I have been an advisory board member of Galeca, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics for the past 3 years and was finally able to attend the winners toast this past weekend in the lovely home of a very handsome ABC producer in Los Angeles. The weather was perfect, Antonio Banderas and Olivia Wilde were perfect!! It was a Hollywood dream…ok…a bit of a fever dream as I was still battling a lingering cold.

I have been honored to serve on Galeca thanks to my 4 year stint programming the LGBTQ films at the Oxford Film Festival as well as my history with covering film and the Oscars off and on for over a decade. For this year’s toast, my friend and Galeca guru John Griffiths asked if I could film some informal iphone coverage of the event for use at later awards/promotion of Galeca. This is exactly the kind of work I need to be doing right now as I continue to learn behind the camera after years of being in front of it.

Filming was a blast. I did some very informal interviews with other Galeca members about the meaning of Galeca, etc and did my best to capture some great moments including the surprise arrival of Antonio Banderas.

As the Oscars approach on Sunday, I’m not yet sure how I will contribute. I have yet to publish my top 10 and have barely even thought about predictions. I’m not planning to do anything on Saturday, other than watch movies and publish SOMETHING, and as long as I’m finished with my “Lost” rewatch by then, that should happen. I still feel that I owe my Oscar watching readers something. Several of you have reached out to me asking me to keep writing…which I greatly appreciate.

SO…Enjoy these pics from our Toast by the wonderful Brandon Riley Miller as well as a little blurb about the event.

February 3, 2020 - Hollywood, CA - Actress and Booksmart film director Olivia Wilde and Pain and Glory star Antonio Banderas offered heartfelt thanks and revealing career tidbits in accepting honors from The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics 11th Dorian Awards Winners Toast yesterday.

The pre-Super Bowl day party, held at the stately home of Hollywood producer Patrick Moran and his television-writer husband Jordan Budde, also included Q&As with the filmmakers of the Dorian Award-winning (and Oscar-nominated) documentary Honeyland and rising star Andrew Ridings of Comedy Central’s The Other Two, the 260 member-strong group’s choice for Unsung TV Show of the Year.

Guests were amused to hear that the Toast’s setting doubled for legendary studio mogul Jack Warner’s mansion in the filming of Feud: Bette and Joan, the FX miniseries that was named Campy TV Show of the Year by the Society in 2018. The event’s attendees enjoyed specialty libations provided by Writers Tears Irish Whiskey and Massimo Wine. Main sponsors were Warner Horizon Scripted Television and the Stage 13 digital network.

The Society’s trademark Toast is an intimate and light-hearted Hasty Puddings-esque affair where select Dorian Award winners answer a few questions about their triumphant project, receive their trophy and enjoy an affectionate raise of the glass from guests.

GALECA.org, formed in 2009, aims to generate camaraderie and solidarity in an unsettling media environment, champion constructive film and television criticism and elevate the craft of entertainment journalism. Via panels, screenings and our annual Dorian Awards, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics strives to remind at-risk youth, bullies and bigots that the world looks to the Q eye for leads on great and unique movies and TV. And how would we all fare without knowing what's campy? Engage with us on Twitter and Facebook @DorianAwards and on Instagram @Dorian_Awards

Photos by Brandon Riley Miller

Dorian Awards, winners toast & heading into Oscar Sunday