Reel Q Revisiting Pioneering Films

“Beautiful Thing” & “The Watermelon Woman”

This year’s Reel Q marks the contributions of two groundbreaking films celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2016.

First held in 1985, Reel Q is the annual festival of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) cinema presented by the Pittsburgh Lesbian & Gay Film Society. The 2016 festival will take place October 6 to 15 at the Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Avenue in the vibrant Pittsburgh Cultural District. The schedule is available online at the official Reel Q web site (www.reelq.org) and on PGHevents: The Pittsburgh Events Web Site (www.pghevents.net). Trailers are also available on demand for local Comcast Xfinity digital television subscribers.

“Beautiful Thing” has become one of the most beloved LGBT films ever made. Set in a subsidized housing development, the film follows the often uncomfortable romance that blossoms among two working class teens. The natural performances and genuine locations combine to make “Beautiful Thing” a truly beautiful tale.

After its release in 1996, “The Watermelon Woman” achieved notoriety when several members of Congress labeled it one of the most, “patently offensive and possibly pornographic” films funded that year by the National Endowment for the Arts. It’s the daring take of a black lesbian actress researching the life of a black actress known for her stereotypical roles in 1930s movies.

“The Watermelon Woman” screens on Friday, October 7 at 7:00 p.m. “Beautiful Thing” will be shown on Saturday, October 8 at 1:00 p.m.

____________________________

About the Pittsburgh Lesbian & Gay Film Society (aka Reel Q)

The Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society’s primary goal is to organize and manage year-round cinema that serves the educational and cultural needs of its audiences and is an organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered (LGBT) and LGBT-supportive persons.

####