The 36th Festival will open with VITO by Jeffrey Schwarz, an empowering documentary about the inexhaustible gay activist and film author Vito Russo, chronicling his work and influence on the LGBT community.

Here's a round-up of the best of this year's Cinequest Film Festival.

If you want to watch ridiculous caricatures of those confined to wheel chairs watch Glee, if you want to watch interesting characters confined to wheel chairs watch Come as You Are.

The Audience will get a sneak peek of clips from 'Downloaded: The Digital Revolution', a doc focusing on the advent of digital file sharing, including the rise of game changing company Napster and its controversial pioneers Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker.

Based on a true story and shot in Afghanistan, Black Tulip is a frightening film about the immeasurable value of freedom and the tenacity of culture and tradition, where there is always a price.

Based in San Francisco, Kaufman's work - including Raiders of the Lost Ark - is outspoken and confident, fiercely independent and liberally seasoned with wide-eyed optimism of the human potential, yet tempered.

With low-cost, high quality gear now readily available, such as the amazing RED system which Nguyen used to shoot his first feature, the emphasis is less on funding. Though, truth be told, that didn't stop him from begging like never before, "pleeease give me some money!"

First time director Minh Duc Nguyen (UC Berkeley) employs an affectionate eye towards these characters. Often it's what's left unsaid that matters most; his lens is patient, allowing us to get up close, sometimes painfully so.

Scheduled to appear this year: Luc Besson and Michelle Yeoh for opening night film The Lady, Terence Davies for closing night film The Deep Blue Sea, and films starring Adrien Brody (Detachment), Rachel Weisz (The Deep Blue Sea).

"This represents special effects makeup at its most refined,” says Close. “What happens to a woman’s face if she’s lived the life of a man?"