Outfest pays tribute to outgoing executive director Kirsten Schaffer at “Nine to Five” screening

It was quite a night at the Directors Guild of America on Thursday and Outfest Executive Director Kirsten Schaffer ended her 14 years with the organization.

Before a screening of the classic 1980 comedy Nine to Five, Schaffer was introduced by the always hilarious Alec Mapa.

‘Are you all ready to tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen?’ Mapa asked the crowd of more than 300. ‘Do you remember where you were in 1980? I saw this movie when I was 15 years old – I skipped school to watch it with members of the drama club.’

Mapa then expressed his admiration for Schaffer working for the same organization for 14 years.

‘Can you imagine holding a position for 14 years? I can’t hold a position for 14 seconds,’ he cracked. ‘Ask anybody.’

Schaffer was paid tribute to in a terrific video put together by JD Disalvatore and Dennis Hensley and it included tributes from such people as Dan Bucatinky, Don Roos, Drew Droege and Del Shores.

‘It did make me cry,’ Schaffer admitted as she took to the stage. ‘When you work somewhere as long as I have, the staff becomes like family. … I’ll never forget my first Outfest. I think I remember it better than I remember my first love.’

During her time as a programer and working her way up to executive director, Outfest has screened more than 2,500 films from more than 50 countries, completed 22 classic LGBT film restorations and shepherded 75 writers through its annual workshop. Also launched during that period have been Outfest Fusion, the UCLA Legacy Project and Outset which mentors 15 young filmmakers each year.

‘It’s always a hard decision to leave an organization that you really love,’ said Schaffer who added that she believes she is leaving the organization in strong hands with a great staff and board.

She added: ‘I grew up with Outfest, it’s my heart. I have found community that will forever be my community.’

Schaffer then moved on to the film starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton which I did not even realize I had never seen. Sometimes when you’ve seen so many clips you feel as if you’ve seen it. I even have a still in its plastic wrapper DVD of the movie from a party I went to a decade ago where Fonda, Tomlin and Parton appeared!

Anyway, sitting directly behind me in the DGA Theater last night was the screenwriter of Nine to Five Patricia Resnick . She was introduced by Schaffer who thanked Kirsten ‘for not picking Valley of the Dolls or Mommie Dearest.’

Resnick (pictured) said when she was asked if it is a gay film she joked: ‘It’s about a female three-way – did you not get that?’ She also said the film ‘is about oppression and not being appreciated for who you are on the inside. I hope that like this movie, Kristen will never really go away.’

The after-party was really buzzing and I saw so many filmmakers there including Boys Don’t Cry director Kimberly Peirce, Jeffrey Schwarz who directed the outstanding documentaries I Am Divine, Vito and the upcoming Tab Hunter Confidential; director Glenn Gaylord (I Do), director Jim Fall (Trick) and director Mark Christopher whose film, 54, is getting a glorious second life with a director’s cut that is far different than what moviegoers saw in 1998.

I’ve run into Mark (I’m pictured with him) a few times over the years and our conversations have gone from ‘wouldn’t it be great if it happened’ to ‘I think it might happen’ to ‘It has happened!’

We have agreed to do an interview sometime this spring. I’m so excited for him.