The complexities and contradictions of family life are fertile ground for storytelling, even more so for LGBTQ filmmakers. The relationships of parents and children, and the dynamic between siblings all come under the lens in both dramas and a moving personal documentary.
In Brutal, the former doyenne of a cable news channel stumbles upon a sex scandal. First Date has a grieving mother worry about her daughter’s admirer. In Night Ride a late-night tram journey takes an unexpected turn. Tommies takes us back to Regency England and news of a scandal. The stakes are high and emotions frayed in this quintet of stories from the US, UK, Israel, Ireland and Norway.
From a charming silent coming-of-age story to a glitter-infused fairy tale of self-discovery, this sensational sextet of shorts captures all the joys and heartaches of being young and Queer in the modern world.
The theme of star-crossed lovers, meeting across social and cultural lines is as old as time, but each of these hard-hitting films bring it crashing into the 21st Century.
Four poignant and moving stories of people looking for love, companionship and meaning in the autumn of their lives, whether they are reminiscing about lost loves, enjoying moments of intimacy in later life, or experiencing chance encounters when they are least expected.
This is just a selection of some of the great films featuring trans and non-binary characters and themes you’ll see in this year’s programme, demonstrating the variety of stories being told, from an acerbic take on modern dating, to a delightful animated history lesson about Hawaii’s legendary non-binary healing spirits.
Iris invites you on a late-night journey to the dark side, with a terrifying trio of films, from chilling psychodrama Chaperone to the haunting nocturne St Jude, via Alexis Langlois’ outrageous new horror comedy Dorothy’s Demons. Enter, if you dare.
Designer babies, cryogenic suspension and romance in orbit. Each of these films poses the question of how advances in science and technology might change Queer lives, for better or worse.
Documentaries offer a window into Queer lives around the world, bringing to light stories and issues we might otherwise never have heard of. This year’s programme includes four films from Europe and the US, covering a wide range of subjects, from Louisiana’s archaic ‘Crimes Against Nature’ law to the mysterious disappearance of transgender pop star Lana Kaiser.
