Join the Philadelphia Film Society, WHYY and Action Wellness for an exclusive, one-night screening of GayBINGO, a 2000 documentary showcasing the fundraiser of the same name, five years into its impact. Now in its 30th season, GayBINGO continues to fulfil its original purpose of raising essential funds for people living with HIV in Philadelphia.
Those who played GayBINGO when the documentary was filmed will delight in remembering the Bingo Verifying Divas of seasons past, while current players will recognize many of the same traditions carried on to this day. The venue and producing organization may have changed, but the drive to raise funds and awareness – as well as the wild antics of the BVDs – remain.
The documentary covers a season of GayBINGO, with a different theme for each month, and goes behind the scenes with the event staff and volunteers to show all that goes into the making of a largescale bingo night with a distinctly solemn purpose. Viewers will also meet the families of those lost to the AIDS epidemic – and how they turned their grief into activism.
Featured prominently throughout the film is Michael Byrne, then an employee of AIDS Fund (the producer of GayBINGO at the time) who also graces the stage as event hostess Carlota Ttendant. Carlota – who famously asks players to “park it all night and leave your keys” – has hosted the event for nearly all of its thirty-year history. Her final performance will be at Rainbow Bombshell GayBINGO on June 13, 2026.
Following the screening of GayBINGO, attendees will enjoy a panel discussion with some of the people who began the event and turned it into a Philadelphia institution that has delighted audiences since 1996.
GayBINGO is now produced by Action Wellness, a nonprofit that provides life-sustaining services to people living with HIV or at high risk of acquiring HIV and their families. Action Wellness serves over 2000 clients each year through the efforts of over 200 volunteers and 80 professional staff.
GayBINGO Events | GayBINGO Instagram
About the Partners:
Action Wellness was founded in September 1986, by a group of committed volunteers that came together in Philadelphia to form a community of care to provide services to people with HIV. These were the partners, family, and friends of our founding volunteers. These volunteers acted, and ActionAIDS was born! In June 2016, ActionAIDS became Action Wellness. Thanks to dedicated volunteers, committed staff, generous donors, and ongoing support from community partners, as well as city, state, and federal funders, Action Wellness continues to provide life-sustaining services that are client-centered, individualized and trauma-informed to persons with HIV or at high risk of acquiring HIV and their families.
GLENN HOLSTEN | USA | 2001 | 60 MIN | NR | ENGLISH | 4K
Take a peek behind the curtain at GayBINGO, a Philadelphia HIV fundraiser now in its 30th season. This documentary, produced and directed by Glenn Holsten for WHYY, goes behind the scenes of the splashy event in 2000, five years into its impact. GayBINGO follows the AIDS Fund staff, volunteers, and Bingo Verifying Divas, exploring not only what it takes to produce the event but also its enduring impact on the community.
Cast: Carlotta Ttendant