It is with great pleasure that we present the full Queerious programme and reveal the commissioned artwork for the season by illustrator Javie Huxley.
Queerious invites you to get curious and explore a multitude of desires on screen in ways all too rarely seen in cinema. Through stories of sexual awakenings and re-awakenings, and queer love through a feminist lens, this curated season aims to help us to question, learn and enjoy our sexual selves. Each film is a collaboratively made DIY discovery in its own way, freed from the restrictions of mainstream filmmaking and ‘queerious’ in its making.
We will be touring Queerious to cinemas across the UK including:
Meanwhile, audiences can explore more films online through our Queerious selection available now on BFI Player.
The Programme
2-8 July 2022:
I’VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING by Patricia Rozema (Canada 1987, 81’)
Aspiring photographer Polly develops a fascination for her new boss through their shared love of art. A playful comedy offering a humorous and complex look at desire between women.
+ short film WAVELENGTHS by Pratibha Parmar (UK 1997, 15’)
Left with a broken heart and an empty goldfish tank, Mona searches for love and human intimacy via gay bars and cyberspace.
Writer-director Patricia Rozema will be in conversation at the Rio, London screening on 2 July, with support from the High Commission of Canada in the UK.
Screenings:
Rio, London / Sat 2 July, 3.45pm – Followed by in-person conversation with director Patricia Rozema, moderated by Birds’ Eye View’s Melanie Iredale
GFT, Glasgow / Weds 6 July, 8.15pm – Introduced by Glasgow Film Theatre
Showroom, Sheffield / Thurs 7 July, 8.30pm – Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Melanie Iredale
QFT, Belfast Fri 8 July, 6.20pm
Komedia, Brighton / Sun 31 July 5.00pm Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Rui Jin (TBC)
11-17 July 2022:
THE GOLD DIGGERS by Sally Potter (UK 1983, 89’)
Sally Potter’s ground-breaking debut explores themes of power in relation to capitalism and sexuality. A musical comic adventure featuring Julie Christie and Colette Laffont as two star-crossed lovers on quests that subvert the Hollywood norm.
+ short film ARE YOU STILL WATCHING? by Sissy Screens: Tali Polichtuk & Kitty Chrystal (Australia 2021, 6’)
A short animation about lockdown boredom, cinema, erotic fantasies and the emancipatory power of the queer imagination.
Screenings:
Showroom, Sheffield / Wed 13 July, 6pm – followed by post-screening discussion around collective filmmaking and watching with Club Des Femmes’ So Mayer, feminist film theorist Jackie Stacey, and Birds’ Eye View’s Melanie Iredale + badge making workshop. Presented in partnership with Club Des Femmes.
GFT, Glasgow / Thu 14 July, 8.15pm – Introduced by Club Des Femmes’ Ania Ostrowska & Birds Eye View’s Xuanlin Tham. Presented in partnership with Club Des Femmes.
Komedia, Brighton / Thu 14 July, 7.30pm – Introduced by Birds Eye View’s Rui Jin
QFT, Belfast / Fri 15 July, 8.50pm. Presented in partnership with Club Des Femmes.
Rio, London /Screening on 35mm / Introduced by Club Des Femmes’ So Mayer and Birds’ Eye View’s Melanie Iredale followed by a post-screening conversation, with filmmaker Sally Potter who will join virtually. Presented in partnership with Club Des Femmes.
12-24 July 2022:
FIRE by Deepa Mehta (India/Canada 1996, 108’)
(In)famous for being the first Bollywood film to feature a lesbian relationship, Fire tells the story of Sita and Radha, two young women abandoned by their husbands, who find intimacy and passion in each other.
Screenings:
HOME, Manchester / Tue 12 July, 6pm – Presented in partnership with A City Seen / House of Spice. With a post screening discussion + vogue performances with Lucky Roy Singh, Jazzy Spice/BollyButch, Huss, Bengum Spice and Saffy Saffron Spice.
Chapter, Cardiff / Sat 16 July, 2.30pm
GFT, Glasgow / Wed 20 July, 5.30pm – Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Xuanlin Tham and followed by spoken word performance and workshop with Bee Asha.
Showroom, Sheffield / Wed 20 July, 8.30pm – Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Toni Lee
Komedia, Brighton / Thu 21 July, 6.00pm – Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Cristina Garcia
QFT, Belfast / Fri 22, 8.50pm
Rio, London / Sun 24 July, 3.45pm – Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Isra Al Kassi
28-31 July 2022:
PASSION by Maja Borg (Sweden/Spain 2021, 92’)
A film about longing, healing and belonging. Adopting rituals and play from queer BDSM practice, filmmaker Maja Borg seeks to reclaim intimacy and re-establish boundaries in sex and love as a means of reclaiming themself.
+ short film ISHTAR by Mia Georgis (UK 2021, 4’)
Exploring the coloniality of gender, Ishtar, the deity of love, hosts a feast for five gender non-conforming siblings of colour in an English country garden.
Screenings:
GFT, Glasgow / Thu 28 July, 8.30pm – Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Xuanlin Tham
Showroom, Sheffield / Thu 28 July, 8.45pm – Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Toni Lee
Komedia, Brighton / Tue 26 July, 8:50pm – Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Rui Jin
QFT, Belfast / Fri 29 July, 9pm
Rio, London / Sun 31 July, 3.45pm – Introduced by Birds’ Eye View’s Isra Al Kassi
About Javie Huxley:
Commissioned artist Javie Huxley is a British-Chilean illustrator based in London, and the co-chair for Save Latin Village. Following Javie’s MA in Children’s Literature & Illustration, her main focus has been on socially engaged editorial illustration for magazines such as gal-dem and shado mag. Javie strongly believes in the importance of art as advocacy, her work focuses on themes such as identity and current social issues. Javie loves to use her art to celebrate and platform marginalised voices in the UK. @javhux
About Birds Eye View:
Reclaim the Frame brings a broader perspective of the world by championing cinema by women & non-binary filmmakers. Run by Birds’ Eye View, a charity with a mission to advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in film by fostering a community for those who make, show, release and watch them.
To learn more, become an Advocate and join the #ReclaimTheFrame mission to receive free cinema tickets and discount codes go to Bit.ly/BEVRTF. Supported by BFI’s Audience Fund.
@birdseyeview_film & @film.feels on Instagram
@BirdEyeViewRTF & @Film_Feels on Twitter
Queerious is part of Film Feels Curious, a UK-wide cinema season, supported by the National Lottery and BFI Film Audience Network. Explore all films and events at FILMFEELS #FilmFeelsCurious