As part of New York City’s 2023 Fresh Fruit Festival, FRUITS ON FILM celebrated LGBTQ themes on Saturday, April 29th at New York City’s wild project with a diverse selection of short films and music videos. Hosted by writer/photographer Jed Ryan and NYC drag star Lady Clover Honey, it was a curated evening with music, comedy, drama, horror, drag, nudity, lesbian dating, and even a few Real Housewives of New Jersey! The films shown were:

No Day Like Today (Music Video) Actors/recording artists Adam Barta and Lovari join forces with Electropoint for a wild evening, with Special Guest Stars: Real Housewives of New Jersey Dolores Catania, Margaret Josephs, and her mother Marge Sr… as well as Honey Davenport, David Yontef, Lady Clover Honey, Tyra Gardner & Princess Grace Jones! Directed by Bret Josephs.

Modest Male Exposure (Mockumentary) This comedy explores nudity and the evolution of male modesty through men’s locker rooms, restrooms, and nude beaches. Will showering with your buddies after a workout ever be the same? With Jed Ryan, Clover Welsh, Mark-Eugene Garcia, Sara Minisquero, Ryan Janek Wolowski, Jonathan Salazar, Rocco Chanel, Anthony Logan Cole, Frankie Allday, Evan Laurence, Anu Singh, Thomas Delgado, Billy Little, Sean Stephens, and Shaun McMurtrie.

Wasted on the Young (Thriller) Mateo brings his boyfriend to a dinner with a friend from work, and dessert is more bittersweet than Mateo had expected. Starring Mark-Eugene Garcia, Ashley Monique Menard, Joshua R. Pangborn, and Andrew Carter. Directed by Joshua Pangborn.

Jelly Bean (Romantic Comedy) Reyzl is a queer woman who is earnestly seeking romance on dating apps that she cannot hack. Lacking any strategy to vet a perfect match, Reyzl decides to date whoever the algorithms choose. Catastrophe ensues when Reyzl’s first online date turns out to be an appalling disappointment. When an unexpected opportunity for intimacy presents itself a second time, will Reyzl have the courage to open herself up and grasp it? A multiple-award winning film written and directed by Nessa Norich. Starring: Nessa Norich, Yoni Lotan, Lio Mehiel, Cara Francis, Maeve Bell, and Diana Oh.

Carnal Spice (Music Video) Visual artist and tireless LGBTQ activist Ricky Mestre combines high-energy and bold imagery exploring kink, pleasure, bondage, laughter, and fun to upbeat tunes. Starring Ricky Mestre, Ryan Sperry, Omar Boots Errichin, Don Houston, Javier Velez, Daddy John and… Zorro Mestre!

Twinking (Comedy) Outrageous, hilarious, and patently NSFW, Twinking is writer/director Steven Townsend Briggs’ wildly popular comedy series exploring the romantic (mis)adventures of a single gay guy in Brooklyn. Two episodes from Season 3 were shown: “Bear Season”, and “Masc 4 Masc”. Starring Steven Townsend Briggs, John Morgeneier, Jed Ryan, and Jack Dixon.

Rosie (Drama) After a long day at work, a man walks into an after- hours bar for his last drink when suddenly he meets someone that is not who he expects to be. Starring Juanes Montoya, Peter Rosaspina, and Lady Kenyatta Taiste. Written and directed by Paula Andrea Cajiao

The film festival also featured a Q&A. In attendance were filmmakers Ricky Mestre and Joshua Pangborn; performers Sara Minisquero, Peter Rosapsina, Ashley Monique Menard, Javier Velez; and many other movers-and-shakers and full-time socialites.

The Winners were selected by the audience:

GOLDEN EGGPLANT: Best Lead Performance, Male-Identified: Ricky Mestre, Carnal Spice

SECOND BANANA: Best Supporting Performance, Male-Identified: Peter Rosaspina, Rosie

CH-CH-CHERRY BOMB : Best Lead Performance, Female-Identified: Lady Kenyatta Taiste, Rosie

CROWN QUINCE: Best Supporting Performance, Gender Non-Binary/Genderqueer Identified: Sara Minisquero, Modest Male Exposure

APPLE OF MY LENS: Best Director: Nessa Norich, Jelly Bean

ORANGE YOU GLAD YOU CAME? Audience Favorite: Wasted On The Young

FRESH FRUIT SALAD Best Ensemble Cast: Modest Male Exposure

Physical awards will be given out on Monday, June 12 at 6PM at New York City hotspot Rockbar, 155 Christopher Street, NYC. The evening will be hosted by popular New York socialite Wendy Stuart. This event is free and open to the public.