Queer Asia
October 9 @ 9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Free – £12
Queer Asia is a vibrant and evocative short film screening programme that shines a spotlight on queer Asian stories and filmmakers. This collection of films delves into diverse experiences of identity, love, struggle, and resilience within the LGBTQ+ community across Asia and the diaspora. This screening offers a compelling and multifaceted look at the queer Asian experience, celebrating the resilience and creativity of its storytellers. Through these films, audiences are invited to explore the rich tapestry of identities and narratives that define the LGBTQ+ community across Asia and beyond.
This programme starts with a special introduction by filmmaker and visual artist Wei Zhang.
Curated by Nat Lall and Huss.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, £10, or £12. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.
Accessibility
This programme has:
- Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, English, Mandarin Chinese, Nepali, Tagalog, Tamil audio with English language descriptive subtitles
- English-BSL interpretation for the introduction.
- Live Captioning for the introduction
This screening is 122 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2024 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2024, please get in touch with us at [email protected] or by phone on 07873 331 036.
Films in this programme include:
In the place where we left and arrived, Dir. Samuel Zhang, 2022, United Kingdom, 20 min
This film explores shared experiences of queer Chinese people living in the UK, offering a look at the wider context of these important issues as the director tries to understand the possible definitions of home and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese lives through voice over, intimate letter changes, archives, interviews, and digital mappings.
Content notes: Discussion of COVID-19 pandemic, queerphobia, racism, xenophobia, beauty standards, fetishisation, microaggression. Depiction of physical violence.
Narratives and Counternarratives, Dir. Chaoying Rao, 2022, United Kingdom, 9 min
This work examines representations of the self, dissecting the persistent fetishisation of Asian women through collaging and reviewing memorable moments in Western culture. Questioning the ideas of the ‘Asian mystique’ and how it manifests in popular culture, this film examines how the legacy of orientalism continues to manifest in spaces both physical and digital.
Content notes: Depiction of nudity, physical violence, body modification, fetishisation, racism, sex, sensual dancing, death, gun violence, knife violence, sword violence, decapitated head, blood. Discussion of harassment, violence.
Arkesta, Dir. Safal Pandey, 2023, Nepal, 19 min
Gokul is a single father, who feels a sense of embarrassment as he watches his son’s public dance performance. Determined to bring about a change in his son’s lifestyle, Gokul wholeheartedly commits himself to putting in considerable effort and taking the required actions. Over time, Gokul gradually becomes aware of his son’s inherent feminine side.
Content notes: Depiction of homophobia, cigarette use.
Forbidden Reverie 宿祭, Dir. Yisong Huang, 2023, China, 4 min
A groundbreaking 3D CG film that navigates the dynamic virtual realm of Generation Z. This film sheds light on the struggles, victories, and identity journeys within the LGBTQ+ community; providing a powerful platform for increased visibility and acceptance. “Forbidden Reverie” contributes to a vital conversation on LGBTQ+ representation and acceptance in contemporary contexts.
Religiosa, Dir. Han Oo Htet, 2024, Myanmar, 8 min
Before transitioning, Eingyinn May Tun was a famous actress. Now, he is trying to get back into the film industry as a producer and an actor. A Buddhist devotee, Eingyinn May Tun dreams of the day he will be reborn in a male body.
Scrapped Fabric, Dir. Jake Muñoz Consing, 2024, Philippines, 11 min
Fearing her mother’s disapproval, a teenage trans girl secretly sews a prom dress from her mother’s scrap fabric (“retaso”).
Content notes: Discussion of transphobia.
If, Dir. Tathagata Ghosh, 2023, India, 26 min
An arranged marriage tears a lesbian couple apart, but with a mother’s love, perhaps another future is possible.
Content notes: Discussion of death. Depiction of cigarette use.
Farewell, Dir. Soham Kundu, 2024, United Kingdom, 15 min
Two friends: one with a broken heart, the other on the brink of marriage. Together they set out on a day’s journey that leads them to confront their past amidst shared grief and hopes for a brighter future. Centred around intimate friendships between men of colour, Farewell presents evolving expressions of modern masculinity.
Content notes: Depiction of cigarette use.
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Image Credit: Narratives and Counternarratives, Dir. Chaoying Rao, 2022