Evan Ross attended the 5th Annual New York AIDS Festival Gala

The actor Evan Ross attended the World AIDS Day gala event of the New York AIDS Film Festival on December 1, 2007. Ross garnered critical attention for his supporting role in the HBO film, Life Support, which was a featured film during the New York AIDS Film Festival. At the gala event, Ross was joined by other members of the industry, such as the producer Suzanne Engo, who is also the founder of the New York AIDS Film Festival; the filmmaker Wolfgang Busch; BET executive Sonya Lockett, who was among the evening's honorees; and others.

Life Support, starring Queen Latifah, is based on the real life story of Andrea Williams, an HIV-positive woman. According to Wikipedia, the film premiered January 26, 2007, at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and premiered on HBO on March 10, 2007. The film featured Evan Ross in a supporting role. Life Support was nominated for 2 Emmys: Queen Latifah was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie, while the film was nominated for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or Special.

Filmmakers Michael Eldridge, Enrique Menendez, and Wolfgang Busch discussed HIV/AIDS issues at New York University

In connection with the Fifth Annual New York AIDS Film Festival, excerpted screenings of three documentaries were presented free to the public at NYU's King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center on December 1, 2007. The first such screening was of director Michael Eldridge's film, GMHC at 25, a short documentary that takes the viewer through the harrowing first years of the AIDS/HIV crisis. The film takes the viewer from the beginning of GMHC to the agency's present -- and how we need to keep fighting AIDS/HIV today. Mr. Eldridge's story is told exclusively through first-person interviews of the men and women who have fought this pandemic for the last 25 years. Their voices weave both a hopeful and haunting look at this crisis.

The second documentary to be presented was an excerpt of Enrique Menendez's film, AboutFace. This first-person film introduces the filmmaker in his professional theatrical roles as a GI from the Vietnam War, sailor from WWII, and a student during the French revolution. We learn how he became infected. Through images of one of Enrique’s HIV pharmaceutical ads, the March on Washington, and the AIDS quilt, we learn how these battles deeply affect him. Upon HIV infection, we see how the virus has affected his body. Next, Enrique reminisces about his 40th and 30th birthday parties -- and how his medications take their toll. His desire to control is manifested in addiction.

The final documentary to be excerpted was Wolfgang Busch's documentary, How Do I Look, a decade-long community-based empowerment project about the Harlem "Ball" community. Following the screenings was a Q&A session.

World AIDS Day Screening of "How Do I Look" Documentary

On World AIDS Day 2007, the documentary How Do I Look was screened at the 15th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival at Riverside Theatre. This screening of How Do I Look was promoted with listings in Gay City News, The New York Blade, Time Out New York magazine, and NY1 Community Calendar, and the turn-out for the screening was impressive.

Before the screening began, the filmmaker and activist Wolfgang Busch and Reinaldo Barroso-Spech, a co-founder of the African Diaspora Film Festival, took a moment to pose for a photograph:

In connection with the World AIDS Day screening of his documentary How Do I Look, Wolfgang Busch attended the Red Ball fundraiser and awards event of the New York AIDS Film Festival. The event was co-produced by New York AIDS Film Festival founder Suzanne Engo and Brian Supler of Cement Marketing. Honored at the Red Ball were the agency Gay Mens Health Crisis (GMHC), the fashion design house Heatherette (for their collection at LIFE BALL 07), Miss Universe Riyo Mori (whose platform is AIDS), and Sonya Lockett, Vice President of Public Affairs, Black Enterntainment Television (BET).

Here is a photograph of Wolfgang Busch with Suzanne Engo:

Here is a photograph of Wolfgang Busch with Brian Supler, a co-producer of the New York AIDS Film Festival's Red Ball event:

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Buy Tickets to World AIDS Day screening of "How Do I Look"

Ticketweb.com is now selling tickets for the screenings of films during the 15th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival in New York. You can now buy your tickets online for the evening screening on Saturday, Dec. 1 for How Do I Look. The screening will take place at Riverside Theatre in Harlem.

How Do I Look (US, 2006, 80mins) is a documentary directed by Wolfgang Busch. The film is about the Harlem "Ball" community, a group of highly creative dancers and performance artists. Topher Campbell has described How Do I Look as, "Personal. Powerful. Inspirational."

Another special World AIDS Day screening of "How Do I Look"

In connection with the 2007 New York AIDS Film Festival, New York University is hosting a special World AIDS Day screening of How Do I Look directed by Wolfgang Busch, on Saturday, December 1, 2007. A Q&A session with the documentary’s director will follow the screening.

The free screening of How Do I Look will take place from 11 am to 12 pm at New York University at the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, 53 Washington Square South, New York City. Admission to attend this special screening is free. Complimentary refreshments will be served.

For more information, please contact the director Wolfgang Busch at: Art From The Heart Films, 718-726-0831 or WolfgangBusch@earthlink.net, www.HowDoILookNYC.org.

About How Do I Look

How Do I Look is an award-winning documentary about the Harlem “Ball” community. This documentary feature originated as a community empowerment project for dancers and artists in the Ball community; it was directed by Wolfgang Busch in collaboration with assistant directors from the “Ball” community: Kevin Omni and Luna Khan. Since its early production, How Do I Look has been screened as a work-in-progress film at many prestigious American universities, such as Yale University, New York University, and Sarah Lawrence College, as part of academic curricula and student-run programs. Because the “Ball” community has been hit hard by the AIDS pandemic, from the outset Mr. Busch included in the final version of How Do I Look important messages from dancers and artists about HIV/AIDS prevention and care. As part of the New York AIDS Film Festival, a special 10-minute segment will be screened from How Do I Look, addressing HIV/AIDS. Featured in the HIV excerpt from the How Do I Look documentary are: Octavia St. Laurent, Kevin Omni, Jose Xtravaganza, Carmen Xtravaganza, Harmonica Sunbeam, Luna Khan, Kevin Aviance, Kenny Ebony, Darryck LaBeija, and Marcel Christian.

About the “Ball” community

The Harlem "Ball" community has been, and continues to be, influential in fashion, music, runway, and dance. The artistry and talent from this community have inspired superstars Madonna, Iman, Marc Jacobs, and RuPaul. Unfortunately, the “Ball” community has been devastated by the AIDS pandemic, resulting in the loss of the community’s leadership. As a community, the dancers and artists from the “Ball” scene continue to fight an uphill battle for artistic and social empowerment.

About the New York AIDS Film Festival

To mark Work AIDS Day this year on December 1, The New York AIDS Film Festival (NYAFF) will provide a series of HIV- and AIDS-related film screenings, panel discussions, and special events. Its mission is to provide the public with information about the disease by sponsoring the screenings of visual media. The New York AIDS Film Festival features diverse works, which serve as educational material about HIV/AIDS. These programs aim to promote social action in the fight against the global AIDS pandemic. In 2006, the New York AIDS Film Festival commemorated the 25th Anniversary of the first diagnosed case of AIDS. Stay tuned for more information about this important film festival.

Podcast Interview with Kevin Ultra Omni at London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival

Podcast of Pink Mafia Radio Episode No. 72, May 22, 2007, dedicated to the documentary, How Do I Look.

Coverage of the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival begins with our guest Kevin Ultra Omni founding father of the House of Ultra Omni and Co-Director of How Do I Look. His film is the answer to the questions left by the classic Ball Scene documentary Paris Is Burning. Kevin with Wolfgang Bush and Luna Khan directed this new film with much more input from the people active in the NYC Ball community. To find out more about the film please go to HowDoILookNYC.org.

Click on this link to listen to the podcast interview with Kevin Ultra Omni.

Special Screening of "How Do I Look" on World AIDS Day

For immediate release

November 1st 2007

How Do I Look documentary screening on WORLD AIDS DAY at the Harlem Diaspora Film Festival, Saturday December 1st, 2007 at the Riverside Theatre, 8PM

The award winning documentary How Do I Look with director Wolfgang Busch and assistant directors Kevin Omni and Luna Khan, will be screened at the Harlem Diaspora Film Festival on December 1st, 2007 on World AIDS Day, followed by Q & A by the directors. How Do I Look is about the Harlem “Drag Ball” community that originated in the 1970s in Harlem, an off shoot of the legendary Harlem “Drag Balls” from the 1920s.

This African American and Hispanic Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Harlem community is best known for its worldwide influences in dance, fashion, runway and music, inspiring Madonna with her best selling music video “Vogue”, fashion designer Thierry Mugler and in music Ru Paul and #1 Billboard dance performer extraordinaire Kevin Aviance with producer GOMI.

This trendsetting artistic community is unfortunately also hit hardest by the AIDS epidemic. Since the beginning of the production of the How Do I Look documentary in 1995, nine members from the “Ball” community have passed away: Willi Ninja, Angie Infiniti, Eric Christian Bazaar, Marcel Christian, Gerald Dupree LaBeija, Mystery Royale, Kenny Ebony, Pepper LaBeija, and Billy Pemperton. While this list of nine "Ball" members did not all die from AIDS, to this date many surving members are struggling every day with the HIV virus. For that reason, much of this community’s history and legacy is lost or in danger of being lost.

This ground-breaking, inspiring, educational and entertaining documentary, now available on DVD, talks about the history of the dance “Vogue” by Willi Ninja, Jose Xtravaganza, and Andre Mizrahi; sends HIV hope messages by Luna Khan; “Bazaar” Fashion designs by Ross Infiniti; runway by Ricky Revlon; transgender issues by Tracy Africa, Carmen Xtravaganza, and Octavia St. Laurent; and the “Ball” history by Marcel Christian and Kevin Omni. Special appearance by columnist Michael Musto, Patricia Field, and Kevin Aviance.

How Do I Look is released independently by Art From The Heart LLC, and we are proud to represent LGBT content at the up-coming prestige’s Diaspora Film Festival in Harlem.

How Do I Look is currently screened in film festivals across the United States and Internationally and the How Do I Look DVD is available on our website www.HowDoILooknyc.org, Amazon.com, selected retail stores in NYC at Kim’s Video, Giovanni’s in Philadelphia and A Different Light book store in Los Angeles.

Please contact: Art From The Heart, attn. Wolfgang Busch at 718-726-0831 or WolfgangBusch@earthlink.net or kevin.burrus1@verizon.net; website: http://www.HowDoILooknyc.org.

Upcoming Screening of "How Do I Look" - The 15th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival - Saturday, Dec. 1 at 8 pm

HOW DO I LOOK

US, 2006, 80min, doc., English, Wolfgang Busch, dir.

"A documentary 10 years in the making about the over 35 year old Harlem "Ball" community, How Do I Look picks up from where Paris Is Burning left off, the new school of Vogue champions play fast and loose with their fierce identity. The rollcall of participants in this extraordinary testimony to difference reads like a Who's Who of fabulousness. Kevin Aviance, Jose Xtravaganza, Mystery Royale, China Blue, the legendary Willi Ninja, who died in 2006. My favourite line - 'Truth cannot change no matter how much they cut it off' - is delivered as part of the gritty/ glamorous testimonies of trans people of colour, including Tracy Africa, the Irvin Penn-discovered 70s supermodel, until she was found out. At which point the doors closed. Voguing is arguably one of the most powerful expressions of Black and Latino identity. Personal. Powerful. Inspirational." ~ Topher Campbell
Screening Scheduled for: Sat., Dec. 1, 2007 @ 8:00pm at Riverside Theatre, 91 Claremont Ave. (at West 120th Street) in New York City. For tickets, please call (212) 870-6784. Shown with Girls Night Out. Q&A after the screening.

For more information, please visit the official website for the 15th Annual African Diaspora Film Festival.

Select Index of Film Festival Screenings of "How Do I Look"

Wolfgang Busch and “How Do I Look” in film festivals

The 21st London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

Filmmaker Wolfgang Busch screened his first documentary release, How Do I Look, at the The 21st London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival in 2007. Here is an excerpt from the film festival’s article:

* “Picking up from where Paris Is Burning left off, the new school of Vogue champions play fast and loose with their fierce identity. The rollcall of participants in this extraordinary testimony to difference reads like a who's who of fabulousness: Kevin Aviance, Jose Xtravaganza, Mystery Royale, China Blue, the legendary Willi Ninja, who died in 2006…. Voguing is arguably one of the most powerful expressions of Black and Latino identity. Personal. Powerful. Inspirational.” -- Topher Campbell -- Excerpt from the The 21st London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival’s preview of "How Do I Look."