Apr 16, 2015
« Back to NewsGRANDMA DOES INSIDE OUT IN CELEBRATION OF FESTIVAL’S SILVER ANNIVERSARY
The 25th Inside Out LGBT Film Festival opens on May 21 with the international premiere of Paul Weitz’s moving and poignant comedy Grandma. The film marks iconic comedienne Lily Tomlin’s first film in over 10 years in which she plays a leading role. The film features an all-star cast including Marcia Gay Harden, Sam Elliott, Judy Greer, Laverne Cox and up-and-coming actress Julia Garner.
Lily Tomlin comedy to open the 25th edition of the Festival
The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival, one of the world’s largest LGBT film festivals, celebrates 25 years of showcasing the most ground-breaking, powerful and entertaining work in LGBT cinema from Canada and around the world. This year’s Festival runs from Thursday, May 21st to Sunday, May 31st with tickets on sale starting May 5th for members and May 7th for general public at www.insideout.ca.
In Grandma, Tomlin plays Elle, a silver-tongued misanthrope coping with the loss of her long-time partner. When Elle’s teenage granddaughter, Sage (Julia Garner) needs her help with an unwanted pregnancy, the two of them go on a day-long journey that forces Elle to come to terms with her past and Sage to confront her future. The film will be released by Mongrel Media in Canada this summer.
"We are incredibly honoured to kick off our 25th edition with a film starring the incomparable Lily Tomlin," said Andrew Murphy, Director of Programming at Inside Out. “I grew up watching her in 1980s classics like Big Business and Nine to Five, so to open our Festival with a film demonstrating her return to comedic form is exhilarating. Paul Weitz has crafted in Grandma, a perfect balance of humour and heart and we have no doubt that our audience will feel the same.”
“We’re looking at our anniversary as a time to reflect on all we have accomplished in the past quarter-century and ushering the festival into the next 25 years by continuing to bring the community together and breaking barriers with our programming,” added Scott Ferguson, Executive Director of Inside Out.
Made possible by the extra support of returning Presenting Sponsor RBC Royal Bank, opening night kicks off with a VIP pre-screening cocktail at Malaparte followed by a tandem screening of Grandma in Cinema 1 and 3 at TIFF Bell Lightbox. The fun then continues back in Malaparte where DJ JD Samson, former front-woman of electropunk band Le Tigre, will spin for partygoers. Inside Out is also proud to welcome CTV this year as the new Premiere Sponsor of the Festival.
Additional programming updates are forthcoming in the weeks leading up to opening night.