Jozi’s new queer film festival

The Not gay as in happy, QUEER as in f**** you FILM FESTIVAL is curated by Dean Hutton and Darryl Els and will screen a selection of the best features, documentaries and short films from across the globe, giving the viewer an incredibly diverse reflection of queer life in film. The festival will also have a special focus on early and classic queer cinema.

The films on offer are:

Stories of Our Lives was created by the members of a Nairobi-based arts collective. The film depicts a collection of true-life stories from Kenya’s oppressed LGBTQ community. The director, George Gachara was reportedly arrested and almost prosecuted simply for making the film. It is being screened on 28 May at 8pm and again on 1 June at 7.30pm.

Stud Life is a light-hearted take on the darker side of queer life in the streets of London. It is the story of a lesbian and gay man who are best friends, but when the women falls in love and has to split her attention between the two main people in her life, all sorts of drama breaks out. It is being screened on 29 May at 7pm.

Out in the Night is the story of four young African-American lesbians who live in a gay-friendly neighbourhood of New York City. When the group is violently and sexually threatened by a man, they defend themselves and are then charged and convicted and branded the Gang of Killer Lesbians by the media. It is being screened on 29 May at 9pm.

I Am Divine is the story of Divine, aka Harris Glenn Milstead who overcame his beginnings as an overweight, constantly mocked teenager in Baltimore to become an internationally-recognised drag superstar thanks to his collaboration with John Waters, a filmmaker. It is being screened on 30 May at 8pm.

Memoirs of a Killarney Houseboy follows an older gay man, who was once the toast of the gay rave scene. He takes care of residences in a snooty Johannesburg suburb that is overrun with old Jewish women and gay men. Director Dean Hutton will also unveil a brand-new edit of this film. It is being screened on 30 May at 10pm.

Just Then will be screening on the same night. A film by Jessica Denyschen and photographer Marie Coetzer, it is the story of two women who discover an incredible connection as they develop deep feelings for one another.

Regarding Susan Sontag is an intimate investigation into the life of one of the most influential and provocative thinkers of the 20th century. Sontag became an incredibly important literary, political and feminist icon in her generation. It is being screened on 31 May at 3pm.

Different From the Others was made in 1919 and was the first feature film that openly presented and defended homosexuality. Two male musicians fall in love, only to be blackmailed and made victims of scandal-mongers, causing their affair to turn into a tragedy. It is a silent film that screams with emotion and is accompanied by a live score that will be performed in the cinema. It is screening on 31 May at 5pm.

On the same day, a short silent film by Bulgarian-born, South African-based cult filmmaker, Stanimir Stoykov will be screened. It stars the late and notorious drag artiste, Sharon Bone and apparently, Thrush should be viewed with caution.

Skoonheid is the story of a South African businessman who leads a dark, double life. He is openly homophobic but sexually attracted to men and indulges in periodic orgies with other white, married men. Made by local filmmaker Oliver Hermanus, it is the first Afrikaans film to be screened at Cannes. It will be shown on 31 May at 7pm.

One Zero One is a 90-minute documentary tale that depicts the true story of a unique friendship between 33-year-old Maroccaine-German Mourad and 48-year-old Dutch Antoine. The two are drag performers known as Cybersissy and Babyjane. It is being screened on 2 June at 7pm.

After her 40th birthday, a lonely, unloved filmmaker decides to embark on adapting an all-female version of Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf, only she calls it Who’s Afraid of Vagina Woolf. It’s screening on 2 June at 9.30pm.

Salvation Army is Abdellah Taïa’s story broken into two parts. First, he is a teenager in Morocco, then he is a young adult in Geneva. He is the first Moroccan and Arab writer to have openly come out about his homosexuality. It is being screened on 3 June at 7pm.

Dakan was met with angry protests when it was filmed in the director’ s native Guinea, but it will be remembered as the first feature film on homosexuality from sub-Saharan Africa. It will be screened on 3 June at 9pm and admission is free.

Details: www.thebioscope.co.za

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