diverse crowd, and a lot of it is our
allies coming out to support. People
travel to come to the festival and the
feedback is always that it’s a very
beautiful and peaceful experience.”
Learn more about the Harvey
Milk Festival’s next offering by
visiting watermarkonline.com and
harveymilkfestival.org.
» FABULOUS INDEPENDENT
FILM FESTIVAL
The Fabulous Independent
Film Festival (FIFF) celebrated
its eighth year in Sept.2018,
bringing the best in LGBTQ film to
Sarasota. The festival was previously
gifted to the Harvey Milk Festival,
falling under the celebration’s annual
programming.
Fortner says that FIFF is something
the community needs, noting its
tremendous support. “Magida Diouri, who
founded and gifted it to the Harvey Milk
Festival, continues to do its programming
and does such a wonderful job,” she says.
Diouri believes merging FIFF with
the Harvey Milk Festival was the perfect
marriage. Prior to the combination, it
served as a beneficiary of funds raised
from FIFF’s celebration. She’s continued
programming the festival because of the
impact it can have on audiences.
“Respecting differences that no one
chooses is so important to me,” Diouri
says. “Being LGBTQ is not something
you choose … it just happens. You’re
born that way. LGBTQ films have that
wonderful thing about them. They bring
a sense of acceptance and it’s essential.
It’s important to celebrate differences
and diversity.”
FIFF “is for everyone,” Diouri
says, “absolutely everyone.” Learn
more about its next offering by
visiting watermarkonline.com and
fabulousiff.com.
» SARASOTA PRIDE
Sarasota Pride’s PrideFest
2018 was held Oct. 20 2018, a
“Rainbow Resistance” at J.D.
Hamel Park. Following a successful move
in 2014, the celebration has only grown.
Sarasota Pride exists to promote
a positive image in the Sarasota area
and throughout Florida. It does so by
participating in community activities and
services while promoting the elimination
of prejudice and discrimination.
The nonprofit advises it also seeks
to defend human and civil rights
secured by law, all while advocating
for visibility and self-esteem among
the LGBTQ community. PrideFest 2018
offered a wide array of entertainment,
from an afternoon of live music to
celebrations at their tiki bar and beer
garden. Furthermore, it was surrounded
by a week of activities all throughout
Sarasota—from family-friendly LGBTQ
bowling to “naughty night” drag
entertainment at Oasis.
Learn more about Sarasota
Pride’s next offering by visiting
watermarkonline.com and
sarasotapride.org.
2 6
/watermarkonline.com
/watermarkonline.com
/watermarkonline.com
/harveymilkfestival.org
/fabulousiff.com
/sarasotapride.org