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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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.