(Los Angeles, CA – July 17, 2022) – In the 1950s, director Douglas Sirk achieved his greatest commercial and artistic triumphs with a series of brilliant, socially conscious melodramas. Films like All That Heaven Allows, Written on the Wind, and Imitation of Life — sumptuously filmed, larger-than-life productions populated by Hollywood legends. They incisively explored issues of class, race, and inequality while delivering all the swooning romance and heightened drama audiences craved. Sirk’s distinct style has been cited by queer filmmaking legends as an influence, and in 2002, it provided inspiration for Todd Haynes’ masterpiece, Far From Heaven.
Courtesy of Universal Studios
From the first frame, Haynes’ meticulous recreation of a Sirkian world envelops the senses, but this is not simply an homage to a great filmmaker, it’s a radical reimagining of what was possible in ‘50s era Hollywood filmmaking. Through the story of picture perfect housewife Cathy Whitaker finds herself falling for her handsome Black gardener in the wake of discovering her husband’s hidden queerness, Haynes frankly addresses issues that in actual 1950s films remained coded, while nimbly maintaining the attitudes and language of the era. This stunning film, which earned four Academy Award nominations, also represents perhaps the finest work in the ongoing filmmaking trio of Haynes, producer Christine Vachon (who has worked with Haynes since their breakout 1991 feature Poison), and star Julianne Moore (who joined the two for 1995’s Safe, and several more films after). Outfest is honored to welcome all three to this special 20th anniversary screening to discuss their undeniably iconic partnership.
Courtesy of Outfest LA
ABOUT OUTFEST
Outfest, a non-profit 501 c3, and its signature annual film festival OutfestLA.org is turning 40. Since its inception as the modest Gay and Lesbian Media Conference in 1982 by UCLA graduate students and organization founders Larry Horne and John Ramirez, Outfest LA has grown into an Academy Award qualifying, globally recognized event that has been celebrated by millions around the world.Now in its 40th year, Outfest is a premier entertainment, media, and arts organization widely considered the best for queer cinema and television, as well as home to several notable educational, mentorship, and film restoration programs. Outfest also manages the first free-for-all, ad-free, streaming platform dedicated to queer and trans stories, The OutMuseum. Outfest hopes to help shift the narrative and cultural landscape of LGBTQIA+ stories and restore the future of entertainment for our community.
An Atlanta-based actress, model, writer, and screenwriter, Miranda started her career on stage in high school. She figured out that acting and writing were two passions of hers that allowed her to constructively express her emotions through character and narrative. In 2022, she packed up her cat and everything she owned to move across the US to Atlanta to further pursue opportunities in the entertainment industry. She is currently working on a novel and the screenplay adaptation for the novel, and enjoys designing graphics.
