7 must-see highlights as the Vancouver Queer Film Festival announces its programming August 11 to 21

A documentary on a divine drag icon, a groundbreaking Filipinx drama, and more

Opening film The Empress of Vancouver follows trans icon Oliv Howe.

 
 

The Vancouver Queer Film Festival has just unveiled the lineup for its online and in-person event, themed “Make It Yours” and taking place August 11 to 21.

The festival features the best in queer film from local and international artists, with 97 films from 20 countries. In-person celebrations feature local performing artists, post-screening Q&As with filmmakers, and industry and community workshops. All-access Festival Passes, online-only Digital Passes, or individual tickets are available at queerfilmfestival.ca, where the full program is now live.

Here are just seven of the highlights:

  • The Empress of Vancouver: As the in-person opening-gala film, August 11 at the Vancouver Playhouse, Dave Rodden-Shortt’s feature documentary is an ode to local drag icon Oliv Howe, crowned the 10th Empress of the Vancouver Dogwood Monarchist Society in 1981. It’s followed by a fabulous queer royalty-themed Opening Night Party, at the šxʷƛ̓ exən Xwtl’a7shn Plaza (Hamilton and West Georgia Streets).

  • Metamorphosis: An in-person screening of the ground-breaking Filipinx drama about intersex identity, August 14 at VIFF Centre, followed by a Q&A. The screening is open exclusively to self-identified QTBIPOC.

  • Emergence: Out of the Shadows: A film about navigating queer identity in South Asian families, shown both in-person and on VOD, followed by a Q&A, August 19 at the York Theatre.

  • Dramarama: The in-person closing night feature, August 21 at the Vancouver Playhouse, is this heartfelt comedy and instant classic, set in 1994 and following a group of graduating theatre kids who are spending one last slumber party together.

  • Sirens: This rousing documentary from Rita Baghdadi follows Slave to Sirens, the first and only all-women thrash metal band in the Middle East, screening August 16 at The Cinematheque and online.

  • All Boys Aren’t Blue: Based on author and journalist George M. Johnson’s critically acclaimed memoir about his experiences as Black masc and nonbinary, this feature explores themes of Black queerness, queer identity assumptions, cultural normativity, and HIV/ AIDS in the Black community. The in-person-only screening August 19 at the York Theatre includes an interdisciplinary program with live performance.

  • The Coast Is Queer Shorts Program: The festival’s beloved short-film offerings return in person on August 15 at the Beaumont Studios and online throughout the festival. The diverse, Canadian-made array includes “Painted Girl”, “Muslim Mingle”, “Personals”, “Submersion”, “Circle”, “Philia”, and “Macaroni Soup”.

    Post sponsored by Vancouver Queer Film Festival.

 
 
 
 
SCREEN, FESTSJanet SmithVancouver Queer Film Festival