Channeling intense volunteer passion, subtly opening conservative minds, and standing up to the occasional pesky picketing threat — all in a day's work for Jake H. Gonzales, Programs Director of the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival (aGLIFF). While the act of wading through a preposterous amount of films and contacts would be enough to make us feel that we had the right to walk around slapping...anyone, Jake exudes a most understanding and calm energy that—to us—seems like an incredible feat when you're one week away from launching a film festival. Although we would have liked to have spent the interview trying to find a way to bottle that energy for ourselves (muah ha ha), asking a few questions involving the diverse lineup of films and events aGLIFF 23 is bringing our way September 7th-12th seemed like the more pertinent thing to do. We convened at Cherrywood Coffeehouse to discuss unforgettable yodelers, angry transwomen, and why it's so damn hard to get people to heart the documentaries like we do. We then forced Jake to play a LGBTQI Pop Culture Thought Game with us. Like we said, really understanding energy. more ›

The 21st Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival kicks off today with a slew of great films, and a sure-to-be-awesome opening night afterparty at Oilcan Harry's. aGLIFF is the oldest and largest gay and lesbian film festival in the Southwest, and this year's program contains more than 120 films from 17 countries (including some award-winning drama, documentary, comedy and horror features). The festival really gets going tonight with an Austinist-sponsored screening of Otto; or, Up With Dead People, a zombie flick with a twist. more ›