We had the good fortune of connecting with Andy Hill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andy, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’m a professor of film studies, and I wanted to use my work on queer audiences to create events for my community. This was near the end of COVID, and I was thinking a lot about how I missed going to the movies, and yet most of the movie watching had shifted into our homes. I wanted to make movies feel live and special again my combining them with character performances and props and cosplay.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Rainbow Cult is a celebration of the unique relationship that queer people have to media, particularly film. I stage film events that invites people to participate in cinema rather than just be witness to it. We believe that it’s the audience that makes the experience of cinema special, and queer people have never been able to watch these films in their ideal environment. We think of film going as a religious experience, and encourage fans to show their devotion in any way they choose.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d dedicate this phase of my career to the great Vito Russo, author of the book Celluloid Closet about queer representation in film. He was an academic turned public speaker who was also on the forefront of the AIDS protest movement in the 1980s. He was able to translate the elitism of the academy into real public scholarship that impacted peoples’ lives.

Website: Rainbowcultshow.com

Instagram: Rainbowcultshow

Facebook: Facebook.com/rainbowcult

Youtube: YouTube.com/rainbowcult

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.