{"id":851647,"date":"2024-01-23T11:47:54","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T16:47:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glaad.org\/?p=851647"},"modified":"2024-01-23T16:29:42","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T21:29:42","slug":"glaad-co-hosts-cheers-queers-panel-discussion-with-alok-vaid-menon-alex-hedison-natalie-jasmine-harris-more-at-sundance-film-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glaad.org\/glaad-co-hosts-cheers-queers-panel-discussion-with-alok-vaid-menon-alex-hedison-natalie-jasmine-harris-more-at-sundance-film-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"GLAAD Co-Hosts “Cheers, Queers” Panel Discussion with Alok Vaid-Menon, Alex Hedison, Natalie Jasmine Harris, & more at Sundance Film Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

As GLAAD continues its work to increase and improve LGBTQ representation in the media, for the first time, the organization partnered with leading queer film festivals; Frameline<\/a> and NewFest<\/a>, to host a discussion panel and party to uplift the LGBTQ creatives at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Alex Schmider, David Hatkoff, DeShawn Usher, and Allegra Madsen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Friday, January 19th, queer filmmakers, writers, stars, activists, and allies gathered in Park City, Utah for the “Cheers, Queers” celebration. Hosted in partnership with Acura and IMDbPro, guests included Ally Pankiw\u00a0<\/b>(Writer\/Director),\u00a0Alok Vaid-Menon, Andria Wilson Mirza\u00a0<\/b>(ReFrame),\u00a0Ashlee Marie Preston<\/b>\u00a0(Media Personality\/Activist),\u00a0Fawzia Mirza\u00a0<\/b>(Writer\/Director),\u00a0Jari Jones\u00a0<\/b>(Ponyboi),\u00a0<\/i>Joao Dall\u2019Stella\u00a0<\/b>(Director),\u00a0Kirsten Schaffer\u00a0<\/b>(Women in Film),\u00a0Marti Cummings\u00a0<\/b>(Drag Artist),\u00a0Natalie Jasmine Harris<\/b>\u00a0(Grace<\/i>),\u00a0River Gallo\u00a0<\/b>(Ponyboi),\u00a0<\/i>among many others.<\/p>\n

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Anthony Allen Ramos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Jari Jones, River Gallo, and Alex Schmider<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In addition to the celebration, GLAAD’s\u00a0Anthony Allen Ramos\u00a0<\/strong>hosted a “Queer Film is Activism\u201d panel featuring Alok Vaid-Menon<\/strong>, filmmaker Alex Hedison<\/strong> (director,\u00a0ALOK<\/i>), Allegra Madsen (Director of Programming at Frameline), David Hatkoff<\/strong> (Executive Director at NewFest), DaShawn Usher<\/strong> (Director of Communities of Color and Media at GLAAD), and Natalie Jasmine Harris<\/strong> (Director,\u00a0Grace<\/i>).<\/p>\n

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Anthony Allen Ramos, Alok Vaid-Menon, Alex Hedison, Natalie Jasmine Harris, Allegra Madsen, and David Hatkoff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The speakers spoke about the LGBTQ films being celebrated at Sundance and discussed the importance of having authentic queer representation on camera as well as behind the scenes.<\/p>\n

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Alex Hedison<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alok<\/em>, directed by Alex Hedison, tells the story of Alok Vaid-Menon, the internationally acclaimed, non-binary, author, poet, comedian, and public speaker. This thought-provoking short documentary explores the limitless expression of self, challenges societal norms, and inspires viewers to embrace personal freedom beyond the binaries that divide us.<\/p>\n

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Natalie Jasmine Harris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Grace,\u00a0<\/em>written and directed by Natalie Jasmine Harris, tells the story of two young sisters in the Black American South in the 1950s.\u00a0 Prior to following in her family’s tradition of getting baptized at 16, Grace begins to question the budding romantic feelings she has for her best friend, Louise.<\/p>\n

These films and more were discussed at this groundbreaking night to remember.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As GLAAD continues its work to increase and improve LGBTQ representation in the media, for the first time, the organization partnered with leading queer film festivals; Frameline and NewFest, to host a discussion panel and party to uplift the LGBTQ creatives at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. On Friday, January 19th, queer filmmakers, writers, stars,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":449,"featured_media":851652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":["https:\/\/news-api.apple.com\/sections\/910a3f03-8df2-377c-af7a-60d8a013ef68"],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[139173,138841,139298,138420,138413,138401,138402,138408,138423,138409],"tags":[122885],"ppma_author":[139069],"class_list":{"0":"post-851647","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-activism","8":"category-advocacy","9":"category-arts-and-theater","10":"category-awards-season","11":"category-people-of-color","12":"category-entertainment","13":"category-film","14":"category-television","15":"category-together","16":"category-transgender","17":"tag-sundance-film-festival"},"aioseo_notices":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t