With Mardi Gras fast approaching, Queer Screen’s 29th Mardi Gras Film Festival invites audiences on a mission to the Queer Frontier, to meet emerging and established filmmakers and explore new stories, styles and genres – online, in the cinema, or both.
Running from 17 February to 3 March, the Festival includes screenings at Event Cinemas in George Street and special ‘one night only’ sessions at the Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne and Event Cinemas in Parramatta and Hurstville before touring to the Blue Mountains and Canberra in March. If you can’t attend physical events, especially during these uncertain times.
Big titles like Paul Verhoeven’s BENEDETTA, the critically acclaimed WILDHOOD, and documentary REBEL DYKES will join an amazing collection of LGBTQIA+ features, documentaries and shorts from around the world. You can buy tickets and check out the full program at queerscreen.org.au.
For our Asia in Focus stream here at The Reel Bits there’s a terrific selection of films from China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Let’s take a closer look at them.
The First Girl I Loved
Hong Kong, Directors: Candy Ng, Chiu Hoi Yeung (AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE)
The co-directing debut of actor Chiu Hoi Yeung tells the story of two girls who start a lesbian affair while they’re students at an all-girl Catholic school. Hedwig Tam and Sz-Wing Yeung lead this unique coming of age Hong Kong romance.
Coming to You
South Korea, Director: Gyuri Byun (AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE)
A documentary that explores the tale of two mothers in South Korea. Nabi’s child Hankyeol comes out as a trans, non-binary, and asexual polyamorist, so she seeks to understand and support her child and the challenges they face. When Vivian’s son Yejoon comes out as gay, she at first struggles to understand how this will impact his life in Korea.
As We Like It
Taiwan, Directors: Chen Hung-i, Muni Wei (AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE)
The only thing that seems to be as versatile and adaptable as Shakespeare is new Taiwanese cinema. Adapting the Bard’s works, it follows the romance of Orlando and Rosalind, who is disguised as a man. Directors Chen Hung-i and Muni Wei (2019’s Always Miss You) have an all-female cast in a flip on the classic play. Check out our review from its debut at IFFR.
Moneyboys
Taiwan, Director: C.B. Yi
With his first film, Chinese-Austrian filmmaker C.B. Yi arrives as a fully-formed voice with a unique point of view. The first of a planned thematic trilogy, including Paris-set Purelands and a third set partly in Paris in the 60s as well. With this debut, Yi offers a point of view that transcends geographic boundaries, and it will be exciting to see what he does with connected material against a different backdrop. Read our full review.
A Distant Place
South Korea, Director: Park Kun-Young
Described as having hints of Brokeback Mountain, director Park Kun-Young follows 2018’s To the River with this story of Jin Woo, who lives and works on a farm with his young daughter, Seol. They are treated as part of the family by the owner and his daughter. This bond is tested with the arrival of his lover, Hyun Min, a poet from Seoul.
Shorts
Rounding out the Asian offerings are two amazing shorts programs. The Trans & Gender Diverse Shorts stream includes Sungbin Byun’s multi award-winning GOD’S DAUGHTER DANCES from South Korea, in which a transgender female dancer, Shin-mi, gets a call from the Military Manpower Administration, to attend for the Military Service Examination.
There’s also an amazing Asia Pacific Shorts program. In Shin Seung Eun’s comedy/drama MOTHER IN LAW, the titular Hyoung-suk visits Hyun-seo’s room to give her some Kimchi — and there she encounters Min-jin, her daughter’s friend. Taiwan’s UNDERCURRENT sees director Weng Yu-Tong transport us back to 1979 where two gay men meet in a city filled with anti-government protests and curfews. Finally, China’s AND WILL WE COLLIDE sees two men, two worlds and a real rocket come together as a wanna-be astronaut and a village farm boy meet.
A complete selection of all the Mardi Gras Film Festival films can be found on the official site. Read more coverage of Asian Cinema — from the silent era to current festivals and other contemporary releases — all throughout the year in our dedicated Asia in Focus area.
