Year in, year out, hundreds of gay films are made and here I do mean hundreds! That said, some
are perhaps best forgotten, filled as they are with lame acting and production values
so poor that even the presence of men of Adonis-like beauty cannot save
the dire end product from cinematic redemption.
Thankfully amongst the rough are the smooth in the form of a series of works of outstanding
quality. Yet even these features struggle to be seen at
a cinema near you, contesting as they do for your viewing pleasure at film festivals
around the world, namely those key events in which the hope of every producer
is to secure a major distributor deal, only to face the bitter reality
that relatively few such gems will see the distribution light of day.
Then again, film distribution can be a precarious business, as many in the trade will know.
And yet it is these companies whose commitment to the distribution of the gay moving
image, ensures the world of gay cinema is alive and well. In acknowledging their
valued work, Gay Celluloid pays tribute to the leading film distributors
of gay and independent cinema.
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| ›› Artificial Eye |
www.artificial-eye.com |
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A long established distributor of independent, arthouse and foreign language films, including
several of the works by Derek Jarman. From 2007, AE titles will become available on a
download-to-rent / DTR and download-to-own / DTO basis in the UK and Ireland, courtesy of
an exclusive three-year digital distribution agreement with Arts Alliance Media / AAM,
a leading European digital film service provider. |
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| ›› British Film Institute |
www.bfi.org.uk |
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One of the most respected film institutes in the world, without whom there would be no annual
London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. Home to a renowned archive, learning resource centre
and an outstanding DVD catalogue, the BFI also provides vital support and financial backing
to a series of independent features, without which many a classic cinematic work
would have never seen the light of day. Need more be said? |
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| ›› Parasol Pictures Releasing / PPR |
www.parasolpictures.co.uk |
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Incorporating Parasol Pictures as the production arm and Parasol Post as an in-house post
production facility, Parasol Pictures Releasing in a major voice in the distribution of gay,
lesbian and world cinema in the UK, being committed to bringing the best in independent
cinema. A key player in the London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, they continue to offer an
extensive selection of gay, lesbian and arthouse releases from the leading directors of the day.
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| ›› Peccadillo Pictures |
www.peccadillopod.com |
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Beginning in October 2000, London based independent film distributor Peccadillo Pictures have
grown to become a leading voice in the distribution of gay, lesbian and world cinema in the UK,
many features of which would otherwise have had a very limited release. They remain a firm
supporter of the London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival and of arthouse cinema in general,
offering an impressive collection of films from Asia, Europe and Latin America. |
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| ›› Picture This! |
www.picturethishomevideo.com |
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As a major US film distributor with over twenty years of experience in the business, DW Diversified Inc
through its labels Picture This! Entertainment and Picture This! Home Video has continually
showcased both the gay and lesbian moving image. They offer an extensive range of titles, including
their acclaimed BOYS BRIEFS compilation series, namely a selection of film shorts that
would have otherwise all but vanished into the celluloid void. |
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| ›› Second Sight Films |
www.secondsightfilms.co.uk |
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Established in 1994, Second Sight Films have built a sound reputation as a major DVD distributor
specialising in film and television classics, from powerful dramas to comedy greats, together
with cult cinema from around the world. They boast a diverse catalogue of films from the
finest directors of our time; from Orson Welles to the cinematic imagery of Derek Jarman. |
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| ›› Strand Releasing |
www.strandreleasing.com |
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Formed in 1989 with the goal to fuse quality art films with commercial product, Strand Releasing has
honoured its pledge with a series of gay, lesbian and international cinema releases. They have
also put their money where their cinematic heart is and produced or executive produced ten feature
films including Gregg Araki's THE LIVING END, Brian Sloan's I THINK I DO and the films of Bruce
LaBruce. They remain a leading voice in the US distribution market. |
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| ›› Tartan Films |
www.tartanvideo.com |
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Established in 1982, Tartan Films is a major UK based film distributor of independent features
catering for a wide variety of cinematic tastes, including (but not exclusively) gay and
lesbian cinema. They remain a key player in the distribution of Asian films, especially
those of the horror and thriller genre under their banners Tartan Asia Extreme
and most recently, Tartan Terror. |
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| ›› TLA Releasing |
www.tlareleasing - co.uk / com |
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Launched in 2001 in Philadelphia, TLA Releasing was established due to the popularity of tlavideo.com, an online retail site
catering to film lovers of all tastes. By 2005, tlareleasing.co.uk had arrived in
the UK as the new kid on the gay block, only armed with a punch thanks to an extensive back catalogue courtesy of
its Stateside cousin tlareleasing.com. They remain a leading voice in both the
UK and the US distribution of gay, lesbian and international cinema. |
| ›› Wolfe |
www.wolfevideo.com |
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As one of the oldest distributors of gay and lesbian films, Wolfe Video has since 1985 taken pride in providing
an extensive range of LGBT titles to customers across the US and Canada. They offer an invaluable mail order
and e-commerce service, in addition to showcasing their films to the widest possible audience via film
festivals, theatrical / non-theatrical releasing, DVD and digital delivery. They remain a leading
voice in the distribution of gay and lesbian cinema.
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