In 1979, the American vocal group Sister Sledge released the smash disco hit . The song became a gay anthem, a celebration of chosen family. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * In 1979, the American vocal group Sister Sledge released the smash disco hit .
The song became a gay anthem, a celebration of chosen family. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? In 1979, the American vocal group Sister Sledge released the smash disco hit . The song became a gay anthem, a celebration of chosen family.
Fittingly, We Are Family is the theme of the 2024 Reel Pride International Film Festival, which kicks off tonight and runs through Sept. 28. “The idea of family transcending biological connections — found family, invented family — isn’t a uniquely gay concept but it’s something that queer people really struggle with and work with throughout our lives,” says Greg Klassen, the festival’s marketing director.
“We surround ourselves with people who feel like family and were in many cases rejected by our biological families so we have to find new family. Supplied The Hong Kong feature All Shall Be Well explores the aftermath that follows the death of a member of a lesbian couple. “Sometimes those relationships that we have with people who aren’t our literal family really do help us become who we’re supposed to be.
” This year’s slate of feature films — nine in total, from all over the world — tell a wide cross-section of stories, from a nine-year-old boy who dreams of becoming Miss France in to an old couple struggling with a new chapter in their 35-year relationship in . (The festival also has a short-film program Wednesday night.) Arguably, no film captures the festival’s theme better than , an affecting feature from Hong Kong director Ray Yeung.
Angie and Pat are a well-off lesbian couple in their mid-60s who have lived together for three decades. But when Pat unexpectedly dies and her biological family starts arguing with Angie about Pat’s final wishes, Angie must turn to her chosen family. “This film needs to be seen by more people than just queer people, because it really is a tangible way to see what gay people go through,” Klassen says.
The inclusion of multi-generational perspectives in the festival’s lineup is important, he says. Supplied Turtles follows a couple who have been partners for 35 years, but are suddenly together 24-7 following a retirement. “Let’s face it, queer culture, more than almost any, is obsessed with youth, and one of the things I like about this festival is that we’ve tried to broaden the range of voices.
I think there’s a real power in telling stories to everybody from a senior perspective, from an older perspective, because these lives have been lived and people have learned things.” Now in its 39th year, Reel Pride is Canada’s oldest LGBTTQ+ film festival in Canada. The fact that it’s still around is a testament to the fact that it still needs to be around, Klassen says.
It’s vital that queer stories and perspectives are shared on the big screen, especially in today’s political climate when the LGBTTQ+ community has increasingly been the target of hate, violence and discrimination campaigns. Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. “I think the festival specifically is attempting to build community and to create a safe space for interchange of ideas and emotions and all the things that film brings to the surface,” Klassen says.
While the advent of streaming has made it easier to access queer indie films, the community-building piece comes from being part of an audience. “Yes, we’re sitting in a dark room watching a film together, but I think we experience the emotions through other people because of that, and we feel closer to the group that we’re sitting with,” Klassen says. Supplied A House Is Not a Disco documents life in the homo-normative community, Fire Island Pines, in New York.
“And I think it’s just incredibly important for us to feel like we belong to something larger than ourselves.” jen.zoratti@winnipegfreepress.
com Jen Zoratti is a columnist and feature writer working in the Arts & Life department, as well as the author of the . A National Newspaper Award finalist for arts and entertainment writing, Jen is a graduate of the Creative Communications program at RRC Polytech and was a music writer before joining the in 2013. .
Every piece of reporting Jen produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print – part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism.
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Reel Pride International Film Festival ● Gas Station Arts Centre ● Today to Saturday ● Individual tickets $10 plus fees; festival pass $50 plus fees ● For tickets and full schedule, visit reelpride.ca All screenings at Gas Station Theatre ● Today, Island Party: Lesvia, 7 p.m.
; A House Is Not a Disco, 9 p.m. ● Wednesday: Short Films, 7 p.
m. ● Thursday, Soirée Cinema: Rivière, 7 p.m.
; Turtles, 9 p.m. ● Friday, Loving With Dignity: Summer Qamp, 1 p.
m.; Throuple, 7 p.m.
; All Shall Be Well, 9 p.m. ● Saturday, Around the Globe: Miss, 7 p.
m.; The Judgment, 9 p.m.
(festival reception between screenings) Jen Zoratti is a columnist and feature writer working in the Arts & Life department, as well as the author of the . A National Newspaper Award finalist for arts and entertainment writing, Jen is a graduate of the Creative Communications program at RRC Polytech and was a music writer before joining the in 2013. .
Every piece of reporting Jen produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print – part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism.
If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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