Media Partners Slovak Queer Film Festival

The Philippines and Israel meet at the 13th Slovak Queer Film Festival

This the third year that the introduces a sidebar section focusing on Far East cinemas Queer Asia. In its 13th edition, the festival brings a retrospective dedicated to the Philippines.

It is the diversity of the stories that caught the attention of the festival. Moreover, the Philippine + films stretch across the spectrum from arthouse to mainstream. This also applies to the 3rd Queer Asia section. Consisting of five features, it presents a sample from the last decennial.

Among them, “” (2009) by is the oldest. A macho dancer film in its best, it plays out a story of a search for joy and fulfillment in a relationship with a hired erotic dancer. Subtle in its execution, strong in its character, “Boy” unashamedly exposes the male body to the gaze. “” (2017) by heads out from the night clubs and interiors of homes. This colourful film with a zest of neorealism takes us straight into the streets of Burgos. Here, three “ladyboy” masseuses look for love, luck, and fortune.

Already a cult, “” (2018) by offers a slightly different picture of the transgender and gay community. It might differ in mood, environment, and heroines' profession, but the dreams are more or less the same. More than anything, “Born Beautiful” is a fabulous take on defining one's own gender and sexual orientation. The film is a spin-off of the 2016 “Die Beautiful” by Jun Lana Robles

Likewise, “Billie and Emma” (2018) by brings up several issues. Among them you find the Catholic Church, growing up as a gay woman, and being a woman in the Philippines. This gentle coming of age story is made to fill in the gap in the films for queer teenagers. The gap that Lee remembers growing up in the 1990s.

The pains of growing up are crucial in the honest B-film “” (2011) by . But, in a very particular way. Remington is cursed. And lives in a little town facing a series of mysterious murders. As it were not enough, fabulous undead Zombadings add to the threats rocking the sleepy town.

” (2019) by premiered at the Venice Days and at the Slovak Queer FF screens in the Brand New section. Novelistic yet intimate, “Lingua Franca” tells the story of an undocumented Filipino transwoman in the United States. In addition to the topics already opened, the film brings the topic of Filipino caregivers.

Furthermore, the Asian line-up of the Slovak Queer FF includes three Israeli short films. “ (2018) by , and “Heritage” (2017) by both premiered at Festival de Cannes. Together with “Tonight” (2018) by they debate intimacy, as well as need, will and ability to love. They also talk (un)safe sex, gay men's sexual roles and identity, and life in the closet.

About the author

Anomalilly

Hello everyone! Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be an actress. I absolutely adored Greta Garbo. Far from her looks and even further from her talents, I ditched acting as a professional career option and went for film studies.
It must have been sometimes in my early teens, which is still too late if you look at the origin stories of my colleagues, I fell for action cinema and cinemas of the Far East. Depending on who asks, the answer to "why" question is either: 1/ The lighting style just hit me in the guts, or 2/ Have you really seen those men? (Up until now, I would welcome Han Suk-kyu to read me anything.)
I program the Asian sidebars "Eastern Promises" at Art Film Fest Košice and "Queer Asia" for Slovak Queer Film Festival. Both in Slovakia. I come from there.
Oh, and I talk quite a lot.
So long, and thanks for all the fish.

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