From November 9th-21st, Showroom Cinema will be host to a cinematic showcase of queer Asian voices within contemporary film and visual arts as Queer East Festival visits Sheffield on their nationwide tour.
Formed in 2020 as a response to the prominent lack of East and Southeast Asian voices in the industry both in front of a crowd and behind the scenes, Queer East Festival makes it their mission to uplift and amplify the stories of Asian communities and challenge norms of queer Asian portrayals.
The festival’s cross-disciplinary approach enables collaborations across films, arts, and culture sectors, with this strength in numbers aiming to move closer to a more inclusive, intersectional screen culture. As well as hoping to spark positive change in the wider industry, this method also makes the festival a unique cinematic experience that fearlessly pushes boundaries and provides the opportunity for the UK’s cinema-goers to immerse themselves in Asia’s queer landscape.
With each year the festival has grown to reach larger and larger audiences, meaning that this fifth anniversary edition is set to be their biggest yet! This year’s varied lineup offers a range of feature films, documentaries, and shorts as well as some exclusive special events like Q&As and anniversary screenings. Each offers a new angle to the multifaceted experience of Asia’s LGBTQ+ community, empowering these underrepresented voices and sharing them across the UK.
A must-see of this festival is the screening of documentary Love Bound, in which Shanshan Chen combines more conventional documentary methods with animation and anecdotes to create a fascinating viewing experience. This particular event also includes a Q&A, making it an intimate and insightful opportunity. Other highlighted events include the 50th Anniversary screening of the artistic, political Bye Bye Love and genre-bending recent release Asog.
With support from the BFI and funding from the National Lottery, the ‘On The Road 2024’ tour is set to have widespread impact on their biggest year yet, taking Queer East Festival to cinema audiences across the UK.
Words: Heather Swift