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The 2004 version of Battlestar Galactica lacked LGBTQ+ representation, which needs to be addressed in any future revival. LGBTQ+ characters were downplayed or implied, with only one openly gay character and limited exploration of their identity. The show's lack of LGBTQ+ representation was a broader issue in the industry during the 2000s, but recent TV shows have made progress in diverse LGBTQ+ storytelling.

The next time Battlestar Galactica gets updated for a modern audience, the producers need to fix one of the biggest problems from the acclaimed 2004 reboot. In all its incarnations, Battlestar Galactica revolves around a future war between humans and androids of their own making called Cylons. A revamp of the Battlestar Galactica franchise, either as a feature film or another TV series, has been in and out of development for years. It’s only a matter of time before this beloved sci-fi property makes a comeback, and when it does,...

Featuring an entity that's as creepy as its backstory is disturbing, Derek Franson's Rue introduces viewers to a new cinematic creature to give them nightmares, and you can watch the short film right here on Daily Dead.

Written, directed, and produced by Derek Franson, Rue stars Morgan Taylor Campbell, Brad Dryborough, and Sarah Grey. A stand-alone, proof-of-concept story set in the world of a feature film that's currently in development, Rue showcases absolutely haunting visual effects by Imagine Engine (District 9, Deadpool, and Jurassic World).

Synopsis: "Enraged by an unseemly love affair between best friend and teacher, a student carelessly awakens a wraith that feeds on its victims' most shameful regrets."

The post Watch a Haunting Creature Come to Life in the Short Film Rue appeared first on Daily Dead.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has unveiled its 2015 line-up which includes films representing 54 countries, 23 world premieres and 53 U.S. premieres. The U.S. premiere of Niki Caro’s McFarland USA will close out the 30th fest. Based on the 1987 true story and starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello, the film follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. The unlikely band of runners overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well.

The festival runs from January 27-February 7.

Below is the list of World and U.S. Premiere films followed by the list of titles by sidebar categories.

World Premieres

A Better You, USA

Directed by Matt Walsh

Cast: Brian Huskey,...

A self-acknowledged "showcase for Academy Award frontrunners," the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is often overlooked for the actual films that earn it festival status. An amalgamation of international discoveries and ’merica’s circuit highlights, the Sbiff curates a week of best-of-the-best to pair with their star-praising. The 2015 edition offers another expansive selection, bookended by two films that aren’t on any radars just yet. Sbiff will open with "Desert Dancer," producer Richard Raymond’s directorial debut. Starring Reece Ritchie and Frieda Pinto, the drama follows a group of friends who wave off the harsh political climate of Iran’s 2009 presidential election in favor of forming a dance team, picking up moves from Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev thanks to the magic of YouTube. The festival will close with "McFarland, USA," starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello. Telling the 1987 true story of a Latino high school’s underdog cross-country team,...

Big congrats to all the Leo nominees this year!

The nominations were announced earlier today. Sanctuary, Arctic Air, Endgame and Blackstone are up for Best Dramatic Series and all five films nominated for Best Feature Length Drama have familiar faces in them: Daydream Nation (Luke Camilleri, Calum Worthy, Genevieve Buechner), Doppelgänger Paul (Ben Cotton), Marilyn (Ryan Robbins), Sisters & Brothers (Kacey Rohl, Michael Eklund, Ben Cotton), and The Odds (Calum Worthy).

Sisters & Brothers nabbed 12 nominations, Hamlet (with Peter Wingfield) and Marilyn have eight each, Sunflower Hour (with Kacey Rohl and Ben Cotton) has seven, Donovan's Echo (with Hiro Kanagawa) has six, Daydream Nation and Doppelgänger Paul five each, The Odds has four, and Everything and Everyone (with Ryan Robbins) and Hannah's Law (with Ryan Kennedy and John Pyper-Ferguson, to be aired in June) scored two each.

On the TV side, Sanctuary is way ahead of the pack with 18 nominations, followed by...

Slamdance has released the line up for their 2012 Slamdance Film Festival which takes place in Park City Utah at the same time at The Sundance Film Festival. Slamdance focuses more on genre type indie films and consists of several films that weren't accepted into the Sundance Film Fest. The festival runs from January 20th to the 26th.

Check out the list below and tell us what you think! Do any of you plan on attending? I always try to catch a few of these films while up in Park City.

Narrative Feature Competition

Bindlestiffs – Director: Andrew Edison, Screenwriters: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin. (USA)

World Premiere. Three smart-mouthed high school virgins, suspended from school on a graffiti charge, flee to the inner city to live out the plot of The Catcher in the Rye. Cast: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin, John Karna

Comforting Skin – Director: Derek Franson, Screenwriter: Derek Franson. (Canada) Us Premiere.

The Slamdance Film Festival announced today the films screening in their narrative and documentary competition programs for the 2012 edition.

From nearly 5,000 submissions 10 narratives and 8 docs were chosen.

The complete list of titles are below. The festival will take place in Park City, Utah from Jan. 20-26.

Narrative Feature Competition Program

Bindlestiffs – Director: Andrew Edison, Screenwriters: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin. (USA) World Premiere Three smart-mouthed high school virgins, suspended from school on a graffiti charge, flee to the inner city to live out the plot of The Catcher in the Rye. Cast: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin, John Karna

Comforting Skin – Director: Derek Franson, Screenwriter: Derek Franson. (Canada) Us Premiere A lonely young woman’s desperate need for emotional and physical companionship draws her into a surreal and ultimately destructive relationship with a shifting and whispering tattoo she has willed to life on her skin. Cast: Jane Sowerby, Tygh Runyan, Victoria Bidewell...

The Slamdance Festival, which runs January 20-26 in Park City and coincides with the Sundance Film Festival, has set its slate. Here goes: Narrative Feature Competition Bindlestiffs – Director: Andrew Edison, Screenwriters: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin. (USA) World Premiere. Three smart-mouthed high school virgins, suspended from school on a graffiti charge, flee to the inner city to live out the plot of The Catcher in the Rye. Cast: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin, John Karna Comforting Skin – Director: Derek Franson, Screenwriter: Derek Franson. (Canada) Us Premiere. A lonely young woman’s desperate need for emotional and physical companionship draws her into a surreal and ultimately destructive relationship with a shifting and whispering tattoo she has willed to life on her skin. Cast: Jane Sowerby, Tygh Runyan, Victoria Bidewell Doppelgänger Paul – Director: Dylan Akio Smith, Kris Elgstrand, Screenwriter: Kris Elgstrand. (Canada) Us Premiere. The unlikely relationship of two lonely men whose connection sets...

Ten narratives and eight documentaries are lined up for the 2012 Slamdance Film Festival Competition. Variety's Dave McNary reports that two titles "already generating buzz are Bindlestiffs in the feature lineup and We Are Legion: The Story of Hacktavists in documentaries. Bindlestiffs, directed by Andrew Edison, stars Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin and John Karna as smart-mouthed high school virgins, who are suspended from school on a graffiti charge and flee to the inner city to live out the plot of The Catcher in the Rye. We Are Legion, directed and written by Brian Knappenberger, is a look inside the world of Anonymous, the radical 'hacktivist' collective that's redefined civil disobedience for the digital age."

The other narrative features:

Roller Town from Glen Jm on Vimeo.

Andrew Bush's Roller Town, with Kayla Lorette, Mark Little and Scott Vrooman.

Derek Franson's Comforting Skin, with Jane Sowerby, Tygh Runyan and Victoria Bidewell.

Five days into the Toronto International Film Festival and I am still discovering new and exciting films that I would love to add to my list of movies to watch, if only I had the time. Today I stumbled upon the trailer for the festivals longest-titled offering, Doppelgänger Paul * or A Film About How Much I Hate MyselfDoppelgänger Paul by Canadian filmmakers Dylan Akio Smith and Kris Elgstrand.

Many will inevitably draw comparisons to the work of Charlie Kaufman while Tiff describes it as, “Daft and goofy, and presented in a low-key, floating style in which the most ludicrous events seem plausible, Doppelgänger Paul has the bemused, absurdist lilt of an American indie movie of the nineties, and shares some of the same thematic concerns”. Here is the trailer. Enjoy!

Synopsis: Dylan Akio Smith and Kris Elgstrand’s slyly funny, absurdist Doppelgänger Paul is a comedy about alienation, plagiarism and...

Lost in a sea of major Hollywood releases and hyped international films are the hidden gems of the Toronto International Film Festival. These are the films that you won’t likely get the chance to see again in theatres, at least not in Toronto.

Andrew Parker has picked three films that are defintely not your typical fare, but that he believes are nonetheless worthy of your time and attention: First Position, Doppelgänger Paul and i am a good person, i am a bad person.

First Position, dir. Bess Kargman

I’ll freely admit that there are two things that I am a sucker for: inspirational documentaries and dance films. Director Bess Kargman delivers the best of both worlds with a story of a group of kids training for and competing in the prestigious Youth America Grand Prix. The competition is known as the premiere showcase for ballet students looking for...

Yesterday, the Toronto International Film Festival, which will take place between September 8 and 18, unveiled the list of Canadian films that will be screened.

Galas

A Dangerous Method Director: David Cronenberg Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley and Sarah Gadon

Starbuck

Director: Ken Scott

Cast: Patrick Huard, Antoine Bertrand and Patrick Labbé

Take This Waltz Director: Sarah Polley Cast: Seth Rogen, Michelle Williams and Sarah Silverman

Canada First

Marécages Director: Guy Édoin Cast: Pascale Bussières, Luc Picard, Gabriel Maillé and François Papineau

Amy George Directors: Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas Cast: Gabriel del Castillo Mullally, Claudia Dey, Don Kerr and Natasha Allan

Nuit #1 Director: Anne Émond Cast: Catherine de Léan and Dimitri Storoge

The Odds Directors: Simon Davidson Cast: Tyler Johnston, Calum Worthy and Julia Maxwell

The Patron Saints Directors: Melanie Shatzky and Brian M. Cassidy

Roméo Onze Director: Ivan Grbovic Cast: Ali Ammar, Joseph Bou Nassar, Eleonore Millier, May Hilal...

A quick round of updates.

Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome won't premiere until 2012. It's not really news, but this is the first time it's coming from a network source, Syfy President Dave Howe.

THR: Publisher Bigpoint has over 2 million registered players for Battlestar Galactica Online even without the TV show airing. What are your thoughts about the opportunities the online gaming space opens up for Battlestar and other TV shows current or past?

Howe: I think when you have a property like Battlestar Galactica, it’s timeless. Yet it’s great to have a TV series on air simultaneously, but it’s not necessary. Battlestar is a franchise that’s existed since the ‘80s. We took a run at it. Universal Pictures I think has a big development and potentially another movie. It’s a known franchise that will always work if you are true to its spirit and you...

There are a lot of Canadian films screening at the Toronto International Film Festival to be excited about, including works from our favourite filmmakers Guy Maddin, Bruce McDonald,Vincenzo Natali and Jean Marc Vallee. Below is the list of films in the Canada First selections as well as other CanCon movies scattered through the main programs.

Toronto – The Toronto International Film Festival® boasts a strong lineup of Canadian features including new works by acclaimed Canadian filmmakers Carl Bessai, Mike Clattenburg, Michael Dowse, Philippe Falardeau, Guy Maddin, Bruce McDonald, Léa Pool, Jean-Marc Vallée and Ingrid Veninger, and onscreen appearances by Jay Baruchel, Camilla Belle, Anupam Kher, Akshay Kumar, Mia Kirshner, Rob Lowe, Vanessa Paradis, Jason Patric, Alison Pill, Russell Peters, Isabella Rossellini, Liev Schreiber, Sean William Scott, Scott Speedman and Nick Stahl.

“This year saw many Canadian filmmakers address a wide range of pressing social issues including the dangers of progress...

Lt. Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) and Lt. Hoshi (Brad Dryborough)

Last December, The Sci Fi Channel’s Battlestar Galactica finally outed Lt. Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) as a gay man in a realtionship with Louis Hoshi (Brad Dryborough). Unfortunately, the only way you’d know this is if you either read the news here (and on a few other sites) or watched the BSG webisode series “The Face of the Enemy”. However, if like most of the show’s audience, you only watch the series on TV, you wouldn’t have a clue that Gaeta was now playing for our team.

But given the dearth of gay science fiction characters on American television, this is still good news for gay fans of the show, no?

That depends on whether you think having a television character come out on a webisode, only to never address his sexuality again on the show...

Consider this Bgwe: Armageddon Edition.

Just lately I've been filled with a keen sense of dread, like the world is on the edge of some cataclysmic disaster. And no, I'm not talking about those rumors that ABC plans on renewing According to Jim for yet another year.

A ninth season of the James Belushi sitcom would be a major disaster, sure, but I'm more concerned about an unusual spate of minor earthquakes in Yellowstone National Park, which might be the signal of some imminent volcanic eruption that would take out the entire Midwest (buh-bye Utah) and throw enough volcanic ash into the atmosphere to cast the rest of the globe into a nuclear winter for decades.

Note to self: Stock up on self-tanner.

If a volcanic eruption doesn't get us then there's always bird flu, or solar storms, or a giant meteor. At any rate, something big is coming, I can feel it.

Scifi.com's much-anticipated 10-part Battlestar Galactica webisode series, "The Face of the Enemy," started Friday. Veteran BSG scribe, and co-writer of the "'sodes," Jane Espsenson, spoke with TVGuide.com about exploring the character of Lt. Gaeta — including that he is bisexual and his past relationship with Cylon "8" (Grace Park) and current relationship with Lt. Hoshi (Brad Dryborough). Espenson also discussed what she is most excited for in the forthcoming Season 4.5, premiering Jan. 16 (10 pm/Et).

TVGuide.com: Do these webisodes take place before Gaeta's leg injury?

Jane Espenson: No, these are post-leg [amputation]. They were designed to fit into the timeline as viewers are experiencing it — roughly between the two halves of Season 4. Technically, the events of the 'sodes fit during the next episode that will air, so they are a very slight glimpse into the future if you watch them now.

TVGuide.com: Why did you decide to have Gaeta...

Scifi.com's much-anticipated 10-part Battlestar Galactica webisode series, "The Face of the Enemy," started Friday. Veteran BSG scribe, and co-writer of the "'sodes," Jane Espsenson, spoke with TVGuide.com about exploring the character of Lt. Gaeta — including that he is bisexual and his past relationship with Cylon "8" (Grace Park) and current relationship with Lt. Hoshi (Brad Dryborough). Espenson also discussed what she is most excited for in the forthcoming Season 4.5, premiering Jan. 16 (10 pm/Et).

TVGuide.com: Do these webisodes take place before Gaeta's leg injury?

Jane Espenson: No, these are post-leg [amputation]. They were designed to fit into the timeline as viewers are experiencing it — roughly between the two halves of Season 4. Technically, the events of the 'sodes fit during the next episode that will air, so they are a very slight glimpse into the future if you watch them now.

TVGuide.com: Why did you decide to have Gaeta...

30 years after the Battlestar Galactica franchise first aired on TV sets, Ronald Moore’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning re-imagination of the serial sci-fi drama is about the hit the web. In preparation and promotion for Battlestar Galactica’s fourth and final season, fans will be treated to a 10-part online series with two installments a week, every week, beginning tomorrow and lasting until the January 16 television premiere on SciFi. According to TV Guide, “The webisodes titled, ‘The Face of the Enemy,’ follow the story of a stranded Raptor ship carrying a group of passengers, including Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) and a Number 8 Cylon (Grace Park). When some of the people aboard suddenly start dying, chaos ensues as they realize a killer is among them. Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh) and Brad Dryborough (Lieutenant Hoshi) also star.” Plus Lt. Gaeta gets out of the closet and puts his tongue inside the mouth Lt.

The Sci Fi Channel announced a schedule for its 10 Battlestar Galactica webisodes, kicking off Friday and running regularly through January 12. The final half season will begin airing on January 16.

The Webisodes are titled "The Face of the Enemy," and were written by Jane Espenson and Seamus Kevin Fahey, They star Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Felix Gaeta) and Grace Park (various No. 8 Cylons).

The Webisodes will run three or four minutes long, go live at Noon Est on each of the following dates.

• Friday, December 12: Chapter 1

• Monday, December 15: Chapter 2

• Wednesday, December 17: Chapter 3

• Monday, December 22: Chapter 4

• Wednesday, December 24: Chapter 5

• Monday, December 29: Chapter 6

• Wednesday, December 31: Chapter 7

• Monday, January 5: Chapter 8

• Wednesday, January 7: Chapter 9

• Monday, January 12: Chapter 10

"'The Face of the Enemy' follows the gripping action and suspense inside a stranded Raptor carrying a group of passengers including Lieutenant Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) and a Number...

The blogosphere has been abuzz for several weeks now with news the Battlestar Galactica was going to finally add a gay male character (or two) when the show debuts their new "The Face of the Enemy" webisodes starting this Friday.

Well, I just watched the first two webisodes and I can confirm the speculation is true. Find out who is gay and what happens with them after the jump. But only click through if you don't want to be spoiled about the reveal or the two webisodes!

I'm sure it won't come as much of a surprise that the two gay characters are Lt. Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) and Lt. Hoshi (Brad Dryborough). So how does the big gay reveal occur? Do Felix and Hoshi host a Mama Mia! sing-along? Do the Twelve Colonies try to pass their own Proposition 8?

Fortunately, the answer is neither.

We actually learn Felix and...

In a press released issued on Tuesday, December 9, Sci Fi Channel announced that there will be 10 webisodes of "Battlestar Galactica" that will provide as a bridge from the season 4 to the new 4.5 that will only come January next year. The webisodes will come twice a week with the first one delivered this week on Friday, December 12 at 12/11c.

Titled "The Face of the Enemy", the webisodes are written by Jane Espenson and Seamus Kevin Fahey, as well as the series' stars Alessandro Juliani and Grace Park. Each webisode is approximately 3-4 minutes long and will round up on January 12, four days before the season 4.5 aka the final season begins.

According to the press release by Sci Fi, "'The Face of the Enemy' follows the gripping action and suspense inside a stranded Raptor carrying a group of passengers including Lieutenant Felix Gaeta and a Number 8 Cylon. When passengers suddenly start dying...

Lt. Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) and Lt. Hoshi (Brad Dryborough)

Warning: This post contains minor spoilers about upcoming Battlestar Galactica webisodes.

Last week we reported on rumors that the upcoming Battlestar Galactica webisodes (which start streaming on December 12th) were finally going to add some gay male content to the show. The Sci Fi Channel is still refusing to say whether that is true or not, but the network's Sci Fi Wire blog did post the above screencap from one of the webisodes today.

Read more after the jump.

The post was titled "Battlestar Exclusive: Gaeta & Hoshi (Almost) Kiss!"and went on to say they had "obtained an exclusive screenshot showing the infamous Gaeta 'kiss' moment."

Infamous? Seriously, Sci Fi? According to my dictionary, infamous means "having a reputation of the worst kind : notoriously evil; disgraceful." Sort of like Sci Fi's track record with gay characters up until now.