LOS ANGELES BLACK PRIDE DISCUSSES THE ‘COST OF THE CLOSET’ DURING ITS LGBT FILM FESTIVAL

Los Angeles Black Pride (LABP), the country’s first African-American LGBT Pride organization, along with GLO TV, America’s first urban LGBT TV network, have come together to produce Flip The Script Friday: LA Black Pride Film Festival and Conference Series at the Radisson LAX Hotel in Los Angeles on Friday, July 2, 2010. This free program is part of the organization’s numerous events in celebration of its 22^nd annual Pride event.

The film festival will include various independent films made by and about the African-American LGBT community, curated by filmmaker and GLO TV president Maurice Jamal. The highlight of the festival will be the hot topic conference Flipping The Script II: Beyond Homophobia in Black Hollywood, the second in a series of discussions about the often discreet world of homosexuality within the tight-lipped Black film and television community. Co-produced by openly gay writer Demetrius Bady as a follow up to his hugely successful conference Flipping The Script held earlier this year at the Writers Guild of America, Flipping The Script II will continue the discussion about the portrayal of African-American gay and lesbian characters in film and television and what role Black Hollywood plays in the positive and negative shaping of these characters. From Antonio Fargas’ drag diva Lindy in the 70s classic film Car Wash to Nicole Ari Parker’s Evie in The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Girls in Love to Lafayette Reynolds of HBO’s vampire drama True Blood, Hollywood has produced a host of memorable characters that have been both praised and condemned for its depiction of the African-American LGBT community.

The evening’s discussion will also delve into such topics as the controversial issue of being “out” and Black in Hollywood and the cost of staying “in the closet;” the gains made by prominent African-American LGBT filmmakers, as well as the issue of homophobia within the black community as a whole. LABP hopes the event will encourage audience members to ask questions and to participate in the dialogue during this frank and open conversation.

Confirmed panelists include actor Doug Spearman (Noah's Arc), BET VP Austyn Biggers, GLO TV president and filmmaker Maurice Jamal (Dirty Laundry), screenwriter Jasmine Love (The District), filmmakers Faith Trimel (Family), Kanithea Powell (Finding Juliet) and GLAAD award-winners Quincy LeNear and Deondray Gossett (The DL Chronicles).

Founded in 1988, the non-profit LABP has a longstanding history of combating homophobia, providing L.A.-based events and programs throughout the year to the African-American LGBT community. Flip The Script Friday: LA Black Pride Film Festival and Conference Series is part of LABP’s week-long celebration (July 1-5) of Hollywood Wet & Wild, this year’s theme for the organization’s 22^nd annual Pride event. The conference, Flipping The Script II, is co-sponsored by the Writer's Guild of America.

WHAT: Flip The Script Friday: LA Black Pride Film Festival and Conference Series

WHEN: Friday, July 2 from 2pm-9pm (check website for complete schedule)

WHERE: Radisson Hotel Los Angeles Airport, 6225 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90045