Big Love: AGLIFF and AIDS Services of Austin Celebrate 25 Years

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BIG LOVE event posterThe Dobie Theater and Events Space will be the site of great celebration this weekend. Both aGLIFF (Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival) and AIDS Services of Austin are celebrating 25 years in our fair city, and are throwing a fundraiser bash at the former campus arthouse theater. On Saturday, August 18 starting at 6 pm, the fun begins with a schedule of four films followed by a dance party at 9 pm.

The first film of the night starting at 6 pm is 1986's Parting Glances, one of Steve Buscemi's first films and the only film made by director Bill Sherwood, who died in 1990 from complications due to AIDS. This historic independent dramedy focuses on a gay couple soon to be separated when one of the men heads to Africa for two years. Buscemi plays ex-boyfriend Nick, living with AIDS.

Show Me Love, a Swedish drama from 1998 about two teenage girls who begin a tentative relationship, plays at 6:15 pm.

The documentary Vito will have its Austin premiere at 7:45 pm. The film, which aired on HBO earlier this summer, chronicles the life of Vito Russo, gay rights and AIDS activist and author of The Celluloid Closet. Jette saw this movie at Dallas International Film Festival in April and highly recommends it. View the trailer at the end of this post.

Another documentary also shows at 7:45 pm. 1990's Paris Is Burning reflects on the drag scene in 1980s NYC. 

The party afterwards features music from DJ Mouthfeel, along with complimentary drinks and treats. You can read more on the Facebook event page. Tickets start at $35 and the funds directly benefit aGLIFF and AIDS Services of Austin.

This year's Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival will be held October 3-7.  aGLIFF began in 1987 as a small four-day, four-film festival and gained nonprofit status in 1995. Along with the main focus on their fall film festival, aGLIFF works on other community programs throughout the year.