“It’s entertainment by us, about us, and for us.”
That’s how writer-director Andrea Meyerson describes Lesbian Love in Shorts, the hit collection of lesbian-themed shorts coming to the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Renberg Theatre for a special one-night-only screening at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12.
“These are all about love, showcasing our lives across generations,” explains Meyerson, whose film Getting Started is part of the program.
Additional shorts in the program are Pop Rox, Foxy Trot, Marguerite, Boihood, and Salamagan. Some of the filmmakers will be in attendance for a Q&A to be followed by a party with dinner and dancing. Tickets are available at lalgbtcenter.org/shorts.
Meyerson has produced and directed more than 30 films and television specials. She came across the selections for the program while traveling to various film festivals around the world with her own film.
“Grouped together, these films take people on a journey that starts with high school love, then college students, then a couple in their 30s, a woman near the end of her life, and my film where the women are middle-aged,” she says.
Boihood, about a young lesbian new to love and relationships, was directed and written by Rhea Bozzacchi, who is looking forward to meeting fellow filmmakers and audience members.
“I’m completely honored to be a part of it,” she says of the event. “It will be awesome to be in a space where there is such community and awesome energy. I feel excited to be around it.”
Bozzacchi drew upon some of her own experiences to tell the story of a young woman whose friends give her conflicting advice as she gets ready for a party that she knows her crush will be attending.
“We are all in our own journey with our queerness and always kind of figuring it out,” she says. “It’s bouncing ideas back and forth with our queer friends. Even if my friends didn’t give me the best advice, I wanted to write a film that would show off that kind of community and the group dynamic that we have with each other.”
The high school-themed Pop Rox was written by Alyssa Lerner, who also wrote Salamagan about a closeted woman whose girlfriend is about to meet her Catholic mother and hoarder aunt.
“A lot of people can relate to being a teenager and crushing on your friends and having your heart broken,” Lerner says of Pop Rox. “These are my favorite kinds of stories—about women. Both films are inspired by specific times in my life. I wanted to write from my experience and use themes that are broad and help me connect with other people.”
Meyerson hopes the Lesbian Love in Shorts screening, which will benefit the Center, will become an annual event.
“It’s my favorite venue,” she says of the Renberg. “It will be a wonderful night.”
General admission for the evening is $30 and includes the film program, Q&A, and after-party. A $50 VIP ticket offers admittance to a hosted wine and cheese reception with cast and crew from the films, as well as preferred seating inside the Renberg. Tickets available at lalgbtcenter.org/shorts.