The sixth oldest festival of its kind, and one of the largest in the U.S, Fresno’s Reel Pride Film Festival has surpassed its humble beginnings in a small classroom at Fresno State in 1990, when two students, Peter Robertson and Jeff Robinson, started this as a school project.
In the past 21 years, the festival’s focus has never strayed from providing a mirror to the LBGT community. While its early films from the civil rights movement era were mainly about people coming out and being shunned, today’s films are more general in a sense that audiences have come to accept the gay lifestyle. “Thanks to this festival, it’s not a big deal,” said Stephen Mintz, programming director for the festival.
Mintz, who sipped on water at the Starline Grill during this interview, couldn’t hide his enthusiasm even if he tried. He talked about the festival with the confi- dence of one who manages every detail until perfection. In May of every year, he starts working full time for the festival, personally hand-picking the perfect blend of international features, documentaries, and short films to be shown in the festival. Nearly every film featured, he mentioned, has won at least one award and has participated in other LGBT-theme related film festivals. He should know, as he watches about 400 films a year, in addition to attending other similar film festivals, to know just what to bring to the audience in Fresno.
The festival enlists help from student volunteers who run concessions during the five nights of the festival’s run which this year is from September 15 to the 20. The goal is to provide something for everybody who attends; the festival achieves that by hosting after parties every night of the festival at a different location around the Tower District, and also youth pizza parties.
“We just want to show really great films,” said Mintz. In some cases, the festival is much more than just really great films. In some cases, Mintz gets approached by people who say things like “Coming here saved my life,” as in the case of Sara. Through someone she met at a gay-student alliance in school, Sara ended up attending the festival, eventually joining the board of directors. She was amazed at how many people were just like her and realized how many others deal with the issues she has. Mintz hopes audiences are able to get that from the festival.
“We want to provide a safe place for people who have felt shunned,” Mintz said of what the Reel Pride Film Festival hopes to give to the LGBT community, a place where they won’t feel ashamed and will
feel comfortable expressing who they really are. And what better way, as he puts it, “Have a film that’s really enjoyable, and later have a party.”
Basically, it’s one of the many gifts that the Tower District offers Fresno residents. To someone who has never been to the festival, it’s a must. And as for people who have previously attended, it’s an opportunity to share it with a friend who never has experienced Fresno’s own Reel Pride Film Festival.
