MOCA Jacksonville’s ‘Many Sides Of Pride Film Festival’ celebrates best in LGBTQ film

In celebration of Pride month, MOCA Jacksonville, a cultural institute of the University of North Florida, is pleased to announce The Many Sides of Pride Film Festival presented by the LGBTQ Community Fund for Northeast Florida in partnership with MOCA Jacksonville from June 3 through 6, 2021. The film festival features the best in LGBTQ film, as well as a series of programs featuring nationally renowned directors, regional organizations, and performers all in celebration of the LGBTQ community’s extraordinary impact on the world of cinema.

“One of the LGBTQ Community Fund’s goals in hosting this festival is to humanize the LGBTQ experience and showcase the diversity of our community,” said Glenn Miller, chair of the Fund’s grants committee. “We hope to engage around shared values and unite our community at the same time.”

Over the course of 4 days, MOCA Jacksonville presents 10 films highlighting the diversity of LGBTQ stories and storytellers. In addition to the films, the festival features panel discussions with members of Jacksonville’s LGBTQ community, and moderated post-film conversations with directors and filmmakers including Derek Dodge (“Hurley”), Sam Feder (“Disclosure”), Chester Algernal Gordon, Elegance Bratton and Jovan James (“Buck”), and Kareem Tabsch, director of “Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado.”

"If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's how important community is and how much we miss it when we don't have it. The ability to come together and celebrate our commonalities, learn from our differences and celebrate our community—all aspects of it—is an empowering act for all of us,” said Tabsch. “Representation is a powerful thing. Seeing stories on the big and small screen that resonate with our own experiences is important. It makes us feel seen and shares some insight into our world with our neighbors.”

Programming will be offered both virtually and limited in-person viewing in accordance with CDC guidelines to make for a safe viewing experience for guests. All programs are free to the public. See below for the full film festival schedule of films and events.

“Jacksonville has not seen an LGBTQ film festival in almost 20 years. The time has come for us to be able to enjoy together the films that are part of our LGBTQ culture,” said Manuel Velasquez, director of student affairs at the University of North Florida LGBTQ Resource Center. “Through the challenges of COVID, the passing of the recent discriminatory trans athlete bill in Florida, and all the many social injustices we have lived through, we need to celebrate LGBTQ community and films that entertain and transport us to other worlds.”

Title Sponsor of The Many Sides of Pride Film Festival is Florida Blue. Program sponsors include The Wolfburg Family, Michael Meyers and Chad Labenz, Admira Dentistry, Teresa Radinski, The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, Samiracles, Glenn and Michael Miller, Baptist Health, JASMYN and HOT 99.5 FM.

“MOCA Jacksonville is committed to serving Northeast Florida as an organization dedicated to celebrating diversity and equity,” said Caitlín Doherty, Director of MOCA Jacksonville. “We are delighted to partner with the LGBTQ Community fund to host The Many Sides of Pride Film Festival and to provide a venue for audiences to explore the extraordinary impact of LGBTQ culture on the world of film.”