Pioneer of lesbian cinema Barbara Hammer weaves striking images of four gay and lesbian couples with footage of an unearthed, forbidden, and invisible history, searching eroded emulsions and images for lost vestiges of queer culture. Questions of historic representation are examined through addressing the margins, between-the-line readings, and images outside of prescribed textual boundaries. Archival […]
We are excited to bring Berlin-based actor and performer Bishop Black to SQIFF to present a retrospective of his amazing and varied work. Bishop has worked with some of the most prodigious and provocative directors in queer porn including Shu Lea Cheang, Erika Lust, Morgana Muses, and Bruce LaBruce. He has handpicked for us a […]
Tonga, an island group in the South Pacific, has long considered trans women, known as leitis, an integral part of its culture, often carrying significant social status. But recent Western religious influences have seen their identities being increasingly challenged. This documentary traces their proud cultural history and highlights developments in their struggles against discrimination. Screens with the […]
What does your town look like from someone else's perspective? What's it like to hold hands with a complete stranger and walk through the city centre? Performance art and mobile technology converge in Walking:Holding, a meditative documentary that journeys through urban landscapes exploring identity and intimacy in public space with a focus on LGBTQ+ experiences. This film is […]
Documentary A Deal with the Universe is filmmaker Jason Barker's debut feature. Autobiographical and made entirely from personal archive and home video diaries, the film follows Jason's incredible story of how he came to give birth to his child, charting over 15 years of his and his partner's life. This film is groundbreaking in terms […]
Owned by women, underground and illegal in nature, the club Shakedown was an independent, all black lesbian strip club operating in LA from the late 90s. Director Leilah Weinraub’s film chronicles the explicit performances and personal relationships of the party’s dancers and organisers, including Ronnie-Ron, Shakedown Productions’ creator and emcee; Mahogany, the legendary “mother” of the community; Egypt, their star performer; and Jazmine, the “Queen” of Shakedown. […]
“Good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives,” but Kena and Ziki long for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls resist and remain close friends, supporting each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, the two girls will be forced to choose between happiness […]
Evangelical Christians and drag queens collide in the southern, Arkansas town of Eureka Springs, home to both a massive amphitheatre performing the Passion Play every year and a local gay bar with a tradition of gospel-inspired drag. Despite chasms in political and religious viewpoints, the townspeople are universally charming and warm, even whilst battling over […]
A life of crime for Hackney gang member, Rash, looks set to change after a chance meeting with a successful photographer shows him a more honest existence away from drugs and fast cash. However, as he looks for a way out of the game, younger brother Mo is chancing for a way in. The teenage […]
Harika Özer is an impoverished trans sex worker whose family sought refuge from Siirt to Manisa in Turkey in the 80s. Raf, a young queer man in the UK, struggles to find his place amongst the crowd in a dive gay bar. Icarus arrives in a new city in Brazil and begins an affair with […]
