Follow up to Kink Crusader Snub

In an earlier story we reported that the IML documentary Kink Crusaders had been snubbed by The Q Film Festival in Long Beach - see the original story here.

One person who read the article contacted festival progarmmer Robert Cano to inquire why KC was not included in the festival line up.  Robert's response, which was forwarded to Leatherati, indicated that KC Director Mike Skiff had pulled KC from being considered for the lineup.  We contacted both Mike Skiff at Third Rail Media and Ron Sylvester, Chairman of the Board of Directors at The Center in Long Beach (which produces The Q Film Festival) to clarify the issue.

Mike reports that he submitted Kink Crusaders to the festival and the subsequently pulled the entry, citing concerns with the festival's representation of the leather community.  

"I emailed Robert Cano (festival Programmer) about my concerns of intolerance and lack of embrace by the LBGT community of Leather people and asked to withdraw Kink Crusaders out of those concerns," said director Mike Skiff.

Board Chair Ron Sylvester indicated to Leatherati that the festival programmers were in fact very excited about Kink Crusaders after their initial screening and immediately chose it for inclusion in the festival.  They were planning a special late night screening and were hopeful to create cross promotion opportunities with local leather-oriented businesses.

Festival programmer Cano notified Skiff on the same day that he pulled the film to let him know that the film had actually been selected.  In the meantime, however, Sylvester reported that Skiff's withdrawal request had been communicated to the festival staff and they proceeded to complete the festival schedule without Kink Crusaders being included.  

Skiff reported that when he was notified by Cano that the film had actually been selected, he indicated that he would be honored to have Kink Crusaders included in the festival.  Unfortunately, according to Sylvester, that request from Skiff wasn't received by the festival staff until after the schedule was finalized and the theatre contracts were signed.

"There was no snub," said Sylvester. "We thought it was an excellent film and were very excited to have it at the festival.  Unfortunately the schedule had been finalized at that point and the contracts had been signed." 

Subsequent to our initial story, Skiff and Sylvester have connected and are working to create a special screening of Kink Crusaders and will release details as they become available.

 

Comments

[Mike Skiff]

Thank you Leatherati for this clarification as it is very fair to both LBQFF and myself. I look forward to a future screening of 'Kink Crusaders' through The Center in Long Beach which could be part of a greater forum discussing issues of discrimination, intolerance and misunderstanding experienced by the Leather/Kink community. When it happens, I ask our leaders in both the Leather scene and the LGBT community to participate and build stronger bridges of support.

I'm grateful that Ron Sylvester has been open to hearing my concerns.

And to my Leather brothers and sisters, I have the heart of an artist and a crusader - and I seek to always remain humble before the humanity of us all.

Mike Skiff
Director - Kink Crusaders