The festival will also present its “Judy” Award to Madonna & the festival's "Lifetime Achievement and Distinction" Award to Sir Ian Mckellen, as one of the festival highlights which will take place in the Metro Manila area in the Philippines. The 1st Pride International Film Festival, which is a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender digital film and video festival, was postponed from last year's schedule and will be presented this year instead.

The events will take place at the Dream Theater (Cultural Center of the Philippines) on August 21-28, 2004 (please check the festival website for film schedules, tickets, events, award details, etc.).

The mission of the 2004 Pride International Film Festival (PIFF) is to help advocate HIV/AIDS education on awareness, prevention and care through films and other events during the festival. PIFF also has a beneficiary, where portions of the proceeds from its festival and events will be donated to a local non-profit organization fighting for HIV/AIDS prevention and control, and facilitating support responses for the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS in the Philippines.

Pride International Film Festival is currently being assisted by major international organizations like UNAIDS (Switzerland); local government agencies such as the Philippine Department of Tourism, Department of Health, Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine National Aids Council; international gay organizations such as PlanetOut Partners (PlanetOut and Gay.com); noted Hollywood websites such as the Hollywood Reporter.Com, NotesfromHollywood.Com, New York Public Relations Firm "SASiPR"; and international film festival organizations such as Teddy Awards of Berlin, Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Los Angeles OUTFEST, LesGaiCineMadrid, the Tokyo International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and alot more. PIFF has also been assisted by international film festival organizers, producers, directors, and film distribution companies.

The Festival will present its program, an exhibition of work that will showcase the best of international and Philippine GLTB digital films and videos. The Film Festival programming staff have viewed over 150 submissions (from shorts, documentaries to features) from all over the world, which include submissions from India, Israel, Lebanon, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines. This wide range of programs will represent the best and most diverse work by, about, and of interest to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities worldwide. PIFF's exhibition of films will include shorts, animations, documentaries, and full length feature films never before shown in the Philippines or in Southeast Asia.

The Closing Night Gala will present the Canadian hit film “MAMBO ITALIANO,” preceded by the presentation of the “Judy” Award to Madonna and the honoring of Sir Ian Mckellen with the festival's "Lifetime Achievement" Award. The “Judy” award, named after the late Ms. Judy Garland, is presented to the Most Influential Woman in the Entertainment Industry. Madonna, who has been an "Icon" of the diverse GLBT communities all over the world for the past few decades now, and has excelled tremendously with her hit songs and albums, not limiting to her Golden Globe winning role as “Evita” in the same movie title, will be honored during this event. PIFF’s “Lifetime Achievement & Distinction” award will also be presented to Sir Ian Mckellen for his excellence and outstanding performances in acting and his unending advocacy for gay rights. Sir Mckellen, a noted and well known thespian, will be awarded the highest honors of the Festival this August in Manila.

The films Pride International Film Festival will be screening in the Philippines have previously participated in international gay and lesbian film festivals such as OUTFEST (The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival); THE NEW FESTIVAL in New York, USA; THE TEDDY AWARDS in Berlin, Germany; DUBLIN GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL in Ireland; the MELBOURNE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL in Melbourne, Australia; the LONDON GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL in London, England; INSIDE OUT TORONTO in Toronto, Canada; AUSTIN INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL in Texas, USA; MIAMI GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL in Florida, USA; PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN & GAY FILM FESTIVAL in Pennsylvania, USA; the SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL in California, USA; the NEW MARDI GRAS FILM FESTIVAL in Sydney, Australia; and the TOKYO INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY FILM FESTIVAL in Japan. Some of these films were also premiered in 2003 at Robert De Niro's TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL in Tribeca, NY, Robert Redford's SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL in Utah, USA, FILM FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DI MILANO in Milan, Italy, and the TURIN INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL in Turin, Italy. All digital films and videos that will be screened during PIFF will be its Philippine and Southeast Asian premiere. The screening of each film will only be shown once during the festival.

Some of the features will include : "KIKI & TIGER" (2002, Germany), a story based on true events of pure friendship between a Kosovo Albanian and a Serb; "LILY FESTIVAL" (Yurisai) (2002, Japan), a light hearted story of love for aged women; "SUOR SORRISO" (Sister Smile) (2001, Italy - recently premiered at Espoo Cine in Helsinki, Finland), a true to life story of a once famous Belgian nun and her misfits; "THE PERFECT SON" (2002, Canada), a story of sudden life changes between two estranged brothers; "SHOW ME LOVE" (1999, Sweden), a contemporary story about two teenage girls who are longing for joy & pain and the comical aspects of being in love; "EDEN'S CURVE" (2003, USA), a coming of age romance in a conservative U.S. southern school in the 70's; "DANNY IN THE SKY" (2001, Canada), a story of a young goodlooking man searching for love; "THE POLITICS OF FUR" (2002, USA), a melodramatic story of a woman who lives with a pet tiger cub and her erotic liaison with a wanna-be-rock star; "GALLANT GIRLS" (2003, Germany), a temperamental story, based from true events, of seven young women and their idealism in the 80's; "UNDER ONE ROOF" (2002, USA), a story brimming with humor about a young asian guy and his irresistible hottie living under the same roof; "LIKE IT IS" (1999, UK), a story of an aspiring young boxer, struggling with his sexual identity; "JOURNEY TO KAFIRISTAN" (Die Reich Nach Kafiristan) (2001, Germany), a tender love story of two women searching for refuge in 1939; "A NORMAL LIFE" (2003, USA), a story of a gay man who married a woman and bore a child; "GOLDFISH MEMORY" (2003, Ireland) a film that chronicles the ups and downs of several Irish singles; "BETWEEN TWO WOMEN" (2000, UK), a classically performed story of forbidden love, class divisions, social roles, and destiny; "LUSTER"(2002, USA), an authentic romantic love story and a charming look at a queer boy's adventure in love; "FLUFF" (2002, Canada ), a comedy of greek interpretation translated in modern love; "SAGITARIO" (2002, Spain), a romantic-drama about a woman who finds herself going from no man in her life to having more suitors than she can handle; and "GARMENTO" (2003, USA), a story of the dark and comical look at New York's wholesale garment industry, to name a few.

Pride International Film Festival will also stimulate the viewing Philippine audience with such great Boys Shorts like : "L.T.R." (2002, USA); "BLUE HAVEN" (2001, USA); "ROCK BOTTOM" (2002, USA); "SUMMER BLUES" (2002, Norway); "LIMBO" (2002, USA); "COFFEE DATE" (2000, USA); "DEPARTURE" (2002, USA); "FOTOSTAR" (2002, Switzerland); "SUNDAY MORNING" (2001, UK); "PHINEAS SLIPPED" (2002, Sweden); "AUDIT" (2001, USA - starring Alexis Arquette & Sally Kirkland); "FIRE ISLAND PINES ON $0 A DAY" (2002, USA); "PARADISCO" (2002, France); "RED CHEWING GUM" (2000, USA - a Lebanese Short Film); "LUCKY BUGGER" (2001, UK); "PRECIOUS MOMENTS" (2001, Norway), “TRUTH OR DARE” (VERDADE OU CONSEQUENCIA – 2002, Brazil) and much more. The Girls Shorts will include : "ATOMIC SAKE" (1999, Canada); "IS YOUR WIFE A SECRET LESBIAN" (2002, USA); "BEAUTEOUS" (2002, USA); "LOVE LIFE" (2002, USA); "HOW TO MEND A BROKEN HEART" (2002, Canada); "STARCROSSED" (2003, USA); "PUSSIES FROM OUTER SPACE" (2003, USA); "LIVES OF THE PHAROAHS" (2001, Australia); "BABY'S BEDROOM" (2003, USA); "THE GIRL AND HER WILD ASS" (2002, USA); "BLUE TUESDAY" (2001, Canada); "LAS AMIGAS BONITAS" (2002, USA); "SELMA & SOFIE" (2002, Sweden); "EX" (2003, Australia); "PEELING" (2002, USA); "LIPSTICK" (2002, USA), to name a few.

Pride International Film Festival will also showcase GLBT animation shorts, which includes : "BLUE EYED MOON" (2001, Bulgaria); "GAY LIFE FOR BEGINNERS" (2002, Germany); "AU COMMENCEMENT" (In The Beginning) (2003, Belgium); "THE FABULOUS NUTCRACKER" (2002, USA); "VIA WIRE" (2002, Hong Kong); to name some.

With these list of digital films and videos for the 2004 Pride International Film Festival, the organizers hope to bring out to the general public the message of our mission and to build bridges amongst audiences & filmmakers, both foreign and local, through the exhibition of high-quality gay and lesbian themed films and videos.

With these, the festival may be able to set a new international standard in the local filmmaking, festival and cinema industry; and help develop gay themed films and filmmaking in the Philippines. For this year, the festival theme will be "Pride, Freedom and HIV/AIDS awareness."

Please check on Pride International Film Festival’s website for more information, email us at Piff@filmfestivals.net, or please contact Stephen Schulman at SASi Public Relations (New York) at 212-946-1158 or at SASiPR@aol.com.