2001 ATTENDANCE BOOM
2006 NIGHT OF THE HUNTER
2015 NCGLFF AT 20
The sixth edition of the NCGLFF showed a dramatic increase in film screenings and tickets sold. According to theatre records, screenings more than doubled, going from 25 in 2000 to 66 in 2001, while ticket sales increased from 4,450 to 6,600 year-over-year. “It was a dramatic increase,” NCGLFF Men’s Programming Committee Chair Chuck Wheeler said. “We knew then we had arrived as a festival.”
Former matinee idol Tab Hunter appeared at the NCGLFF in 2006, just a year after his memoir Tab Hunter Confidential allowed him to come out after decades of living a double life. Hunter’s screening of Lust in the Dust, the 1985 film in which he co-starred with Divine, remains a highlight for many longtime attendees of the festival.
With more than two decades of hard work, the North Carolina Gay + Lesbian Film Festival has become a signature event for the Carolina Theatre and the City of Durham. As thousands of guests once again descend on downtown this August, they will find an event, venue and city all in bloom – and well into a renaissance that is the envy of festivals, theaters and neighborhoods across the country.
2002 HEDWIG FILLS THE HOUSE
2010-2012 PARTIES, BRUNCHES & MORE
Carl and Wheeler both noted a screening of Hedwig and the Angry Inch in 2002 as the single-largest crowd for any screening in the history of the festival.
As the NCGLFF expanded, other events were added to foster a sense of community among the attendees, volunteers and staff. For the 15th Anniversary in 2010, a VIP Reception and Plaza Party respectively added networking and dancing fun to the event. In 2012, the addition of a Filmmakers’ Brunch allowed some of the talented artists who made the trip to Durham a chance to chat about their craft. “Filmmakers from all over the country – Los Angeles, New York City, everywhere – can’t believe how beautiful the theatre is,” Chuck Wheeler said. “We often hear at the conclusion of the festival: ‘We’ve attended many festivals, but this one is the best.’”
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