aGLIFF Gets Blitzed for its Return to the Paramount
British music doc gets North American premiere
By Avery Wohleb, 2:40PM, Sat. Jul. 3, 2021
After a year of pandemic-fueled separation, aGLIFF (the All Genders, Lifestyles and Identities Film Festival) is finally returning to the Paramount Theater, and it’s back with a glamorous start.
Premiering as the Opening Night film for the festival’s very own Prism 34 (Aug. 26-Sept. 6), Blitzed: The 80s Blitz Kids Story tells the history of the revolutionary group of young adults who shaped the fashion, music and overall culture of the 80s. This group of people, often referred to as Blitz Kids, were based out of a nightclub and venue in West London called the Blitz.
In the midst of an era with prevalent racism, homophobia and other lingering prejudices, Blitz Kids were unapologetically themselves and went on to reshape fashion and culture, with regulars including stylist Stephen Jones, Midge Ure of electro pioneers Ultra Vox, future Game of Thrones costume designer Michele Clapton, Spandau Ballet founder Gary Kemp, London College of Fashion academic Darla Jane Gilroy, and DJ turned producer Rusty Egan.
In the recently released trailer, Blitzed reveals the look, feel and atmosphere of what the Blitz hosted back in the 80s. Directed by Bruce Ashley and Michael Donald, promises a strong emphasis on the sexuality of the Blitz Kids, in which their bold makeup, androgynous looks and fearless relationships inspired a place where, as club regular Boy George says, people “did not want to be straight.” The center of these stories are rooted in the group’s passion for music, fashion and their overall individuality, and for the first time on the big screen, they’re finally being told.
As Austin’s longest running film festival, aGLIFF presents the perfect opportunity to premiere Blitzed. The festival’s purpose has always been to share and support LGBTQ+ stories and on the evening of August 26 at the Paramount Theater, they will be doing just that. With this North America premiere, Blitzed aims to give a generation of cultural revolutionaries their long overdue credit.
aGLIFF Prism 34 runs Aug. 26-Sept. 6. Passes and info at www.agliff.org.
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Aug. 24, 2021
Aug. 6, 2021
aGLIFF, Blitzed: The Blitz Kids Story
