The best for me happened to be the first on the list – Alexis Langlois’ funny, gruesome, uplifting , crazy Terror, Sisters! Kalthoum , a trans girl , meets up with her trans sisters in a cafe bar and they go on a fantasy voyage in their dreams of a world where they can wreak their revenge on cis heteronormality. Its high-tech visual effects and headlong music soundtrack take us in and out of reality – a reality of phobia, violence and hatred. In the end the sisters – described as “ bad super bitches “ strut their stuff down the street – good for them !
Flourish is the up and down story of a black drag artist Miss Crystal Visions, whose drunken, overbearing boyfriend’s intrusion into club life is annoyingly real. Mix with a lesbian threesome and androgyneous queer club-goers and you have a heady cocktail.
They Looked At Me And Smiled is a grainy, almost home movie – reminiscent of Warhol – where a mixed group paint their faces like canvases and dress up – one as a pregnant Harry Potter – and brave the snowy streets of Toronto to make their trans, non-binary and queer presence felt.
Bonde again centres on a mixed group of Brazzlian queer friends who go out clubbing and are subjected to police phobia and brutality. “We are a family “ they assert proudly in a final rooftop twerk session.
Beat Is Protest – Funk by Female Optics is an ambitious analysis of the phenomenon of Brazilian Funk music – especially free street music – it’s lively, informative, empowering and puts women centre stage in an industry dominated by men.
The Queer films will be shown on 22 January – to book go to shortfilms.org.uk. With the wider short film festival from 15th to 24th Jan. Many a treat to be discovered.
