of South Wedge. The expansion into the Little Theatre's larger theatre #1 was a hugely successful part of the 2001 Film Festival, as more than 8,500 attended 43 programs. This solidified ImageOut's position as the largest lesbian and gay film festival in Upstate New York and the second largest lesbian and gay film festival in all of New York State. In 2009, ImageOut added screenings to the southern part of Monroe County at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Ingle Auditorium with the help of OUTspoken, RIT's LGBT student organization.

In 2015, ImageOut screened 70 films from 21 countries at The Little Theatre and The Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House.

Programs

ImageArt

Visual and literary art exhibitions by artists focusing on LGBTQ issues, such as marriage equality and gender identity. Past events have included showcasing the works of regional LGBTQ artists, open-mic readings, and publishing a catalogue promoting the works of artists and poets.

ImageOutWrite

ImageOut seeks previously unpublished fiction, non-fiction, and poetry entries for the annual ImageOutWrite literary journal celebrating LGBTQ authors/allies. The journal is published during the year's film festival, and live readings by ImageOutWrite authors are also held.

Next Generation Series

A series of films highlighted during the ImageOut Film Festival that bring attention issues that young people of today may already be confronted with. Tickets are free to anyone under the age of 21.

Festival Awards

Audience Awards

Best Independent Feature Film

Year	Film	Director
2015	Akron	Sasha King and Brian O’Donnell
2016

Best Independent Documentary Feature Film

Year	Film	Director
2015	The Guy With The Knife	Alison Armstrong
2016

Best Independent Documentary Feature Film

Year	Film	Director
2015	Trémulo (Trembling)	Roberto Fiesco
2016

Jury Awards

Best Independent Narrative Feature Film

Year	Film	Director
2015	Margarita, With A Straw	Shonali Bose and Nilesh Maniyar
2016

Best Independent Documentary Feature Film

Year	Film	Director
2015	The Guy With The Knife	Alison Armstrong
2016

Best Independent Short Film

Year	Film	Director
2015	Hole	Martin Edralin
2016

External links

Category:Rochester, New York Category:LGBTQ film festivals Category:LGBTQ culture in New York (state) Category:Film festivals in New York (state) Category:Festivals in New York (state)