Pride Films and Plays Announces Contest Finalists and Films Included at Gay Film Weekend in Chicago, 10/18-10/21

When a tough Catholic bishop appoints a rookie priest as pastor of a violent, crime-ridden parish, he's sure the young man lacks the cojones to do the job. Turns out he's right. Although the bishop is unaware of it, his rookie pastor is actually a woman passing as a man. After Father Frances succeeds in turning the parish around, the question remains, did she owe her achievement to being a woman or, as people saw her, a man?

Thomas Ziegler was born, raised, and educated in the Chicago area. He holds a B.A. from Lewis University in Lockport, an M.A. from Northern Illinois, and has had two plays produced off-Broadway, including Grace & Glorie, starring Estelle Parsons and Lucie Arnaz. He later co-authored the HallMark Hall of Fame teleplay of the same title which aired on CBS. Other plays of note include Mrs. Kemble's Tempest, Sundays at Eleven, and Servantissimo. His other screenplays are Say Goodbye to Boris and Subway Series.

A Friend of Dorothy's by Jim Piazza, New York, NY

In the winter of 1967, addled showbiz legend Judy Garland goes missing. Wild

twists and turns have led her to a secret refuge -- the suburban bedroom of a

troubled teenage fan. His family is none the wiser until Judy inevitably misbehaves and chaos ensues.

Jim Piazza's play collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winner James Kirkwood Jr. launched a writing career that has included best-selling books on film, essays in OUT, The Village Voice, and The New York Times, and a bio of Elvis, "The King."

Snowmen by Ethan Steers, Norwich, NY

Fresh-out-of-high-schooler Logan falls in love with a gruff and outdoorsy man several years his senior, causing him to question his dreams and plans for his life.

Ethan Steers hailsfrom the small town of Norwich, NY, and has been writing films for four years. He currently studies film and television at NYU and is enjoying it tremendously. He is extremely interested in the horror genre, but is starting to become increasingly more focused on drama.

Visalia by Dennis Nivens, Hermosa Beach, CA

In a 1950s California small town, a high school football coach and a police officer fall in love and face prejudice and harassment. When the coach is falsely accused of being a pedophile, his lover must risk both of their careers and their future together to set the record straight

Dennis Nivens lives in Hermosa Beach, California, where he does boring technical work when the surf isn't pumping. He has freelanced feature articles on outdoor sports and adventure travel to various publications, and was a contributing editor to a surf culture magazine for a period of four years. Visalia is his first attempt at a screenplay.

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