I returned to my home state April 13-20 for the Florida Film Festival. The audiences at both showings embraced the film and Dirtwoman, which is especially gratifying since Orlando’s not Donnie’s stomping ground.

Tim Anderson (Programming Coordinator and big fan of the film, me, Kalen Rice (House Manager at Enzian), Matthew Curtis (Programming Director)

Q&A with Josh Martin

 

Two students (Carly and Dakota) in a Film Marketing and Distribution class at Central Florida University were assigned to be my advance publicity team. Here’s the exit interview video they created after the first show.

They also organized a drag show to cap off the second showing featuring Annie Mae, Draggedy Anne and Waka Shame. Click here for highlights.

I also participated in a panel of filmmakers

Matthew Moyer of Orlando Weekly gave me my first review:

TOMORROW NITE is the Hometown Premiere (and we don’t expect another showing in RVA til November)!

If you haven’t gotten tix yet, click here.

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Dirtwoman week was loads of fun!

The First Friday opening at Gallery 5 featured lots of Donnie portraits (quite a few sold). The gallery is open every Wednesday evening from 5 to midnite for Community Game Night (with happy hour 5-7). There will be board games to play and the artwork on display. It will also be open during the weekend after the premiere.

 

Tammy Harris, Debra & Ray Corker

Sunday night, Mamma Zu hosted a special fundraiser dinner for Massey Cancer Center with an enormous meal (so many courses), Dirtwoman necklaces and tickets to RIFF as prizes, and the unveiling of the Dirtwoman Memorial Plaque out front. Thanks to owner Ed Vasaio for his generosity and fabulous food.

The bottle cap necklaces (and carabiner) created by Christine Offutt.

 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE UNVEILING VIDEO

It’s off to Orlando to show the doc at the Florida Film Festival, then back here for the Hometown Premiere, as part of RIFF.  You can order your tix in advance here or they will be on sale at the Box Office before the screening on April 25, 7:15pm. I’d suggest you get there early…there will be a line.

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It’s no joke! On April 1, Mayor Stoney issued the proclamation declaring the first week of April as Dirtwoman Week. Not only does this honor Donnie, but it’s a great kickoff for our month of celebration. Click here to read the Proclamation text

Click on any of these logos to read/hear any of the articles that have already surfaced.

 

Click here for tickets to the Mamma Zu dinner.

Click here for tickets to the April 25 screening.
Click here to read more about the Gallery 5 opening.

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PAINT ME, BITCH!

Donnie getting “Toasted”

We’re kicking off April with a month-long art show at Gallery 5 (It’s also their 14th Anniversary celebration). This will feature:
– Several portraits of Donnie by local artists.
– Photos by Alice McCabe from her calendar and other life events.
– Matt Lively’s illustrations from the doc (like the one above).

First Friday, April 5

6-7pm Private Opening for our friends (you included)

8-Midnight Public Celebration (“After Hours” PLF dance party til 2am)

Click here to visit the Facebook page

 

EAT ME, BITCH!

As any Dirtwoman fan knows, Donnie grew up in Oregon Hill, where he was notorious for peeling garlic at Mamma Zu’s (and selling flowers out front during dinner). Restaurant owner Ed Vasaio and Donnie’s friends are hosting a special benefit for Massey Cancer Center.

Sunday, April 7 from 6-8pm.

Mamma Zu’s

EAT ME, BITCH! will feature:
– A buffet of the restaurants fabulous dishes (and cash bar)
– Exclusive clips from the doc
– The unveiling of the Dirtwoman/Donnie Corker memorial plaque, which will be implanted in the sidewalk out front.

Click here to make your reservations. (Tickets are $50)

INFORMATION ON SALES FOR TICKETS TO THE DOC COMING SOON (and you’ll be the first to know).

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Dirtwoman will be exposed (!) to people in 2 sunny states during the coming months.

SPIDER MITES will have 2 screenings at the FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL in April:
Sunday, 4/14 at 6pm (Regal Winter Park Village)
Wednesday, 4/17 at 9:30 pm (Enzian Theater)
I’ll be there for Q&A after both showings.

In September I’ll be travelling to California for CINEMA DIVERSE: THE PALM SPRINGS LGBTQ FILM FESTIVAL. If you have friends in either city, give ’em the heads up!

 

 

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December 7 would have been Donnie’s 67th birthday. In honor of his memory, here’s the first ever publically-released clip from the finished doc.

Sign up at the bottom of this page for email updates on film festivals and other news about the doc.

 

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My first job out of college was running a record store in Charlottesville in the early 70s. Already a big movie buff, I spent many hours at the Vinegar Hill Theatre.

In 1988, when I was reviewing for CBS-6, I went to Cville to cover the FIRST Virginia Film Festival. It was especially gratifying to have my movie premiere at Vinegar Hill on 11/3/18 for the 31st annual festival.

A healthy crowd enthusiastically enjoyed themselves (and the movie). One of the most gratifying reactions for me was from 3 youngish attendees who knew nothing about Dirtwoman before and were impressed with the film and Donnie’s story.

SPIDER MITES has been entered in a number of additional festivals all over the country with the hometown premiere at the Richmond International Film Festival in April 2019.

Photo by my longtime Cville friend Bill Emory at billemory.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q&A with moderator Joe Fab.

 

With Rita McClenney (President/CEO, Virginia Tourism) & Kirk Schroder (Schroder Brooks PLC and the projects legal advisor).

Producer Virginia Bertholet

Longtime friend Ken Clements, who came down from NYC for the screening.

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