LGBT UNITED, a Social Impact Documentary by CSUN Psychology Professor/Filmmaker Luciana Lagana, Wins Best Political Statement Movie Award at AOF Film Festival
Hollywood, California (PRWEB) September 21, 2016 -- Psychology professor, actor, host, director and social impact filmmaker Luciana Lagana received the Best Political Statement Movie Award at the 2016 Action on Film (AOF) International Film Festival in Monrovia, California for her feature documentary LGBT UNITED.
This film is currently being tested for its anti-bias value at California State University, Northridge. It won several awards on the film festival circuit, including a diversity award at the Long Beach Indie Film Festival 2016, the California Endowment Special Sons and Brothers Award for positive and balanced depictions of young men of color.
“The fact that this movie is winning awards suggests that the topics of LGBTQ bullying, violence, homelessness and extreme discrimination are close to the hearts of many people, including LGBTQ allies,” stated Dr. Luciana. One of those allies is a young lawyer who is a very dedicated LGBTQ rights advocate. In the film, she provided a heartfelt description of her LGBTQ family members’ struggles that motivated her to become an ally for LGBTQ human rights.
“Not all the interviewees in LGBT UNITED are LGBTQ members. The LGBTQ ally interviewed in my movie was very direct and at times struggled to hold back her tears on camera as she recounted what happened to some of her LGBTQ family members. She stated that witnessing many examples of human rights violations at a young age, without being able to help her loved ones who had to endure severe discrimination and violence just because they were not heterosexual, motivated her to become an attorney and fight for justice for this discriminated minority. She is certainly a strong role model of human rights activism,” Dr. Luciana concluded.
Written by Stefanie Friesen
Luciana Lagana is a caring clinical and experimental psychologist. She is also a professor of psychology, gerontology, women’s health and sexuality at CSUN, where she teaches classes and mentors many undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, since 2002, she has been conducting government-funded research at CSUN on the physical, psychological, sexual and social health of ethnically diverse, primarily low-income older women. Since 2006, she has also been pursuing her creative endeavors by studying acting, TV and radio hosting, screenwriting, directing and producing in Los Angeles. She has over 50 IMDb credits for hosting and acting in many independent feature films, TV pilots and web series as well as several credits for her award-winning screenwriting, directing and producing. She is the writer/lead actor/director/producer of the 2014 award-winning satirical web series INTIMATE TEMP AGENCY on helping young people with special needs find employment, which won Best Trailer at the 2015 Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival among other awards. Her 2014 DR. LUCIANA SHOW – AGING AND FALLING web series won numerous awards, including Best Educational Show at the 2015 WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival. Within the past two years, she co-wrote, hosted and co-produced the TV pilot DR. LUCIANA ON AGING AND FALLING and also wrote, hosted, directed and produced three award-winning social impact feature documentaries, UNDERSTANDING PAIN IN OLDER AGE, LGBT UNITED and AGING AND FALLING, which are currently on the film festival circuit.
Dr. Luciana Lagana, +1 (818) 926-2162, [email protected]
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