Miami Gay and
Lesbian Film Festival Director Fired

The director of the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is now facing deportation after being fired on Friday, the Miami Herald reports. Carol Coombes, who is in the United States on a visa for working in the film industry, was terminated because of cost overruns. Coombes was to receive permanent residency or a green card in November but may now have to leave the country in 60 days.

The organization, which was suffering a $50,000 deficit, also fired two other full-time staff members. Festival manager Kareem Tabsch, who worked with Coombes, said he left the organization on Friday on his own accord. The board met throughout the weekend to discuss the 11th annual festival, scheduled to begin April 24, 2009.

"Within the framework of those meetings we approved a fiscally responsible, balanced budget that will allow us to put on our 11th annual film festival," board member Mark Gilbert said in the article. "We want to start over, with new people to rebuild this festival. We are analyzing and critiquing every facet of this festival, to make sure we are doing it as cost-efficiently and as well as we can." (The Advocate)