Outfest is presenting the World Premiere of The Sixth Reel, the latest creation from the legendary Charles Busch (Psycho Beach Party, Die, Mommie, Die!), as the Special Tribute Centerpiece on Thursday, August 19 at DGA 1, 7920 Sunset Blvd, LA, CA 90046. Click here to purchase tickets for the screening. The film will also stream August 20-22. Click here for streaming tickets.
Co-written and directed with Carl Andress, this hilarious caper stars Busch as Jimmy, an Old Hollywood-obsessed New Yorker who’s one of an extended community of discerning – and extremely catty – movie memorabilia collectors. When the death of a close friend unearths the long-thought lost final reel of a classic Tod Browning horror film, Jimmy and his cohorts each concoct underhanded schemes involving false romances, drag personas….and maybe vampires?…to cash in on a big sale of the film. But can the urge to bring the moviegoing community together with this lost classic prevail over the desire to get rich quick?
Filming took place during the darkest days of the COVID pandemic on sound stages in Upstate New York and on the streets of the Village. Everyone involved felt privileged to escape the gloom and work on a project that celebrates movies, movie lovers and New York City.
In addition to Busch, the all-star cast features André De Shields as Gavin Plimsol, Margaret Cho as Doris, Tim Daly as Michael, Julie Halston as Helen, Patrick Page as Mr. Beltrane, Doug Plaut as Rodney, Heather Mac Rae as Martha, Dee Hoty as Virginia, Richard Bekins as Leland, Cady Huffman as Marilyn Dwaskin, John Ellison Conlee, Timothy Oliver Reid as Detective Williams, Ashley Austin Morris as Sharon and Carl Andress as Kessler.
Of the film/filming, Busch and Andress shared, “We’re delighted that such an incredible group of talented cast and crew have joined forces to bring this screwball caper comedy to life. This is how it must have felt on the studio lots back in the 1930s, when filming on sound stages was the norm. With everything going on in the world right now, we look forward to offering the viewing public a few laughs. We can’t wait to share The Sixth Reel with you.”
Busch and Andress have a long and celebrated partnership, creating acclaimed comedies Off-Broadway. Their theater collaborations, authored by and starring Busch and directed by Andress, include The Divine Sister, The Tribute Artist and The Confession of Lily Dare. The pair also collaborated on the film A Very Serious Person, which won an honorable mention at the Tribeca Film Festival. The Sixth Reel is produced by Cranium Entertainment (founded by the late Ash Christian) and Derby City Productions. The film’s Producers are Alex Peace-Power and Jamie Buckner, with Charles Busch and Carl Andress Executive Producing.
This screening will begin with a special memorial tribute to producer and Outfest alum Ash Christian, who passed away during the development of this film in 2020.
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer, an Award winning filmmaker and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. Her short film, When the World Was Young recently garnered a 2021 DisOrient Film Audience Choice Award for Best Short Narrative. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman. She stars in and served as Executive Producer for the short independent films Hide and Seek, Balancing Act, Rom-Com Gone Wrong, Belongingness and When the World was Young. She is also the Executive Producer for The Cactus, The Language Lesson, The Writer and Cream and 2 Shugahs. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations.
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Backstage Pass with Lia Chang 