THE GAYEST FILM FESTIVAL OF ALL AT THE GAYEST PLACE ON EARTH (September 20, 2004)
Pirates of the Caribbean is not the only film to makes its premiere at Disneyland. The resort will become host to the West Coast Premiere of a new
Australian film and a new Southern California gay film festival. Presented by Technophiliax and Midway Ford the Pixie Flix Fest will have screenings of their winning films at the Disneyland Hotel on Sunday, October 3rd. Coined "the gayest film festival of all... at the gayest place on earth," this "minnie" festival juxtaposes both meanings of the word "gay." What makes Pixie Flix Fest different is its "family-family-friendly" socially-conscious themes in its programming lineup and includes the Australian thriller Max: A Cautionary Tale on Sunday, October 3rd.
What may appear to be another teen-slasher film, is quite the opposite. Max: A Cautionary Tale is an award-winning art film no parent should be without and is making its West Coast Premiere at Pixie Flix Fest. Produced in Super-8 film and DV tape, Director Nicolas Verso describes his low-budgeter as "a coming of age fable, like The Breakfast Club... or Carrie." Verso says he wanted a movie "about the issues facing young people; but still appealing to all ages..." The story centers around a psychologically troubled teen named Damien who moves with his dysfunctional family into a house with a mysterious past. A childhood friend Spiller and the new goth girl at school Deborah help Damien face his the sinister presence. A presence Damien calls "Max" that
lurks down the changing corridors and within his father's Ventriloquist Dummy. Horror influences aside, this satirical thriller will play with your head, wanting to dismiss all the signs, much like Damien's mother does by trying to subdue her son with medication. The film which won "Pixie Pic of the Year: Feature" will be preceded by "Pixie Pic of the Year: Short" called Fairies. In keeping with the theme of sexuality this family musical short is a reworking of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream with a bullied teen, a quirky teacher (Wendy Robie of "Twin Peaks,") and magical glitter.
If Max rattles your brain, Pixie Flix's Opening Film Experiment: Gay & Straight will take you on a ride through 101 different topics. Moving at a lightning speed, this multi-award winning documentary began when Fox News Chicago reporters Mark Saxenmeyer and Darlene Hill auditioned and gathered ten
Chicago-area residents in a three-bedroom, three-bathroom house: Ten individuals of different ethnicities and backgrounds, five gay, five straight, five male, and five female. Billed as "reality-tv with a purpose," The Experiment provoked conversation among its cast by denying them contact with the outside world: No family, friends, phones computers, newspapers, radio, television, etc. Topics addressed included everything from gay marriage to
religion and was a mirror of how Americans allow their family, friends and the media to distract them from communicating with their own neighbors. The
feature won Pixie Flix Fest's Audience Award for "Best Feature" and will be preceded by the Audience Award for "Best Short" Franko Galoso's Foxhole, a
documentary that follows the paths of two decorated soldiers who met on the battlefields of the Vietnam War. Galoso's short film StrawHat will also be
shown by request in the afternoon at Pixie Flix Fest. This children's short is a tale of Farmer Macon , caretaker of a field and decides to give it some
company. However the field's new "patched" friend looks different from the rest of the scarecrows in the land.
Pixie Flix Fest hopes to bridge the gay between gay and straight families by showing them films that portray homosexuals in a positive light at the
Disneyland Resort. With success, the festival hopes to return to the family park with a bigger festival next year. So, after a day of fun at America's favorite theme park, expand your mind with intelligent film at Pixie Flix Fest, opening Sunday, October 3rd. Showtimes are 7pm for Experiment and 9pm for Max with free screenings of StrawHat throughout the day and other screenings upon request.