“WINNER TAKES ALL” FIGHTS "LOOKS" HIERARCHY OF GAY L.A.
Winner Takes All
“Winner Takes All,” a dark comedy tackling the “looks” hierarchy in gay L.A., will have its West Coast premiere at the Hollywood Fringe Festival this June, after its April premiere at the 35th annual Atlanta Film Festival.
“Winner Takes All” follows the unapologetic manipulator Ryker as he engineers a fight between his two lovers….with Ryker himself as the ultimate prize. After all, Ryker (Gavyn Michaels, “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency”) is gorgeous and talented and smart and famous (sort of), so he deserves to be a prize, right? His adoring slave Simon (Alec Mapa, “Desperate Housewives”, “Ugly Betty”) certainly thinks so. Brian (Hunter Lee Hughes, “Dumbass Filmmakers!”), the rich provider boyfriend, and Ernesto (Adrian Quinonez, “Eating Out 2”), the muscle-bound protector boyfriend, fall under Ryker’s spell so completely that they agree to a primal brawl for alpha manhood. But what is the all-too-human consequence for fighting for the one you love? Is there a cost to winning love the old fashioned way…with your fists?
“Winner Takes All” depicts the ideal of gay beauty and its potential for abuse by narcissistic personalities. The film explores the nature of narcissism and the way it applies to the “looks” hierarchy in the gay community. The film marks a departure for Mapa, who plays a suffering assistant caught in the web of a seductive, self-important theatre artist.
“Winner Takes All” is the directorial debut of Camille Carida. It was written by Hunter Lee Hughes and produced by Hughes and Elizabeth Gordon.
Alec Mapa (“Simon”) is known for his recurring roles on “Ugly Betty” and “Desperate Housewives.” Nicknamed “America’s Gaysian Sweetheart,” he appeared on Broadway in the Tony award winning production of “M. Butterfly” and has guest starred on over 40 television series, including a recent guest hosting stint on “The View.” He’s entertained live audiences with Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen Degeneres, who called him, “smart, hilarious and funny.”
Hunter Lee Hughes (“Brian,” writer-producer) previously wrote the one-man show “Fate of the Monarchs”, which garnered a Critic’s Pick from Backstage West and “The Sermons of John Bradley,” for which he was named Best Actor by StageSceneLa.com in their 2008-2009 “Best of Stage” list. In addition to acting in dozens of stage and indie film productions, he writes, directs and stars in the upcoming webseries “Dumbass Filmmakers!”
Adrian Quinonez (“Ernesto”) played Octovio in “Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds.” He’s appeared on “Bones,” “No Ordinary Family,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Criminal Minds,” “CSI: NY,” “Undercovers,” “iCarly,” and the upcoming webseries “Dumbass Filmmakers!”
Gavyn Michaels (“Ryker”) was a series regular on Oxygen’s “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency” and played Trevor in “The Sermons of John Bradley.” He recently portrayed Blair in “The Facts of Life: The Lost Episode” at the Macha Theatre in L.A. and multiple roles in “Mommie Queerest” in its Las Vegas run. Film credits include Daniel Oliveras’ “Watercolors.”
Camille Carida (Director) garnered attention for her original graphic novel, which was based on “Lick It Man,” a film that Carida wrote and produced in 2004.
Elizabeth Gordon (Producer) has produced many theatrical productions, including “The Sermons of John Bradley” with Fatelink Productions. She created her own original series called “Untitled Word Project,” which premiered in 2008 and produces and stars in “Dumbass Filmmakers!” a webseries to be released in August, 2011.
The Hollywood Fringe Festival runs June 16th through June 26th. “Winner Takes All” will screen as part of their “Short Enigmas” program at “Fringe Central” at the 6500 block of Santa Monica Boulevard. It screens at 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 23rd and Friday, June 24th at 9:45 p.m. For more information or to view our trailer, please visit www.winnertakesallthemovie.com or vimeo.com/channels/fatelink. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at www.hollywoodfringefestival.com or at the box office once the festival opens.
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