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Letter from the Board
Joshua D. Lorenz
President & CEO
Hello, September! This is going to be such a busy month in Atlanta. This weekend we have numerous festivals including Black Gay Pride, we have the MAAP networking event on the 15th, our Happy Hour at WETBAR on the 30th, and we can't forget Out on Film starts on Sept. 29 and runs through Oct. 6. Once that wraps up, we are officially in Atlanta Pride month!
Be sure to get tickets early for the Out on Film festival. It's going to be another great lineup and you really won't want to miss out. We have sponsored the festival below, so be sure to read the details and check out their website at http://www.outonfilm.org/.
Last note from me: For those of you who prefer to receive event reminders via text message, you can send MAAP to 555888 and you will be subscribed to our text service. We promise to not overwhelm you with reminders and you are welcome to unsubscribe from the list at any time. We hope you find this service beneficial to you!
Have a fantastic and safe holiday weekend and plan to join us Tuesday the 6th for our lunch and Sept. 15 for our evening event at TEN.
Talk soon!
Warm Regards,
Joshua D. Lorenz
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Partner Spotlight
Out on Film
Craig Hardesty
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MAAP: Tell us about Out on Film and what we should expect from the festival?
CH: The festival is going to be terrific this year. We run from September 29 through October 6 and will screen over 100 feature, documentary and short films. Our primary goal is to represent every facet of the LGBTQ community on screen and this year will be no exception. It is important that we be able to experience our stories and see our lives brought to life on the screen together in a safe community setting. These are our stories told by us and for us. You can also expect to meet and hear about from actors, writers, directors, and producers who will be in attendance. The filmmakers who come to Out on Film are truly a fabulous group of people. Some are first time filmmakers and others are veterans but all of them love the Q&A sessions after the films and meeting out patrons. Whether you see one film or 50, we guarantee that you will have a great experience.
MAAP: How did Out on Film get its roots?
CH: Out on Film started as a small weekend festival 29 years ago as a means to showcase LGBT-themed films for audience who otherwise would never see them. Over the years, the festival has grown as has the number of films produced. However, it is still important for festivals such as Out on Film to exist as many of these independent films will not get a theatrical release in Atlanta and if they do, it typically won't be in a major multiplex cinema.
MAAP: What are some of the feature films generating the most excitement?
CH: We have a lot of films that we are really excited about this year. We are opening with "Strike a Pose" which is a documentary about the dancers from Madonna's Blond Ambition tour 25 years later. It is a very moving account of the effect the tour had on the community and what their lives are like now. You will absolutely fall in love with them all over again. This is also the 20th anniversary of Randall Kleiser's "It's My Party" and we will have Randal and actor Gregory Harrison in attendance for the screening. It is an important film to show for those of us old enough to have seen it originally and for those too young to know what AIDS was like just 20 years ago. We will also screen "BearCity 3," which is the conclusion of the ever popular series.
Specifically for women, we are excited to screen "AWOL" about a young girl who falls for a married woman and tries to find her place in the world as well as the lush "Summertime," about two women who fall in love during the beginning of the feminist movement in 1971 Paris. This is a must-see film on the big screen.
We have films about the underground Ball scene in "Kiki", a transgender teen gang who've turned to fashion in"Check It", father-son issues and aging in "Jonathan", and political groundbreakers in "Political Animals". We are also screening two French films for guys in "Being 17" and "Paris 05:59: Theo and Hugo" which are both intelligent and highly sexy.
The full schedule and description of films is available on our website at www.outonfilm.org
MAAP: What is the submission process like for filmmakers? How are the featured films selected?
CH: Filmmakers submit their films for consideration starting in January with the submission period ending in mid-July. We have a programming committee who reviews the films and makes recommendations to the festival director. The festival director will also curate films that have screened at other festivals throughout the year so that we have a well-rounded slate of films to view. In recent years, studios have asked us to screen major release films at the festival as a sneak preview. Once all of the films are identified, the festival director starts making decisions about what to show and when.
MAAP: Where is the film fest held and how can we purchase tickets?
CH: The festival will be held at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema on Monroe Drive in Midtown. Festival passes and 3-pack tickets are available at www.outonfilm.org and individual tickets can be purchased directly through the theatre at www.landmarktheatres.com
MAAP: If we wanted to hug and possibly kiss the cheek of all of the organizers that make Out on Film possible, where can we find you?
CH: You will find us all at the theater the whole 8 days wearing Out on Film Crew shirts. We hope to see you all there!
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Shining the spotlight,
from Membership Co-Director
Richard Isabu
For the month of September we are shining our Spotlight on Laura Hitch, a Michigan girl who is currently laying down roots in Atlanta. Laura moved to Atlanta shortly after graduation and has been exploring the city ever since. With a career that is definitely of importance to the masses, Laura assists in helping staff facilities with physicians throughout the country. With a great work ethic, she is set to go places, and now you get a chance to see just who Laura is in her own words.
Laura Hitch
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MAAP: What do you do for a living and why do you do it?
Laura Hitch: I work for a health care staffing company called LocumTenens.com. I enjoy working for my company, and our values and work culture keep me coming back each day.
MAAP: Where have you lived and which city was your favorite?
LH: I've lived in East Lansing, Michigan and here in Atlanta. I think they are both my favorite places to live because they are both great places for different stages in my life so far.
MAAP: What do you wish everyone knew about the industry you work in?
LH: I wish more people knew about the industry itself. When I explain it to someone, it makes sense but they've normally never heard of physician staffing. I wonder if I knew about it as a kid, maybe I would have gone into medicine.
MAAP: Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently 10 years ago?
LH: I wish I would have traveled after college … Gone to Europe again, or done a cross-country trip here in the U.S. I graduated on a Friday, turned 22 the following Wednesday and moved to Atlanta on Thursday. Then started an internship on Monday.
MAAP: What songs are you listening to now?
LH: I like listening to EDM - DJ Tiesto, Deadmau5, R3HAB, 3LAU. That's what's usually on in my car. On the flip side, I love movie soundtracks. My favorite is the soundtrack from "Speed." Music from Harry Potter or even from the Batman series, it takes you to a different place.
MAAP: What are you currently reading? (Book, text, magazine, etc.)
LH: The book I'm currently reading is the "Light Between Oceans." I'm hoping to finish it before I see the movie. I've got People, Tennis and Outdoor Magazine all on my coffee table. "Peanuts" is my favorite comic strip. So much to learn from Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang.
MAAP: What’s your favorite thing about Atlanta?
LH: Walking to the Green Market in Piedmont Park with my friend and our dogs. That is a perfect start to my weekend.
MAAP: Favorite Atlanta hangout?
LH: Probably Piedmont Park and all of the King of Pops stands! It's an addiction, and I'm willing to accept it!
MAAP: What’s the best advice you have ever received in life?
LH: I think I'm still waiting to hear the best advice. However, the first thing that comes to mind is a movie quote from "A League of Their Own." "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks)
MAAP: What are the key driver(s) in your life that have helped you get to where you are currently?
LH: My family for sure. They are still in Michigan, but I know they support me and are excited for all of my Atlanta adventures. I've been through some big things and they've always been there. Even a few unexpected people came into the picture, but they've been very supportive and loving to me.
MAAP Random 3
1. I was a Delta Gamma at Michigan State University.
2. This will be the 16th year that my Dad and I will go to the U.S. Open Tennis tournament in New York.
3. My dog's name growing up was Trailer ... my last name is Hitch.
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