KUCI: Get the Funk Out

Mike Dougherty | Director of Festival Programming of Outfest shares details on Outfest Los Angeles 2021

OUTFEST LA 2021
AUGUST 13 -22
The 39th annual Outfest LA film festival features in-person and digital films, outdoor screenings, galas, special events, talks and more!
Mike Dougherty | Director of Festival Programming
As Director of Festival Programming Mike is in charge of programming Outfest Los Angeles and ensuring the highest experience of filmmakers and audiences at all Outfest festivals. He has over a decade of experience in the finance, production and distribution aspects of the industry. Mike joins Outfest after five years as Acquisitions and Distribution Executive at Radiant Films International, and five years prior to that as a Creative Executive at Hyde Park Entertainment. Since 2014, he has been the Director of Programming for the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) and is an Associate Programmer for AFI FEST.

Marian Vosumets talks about her debut film, THE BODY FIGHTS BACK - A JOURNEY INTO THE LIVES CONSUMED BY DIET CULTURE

THE BODY FIGHTS BACK is a feature documentary about five people navigating the paradoxes of diet culture. While promises of happiness, desirability and perfection are irresistible, joy and contentment remain out of reach.
Personal stories from vastly different backgrounds quickly merge into a shockingly similar experience of battling one’s body. Self- starvation and compulsive exercise bring temporary satisfaction, only to be replaced with binging and purging soon after. Surprisingly, none of it has much to do with food.
Featuring exclusive footage from London’s contemporary anti-diet movement and fascinating personal archives, the film offers a unique insight into the complexity of eating disorders, body image struggles and most importantly, the socio-economic realities of health.
The film is the first feature documentary to tackle diet culture and shift the debate around health towards inclusivity. It also highlights newest research findings in Nutrition and Weight Science, disproving the widespread belief that one’s health is solely determined by body mass index.
THE BODY FIGHTS BACK was written and directed by Marian Võsumets. It has a running time of 106 minutes and will not be rated by the MPAA. The film fully meets the Academy diversity criteria, providing a platform to underrepresented groups such as Black, LGBTQ+ and Disabled people and features a female director and mainly female cast. Gravitas Ventures will release the film on digital platforms including iTunes and Apple TV on July 13, 2021.
For more information, go to: WWW.DIETCULTUREFILM.COM

Ashton Applewhite - she/her author • speaker • activist This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism

Ashton Applewhite - she/her
author • speaker • activist
This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism
TED talk: Let’s End Ageism
thischairrocks.com
oldschool,info
yoisthisageist.com
facebook.com/ThisChairRocks @thischairrocks
About Ashton Applewhite
I didn't set out to become a writer. I went into publishing because I loved to read and didn't have any better ideas. I had a weakness for the kind of jokes that make you cringe and guffaw at the same time. My boss insisted I write them down, which turned into the 1982 best-selling book, Truly Tasteless Jokes, writing as "Blanche Knott." As Blanche, I made publishing history by occupying four of the 15 spots on the New York Times bestseller list.
My first serious book, Cutting Loose: Why Women Who End Their Marriages Do So Well, was published by HarperCollins in 1997. Ms. magazine called it "rocket fuel for launching new lives." It landed me on Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum enemies list and an invite to join the board of the nascent Council on Contemporary Families, a group of distinguished family scholars.
The catalyst for Cutting Loose was puzzlement: why was our notion of women's lives after divorce (visualize depressed dame on barstool) so different from the happy and energized reality? A similar question gave rise to This Chair Rocks: "Why is our view of late life so unrelievedly grim when the lived reality is so different? I began blogging about aging and ageism in 2007. Since that time, I have been recognized by the New York Times, National Public Radio, and the American Society on Aging as an expert on ageism.
Currently, I blog at This Chair Rocks, speak widely and am the voice of Yo, Is This Ageist?. I've written for Harper's, Playboy, and many other publications. I have also been on staff at the American Museum of Natural History since 2000, where I write about everything under the sun. In 2015, I was honored to be included in Salt Magazine's list of the world's 100 most inspiring women--along with Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Warren, Amal Clooney, Aung San Suu Kyi, Naomi Klein, and other remarkable activists--committed to social change.

PRAY AWAY - Powerful Look at the Pray The Gay Away Movement - A conversation with Producer Jessica Devaney, Producer of PRAY AWAY

Release Date: August 3rd on Netflix
Director/Writer: Kristine Stolakis
Producers: Jessica Devaney (Always In Season, Roll Red Roll), Anya Rous (Always In Season, Roll Red Roll), Kristine Stolakis
Executive Producers: Ryan Murphy, Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Mary Lisio, Amanda Spain, Daniel J. Chalfen, Jim
Butterworth, Katy Drake Bettner, Johnny Symons, Julie Parker Benello, Patty Quillin, Nion McEvoy, Leslie Berriman, Regina K. Scully, Alexis Martin Woodall
Logline: Former leaders of the "pray the gay away" movement contend with the aftermath unleashed by their actions, while a survivor seeks healing and acceptance from more than a decade of trauma.
Running Time: 101 minutes
Synopsis: In the 1970s, five men struggling with being gay in their Evangelical church started a Bible study to help each other leave the "homosexual lifestyle." They quickly received over 25,000 letters from people asking for help and formalized as Exodus International, the largest and most controversial conversion therapy organization in the world.
But leaders struggled with a secret: their own “same-sex attractions” never went away. After years as Christian superstars in the religious right, many of these men and women have come out as LGBTQ, disavowing the very movement they helped start. Focusing on the dramatic journeys of former conversion therapy leaders, current members, and a survivor, PRAY AWAY chronicles the “ex gay" movement’s rise to power, persistent influence, and the profound harm it causes.

Matt Yoka and Marika Gerrard for Greenwich Entertainment documentary WHIRLYBIRD, which opens in theaters and on demand August 6th.

Flying high above Los Angeles in a whirling news helicopter, Marika Gerrard and Zoey Tur (known then as Bob) captured some of the city’s most epic breaking news stories. The two recount the salacious details of their career as a husband-and-wife journalist team doing whatever it took to catch an unfolding story. Their camera captured the extreme adrenaline of the culture of live news and, as a result, the strain it took on their relationship—and, ultimately, a major life transition for Zoey. A wholly unique take on the story of Los Angeles told through stunning aerial footage and remarkable home videos, Whirlybird reframes many of the city’s pivotal moments of the 1990s, including the O. J. Simpson pursuit and the 1992 riots.
In Matt Yoka’s sprawling debut feature, he deftly mirrors the peaks and valleys of one unique American family to the city of Los Angeles, showcasing their parallel growing pains and their search for a sense of self. Whirlybird is a completely original and intricately woven tapestry that reveals the agony and the ecstasy of breaking news.
RELEASE
In Theaters and on Demand August 6th

Melissa Davey talks about her film, Beyond Sixty. The myth that older women are invisible is shattered in this inspirational look at remarkable women ...

A documentary that challenges the way we think about ageing by exploring ten remarkable women whose resilience, defiance and achievements prove there is life beyond sixty. Beyond Sixty is an documentary feature film initiative about women over the age of 60.
The original voice of Siri, the Madam CJ Walker biographer and the sculptor of Lady Gaga’s Fame perfume carriage are among the inspirational stories revealed in this compelling documentary. From a very early age women are made to believe that our relevance has an expiration date. Showing us the power of resilience, defiance and the wisdom of experience Beyond Sixty will challenge the way we think about aging and the value of our own stories.
About the Director
Melissa Davey is a documentary filmmaker who lives in Valley Forge, PA. She is a wife, a mother and a grandmother to three young boys. She is a world traveler and curious about everything unknown. She recently retired after more than two decades from GENEX Services Inc., where she was recruited to build and operate the company's Social Security representation division. GENEX is the largest Managed Care case management organization in the U.S. Prior to GENEX, Melissa had almost twenty years of diversified experience in the field of disability. She held senior leadership and management positions throughout her career. Melissa's second act is fueled by a lifelong passion for film and story-telling

Janeane speaks with Lissa Zanville Executive Director of LATLC

Lissa talks about:
*The upcoming Summer Soiree- what it is about, what the night will be like and why it is so important
* Los Angeles Trial Lawyers' Charities (LATLC)- what they do, their mission
* How Lissa became involved with LATLC and what her role is in the organization
* The role LATLC has played in bringing about change in the greater Los Angeles community
* How LATLC was able to keep supporting their partner charities throughout 2020, even with the absence of in-person volunteer events
ABOUT LISSA
Lissa Mozur Zanville has more than 30 years of experience in the non-profit, public,and private sectors, including government affairs, media relations, crisis management, community relations, strategic planning, spokesperson training and stakeholder management.
A graduate of UCLA, Zanville worked for the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C., the California Democratic Party, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, the California State Assembly, and Pacific Bell (now AT&T) where she was Director of Media Relations and primary spokesperson.
She started LMZ Communications in 1990. The company provided spokesperson training to corporate, sports, entertainment, and political clients such as Toyota, Microsoft, City of Los Angeles, Knott’s Berry Farm, IBM, Claritin, Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the United States Equestrian Federation.
Immediately before joining Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities in 2016, Zanville was with the PHASE ONE Foundation, a non-profit that supports early cancer research and clinical trials. For nine years she has served as the sole staff and Executive Director of this $16 million foundation.

Indian-American music artist Saahil Bhargava to compete against Paul McCartney, Yo-Yo Ma at LA Shorts International Film Festival for ‘Best Music Vide...

Indian-American music artist Saahil Bhargava speaks to host Janeane Bernstein about competing in the LA Shorts International Film Festival for ‘Best Music Video’ Award
Animated short film award winner becomes qualified for Oscars 2022
Music artist and writer Saahil Bhargava jolted awake to news of being an official selection in two categories at the LA Shorts International Film Festival, one of the world’s most prestigious and largest international short film festivals.
Nominated in two key categories (Animation, Music Video) for the video of his song Kohima, Saahil finds himself in stellar company. The list of nominations includes Paul McCartney’s latest music video ‘When Winter Comes’ and Yo-Yo Ma’s concert ‘See Me’.
In its 25th year, LA Shorts International Film Festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (Oscar®), the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (Canadian Screen Awards). Throughout the fest’s history, 60 LA Shorts filmmakers have earned Academy Award® nominations, with 16 taking home the Oscar. In other words, if Saahil Bhargava’s Kohima wins best animated short film, then it will be qualified to compete for the Oscars in 2022.
LA Shorts International Film Festival founder/director Robert Arentz said, "It is such a high honor for the LA Shorts International Film Festival to welcome Kohima into the competition this year, which is our 25th anniversary. Only a handful of films were accepted into the brand new Music/Dance category, and Kohima is one of those elite few. In fact, we created the special Music/Dance program due to high-quality content from exceptional artists, such as Paul McCartney, Yo-Yo Ma, and of course, India's own Saahil Bhargava!"
Saahil’s music has always been about telling great stories, especially through his companion screen content. For the innovative and groundbreaking Kohima, Saahil collaborated with Big Bang Music and co-directed the music video with Harmeet Rahal to bring his vision to life. With Kohima, Saahil Bhargava addresses the plethora of emotions - from panic to despair - of a combat soldier. Kohima is set during the infamous World War II battle in the northeast of India.

Patricia Bunin - columnist, author, and writer speaks with host Janeane Bernstein

Patricia writes about “life moments”: the smaller and larger moments that define our lives. Her openness to sharing her own stories has resonated and endeared her to readers of all ages.
Her Senior Moments column is published every Sunday in the Los Angeles Daily News, Orange County Register, Pasadena Star News and all other papers of the Southern California Newspaper Group. Her work has been honored multiple times for Best Column by the Los Angeles Press Club, The National Society of Newspaper Columnists and she is a recent recipient of The Southern California Journalism Award for Commentary.
Patricia edited a poetry magazine under a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts, and is the author of the books, Password: SeniorMoment, and Do You Think We Could Have Made It?: and Other Love Poems for the Separated and Divorced.
A breast cancer survivor, excerpts from her own journal were published in the Pasadena Star-News and converted into a brochure for patients at The USC/Norris Cancer Center in Los Angeles. She is the creator of breastbuddy.net, a free support website for women.

ROWENA RICHIE Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health

ROWENA RICHIE
Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health
Global Brain Health Institute
University of California, San Francisco | Trinity College Dublin
gbhi.org | www.youtube.com/c/GlobalBrainHealthInstitute | @GBHI_Fellows
Rowena Richie is a Gen2Gen Innovation Fellow and co-creator of For You, launching a creative movement of art making as gift giving between artists and elders. For more information, visit Encore.org/innovation or foryou.productions.
The Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) is a leader in the global community dedicated to protecting the world’s aging populations from threats to brain health. Dementia is rapidly increasing around the world. By 2050, the number of people with dementia could triple from 50 million to 152 million, overwhelming families, communities, public health care systems, and economies throughout the world. GBHI works to reduce the scale and impact of dementia in three ways, by training and connecting the next generation of leaders in brain health through the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health program; by collaborating in expanding preventions and interventions; by sharing knowledge and engaging in advocacy. Learn more at http://www.gbhi.org.