Podcast Summary
Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Episode: Previewing NewFest Pride Film Festival
Date: May 30, 2024
Host: Kusha Navadar (in for Alison Stewart)
Guests: Nick McCarthy (Director of Programming, NewFest) & David Hatkoff (Executive Director, NewFest)
Episode Overview
This episode previews the NewFest Pride Film Festival, New York City’s major annual celebration of LGBTQ films and filmmakers. With a five-day program kicking off the start of Pride month, the discussion explores festival highlights, the importance of queer storytelling, how the festival curates its diverse programming, and the broader role NewFest plays in the LGBTQ community beyond Pride month.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Opening Night & Festival Overview [01:07 – 02:31]
- Festival Purpose: NewFest Pride celebrates queer films, filmmakers, and the LGBTQ community “365 days a year,” rather than confining Pride and queer visibility to just June.
- Opening Film:
- A House Is Not a Disco (NYC Premiere):
- A documentary exploring Fire Island as a queer utopia—both its fantasy and reality.
- David: “It could not be a more ideal way to kick off Newfest Pride. And the film is a really interesting exploration of the idea of queer utopia, which is, like most utopias, a bit of a fantasy.” [02:31]
- Fire Island is described as both a sanctuary and a challenging space that pushes the queer community forward.
- Nick: “The film…challenges our notions of our community to push us forward and drive us further together.” [03:37]
- A House Is Not a Disco (NYC Premiere):
2. Clip from ‘A House Is Not a Disco’ [04:14 – 05:11]
- The film captures the uniqueness and sense of belonging of Fire Island:
- “There’s something magical about the fact that there’s no streets, no cars. Feels very, like, plucked out of one place and placed into, like, a desolate sort of space. …Half of my year, half of my life, is Fire Island.” [04:14]
3. Themes of Community and Representation [05:37 – 06:42]
- Community Focus:
- Nick emphasizes collaboration, teamwork, and the importance of recognizing both the universal and specific aspects of LGBTQ experience.
- “Pride is a moment where we have to acknowledge collaboration and teamwork.” [05:37]
- Highlights the importance of bringing people together—whether through filmmaking, marching, or organizing festivals.
4. Event Highlights: Lady Gaga and Outdoor Screenings [06:42 – 09:09]
-
Outdoor Screening:
- Lady Gaga’s Chromatica Ball concert film at Gansevoort Plaza, Meatpacking District.
- David: “Lady Gaga’s Chromatica Ball was and continues to be an event for queer folks. …It’s gonna be loud and it’s gonna be passionate and it’s gonna be a real moment.” [07:16]
- Nick: “I’m excited about all the meat dresses that’ll be in the Meatpacking District for this Gaga premiere.” [08:15] (playful nod)
-
The Role of Outdoor, Public Spaces:
- Nick reflects on the impact of reclaiming public space for queer celebration.
- “It means so much more for queer people to be taking and reclaiming that space, too, for that moment to celebrate together.” [08:28]
5. Programming Philosophy: Intersectionality & New Voices [09:09 – 10:29]
- Programming Approach:
- Seeking stories reflecting real LGBTQ life and pushing boundaries on what’s shown on screen.
- Films like Coming Around and The Queen of My Dreams feature intersectional identities and complex family relationships.
- Nick: “It’s about this sort of intersectional approach to storytelling that brings in a lot of other elements of communities that want to be seen...but also share their stories and listen at the same time.” [09:19]
6. Clip: ‘The Queen of My Dreams’ [10:35 – 11:30]
- A tender, intergenerational reflection among women, highlighting personal connections and the power of queer cinema.
7. Women’s Afternoon Out: Fostering Community [11:30 – 13:04]
- David explains the goal of creating intentionally safe and celebratory queer spaces.
- “There’s something really unique and special about experiencing a queer story in a space that was specifically and intentionally designed for queer audiences.” [11:53]
- For the screening of The Queen of My Dreams:
- Southeast Asian snacks, chai, plus a post-film Q&A with filmmaker Fazia Mirza and producer Andrea Wilson Mirza.
8. NewFest as a Year-Round Presence [13:04 – 14:24]
- Beyond June:
- NewFest is not just the Pride festival but includes the major October film fest, spring retrospectives, artist development initiatives, and youth programming.
- David: “…to do that, we need 365, or in 2024, 366 days to be able to fire on all cylinders in that way.” [14:24]
9. Access & Information [14:24 – 15:27]
- Nick explains tickets and virtual access:
- All info at newfest.org
- In-person, outdoor, and virtual passes available nationwide.
- Shoutout to Elliot Page’s Close to You and a range of filmmaker Q&As during the festival.
10. Personal Impact: Queer Films That Shaped the Guests [15:27 – 17:03]
- David: “Beautiful Thing. …the first time I saw a queer story on film. And it changed my life.” [15:46]
- Nick: “The Watermelon Woman as well as High Art, but then mention Stranger by the Lake, which is a psychological thriller from France…a powerful and resonant and eerie portrait.” [15:56]
- The festival’s diversity embraces new genres (e.g., psychological thrillers) and “the human experience on a larger level, even beyond Queer Identity.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Year-Round Celebration:
- David: “We have been conditioned to believe that Pride should start on June 1st, but we at NewFest believe we should be celebrating 365 days a year.” [02:31]
- On Fire Island’s Place in Queer Imagination:
- Nick: “It’s such an iconic queer paradise or utopia, and the idea of utopia, you know, is that maybe it's not a reality. So the film at once lovingly captures Fire Island and the pines, but also challenges our notions of our community to push us forward and drive us further together.” [03:37]
- On Representation:
- Nick: “We get very excited when we see stories that we may not have seen on screen before.” [09:19]
- On Curated Spaces:
- David: “There’s something really unique and special about experiencing a queer story in a space that was specifically and intentionally designed for queer audiences.” [11:53]
- On Programming Diversity:
- Nick: “It’s not, you know, just exclusively limited to certain documentaries. It’s all about the human experience on a larger level, even beyond Queer Identity.” [15:56]
Important Timestamps for Segments
- Festival Introduction & Opening Film: [01:07 – 03:37]
- Clip from ‘A House Is Not a Disco’: [04:14 – 05:11]
- Community & Collaboration Discussion: [05:37 – 06:42]
- Lady Gaga Outdoor Screening Preview: [06:42 – 09:09]
- Programming Philosophy & Intersectionality: [09:09 – 10:29]
- Clip: ‘Queen of My Dreams’: [10:35 – 11:30]
- Women’s Afternoon Out & Community: [11:30 – 13:04]
- About NewFest (beyond Pride month): [13:04 – 14:24]
- How to Access Films & Virtual Passes: [14:24 – 15:27]
- Personal Film Picks from Guests: [15:27 – 17:03]
Conclusion
This episode of All Of It delivers an engaging, insightful preview of the NewFest Pride Film Festival, highlighting its commitment to diverse, year-round LGBTQ storytelling. Whether celebrating icons like Lady Gaga, staging intimate conversations, or exploring intersectional narratives, NewFest provides not only a showcase for film but a communal experience—a space for audiences to see themselves reflected and challenge norms together. The guests’ passion and personal stories underscore the transformative impact of queer cinema, making this episode both a festival guide and an eloquent argument for why queer art matters all year long.