10th Annual QFest St. Louis Runs from March 29-April 2 at .ZACK

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Come get your Q on! The 10th Annual QFest St. Louis, presented by Cinema St. Louis, runs March 29-April 2, 2017, at the .ZACK Theatre.The St. Louis-based LGBTQ film festival, QFest will present an eclectic slate of 19 films — 11 features (eight narratives and three documentaries) and eight short subjects. The participating filmmakers represent a wide variety of voices in contemporary queer world cinema. The mission of the film festival is to use the art of contemporary gay cinema to spotlight the lives of LGBTQ people and to celebrate queer culture.

A highlight of the fest is the St. Louis premiere of the documentary “The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin” by veteran QFest director Jennifer Kroot (“To Be Takei”), which looks at the life the beloved gay author of the “Tales of the City” books. Other prominent films include the heartbreaking lesbian love story “Lovesong,” starring Riley Keough and Jena Malone; “Real Boy,” an empowering documentary about a young trans boy trying to make his way in the world and make peace with his mother; and the delightful Irish dramedy “Handsome Devil.” QFest also offers a rare chance to see two queer classics: the outrageous, groundbreaking 1970 film “The Boys in the Band,” directed by William Friedkin (“The Exorcist” and “The French Connection”), and a restoration of Donna Deitch’s lesbian love story “Desert Hearts,” starring Helen Shaver as a ’50s-era woman who goes to Reno for a quickie divorce only to find love instead.

The 2017 QFest St. Louis begins on Wednesday, March 29, and runs through Sunday, April 2. Tickets go on sale March 1. Cost is $13 each or $10 for students and Cinema St. Louis members with valid and current IDs. All screenings will be held at the .ZACK Theatre in Grand Center. .ZACK is located three short blocks east of Grand Boulevard at 3224 Locust St., St. Louis, MO 63103. Advance sales are available through Metrotix. Direct sales links will also be on the QFest website.

For the schedule of screenings and events, including trailers and full descriptions of the films, visit the festival website at www.cinemastlouis.org/qfest. The official QFest St. Louis page on Facebook is www.facebook.com/QFestSTL. Advance digital copies of the films and some of the short subjects are available for press review on request. Please inquire with QFest St. Louis artistic director Chris Clark.

QFest St. Louis,a presentation of Cinema St. Louis, is sponsored by Jeffrey T. Fort, AARP in St. Louis, Whitaker Foundation, Regional Arts Commission, Missouri Arts Council, Arts & Education Council, Coffee Cartel, Just John Nightclub, Dennis Gorg Trust, Mark Utterback, and Michael Reiser.