Today we’d like to introduce you to DR Mann Hanson.
DR, before we jump into specific questions about the organization, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
CinéWilde has a very humble and organic origin story. In 2013 the acclaimed novel “Ender’s Game” was adapted to film and while the story has captured the imagination of sci-fi fans for decades, it’s author has routinely attacked the LGBT Community with vitriol as well as causally declaring war on the United States “Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down.” Never to back down from shade this dark, the queer community answered in kind by organizing “Skip Ender’s Game” events across the country. Spearheaded by Geeks Out, people like me worked to create an alternative space where sci-fi nerds and book lovers of ALL identities could celebrate a genre committed to equal rights and protest a man who refuses to evolve into the zeitgeist. I organized a screening of “The Fifth Element” at the Texas Theatre to take the author’s limelight and shine it on Jean-Paul Gaultier’s fabulous costume’s and Chris Tucker’s jaw dropping gender bending performance. The evening included a pop up photo booth post film and we donated a portion of the ticket sales to Youth First Texas, an organization committed to serving the LGBT Youth of Dallas. It was a wonderful evening with a nice turn out, so the Texas Theatre reached out to my producing partner Daniel Villarreal and me to discuss the possibility of creating a monthly LGBT Film Series. The Texas Theatre has been a faithful supporter of queer films but wanted to beef up that support, so I created CinéWilde with the help of Daniel Villarreal and Daniel Laabs. The mission of CinéWilde was and continues to be to showcase films that showcased a queer, out artist. From Costumer Designers (The Fifth Element) to Directors (James Whales, Frankenstein), we wanted CinéWilde to celebrate queer artists in Cinema. To choose a film not only because it’s story is compelling but because a queer person used their talents to make that story come to life. CinéWilde also wanted to create an evening not only to entertain but also to educate and engage. Since “The Fifth Element” was a “Skip Ender’s Game” event, we put our passion to the test at our inaugural screening of the documentary “Paris is Burning”. We invited local drag legend Patti La Play Safe and local activist Chaaz Quigley to chat about Drag and Ball Culture and then we hosted our inaugural Community Ball “EVERYBODY WALKS” post screening and invited the audience to don a piece from my Faerie Rack of clothes and walk the runway. Judges scored the walks and we presented trophies. It was an epic evening of Film, Balls, and Dallas queer community. And ever since January of 2014, CinéWilde has created monthly screening events highlighting queer films, local queer artists, raising money for queer organizations, and celebrating ALL the colors of our queer rainbow.
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t believe any road is smooth, especially in Dallas. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. Ego is a very real thing when creating something and collaboration is an exercise in ego. One that not everyone is always ready for, myself included. My producing partners and I butted heads many times on the films we would show. I firmly believe that the only films we should showcase are those with an out queer artist on them. I’ve learned to loosen the reigns on that belief to show other films that have an LGBT storyline or character. It’s a fine line when many artists felt they could not come out, afraid of losing jobs and opportunity and rightfully so. Thankfully the needle is changing and more and more artists are coming out and still finding success. At the end of the day, nothing is so precious that you can’t entertain another point of view or another idea and typically, when you do, you find something new and beautiful that can inspire you to further express your dreams and desires. And there’s the age old conflict between artistic expression and financial viability—some films we’re not allowed to show because there’s a fear of low ticket sales. So help me have full artistic expression and come out to CinéWilde every month!
We’d love to hear more about your organization.
CinéWilde believes in Three E’s: Education, Entertainment, & Engagement. I’m especially proud of the fact that we strive to find local queer artists and advocates and routinely give them a platform to educate our audience on what they do. I want the fact that someone is queer to be a reason why they are sought out and supported. I’m proud of our commitment to trying new things to engage our audience post screening. From gathering footage for a documentary short called “Sex in the Time of Trump” to our annual “Queen of the Desert Amateur Drag Contest” to our Community Ball to an evening of Bondage & BDSM, CinéWilde prides itself on creating community. I think that’s what we specialize in, Queer Community. Or at least, I hope that’s what people think we specialize in. I’ve always thought of CinéWilde as a Modern Day Dallas Factory a la Andy Warhol. I hope when people come to a screening, they not only get to see a movie from the past on the Big Screen with an audience of like minded queers and allies but that they also might meet someone new. Maybe start a collaboration to make their own queer film. Or they’re hired to host a drag night, or they fall in love with a local artist and buy all their art. What sets us apart? Well, we’re the ONLY monthly LGBT Film Series in the state of Texas!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Barak Epstein, with the Texas Theatre, is a vital advocate for us and is responsible for allowing CinéWilde to be birthed and continues to foster it. My original producing partners Daniel Villarreal, Daniel Laabs, & Greg Goolsby, were the milk that CinéWilde fed on for years and my current partners James Hardgrave, Colton White, and Ashton Campbell are an amazing support system for me. Mad props to the entire staff of the Texas Theatre who show up and deliver every month for us. Anyone who joins us for our pre/post show discussion brings a much needed sense of validity to what I do and I’m constantly amazed by those that volunteer their time and talent to us and our audience. And our audience! The biggest cheerleaders of them all. Choosing to spend their Friday nights we is a gift I happily and humbly unwrap each month! And of course, my husband, Jamison Sacks, who is my rock!
Pricing:
- Tickets to our films are $10.50 and can be purchased each month on the Texas Theatre’s website https://thetexastheatre.com/
Contact Info:
- Address: The Texas Theatre
231 W. Jefferson Blvd
Dallas, TX 75208 - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cinewildedallas
Image Credit:
Patrick Hoffman, Danny Fulgencio
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