Excitement filled the Express Newark venue on April 30 as a DJ blasted upbeat music while guests enjoyed delicious food and drinks. Drag queen Alisha Day even made an appearance, delivering an exhilarating performance that helped usher in the two iconic opening-night films, experienced by a crowd of nearly 100 attendees at the Newark LGBTQ Film Festival.
First, the sweet and romantic animated short Two Black Boys in Paradise was shown. This gorgeous portrayal of black queer love captures the tenderness and resilience that can exist within a romantic connection, despite a world that often tries to strip that beauty away from young couples like its protagonists. The short was a perfect introduction to what followed during the weekend. There were a plethora of films full of LGBTQ people of color fearlessly living their lives in a difficult world for their visibility.
The opening-night feature, I Was Born This Way, is a poignant documentary,. It traces the life of musical artist and minister Carl Bean, with a significant focus on how his groundbreaking gay liberation anthem “I Was Born This Way” came to be in the 1970s. At a time when openly celebrating queer identity carried real risk, the song’s unapologetic message of pride was both bold and defiant. Bean’s willingness to live his truth made him a powerful source of inspiration for many.
The track went on to leave a lasting mark on the gay nightclub scene and became so influential that, nearly four decades later, it helped inspire Lady Gaga’s massive hit song, Born This Way.
Around 40 films were shown overall throughout the weekend, each offering something for audiences to enjoy. From the sweet and bubbly young adult lesbian short Cherry Please to the honest portrayal of the struggles men face when coming out — despite having someone who wants to build a meaningful connection — in All the Men I’ve Never Dated.
The festival’s range was outstanding. The mix of heavier themes and lighter, more joyful stories serves as a reminder that life as an openly queer person can hold both pain and also immense beauty.
On Sunday, the festival moved to the Jim Wise Theater at NJIT. In the early afternoon, the team welcomed attendees with sweets like cupcakes and brownies before kicking off a new set of short films. One standout was the powerful documentary Voice Shift, which follows transgender individuals undergoing voice therapy to better align their voices with their identities. Both intriguing and deeply moving, the film highlights an often-overlooked but essential part of the transition process. It also underscores how ongoing attacks on the trans community make it even more vital for individuals to live as their authentic selves. The film feels especially timely, while also speaking to something enduring: the universal desire to be heard as who you truly are.
The Newark LGBTQ+ Film Festival once again proved itself to be more than just another local event — it was a standout, movie-filled few days rooted in storytelling that matters.
