Los Angeles, Calif.– Secrets & Toys world premieres at Outfest Fusion LGBT People of Color Film Festival March 15 at 6 p.m. as a part of The Pink is the New Black Program at the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/581459.
Secrets & Toys is a new comedic film by award winning film director, Quentin Lee (White Frog, People I’ve Slept With) produced by Andrea Krauss (Fabulous High), and Writer/Producer/Actress Dalila Ali Rajah (Greys Anatomy, New Girl). Also starring Shelli Boone (Hot in Cleveland, Castle) and Diane Sellers (Rules of Engagement, Key and Peele) with cameos from Jill Bennett (And Then Came Lola, Dante’s Cove), Jason Stuart (Love is Strange, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), and Marc Samuel (General Hospital) with a musical score by power house out musician B. Slade (previously known as Gospel star Tonex).
Come on down to Outfest Fusion and take in this witty short that smashes preconceived notions of the “coming out” plot to bits. Chaos, comedy, and kink delightfully intertwine in this story that also gets at the seriousness of family secrets, queer issues, and relationship drama.
The culturally diverse creative team delivers a film that puts a new twist on Baby Boomer/Millennial relationships. Meanwhile, Ali Rajah fearlessly presents traditionally underrepresented images of Queer Blacks with a universal story for our ever-so global society. She creates a transforming piece that opens eyes with a fun and naughty twist.
Ali Rajah, who is Executive Producer, Writer and Lead Actress is well known in the LGBTQ community as an activist and host on hit series Cherry Bomb, which she created. That show ran for five seasons, beginning on the web and making the elusive jump to television on Canada’s OutTV, one of few web series to do so.
Ali Rajah says of the Secrets and Toys:
“I feel like storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to create true change that lasts. It is a part of my mission to tell delightful, thought provoking, poignant stories that blossom the Diaspora of queer images of color thereby expanding visibility, deeper knowing, and connection for society as a whole… wherever they fall on the spectrum sexuality or color. Secrets and Toys does that with a little debauchery and humor thrown in for good measure”
Quentin Lee says he was thrilled to come full circle and shoot Secrets & Toys in Korea Town, a few blocks from where he began his LA career.
Lee says of the film:
“I literally jumped at the opportunity to make a film about Black Lesbians and an exploration of fetish desires. Why not? I was really excited to be able to contribute something to the conversation of black representation throughout cinema from Birth of a Nation to Pariah. There’ve been so few representations of African-American LGBTs in general that I was thrilled to be able to contribute to the conversation and discourse.”
Also screening April 4th at The Dinah Shore Film Festival presented By Club Skirts and One More Lesbian.
