From The Board

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Welcome To ImageOut

The Board of Directors of ImageOut extends a heartfelt welcome to you, to this our 24th Annual LGBT Film Festival and ten days of the best in world LGBTQ Cinema.

2016 has been a tumultuous year for the LGBTQ community and our Allies. The Pulse Massacre in Orlando and the discriminatory laws against transgender people enacted in places like North Carolina have highlighted the fact that while some of us have enjoyed sweeping advances in personal safety and civil rights in recent years, these privileges are far from shared by all in our community. Recognizing also that in the US today, trans women of color are especially at risk of discrimination, assault and being murdered, should give the whole LGBTQ community strong reason to intensify our struggle, unified against homophobia, transphobia, racism, and misogyny, here in the US as well as around the world.

Some of our movies this year address this struggle, while some offer other insights into the fabulous global diversity of LGBTQ people. Some are comedies and some defy description. Through our 24 years, ImageOut has always promoted Cinema as a powerful tool to inform and educate as well as entertain, and it is our sincere wish that you discover each of these aspects during the festival.

ImageOut has always been about the community coming together. This festival is produced by a dedicated community of volunteers, whose names you’ll see listed in this program, with the assistance of our Business Manager Emily Piles. We hope you’ll join us to celebrate our hard work at the Trillium Health Festival Eve Party at Skylark Lounge on October 6th, featuring Mrs Kasha Davis and announcements of the award winning films of ImageOut 2016.

New this year, we are trying out online ticket sales throughout the festival period as well as during our traditional pre-festival time. You’ll print these tickets out or store on your phone. There’s a small extra charge when buying tickets this way, but as always you can get cheaper tickets if you buy them in person and before the start of the festival. Also, if you’re under 25 or over 65 you’re eligible for a $20 discount on the Full Festival pass, as well as the $2 discount for Regular and Matinee screenings. We hope many young adults and seniors will take advantage of these discounts and that everyone will support our commitment to accessibility and consider becoming an ImageOut member or giving an Outreach donation.

See you at the movies!