Click thru to watch the BLOOMINGTON trailer and order your copy now from WolfeVideo.com or ask for it at fine retailers everywhere!

When founder Kathy Wolfe describes the origins of Wolfe Video, she credits an early Frameline screening of the landmark documentary Word Is Out as her catalyst. The message she took out of the theatre that night — about being out and proud and actively working to improve lesbian and gay lives — resulted in the birth of Wolfe Video.

From the beginning twenty-five years ago, Wolfe has evolved into the largest exclusive distributor of gay and lesbian films. The company’s films are now reaching viewers via film festivals, theatrical and non-theatrical releasing, broadcast, DVD, and digital delivery.

Launched in 1985 on the eve of the “Gay New Wave,” which included the theatrical releases of classics like Desert Hearts and Parting Glances, this Northern California company began by producing short lesbian videos. When Maria Lynn, Wolfe’s current President, came aboard, her extraordinary business sense paved the way for the team’s skyrocketing success. They company’s first big break came from the support of Lily Tomlin, who chose Wolfe to distribute her entire catalog of performance works. With Tomlin’s films, Wolfe built a loyal customer base for their mail order distribution business.

Wolfe’s popular library of titles includes award-winning Reel Pride favorites like Big Eden, Claire of the Moon, Loving Annabelle, Were The World Mine, Itty bitty Titty Committee, and Brother To Brother. This tradition of excellence continues this year with the stunning Peruvian feature and Closing Night film titled Undertow (Contracorriente), one of Wolfe’s newest acquisitions among hundreds of other features, documentaries and shorts.

Get your tickets and find complete details for Fresno Reel Pride.

Philadelphia’s LGBT Film Festival, QFest will honor Wolfe Founder and CEO Kathy Wolfe with this year’s Barbara Gittings Award in honor of Wolfe’s groundbreaking work in LGBT film distribution. The award presentation will be made  on Saturday, July 10th at the 4:45pm screening of Wolfe’s MY NORMAL at the Ritz East 2 Theater, Philadelphia, PA.

Here’s a nice little excerpt from the festival program note:

“As a small child, Kathy Wolfe’s fascination with her mother’s 8mm movie camera landed her the role of the Wolfe family archivist. Little did she know that these fledging attempts at filmmaking would sustain a successful career. She created a ground-breaking and respected company, Wolfe Video where she is the CEO.

But let’s back up. In 1970, in her early twenties, Kathy and Bill Plate founded Arrow Graphics a specialty graphics services company based out of San Jose. A decade later the company employed 150 workers in five states. In 1981, intrigued by the availability of public access television programming, Kathy began to hone her skills as a videographer, producing and directing documentaries on a broad range of topics of interest to women. Realizing that there was a largely untapped audience of lesbians and gay men eager for affirmative images, in 1985, she founded Wolfe Video. What began, as a small mail order company twenty-five years ago, is now, the oldest and largest exclusive distributor of gay and lesbian films in North America.”

Read more at Philadelphia QFest 2010

AND THEN CAME LOLA is coming to fine retailers everywhere on May 18th. Watch the trailer or reserve your copy now at WolfeVideo.com!

See more event pictures here: AND THEN CAME LOLA DVD Release Party – Curve Magazine – Web Articles 2010.

Visit the official Facebook San Francisco DVD Release Party event page to RSVP now!

Click thru for more photos of the Training Rules DVD Release Party on CurveMag.com.

http://www.yourmusegallery.com/

For all you queer movie-lovers around the world, don’t forget to check out the WolfeQueerFestDirectory — a wonderful resource that lists more than 100 LGBT film festivals all across the globe. The directory is updated regularly and includes a chronological listing of queer film events spanning the spectrum from Cape Town, South Africa to Santiago, Chile. Explore this amazing compendium now — your virtual tour guide to the world of queer film festivals.

POWER UP’s official photographer snapped this lovely portrait of AND THEN CAME LOLA star Ashleigh Sumner shmoozing with the oh-so-hot Angela Featherstone (of Exes & Ohs).

Whether you’re an LGBT filmmaker or a serious queer movie-lover, the WolfeQueerFestDirectory is a wonderful resource that lists more than 100 LGBT film festivals all across the globe. The directory is updated regularly and includes a chronological listing of queer film events spanning the spectrum from Cape Town, South Africa (pictured above) to Santiago, Chile. Explore this amazing compendium now — your virtual tour guide to the world of queer film festivals.

ABOUT THE MOVIE: A behind-the-scenes look at the 34th Miss Gay America contest where fifty-two ordinary gentlemen go to extraordinary lengths to be crowned as winner. PAGEANT follows five of the most talented and beautiful female impersonators as they prepare to dominate in this underground competition. Featuring stunning musical numbers, this movie dives into the heart and soul of this make-believe world: the men behind the make up. Hear from the contestants themselves and those who accompany them on this quest: husbands, mothers, sons, and little brothers.

Be sure to ask for PAGEANT at fine retailers everywhere!

All About WIMFEST:
NO RAIN! NO BUGS! NO MUD! Just… HOT! WOMEN, unbelievable MUSIC, refreshing A/C, and a place to relax and be yourself! Full Service Bar (credit cards welcome), food purchase available on site, two indoor electronic golf driving ranges and a Golf Outing TBA. TICKETS ON SALE NOW! at WWW.WIMFEST.COM. Take advantage of the lowest ticket pricing that will be made available this year. 3 days and 2 nights! Prices will increase. Discounted weekend tickets available for $45.00 to seniors (62+). Must show I.D. at door. AGE: 18+ PLEASE! SEE you in Chillicothe! August 28, 29, 30th 2009. Physical Address of WIMFEST CHILLICOTHE Host: EOS (every other sunday) Cardos Restaurant & Club 27 W. 2nd St.; Chillicothe, Ohio 45601. Complete details at WIMFEST.COM or visit the WIMFEST MySpace Page.

This year’s special guest is Daniela Sea (Max from The L Word, and star of Itty Bitty Titty Committee). The 2009 party starts at 7pm for advance ticket holders. The first 200 in the door get one of the famous gift bags, plus there are raffles for prizes every half-hour. And you could even win a Caribbean Cruise for 2 from Sweet!

Check out this awesome video of last year’s party — this one was so huge it was included as a bonus extra on the Showtime DVD release of The L Word 5! Watch it and come on down to join the party for 2009! We’ll meet you in St. Louis! Find complete details and buy your tickets right HERE.

When: Wednesday, January 21st from 7-11pm

Where: OBAR (8279 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood).

What: Cash bar; DVD giveaways; an enjoyable evening for all!

Who: You and the gay mafia! Invited guests include many of the stars and directors of the fabulous shorts in the HE LIKES GUYS DVD collection! 

This nice big package of English-language gay men’s shorts showcases some of the best films of the year, fresh from the gay and lesbian film festival circuit. HE LIKES GUYS is now available on DVD at fine retailers everywhere or place your order at WolfeVideo.com right now!

For more info visit TheSmokingCocktail.com!

Get your copy of John’s classic film, HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH and also check out the ambitious documentary FOLLOW MY VOICE: WITH THE MUSIC OF HEDWIG.

On Saturday, May 31^st in San Francisco, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) is celebrating its thirty-first anniversary with an evening of dinner, dancing, and a sell-out crowd of nearly 2,000 supporters from across the country. Emceed by Kate Clinton and featuring special guest, The Honorable Tammy Baldwin, US House of Representatives (D-WI). The Anniversary Dinner at the Westin St. Francis goes from 6-9 pm, and will be followed by party and dancing at the Metreon from 9-Midnight. Click for tix. 

NewFest 2008: The 20th Anniversary NY LGBT Film Festival will take place June 5-15! The full program, schedule, and ticketing information is now available online. The fest opens with the NYC Premiere of Stewart Wade‘s funny and charming high-school comedy, Tru Loved, and closes with Tom Gustafson‘s sexy musical ode to Shakespeare, Were the World Mine! From the steamy Israeli gay feature ANTARCTICA (pictured above) to Ru Paul’s campy musical short ZOMBIE PROM, this year’s fest is an A to Z tour of everything LGBT!

The 51st edition of the San Francisco International Film Festival opens April 24th (with Catherine Breillat‘s The Last Mistress, starring 21st century diva Asia Argento) and continues through May 8th.

One of the top festivals in the world, the SF International has hosted some of the greatest cinematic luminaries of all time — many of whom can be heard at length in podcasts on the history section of the SFIFF website. Highlights include Truman Capote receiving his tribute award in 1974 and answering audience questions about everything from breaking Humphrey Bogart‘s arm to the real-life Holly Golightly. Or listen to the amazing Bette Davis (who jokingly begins her November, 1969 tribute with her legendary line: “What a dump!”). She reminisces at wildly entertaining length about her career (with the audience full of many obviously gay fans). She talks about her feelings about the trend of nudity in film (“I would NEVER have stripped in front of a camera.”), Barbra Streisand getting $1 million as an actor, how lucky she was that Claudette Colbert’s back injury resulted in her getting the Margo Channing role in All About Eve, how she regretted not getting the lead in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and she even gives generous props to drag artiste Arthur Blake for being the original Bette Davis impersonator (“For many years noone imitated me and it frightened me to death.”)