PRIDE House Film Series,
presented in collaboration with The Vancouver Queer Film Festival

Vancouver tackles Homophobia on the Silver Screen during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games

Vancouver, BC - January 27, 2010 - The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are coming to Whistler & Vancouver and for the first time in Olympic history there will be a venue available to our Gay & Lesbian athletes, coaches, family, friends and allies. A venue we call - PRIDE House.

The Vancouver Queer Film Festival is proud to partner with PRIDE House to present several film and media based initiatives to coincide with the 2010 Cultural Olympiad. The Pride House Film Series will be hosted by Canadian Olympic gold medalist and out - gay activist Mark Tewskbury and it will feature two nights of engaging cinema that promotes LGBT visibility in sport and focuses on international human rights. A panel discussion will follow each screening and will provide audiences with the opportunity to contribute their voices and interact with invited out athletes, filmmakers and community activists. You can follow the Pride House Film Series activities through the coverage provided by the BigGayMovie crew.

"The Vancouver Queer Film Festival has actively been promoting the advancement of LGBT communities, cultures and creativity for several decades in BC and we are excited to partner with PRIDE House and share Canada's support for human rights with the world," explains Ross Johnston, Director of Youth Outreach. The PRIDE house Film Series will feature two nights of double bills which include powerful, award winning queer documentaries focused on athletes, discrimination and the celebration of LGBT lives.
February 23rd - Training Rules Presented by CAAWS
CAAWS
On February 23rd experience an intense, fast paced action in Training Rules - presented by the Canadian Association for the Advance of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS). The film uncovers how the lives of many young female athletes are destroyed by the intensely homophobic climate in US female college basketball, and in sport at large. But first, discover the blatant sexism inherent within the European woman's professional boxing circuit, through the story of Michele Aboro, an out-lesbian championship boxer who's male promoters deem as 'un-promotable' in A Knock Out. Panel discussions to follow are presented by the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS). A reception will follow the film and panel.

Feb. 23, 2010
6.30PM Doors Open
7.00PM A Knock Out (Rated PG)
8.30PM Training Rules (Rated G)
Pacific Cinematheque. 1131 Howe St.
Presented by: CAAWS
Host: Mark Tewksbury &
Jennifer Birch-Jones of CAAWS
Panel and Reception to follow

February 25th - Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride Presented by: PFLAG Canada
PFLAG Canada
On February 25th we are proud to show this city's premiere of Vancouver made Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride, presented by PFLAG Canada. The documentary examines the growing popularity of Pride events around the globe and how these celebrations intersect with the human rights and social fabric of their local LGBT communities. Winner of the jury prize for best documentary at Montreal's Image + Nation Festival, this is the Vancouver premiere of Beyond Gay and the panel to follow will focus on international LGBT rights and timed perfectly for when the world is gathered in Vancouver! Panelists include the filmmakers, and local and international GLBT activists.

Feb. 25, 2010
6.30PM Doors Open
7.00PM Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride (Rated PG)
Pacific Cinematheque, 1131 Howe St.
Presented by: PFLAG Canada
Host: Mark Tewksbury
Filmmakers in Attendance
Panel and Reception to follow

Tickets
Feb.23rd $10 & limited # under employed tickets also available for $5

Feb.25th $15

Buy online at gaywhistler.com
or at Little Sisters, 1238 Davie St, Vancouver

PRIDE House will be open from February 8, 2010 through to March 21, 2010 and will take in three incredible events: The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics (Feb. 12-28); WinterPRIDE in Whistler (Mar. 1-8); and the Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympics (Mar. 12-21).

The 42-day PRIDE House celebrations has full event listings for both Vancouver and Whistler at www.pridehouse.ca.