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In addition to the parties and panels, Queer Lounge publishes a festival program highlighting films that have queer content or are made by LGBT filmmakers—more than 40 films this past January. This includes films not only from Sundance but from the various festivals running concurrently in Park City, such as Slamdance and A Shadow of Sundance.

By day Queer Lounge provides free hospitality services and Internet access for all who enter, in addition to posting fliers, hanging publicity posters, and helping members of the press get in touch with filmmakers.

Once the sun goes down Queer Lounge plays host to some of the premier parties at Sundance. “Exclusive” isn't an adjective Huang would use to describe the Queer Lounge parties, given the organization's spirit of inclusiveness, although many of the parties are private, invitation-only events for industry executives, celebrities and press.

But the Lounge also hosts several of its own parties, where the vibe is a bit less Hollywood. “The Queer Lounge is great because it's right in the center of everything and everyone just ends up there—gay, straight, whatever,” says filmmaker/musician Silas Howard.

This year's opening party was “Glamdance,” an event honoring festival entry Wrestling With Angels: Playwright Tony Kushner. The East Village Opera Company, a 9-piece rock opera outfit, provided the evening's entertainment.

“Homos Away From Home” is the hotly anticipated party that marks the festival's closing. It's a 14-year tradition, predating Queer Lounge's existence, that started as a condo party for queer-identified people only. Now it's a celebrity-studded party hosted by Queer Lounge, showcasing many non-queer films.

Dave Mathews, Nick Nolte, Sting and Timothy Hutton were all in attendance at “Homos Away From Home” this year. Liz Phair performed and a number of celebrities signed items to be auctioned off. “Anne Heche signed this huge Absolut bottle,” says Huang, “and she wrote ‘Stay queer'—very ironic. It was fabulous! She's really smart and has a good sense of humor.”

While the auction serves as a fundraiser, Queer Lounge relies on commercial sponsors for most of its funding. This year's sponsors included Absolut, Q Television Network, Intel, and Barclay Butera.

Sometimes the musical performances at Queer Lounge include filmmakers. This year's festival goers were treated to The Man, an all-star dyke band comprising former Tribe 8 member Silas Howard, whose film What I Love About Dying screened at Sundance this year, on guitar; Daniela Sea, Moira/Max on The L Word, on bass; Patty Schemel, who has played drums with Hole and Pink, and Romy Suskin, of Nothing But the Girl cover photo fame, on vocals.

“I told Ellen [Huang] if I was going to be there I wanted to play, so it was just a fun, one-time project, rock ‘n' roll,” says Howard, adding that friend Jenny Shimizu was deejaying that night. Howard had another Official Sundance Selection in 2002, the feature film By Hook or By Crook that she made with Harry Dodge.

It may seem surprising that an event so queer would take place in Utah, but it makes perfect sense to Huang: “It's richer when there are obstacles, when it's a place that's neo-conservative. There's more work to be done there.” And Sundance is a perfect venue for Queer Lounge, because it's much easier to bring attention to queer films when you already have so many celebrities and press in attendance.

Huang was able to leverage that attention and quickly organize an emergency press conference in 2004 when Latter Days was opening in Utah (though not as part of the festival). The theater that was set to premiere it yanked the film at the last moment, claiming it had no artistic merit. Huang happened to have GLAAD and the films' distributors and Utah Equality on hand, and the controversy got excellent press coverage that continued for months.

Queer Lounge has already evolved beyond its original blueprint, and Huang hopes to make a permanent home for it in LA someday—possibly a membership-based organization that engages emerging talent in film, art, music, photography, fashion.

And if she has her way, soon you'll find Queer Lounges at the festivals in Toronto and Cannes too, where Huang can continue her mission of bridging communities. “People who are gay have to get out of their ghettos. In order to be influential you can't preach to the choir,” she says.

For more information, visit QueerLoungeOnline.com

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