“Dirty Girl” opened the 16th SLGFF with special guests Melissa Manchester and director Abe Sylvia!

Yes, we had a lovely time on Friday, October 14, 2011 at the Opening Gala for the 16th Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. The film presented was the charming comedy “Dirty Girl” starring Juno Temple,  Mary Steenburgen, Milla Jovovich, Dwight Yoakam, Tim McGraw and William H. Macy with music by the film’s “muse” Melissa Manchester who was in attendance for the gala along with director Abe Sylvia. We were lucky enough to be able to chat with BOTH Melissa and Abe; Abe in a sit down interview that afternoon at Northwest Film Forum, and Melissa before the screening…check out BOTH of those interviews here. The sound quality for Ms Manchester’s interview is a bit rough; it was not a good area to conduct interviews, but it was lovely meeting her…she is a genuinely warm and charming lady.

She is also still packing some serious pipes as she demonstrated at the after party event held at Fred Wildlife Refuge as part of Trouble Dicso. Things were running a bit late so she only had time to perform two songs, but the audience loved both of them and more than one young spectator, not old enough to remember the 1980’s was heard to comment, “Wow! She’s great…I love her!” Melissa Manchester STILL has the power to attract new fans.

Also check out our chat with the adorable director of the film Abe Sylvia. He’s funny, smart and charming as hell. We discussed our mutual Midwestern backgrounds, the genesis of “Dirty Girl”, the amazing cast and future films he’d like to do (One of them: A Russ Meyer type “Boob Fest” film but with a sweet, virginal Doris Day type in the lead…we love it.)

DIRTY GIRL Director Abe Sylvia from SeattleGayScene.com on Vimeo.

AND, if you missed it, Dirty Girl opens Friday, October 21 at the Varsity cinema in the U-District…check it out.