Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Fest promises guest stars, burlesque, singalongs and even cupcakes

See a movie, take a walk, eat a cupcake: That's what the organizers of the 14th annual Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (SLGFF), which begins Friday, are envisioning this year.

With the return of the Egyptian to the festival's venues for its first seven days, moviegoers can stroll from one venue to another (Northwest Film Forum is just a few blocks away), with a stop at this year's new Festival Lounge at Cupcake Royale, 1111 E. Pike St. A ticket stub or festival pass gets you a free small cupcake with purchase of coffee or tea.

"We all think it's going to make going to successive shows and being able to get back and forth very easy," executive director Rachael Brister said of the Egyptian's return (it hasn't been part of the SLGFF since 2001). "It's what a festival's all about."

Programming director Jason Plourde added that while many of the films have post-screening receptions, "we're hoping the Festival Lounge area is going to provide a more consistent space throughout the festival so people can hang out and talk about what they've seen."

And there'll be plenty to talk about. Opening night brings "An Englishman in New York" to the Egyptian, starring John Hurt as Quentin Crisp (he played the British writer previously in "The Naked Civil Servant"). Co-star Denis O'Hare ("Milk") will attend the screening.

On Sunday, Oct. 25, "Hannah Free" will close the festival at Cinerama, with director (and former Seattleite) Wendy Jo Carlton present. The film, about a longtime lesbian couple, stars Sharon Gless ("Cagney & Lacey"), also a festival guest.

Two Centerpiece Galas will take place mid-festival: "The Big Gay Musical," filled with stars of the Broadway stage, screens Oct. 22 at the Egyptian, and Nancy Kissam's Slamdance-prizewinning comedy "Drool" screens Oct. 23 at Cinerama.

In between are dozens of features, documentaries and short films, a few with local connections. "Waxie Moon," Wes Hurley's documentary about a local neo-burlesque performer, screens Monday; a performance by local burlesque artists will open the evening. Kevin Hamedani's horror comedy "ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction," shot in Port Gamble, plays Oct. 24 at the Admiral Theater.

And SLGFF was the fiscal sponsor for two films by locals: Elliat Graney-Saucke's "Travel Queeries," a feature-length documentary examining gay culture in Europe, and Michael Culpepper's short documentary about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, "After All That," showing in the "Boys Shorts" collection Saturday.

All this and a "West Side Story" singalong too (Cinerama, Oct. 25). For more information and a full festival schedule, see www.threedollarbillcinema.org.

Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com

Information in this article, originally published October 14, 2009, was corrected October 15, 2009. A previous version of this story gave an incorrect date for the screening of "Waxie Moon." It screens on Monday, Oct. 19.