Documentary Film Short Open Dialogues: Gen QueerZ To Premiere Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day
The Art and Culture Center/Hollywood will premiere Gen QueerZ, its fourth documentary film short in its award-winning Open Dialogues series, on Wed., Oct. 11 at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, 1770 Monroe Street.
Coinciding with National Coming Out Day, the evening begins with a red-carpet reception at 6 p.m. followed by a screening of the film and a discussion with cast members and Director Freddy Rodriguez at 7 p.m. There is no charge for admission.
Gen QueerZ gives voice to LGBTQ+ youth who declare openly, “Queer is here. Queer is everywhere,” and that being out in public and home spaces is a form of activism that demarginalizes all queer people.
Produced by the Art and Culture Center/Hollywood in association with Safe Schools South Florida, the title Gen QueerZ refers to LGBTQ youth who are part of Generation Z, which accounts roughly for people born since 1997.
Gen QueerZ captures the LGBTQ+ narratives and performances of eight South Florida college/university students. Their stories reflect a diversity of gender identities, cultural backgrounds, and academic studies while exploring allyship, threats, and the family dynamics of being “out” at home.
The film features readings of original poems performed by Eric Martinez (“To Know Yourself”) and Ja’na Nelson (“I’m Out”).
The eight cast members are Doriyan Caty (Florida Atlantic University), Javier Gomez (Miami Dade College), SofíaGrajales (Broward College), Eric Martinez (Florida International University ’23 and University of Miami), Ja’na Nelson (FAU ’22), Kelsey Parente (Broward College), Ian Rodriguez (Florida State University), and Nathalie Saladrigas (Miami Dade College ’23 and Emerson College, Boston).
Open Dialogues: Gen QueerZ was made with support from The Our Fund Foundation, The Windhover Foundation/Quadracci Family, and the Dara and Jarrett Levan Fund for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Broward.
National Coming Out Day was first observed on October 11, 1988, on the second anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It is observed throughout the U.S. and other countries around the world to raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ community and its civil rights movement.
About the Art and Culture Center/Hollywood
The Art and Culture Center/Hollywood is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported in part by its members, admissions, private entities, the City of Hollywood, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council; and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. We welcome donations from all members of the community who wish to support our work.
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