SQIFF x Porty Pride Film Night

This year SQIFF and Porty Pride are partnering to bring an exciting selection of short films from Scotland and beyond to Portobello Town Hall!

This screening presents a mix of animation, documentary and fiction film exploring various queer identities. The Singer, Coming Out Autistic and Living with It are Scottish films made by queer people with various disabilities. Still We Thrive is an experimental documentary directed by Campbell X, showcasing a rich tapestry of image, music and poetry is interwoven in this powerful meditation on Black resilience. Digital Natives is a personal film and exploration of Jo’s relationship to the internet. Finally, Not Quite That is a raw documentary about a queer woman and breast cancer survivor in Canada. The film is an intimate and insightful exploration of how we are seen, how we see ourselves, and why it matters.

Join us for an incredible conversation after the screening with Scottish filmmaker Holly Summerson, and hosted by Nat Lall. BSL-English Interpretation, and wheelchair access are available at this event.

Curated by Indigo Korres.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of £5, or £10. To book, please click here.

The Singer (2023, Dir. Cora Bissett): In the loud streets of Glasgow, deaf song-writer Joe meets busker Andy. The two learn to communicate over their love of music and realise together they can create something unique.

Coming Out Autistic (2023, Steven Fraser): This animated documentary explores the experience of telling the world that you are autistic when you also identify as LGBTQ+.

Living with It (2023, Holly Summerson): Perfectionist Lee must adapt to the imperfect reality of living with an illness – brought to life as her chaotic supernatural flatmate Bug.

Still We Thrive (2021, Campbell X): A rich tapestry of image, music and poetry is interwoven in this powerful meditation on Black resilience.

Digital Natives (2022, Jo Reid): A film by Jo Reid (2022) – an exploration of Jo’s relationship to the internet.

Not Quite That (2023, Ali Grant): Might a genetic mutation be the very thing that allows this nice Jewish butch lesbian to be fully seen at last? Meet Sarah, 57. Lesbian? For sure. Jewish? Yes and no. Mother? In all but one sense. Trans? No, just often mistaken as such. Breast cancer survivor? Well, that’s the plan, the survival bit, but without the cancer or the breasts. Not Quite That is an intimate and insightful exploration of how we are seen, how we see ourselves, and why it matters.

ACCESSIBLITY 

Content Warnings:

• Discussion of cancer diagnosis, surgery, colonialism, body image;
• Depictions of pregnancy, nudity, drains, hospitalisation, ableism.

This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 16+.

89 minutes long with a introduction and Q&A.

English audio and British Sign Language with English language descriptive subtitles. BSL-English interpretation provided.

If you have any questions about accessibility at for this event, please get in touch with us at [email protected].

We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case. 

Image: from Living with It (2023, Dir. Holly Summerson)