Now in it’s fourth year, the Queer Screen Film Festival is a notable event on any cinephiles calendar! The popular festival displays twelve queer films and offers the chance for LGBTQI people to see their lives reflected on the silver screen.
This year the Sydney festival only spanned from the 20-25th of September. But if you weren’t able to catch one of the Sydney sessions there is no need to panic- you haven’t quite missed out yet! Between the 21st-23rd some of the most popular festival films will be airing in the Blue Mountains.
Here is the run-down of the four film sessions you will definitely want to add to your calendar:
QSFF 2016 – Blue Mountains Timetable
Friday 21 October, 7.00pm, The Carrington Blue Mountains
SOUTHWEST OF SALEM: THE STORY OF THE SAN ANTONIO FOUR
by Deborah S. Esquenazi
“Winner of the Outstanding Documentary Feature Award at Frameline 2016, this is the true crime story of four Latina lesbian women who were wrongly convicted of the gang rape of Elizabeth’s two young girls. Facing accusations of satanic ritual abuse, a homophobic legal system and questionable testimonies from the children, this documentary sees the tides turn as we follow the riveting and emotional journey of these women as they attempt to clear their names.”
Saturday 22 October, 3.30pm, Mount Vic Flicks Blue Mountains
FIRST GIRL I LOVED
by Kerem Sanga
“17 year old cool nerd Anne falls for the school softball star Sasha, in this award-winning and incredibly authentic lesbian coming-of-age film. As her feelings grow, Anne shares the news with her best friend Cliff and he unexpectedly lashes out, causing a ripple effect through Anne’s life. Heart-rending, humorous and complex, First Girl I Loved was the winner of the NEXT Audience Award at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and is not to be missed.”
Saturday 22 October, 6pm, Mount Vic Flicks Blue Mountains
PARIS 05:59
by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau
“An encore screening of the Mardi Gras Film Festival 2016 hit, Paris 05:59. Starting with a vivid and provocative twenty minutes set in an underground sex club connecting on more than a carnal level strangers Théo and Hugo leave and walk the streets of Paris at night. While talking the two men start to fall hard for each other. Their relationship blossoms with the hallmarks of first love, but then something happens which changes the course of their new relationship.
Sunday 23 October, 3pm, The Carrington Blue Mountains
MAJOR!
by Annalise Ophelian
“Meet Miss Major Griffin-Gracy – transgender elder, Stonewall rebel, woman of colour and head of the Transgender GenderVariant Intersex Justice Project in California. Featuring touching interviews with queer former inmates who credit their lives to Miss Major’s interventions, MAJOR! is humbling and inspiring in its depiction of someone so dedicated to a life of one-on-one social justice. An intimate portrait of an enduring and treasured pioneer of queer rights.”
With such an amazing list of film sessions the 21st-23rd October weekend is set to be a great one!
Festival director Paul Struthers suggests the festival is not limited to a niche audience, anyone with even a passing interest in queer cinema will be able to gain invaluable insight from the viewing.
“Most of the films will never be on the big screen in Sydney again, and there is nothing like seeing a film in the cinema. Also the films are the best LGBTIQ cinema of the past 12 months, having played at top film festivals, and won countless awards.”
So what are you waiting for! Book your tickets (before they sell out) and enjoy a trip out to the Blue Mountains for the final film sessions.
For further information check out the QSFF website below! http://queerscreen.org.au/qsff-2016-blue-mountains/
-MF
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