"Get Twisted" at Tallgrass Film Festival.

WICHITA - The evenings are cooler, leaves are starting to change color and fantasy football teams are the talk of the office. Yes, fall is here! Along with the arrival of fall comes the "stubbornly independent" and ever delightful Tallgrass Film Festival.

This year's festival, themed Get Twisted, is slated for Oct. 20-23 and includes the Greengrass Program, featuring environmentally - themed films, the Grasscendo program presented by LIV Fest, featuring musically-themed films; the Grassroots program, featuring films with social and cultural issues and themes, a Spotlight on Women Filmmakers, highlighting the work of women feature filmmakers and of course a great lineup of LGBT movies that will not disappoint!

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Award-winning Wish Me Away is likely to be a favorite this season as the documentary takes a personal and intimate look at Chely Wright, the first country music star to come out publicly. Wright's story, and sometimes struggle, is revealed through private video diaries as well as interviews with not only Wright, but also her family, friends and key players in Nashville. Country music fan or not, Wish Me Away is a film with a message for everyone.

Out For the Long Run promises to please athletes at all levels. Whether it's the armchair athlete, the "when I was in school" athlete or the professional athlete, anybody who has been in a locker room can relate. This film's focus is on a handful of openly gay young athletes as they navigate through an uncertain world. The film brings to light stories of triumph, tragedy and hope when young gay men and women follow their passion for sports in a world where bullying is so prominent.

What started as nightly eavesdropping entertainment for a couple of young adults has turned into a cult-classic film entitled Shut Up Little Man. The apartment nightmare prompted these roommates to begin recording the nightly arguments between their drunken elderly neighbors. Though the first recording was in response to feeling frightened, it soon became nightly entertainment and the boys eventually became obsessed to listening to their flamboyantly gay neighbor trade jabs with the raging homophobe next door. Eighteen-months worth of old-men-fighting-footage has been transformed into this Sundance approved documentary that includes outbursts such as "You wanna stick me with that fork?" and, of course, "Shut up, little man!"

At the time of press other LGBT-focused films hoping to be on the screen at Tallgrass include Happy Happy and Romeos, with hopefully more titles to be announced before Festival time.

In addition to the films, there are a couple more events of interest to the GLBT community. An unofficial kick-off party to the festival happens Wednesday, Oct. 19 from 7-10pm at Rain. Join friends of the festival and some of the 2011 visiting filmmakers for a party karaoke style! With food and drink specials, and karaoke hostess Marta McKim. Sponsored by Rain Cafe and Lounge and Liberty Press.

Also a panel discussion entitled Hollywood's A Drag will feature a special presentation by Tallgrass Senior Programmer Eric Moore, who will present a retrospective on the recurring theme of "drag" in the movies.

Now entering its 9th year, the Tallgrass Film Festival showcases the best of independent cinema from around the globe, including foreign, documentary, short, LGBT, retrospective and premiering films.

For a full listing of events, visit www.tallgrassfilmfest.com after Oct. 3. The official festival program will be included as an insert in the Wichita Eagle on Oct. 14 and visit mobile. tallgrassfilmfest.com from your smart phone to create your own festival schedule. For up to the minute information find Tallgrass on Facebook and Twitter. [lambda]

Classifieds are available for $5 for the first 15 words.

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By Andrea Nicholson, staff reporter