With Steve Grand & Reeling's Jackie Robbins (All images by Matthew Rettenmund)

I was off for a few days in Chicago to visit family and to attend the Reeling Film Festival screening of Boy Culture: The Series.

The screening was a special one, in that Reeling — which premiered Boy Culture: The Movie 15 years ago — chose to show all six of our episodes, which not every fest is doing.

Spoiler Alert: You Can Still Stream Boy Culture: The Series @ Reeling!

The screening was personally special for me because I was meeting up with one of my college roommates and a great friend from my University of Chicago days, Zafar. Zafar not only jumped at the chance of coming out to support my series, he brought four others, all decked out and red-carpet ready. It was so nice to have a built-in cheering section, which also included my sister ... who liked the series so much she cried at one point!

Robert, Orlando, Alexis, Guillermo & Zafar — my stylish fan club!

The series played really well! People laughed, gasped and/or got emotional at the right moments. I felt like the emotional tug-of-war between Derek Magyar (X) and Darryl Stephens (Andrew) is so ripe now, so mature and relatable, and people were guffawing at the timing of Jason Caceres (Chayce) and at the series-ending performance of Ralph Cole Jr. as a cosplay buff. It was so gratifying not to have everyone afterward awkwardly telling me it was greeeeat, and instead having numerous favorite moments.

I hadn't really participated in the Outfest Q&A, preferring to let Q. Allan Brocka speak, since he is the director (and, along with me, a co-creator and co-writer), so this was my first one this cycle. Our moderator was the very capable and charming Jerry Nunn (his site could become a habit of yours), and guest star Steve Grand — who is quite affecting in his episode — was also on hand to answer for himself.

Questionable characters: Steve, Jerry & me

Steve is looking for more acting work, and deserves to find some. I think his episode, #2, is one of my favorites.

The screening also brought out Matt Zakosek, who had interviewed me for my college publication years ago, and Lorenzo Villegas, a longtime FB friend and gossip buddy who is working on his memoir.

It was, in all, just such a wonderful night.

Boy Culture: The Series is continuing to play film fests, including the Seattle Queer Film Festival in October:

... and don't forget New Fest in NYC! I'll be at that one, October 24, 4 p.m.