Aunties
Commonly used in many black and brown cultures, ‘Aunties’ is a term of respect for your elders. They may not be blood relatives, but they have lived lives longer than ours and gained invaluable wisdom and culture. The films in this screening honour these enlightened elders and demonstrate their care for younger generations. They also celebrate them as individuals going on their queer journeys. Expect non-nuclear families, aunties on tour and even a gay uncle.
After the screening, chai will be served by local aunties.
Curated by Nat Lall.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £4, £8, £12, £16, or £20, in order to make SQIFF more accessible to those on a low income. You can choose what you pay based on your circumstances – you won’t be asked for any proof/ID. We just ask that you are honest! Please find the ‘What Should I Pay?’ guidance here. To book your ticket for this event, click here.
Accessibility
This programme has:
- English, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, Punjabi audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
- English-BSL interpretation for introduction and chai tea chill session after screening
- Live Captioning for introduction and chai tea chill session after screening
This screening is 61 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 15+.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2025 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2025, please get in touch with us at [email protected] or by phone on 07873 331 036.
Films in this programme include:
Two Travelling Aunties, Dir. Christine Seow, 2025, Singapore, 22 min
Two spirited Singaporean seniors ditch conventional living for van life, embracing adventure, newfound freedom, and the joy of living on their terms.
Content notes: Depiction of drug use. Discussion of family rejection.
Warm Shadows, Dir. Aakash Chhabra, 2025, India, Singapore, 15 min
Priya, 50, makes her maiden trip to the sea. At dusk, she stands at the shore and overlooks the vast horizon. In a distant part of the world, Raag, 20s, is in a taxi which passes through a metropolitan. A fragmented voice-over unfolds the tender relationship the two share.
Toad Song, Dir. Qin Qin, 2025, China, 15 min
Eight-year-old Xu Letian is called to bring his parents to school after getting into a fight and bringing tadpoles. Xu Letian must find a new home for the tadpoles, and on his journey, he stumbles upon a secret that sets his family apart from others.
Handwoven, Dirs. Dasha Levin, Mason Cazalet, Mihika Das, Matthew Wisdom, 2024, India, Ireland, United States of America, 9 min
A lyrical portrait of Nikyle Begay, a non-binary shepherd and weaver; working to preserve their way of life through the traditional art of weaving.
Content notes: Discussion of queerphobia.
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Supported by Screen Scotland, the BFI Audience Projects Fund and Film Hub Scotland (part of the BFI Film Audience Network), all awarding National Lottery funding.
Image Credit: Two Travelling Aunties, Dir. Christine Seow, 2025