The world’s largest LGBTQ film festival ends Saturday in San Francisco. At one of the festival’s offerings, a well-known actor made his directorial debut.
Juan Pablo Di Pace, known for his role as Kimmy Gibbler’s eccentric husband in “Fuller House,” is more than just a television personality. He is a versatile artist whose career spans acting, directing and writing.
During an interview with CBS News Bay Area, Di Pace reflected on the impact of “Fuller House” in San Francisco, a city dear to him for its personal significance.
“San Francisco has a lot of amazing meanings for me, as you can see,” Di Pace said. “It’s a reminder of a time in my life that was very important, which was ‘Fuller House.'”
In addition to his acting talent, Di Pace has also ventured into directing with his feature debut, ‘Duino’. A moving coming-of-age story about young love, shot in Italy and Argentina.
The film had its North American premiere this month at the prestigious Frameline 48 International LGBTQ Film Festival. Di Pace spoke about his transition to directing and his passion for storytelling.
“I’m so passionate about storytelling, I’ve done that as a musician and an actor, and I really wanted to direct,” Di Pace said.
Co-directed by Andres Estrada, “Duino” explores themes close to Di Pace’s heart and his personal journey.
“I think being vulnerable means you are an artist anyway. You have to be vulnerable, that’s the only way,” he said.
The film resonates deeply with the LGBTQ+ community, a sentiment echoed by acting legend Rita Moreno, who attended the premiere.
“I think this is a very important night,” Rita Moreno told CBS News.
The Frameline Festival, considered the largest and longest-running queer film festival in the world, provided a fitting platform for the premiere of “Duino.” Allegra Madsen, director of Frameline, emphasized the importance of the festival.
“This is the place to be if you’ve made a queer film,” she said.
Despite the film’s specific focus, Di Pace believes the film’s themes, such as first love and family relationships, are universally relatable.
“We’ve all fallen in love for the first time. We’ve all been obsessed with that one person. And we all had parents who tried their best. Those are the concepts that I really wanted to talk about in this film,” he said.
In “Duino,” life imitates art as it explores the ongoing journey of self-discovery. For Di Pace, each story he tells, whether through acting or directing, adds a new layer to his artistic journey—a journey that continues to unfold with each new project.
“Life is a journey. It’s a constant journey,” Di Pace said. “You’re always learning about something. Most of the time, you’re always learning about yourself.”
