Films will be shown in Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s McVitty Auditorium in Sprowls Hall. The festival, sponsored by the Indiana Cares Campaign to End Homophobia (ICC), will run each Sunday night in October.

Sprowls Hall is at the corner of Grant and 11th streets adjacent to the IUP parking garage. Parking in the garage and on campus in non-reserved spots is free after 5 p.m.

The Oct. 5 presentations include a short film, “We Belong,” the story of two rural gay teens, and the feature film,“Oh Happy Day,” a comedy about two men who have a romantic encounter on the weekend before they begin working together.

On Oct. 12, the festival continues at 7 p.m. with two short subject films and a feature film. The first short film, “Laundromat,” won Best Short Film at the Reel Pride Festival. It is about two young men who encounter an older gay man in a Laundromat who shares his story with them. The second short film, “Congratulations, Daisy Graham,” is about an older lesbian who is to be recognized for her years of service as a teacher in a small-town high school.

The feature film of the evening is “The World Unseen,” set in South Africa about the relationship between two women and the apartheid government. “The World Unseen” has won a silver medal, a best director award, and an audience award at festivals around the nation.

On Oct. 19, the festival programming begins at 6 p.m. and offers two short films, “No Bikini” and “Save Me,” and a feature documentary, “Be Like Others.”

“No Bikini” is the winner of the Frameline Best Short award. It is about a child and her summer swimming lessons. “Save Me” is about a young man who is sent to a center for aversion therapy. “Be Like Others” is a documentary about the treatment of gays and lesbians in Iran.

The festival ends Oct. 26 with the 6 p.m. presentation of an award-winning short film, two feature films, and a reception for festival participants.

In the short film, “Who I Am,” two young women confront their sexuality. The feature film,“Were the World Mine,” won four best film awards and three audience awards at various 2008 festivals.  The film includes chorus lines of rugby players and musical numbers inspired by Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The second feature, “XXY,” has also been recognized with multiple awards at other festivals across the nation. It is about a teen born with an extra chromosome and considering corrective surgery.

In addition to the Indiana Cares Campaign, LGBT Film Festival co-sponsors include Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) of Indiana; the IUP English department, the IUP sociology department, IUP women’s studies, the IUP Robert E. Cook Honors College, the IUP College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the GLBT Commission, Pride Alliance, the Men’s Awareness Project and Aramark at IUP.

The Indiana Cares Campaign to End Homophobia is an organization of members of the Indiana area community whose mission is to bring about greater awareness and understanding of sexualities in our community and to support people who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender as well as their families and friends.

PFLAG of Indiana is dedicated to helping create a wholesome and supportive community that celebrates diversity, works actively in support of social justice, and opposes all forms of bigotry, especially homophobia and heterosexism.

Donations in support of Indiana’s fifth annual LGBT Film Festival will be taken at the door. On the final evening of the festival, Aramark at IUP will provide snacks and beverages for a 30-minute reception between the two feature films.

For more information, contact Lynne Alvine at (724) 357-0833 or via e-mail at lynn.alvine@iup.edu.