After a successful 20th anniversary festival this past October, Three Dollar Bill Cinema has announced a name change for their iconic film event. This year, The Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival becomes TWIST: Seattle Queer Film Festival.
The intention to change the name was announced by Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s Executive Director Jason Plourde on opening night of the 2015 fest, where he stated,
“After 20 years of producing an amazing festival, we felt it was time to give the event a more special, inclusive, and engaging name.”
The organization then launched a survey that garnered hundreds of responses and held numerous meetings with staff, board, and stakeholders. “We made sure to listen to many people and considered the extensive list of suggestions we received. It was important to make a well-informed, collaborative decision. We also enlisted our talented Design Director Corianton Hale to create a compelling visual identity that reflects the fun, inclusive nature of this festival.”
Explaining the name TWIST, Three Dollar Bill stated in a press release, “The word has film connotations: a physical filmstrip winding through a projector, or the elements of story structure such as a plot twist or an intriguing revelation.
“Moreover, “twist” evokes a festive, social, and celebratory spirit that is so often cited by Three Dollar Bill Cinema audiences and industry, who applaud the unique, appealing quality of the festival experience in Seattle.
“Additionally, “twist” connects with “queer” by suggesting something unique and off-center, an unexpected surprise to be discovered and revealed, beyond the usual norms and conventions. It transcends the traditional LGBTQ nomenclature to create something new and different—a little more daring and a lot more fun—and sets a tone and direction that reflects our distinct community.”
Says Plourde, “We heard from hundreds of people and held discussions to figure out what could capture the fun, unique, and cinematic qualities of our queer film festival. It became clear that TWIST captures our sensibility and will be more relevant and exciting to our audiences.”
The name change will be a continuation of the annual event – this Oct.r 13-23 will bring the 21st TWIST: Seattle Queer Film Festival. Explains Plourde, “We’re just bringing a new name and fresh attitude to our steadfast community event. Our fans can still expect the spectacular films, great parties, and creative programs we’ve produced all along.”
