FilmOut San Diego sets new venues and is all ready for its 21st anniversary presentation, September 9 -12, 2021; Read on my exclusive one on one with Festival Program Director Michael McQuiggan on what’s new with San Diego’s prime LGBTQ filmfest

By Oliver Carnay

As you know, one of my favorite festivals is the FilmOut San Diego.  Yearly, I would spend a short rendezvous in SD to refresh my mind and a little getaway is what I needed from my busy schedule in Los Angeles.  San Diego has nice weather, people are very friendly, and I like visiting friends and  discovering new things like shopping areas, among others.  

FilmOut San Diego Festival Program Director Michael McQuiggan with this author
 
 
I caught up with my good friend and FilmOut San Diego’s Program Director, Michael McQuiggan, who gave me a glimpse of what to expect at this year’s upcoming presentation.  The festival will kick-off at a new venue, where the Opening Night will now be held at San Diego’s National History Museum (the NAT), with the screening of “FIREBIRD” (a hit among festival circle) while the rest of the screenings will follow at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA), a block from the NAT, both in the vicinity of Balboa Park.  The Closing Night film “Jump, Darling” (Cloris Leachman’s last movie before she passed) will bookend the festival, screening at the MOPA.  Both Opening and Closing Night screenings will follow a big party with foods galore and drinks to celebrate FOSD’s 21st anniversary.
 
In addition to the in-person theatre screenings, there are four films available to screen online starting September 9 at 8 a.m..  The feature films are “BEYTO,” “ISAAC,” “ON THE FRINGE OF WILD,” and “THAT COLD DEAD LOOK IN YOUR EYES.”
You can check out all the films and its daily schedule here: http://filmoutsandiego.com/lgbt-film-festival-2021.htm
 
Here’s an excerpt of my conversation with Michael .. read on:
 
Hollywoodflip: 
How is life treating you personally during this pandemic?  When you look back from when it started and you’ve seen the festival has grown and has been to a lot of changes, what do you feel are the greatest achievements the festival has had so far?
 
Michael: 
“Life for me during the pandemic did not change much.  I have been slammed with my day job at Coldwell Banker West throughout  the entire pandemic and between that and FilmOut, it has been business as usual.  We actually haven’t had a festival since 2018.  In 2019, we focused on short fests and monthly screenings only.  2020 was well, the pandemic, and here we are in 2021 — and we are excited!  Considering that FilmOut started as a thesis project at SDSU until now, is quite an achievement in itself.
 
As far as growth, attendance has certainly grown as has the quality of films.  Securing new venues was certainly a challenge.  Our previous two venues are no longer available.  North park Observatory is no longer an option and Landmark’s Ken Cinema has closed permanently.  Opening Night will now be at THE NAT and the rest of the festival will take place at MOPA.  Both are located in San Diego’s historic Balboa Park.”
 
Hollywoodflip:
Due to Covid scare, the festival was absent for three years, and now that it’s back, was there any hesitation to pursue the in-person screening since the new variant scare and what are the main Covid protocols in attending the upcoming FOSD filmfest?
 
Michael:  
“As far as COVID, we really don’t know what to expect with attendance.  We are grateful if we have 20or 200 films.  We are following both theatre venue COVID protocols.  Currently, masks are required if not vaxxed.  We may implement a mandatory mask while in theatres.  Still TBD.  Right now, ticket sales are ok.
 
Hollywoodflip:
I noticed that the festival has also moved its venue from North Park Observatory, to The NAT and at the MOPA?  What was the reason for this?
 
Michael:
North Park Observatory was purchased by LIVE NATION.  No film capability and the exorbitant cost to rent projection was not an option.  It is now a concert venue most of the time.  Going from a 750 capacity venue down to a 300 and 235 venue will be interesting, normally all easy sell outs, but with COVID, the verdict is out.  Ask me again on September 13th, after the festival.
 
Hollywoodflip:
What were the new challenges FOSD had to face during the preparations before this upcoming festival?
 
Michael: 
Well, raising sponsorship dollars.  Most rolled over from the 2020 festival.  So money was tight.  We also need some new blood to join our Board of Directors.  We are a small but dedicated team.
 
Hollywoodflip:
I noticed you added a couple of films to be screened virtually online.  Are they also available for the in-person program, and if not, why?
 
Michael:
We decided to present four virtual films for the festival for those patrons who are not ready to venture back to the cinema.  We decided to offer up those four films virtually only.  Definitely an experiment.  We actually did monthly virtual screenings during the initial pandemic and the results were moderate enough to continue screening them during the festival.
 
We are honoring and rolling over all the short films that were accepted for the 2020 fest.  We are also honoring all the 2020 accepted feature films that HAVE NOT decided to go streaming.  The feature slots that became available allowed us to secure a handful of new features and a handful of new shorts.  The line-up is a very varied selection of films.
 
Hollywoodflip:
How do you feel the mood within the festival community at this point?  Are there any changes you would like to make for next year?
 
Michael:
I think most festivals are eager to return to live audiences.  We are the first live film festival in San Diego to do so.  Other fests have been in touch and keeping them up to date with our experience will hopefully provide them with some valuable insight.
 
Hollywoodflip:
What is your personal wish for next year’s FOSD, and your goal for FOSD in the next five years?  What are the things you want to see happening?
 
Michael:  My personal wish is to find a diverse crop of new board members to keep this festival afloat, otherwise we may relaunch FilmOut in a completely different direction next year and the future.
 
Hollywoodflip:
What key festival elements would you like to see for FOSD to preserve despite the situation we are in right now?  What positive change might this bring to the industry?
 
Michael:
Hey, we’re all in this together and the only way that we can preserve the current situation is if we work with each other, not against.  Cinema is a collective experience and the objective would be to enjoy it in the cinema.  That being said, with the past almost two years of being at home and streaming on our tvs and other devices is fine too if that’s your gig.  Perhaps virtual and cinematic festivals are now the new norm.  The hybrid could work.  The next few years will tell.  See you at the movies!
 
 
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Please browse and check out all the films and its daily schedule here: http://filmoutsandiego.com/lgbt-film-festival-2021.htm