The Cherry Grove Archives Collection Film Festival was established in 2015 as a cinematic celebration of Cherry Grove's proud 170-year history and that of other LGBTQIA+ communities all around the world.
While this summer weekend event is a vital fundraiser for the Archives' operating and digitizing costs, our goal is to bring people together to both educate and celebrate our culture with a bounty of fabulous films.
Our beautiful beach community has supported and nurtured LGBTQIA+ artists, performers and musicians since it began, which is why we are dedicated to presenting films that bring gay history to life. It's vital that we don't forget our past, and by taking a look back at where we've come from, we may have a better vision of the future.
The festival began as a way of sharing the archival films, current documentaries and experimental works that reflect Cherry Grove (Fire Island) from our extraordinary past to our colorful present. The CGACFF also showcases projects that speak to our unique environment and outrageous community, from film makers everywhere.
The Cherry Grove Archives Committee (CGAC) has diligently been preserving everything from 8 millimeter films to family albums- all donated by members of the community who have graciously decided to share their lives and experiences.
Each CGACFF (hosted every two years) is a curated collection of documentaries, short films and restored masterpieces that speak to the LGBTQ experience of our beach community and others abroad.
Through our festival we seek to showcase works from queer communities around the globe. We hope to present everything from films about beach life to political activism, films that express individuality and the pursuit of equality.
