Win tickets or Centrepiece Gala passes to Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2012

Oh, how I love the Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2012. Not only because they are always amazing to me, and their mission is so near and dear to my heart. I also love them because they always spoil me. Three lucky readers of Hummingbird604.com will each have a chance to check out a lovely Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2012 show, or if you are even luckier, you may win a pair of passes to the Centrepiece Gala film.

Let me show you the many ways in which you can win:

You could win a pair of tickets to:

United in Anger: A History of ACT UP
Tuesday, August 21 at 9:30 p.m.
Cineplex International Village Cinema.

Last year, David Weissman’s award-winning documentary We Were Here looked back on the impact of the AIDS epidemic on San Francisco. This year, director Jim Hubbard takes us to New York City to reveal the extraordinary story of ACT UP (the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power). In the mid 80s, a group of men and women came together to fight the epidemic. These activists soon realized their true fight was against larger oppressions like racism, classism and other social determinants of health and well-being. This battle was about everyone, or—as the Occupy movement might say—it was about the 99%. Before there was Occupy Wall Street, there was ACT UP!

Witness the planning and execution of infamous demonstrations, including Seize Control of the FDA, Stop the Church, Day of Desperation and other actions that forced the US government and mainstream media to deal with the AIDS crisis. Meet the brave people who took a stand and supported one another through anger, grief and unparalleled hope. United in Anger shows change in the making.

or to
The Green
Sunday, August 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Empire Granville theatre

The Green brings a cast of Hollywood favourites together to make a statement about subtle yet pervasive homophobia in a post-marriage-equality world. The acclaimed actors include Cheyenne Jackson (30 Rock, Glee), Jason Butler Harner (Alcatraz, Law & Order), Julia Ormond (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Legends of the Fall) and Illeana Douglas (Cape Fear, Entourage). Over a dozen film festivals in the USA have already awarded The Green with audience choice and best feature prizes.

Michael and Daniel have left the hustle and bustle of New York City for the greener grass of Connecticut. The handsome well-to-do couple seems to have found solace in suburban life, until Michael is accused of engaging in inappropriate behaviour at the private high school where he teaches. With his job, relationship and reputation in jeopardy, Michael must fight the allegations in a legal battle-a battle that becomes increasingly ugly as personal history from his younger years is used to defame him. Michael and Daniel-along with the rest of this supposedly progressive community-learn that homophobia can be only one misunderstanding away.

Or alternatively you could otherwise win tickets to the 9:30pm showing of Mia, the Centrepiece Gala film.

Centrepiece Gala: Mia
THU | AUG 23 | 9:30 PM
RIO THEATRE

Last year our Festival programming experienced a first—we featured three feature dramas with trans women characters played by trans women actresses (Open, Paulista and Gun Hill Road). In line with this gradual, yet growing trend in transgender talent seen in international cinema, we are thrilled to present Mia as our Centrepiece Gala. Mia premiered—and won the Premio Maguey competition—at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, where Director of Programming, Amber Dawn, had the opportunity to meet director Javier Van de Couter and actress Camila Sosa Villada. “She is one of the best theatrical actresses of my generation,” Van de Couter boasts about his leading lady.

Demure and kindly Alé makes her home in Villa Rosa, a queer shantytown on the outskirts of Buenos Aires; she makes her living collecting recyclables. While rummaging through trash, she finds the diary-sized suicide note of a woman named Mia. Compelled by Mia’s story, Alé becomes determined to find Mia’s eight-year-old daughter and return the diary—an endeavour that takes her unexpectedly into the home and hearts of the grieving family. Mia is about the capacity to love, to heal and to be a part of a chosen family.

All you need to do is comment on this blog entry sharing your favorite Vancouver Pride 2012 moment. If you were not able to attend Vancouver Pride this year, you could just share what you like the best about Vancouver Pride, or Pride celebrations in general. I will draw, as always, 3 random winners (one for each of the 2 films and 1 for the Centrepiece Gala film) on Friday August 18th at 2pm.

You could also earn an additional entry by posting the following on Twitter:

Shared my favorite Pride moment with @hummingbird604 to enter to win @queerfilmfest tickets http://is.gd/eHDOjJ #festies

An additional 2 entries can be earned by (a) re-pinning my pin of this blog post and (b) commenting on my pin of this blog post, both on Pinterest.

An additional entry can be earned by posting a Vancouver Pride 2012 photo on Instagram and tagging me (@hummingbird604) and the Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2012 (@queerfilmfest) and telling me “a favorite Pride photo”, using the hashtag #festies. I will track all entries. If you win one of the pairs of tickets and your second entry is also a winner, I will redraw so that there are 3 winners overall. But you can definitely maximize your chances of winning by participating on the contest in all platforms!