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SEARCHVancouver, June 3, 2024 – Out On Screen, a leading organization dedicated to 2SLGBTQIA+ media arts and education, is pleased to announce Eli Morris is the new Executive Director, effective June 3, 2024.
Morris joined Out On Screen in May 2023 as the Deputy Executive Director and has stepped into the role of Interim Executive Director in the last two months since the departure of former Executive Director Brandon Yan.
They previously served as the Executive Director of GEMS Vancouver, where they spearheaded the organization’s name change from Women in Film and Television Vancouver to be more inclusive of trans and nonbinary people and reflect the organization’s mission to foster gender equity in the screen-based media industry.
Morris’s experience spans film production, marketing, education, and arts administration. They served as production manager of the award-winning queer coming-of-age film Golden Delicious (2022) directed by Jason Karman. They hold a Master of Arts in Public Relations and Advertising from the University of New South Wales (Australia).
For the last year, I’ve had the privilege of working with an all-queer and trans team at Out On Screen. As a trans and nonbinary person, I have never felt so safe in a workplace. I am humbled to have this opportunity to create more spaces like this for other people in our community,” said Morris.
“To be honest, it is not an easy time to be doing this work. The political and economic forecast is bleak. The Out In Schools team, in particular, is facing increasing hostility and reduced funding opportunities. It is even more important that we remain unwavering in our commitment to provide 2SLGBTQIA+ people—especially kids and teens in schools—with the positive representations and affirming messages we all need and deserve.”
The Board of Directors selected Morris after a nationwide search supported by recruitment firm GerardSearch. Board Chair Christopher Hallamore said:
“The hiring committee, which consisted of board members and staff, sought a candidate to lead us through our next chapter as we live into our new 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. We are so fortunate not only to have someone with deep connections to the local filmmaking community and experience in arts and education non-profits, but also to have witnessed firsthand Eli’s collaborative, transparent, and courageous leadership style over the past year. Out On Screen believes in developing and nurturing our people, and it’s a point of pride to be able to promote a member of our team. I am immensely optimistic for Out On Screen’s future with Eli at the helm.”
The upcoming 36th annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival will take place September 11-22, 2024. Out On Screen is now accepting bookings for school groups in a new youth film screening program at VQFF titled The Future is Queer, in collaboration with The Cinematheque.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
media@outonscreen.com
About Out On Screen
Out On Screen is a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates, and transforms 2SLGBTQIA+ lives through film, education, and dialogue. We pursue our mission with two core programs: The annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival celebrates and promotes authentic authorship and representation that uplifts, empowers, and furthers the liberty, culture, and justice of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate 2SLGBTQIA+ cinema into school classrooms and communities across BC to combat homophobia, transphobia, and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen is proud to be a leading organization working to create an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity. www.outonscreen.com
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Out On Screen commits to the international call by Palestinians for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) and specifically to adhere to the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) guidelines.
The BDS movement works to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law.
In keeping with PACBI guidelines, Out On Screen will not collaborate with Israeli cultural or academic institutions and will not present or support cultural products commissioned by an official Israeli body or that serve to promote or normalize Israel’s occupation of Palestine. This is also in line with the Liberatory Demand from Queers in Palestine of November 2023.
Learn more about PACBI guidelines at bdsmovement.net/pacbi
Out On Screen’s support for Palestine and rejection of Israeli occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid is a direct extension of our vision for an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity.
We reject all forms of racism, including anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism, anti-semitism, Islamophobia, and any form of discrimination against individuals on the basis of their identity, including ability, citizenship, race, religion, gender, and sexuality.
We encourage you to learn more about PACBI guidelines, which focus on boycotting institutions and organizations–rather than targeting individuals–that are complicit in Israel’s systemic oppression of Palestinians.
Out On Screen rejects pinkwashing and homonationalism in any context. We fundamentally oppose the practice of using cultural products like film to promote and normalize occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid.
This commitment will create more rigour in our processes and practices, and ensure this work continues in future.
The Out On Screen team will receive training to evaluate film entries in a nuanced and critical manner that complies with PACBI guidelines and aligns with the Vancouver Queer Film Festival’s curatorial focus on authentic stories centering 2SLGBTQIA+ experiences.
February 26, 2024 (Vancouver, BC) – The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) is changing its annual Festival dates from August to September. The upcoming 36th edition will take place September 11-22, 2024. The Festival will include a programme with approximately 100 films and episodic content authored by 2SLGBTQIA+ creators and centred on 2SLGBTQIA+ protagonists. The Festival will also feature parties, performances from local and international artists, post-screening Q&As with filmmakers, and industry events. Some films will be available to stream online within BC.
“Our team began 2024 eager to build on the success of last year’s Festival, which was the most well-attended edition of VQFF in a decade,” said Out On Screen’s Artistic Director, Charlie Hidalgo. “We are strategically shifting our dates to access more of the best and latest 2SLGBTQIA+ cinema from across Canada and the international festival circuit, and bring them to Vancouver and BC. Creating space between VQFF and Vancouver Pride will also allow our audiences and local partners to give our films and presenting artists the fanfare, attention, and love they deserve.”
The Festival will expand its youth programming this year, with select matinee screenings for local school groups.
“For the first time, VQFF’s dates will fall within the school year, which creates exciting opportunities for us to connect educators and young people with diverse, affirming, and authentic stories by 2SLGBTQIA+ artists that they may not otherwise have access to,” said Gavin Somers, Education Director, Out On Screen. “In the current political and social climate, it is more important than ever for youth and queer people to see affirming representation and possibilities for themselves.”
VQFF’s sibling program Out In Schools was founded in 2004 to bring positive, age-appropriate film, education, and dialogue about 2SLGBTQIA+ experiences into schools across BC. Freely available for educators online, films in the Out In Schools catalogue are often acquired through VQFF. New films are added every year.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
media@outonscreen.com
About Out On Screen
Out On Screen is a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates, and transforms 2SLGBTQIA+ lives through film, education, and dialogue. We pursue our mission with two core programs: The annual Vancouver Queer Festival celebrates and promotes authentic authorship and representation that uplifts, empowers, and furthers the liberty, culture, and justice of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate 2SLGBTQIA+ cinema into school classrooms and communities across BC to combat homophobia, transphobia, and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen is proud to be a leading organization working to create an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity.
www.outonscreen.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/queerfilmfest
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VancouverQFF
Twitter: www.twitter.com/queerfilmfest
For Black History Month, Out In Schools has curated a playlist of films that showcase stories at the intersection of Black and 2SLGBTQIA+ identity. They include a short documentary EQ about local DJ Orene Askew (aka DJ O Show) of the Squamish Nation, a narrative short Anemone about a non-binary teen Anemio exploring gender amidst their Christian immigrant family, and a new short documentary MnM about chosen siblings and performers Mermaid and Milan Garçon (MnM) in the New York ballroom scene.
To access these films and others, educators can register to join our free Film Catalogue.
EQ (6 min)
This documentary follows Orene Askew, also known as DJ O Show, a local Two Spirit DJ and instructor from the Squamish nation, as she shares the importance of representation, being proud of where you come from, and celebrating your unique differences.
Grade 5+
Anemone (17 min)
Non-binary teen Anemio finds respite from her conservative Christian family at the marine livestock shop where they work, comforted by the anemone and hermaphroditic marine creatures.
Grade 8+
MnM (15 min)
Chosen siblings Mermaid and Milan Garçon find community and belonging in New York’s ballroom scene.
Grade 10+
If you made use of these resources, we would love to hear how your lessons went and any other feedback! Get in touch with us at info@outinschools.com.
All youth deserve to grow up and learn in a safe, supportive environment where they are free to be their true and authentic selves.
On January 31, 2024, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith proposed policies that severely reduce protections and restrict healthcare access for trans and gender-diverse youth. These proposed policies target and endanger some of the most vulnerable youth in our community.
Young people deserve to be affirmed in their identities, especially if they face challenges of feeling different from their peers. For queer and trans youth, an affirming and supportive environment looks like:
- exploring different parts of their identities without fear or judgment.
- being addressed by their correct name and pronouns.
- being included in regular school activities and spaces.
- having safe adults to go to for support and guidance.
- opportunities to learn about different sexual orientations and gender identities.
- access to gender-affirming health care from medical professionals.
The proposed policies in Alberta roll back essential protections and freedoms for queer and trans youth, making schools less safe and inclusive.
All youth deserve the basic respect and dignity of being called their correct name and pronouns.
Many youth, regardless of gender identity, prefer to be called a name different from the one on their birth certificate. It is both common and normal for trans and queer people to change their pronouns to accurately reflect their identity. Using the correct name and pronouns for somebody is a basic way to show respect. For transgender youth, it is a proven way to improve their mental wellbeing.
The Albertan government plans to make it harder for trans and gender-diverse youth to gain this basic level of respect and more difficult for teachers and administrators to support some of their most at-risk students. Everyone deserves the basic respect and dignity of being referred to by their correct name and pronouns.
All youth deserve to receive inclusive education and see positive representation.
Schools prepare students for “the real world”, including how to interact with people who are different from us. For some 2SLGTBQIA+ youth, schools are the only place they are safe to explore who they are and see positive representation of who they could become.
The proposed policies will significantly restrict inclusive education about the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). This will make schools less safe for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth.
As a community, we support opportunities for young people to learn about diverse identities and experiences and gain understanding and empathy for their peers.
All youth deserve to participate in sports, regardless of their gender identity.
Sports are an important part of physical and mental health, social connection, and learning skills like teamwork, leadership, and resilience. Research consistently shows that gender assigned at birth does not equate to a competitive advantage in sports. Denying trans youth the basic freedom to participate in sports is unfair and discriminatory.
Premier Smith is perpetuating harmful myths and proposing policies that discriminate against, segregate, and exclude trans people. Our government and school systems should support fair policies that include everybody in sports and recreation.
All youth deserve access to life-affirming healthcare.
Access to healthcare is a basic human right. Gender-affirming healthcare is safe, well-researched and widely supported by major healthcare bodies, including Canadian Psychological Association and the Canadian Pediatric Society.
Premier Smith’s new policies go directly against the advice of healthcare professionals. Denying trans people access to healthcare on the basis of gender is medical discrimination. Trans youth deserve access to the gender-affirming healthcare they need to support their development and overall happiness.
Transgender and gender-diverse youth deserve to be supported, protected, and cared for by their families, communities, schools, healthcare providers, and governments.
To trans and queer youth: We love you. We see you. We support you. We will fight for you.
To parents, educators, policy-makers, and community members: We urge you to educate yourself on what genuine care and support looks like for transgender and gender-diverse youth. These youth are the future of our communities, it is imperative for us to advocate for policies that protect and care for them.
About Out In Schools
Out In Schools has been on the forefront of SOGI education and bringing positive, age-appropriate film, education, and dialogue about 2SLGBTQIA+ experiences into schools across BC since 2004.
Programs like Out In Schools are now banned or severely limited in provinces across Canada.
Support our work and keep SOGI education in BC by donating now. We also urge you to contact your elected officials to voice your support for SOGI education and gender-affirming healthcare for youth in your province.
Other organizations supporting trans youth
- Qmunity (BC) – youth services
- ARC Foundation (BC & AB)- SOGI education
- PFLAG Vancouver (BC) & PFLAG Calgary (AB) – support group for parents and family of 2SLGBTQIA+ people
- Skipping Stone (AB) – youth services
- Egale Canada (Canada) – advocacy
Additional Resources:
Helplines in Canada for gender & sexual identity
Transgender, Non-Binary and Two-Spirit Youth & Physical and Health Education
Canadian Paediatric Society – Affirming approach to caring for transgender and gender-diverse youth
Vancouver, January 15, 2024 – Out On Screen, a leading organization dedicated to 2SLGBTQIA+ media arts and education, regretfully announces the departure of Brandon Yan from his role as Executive Director, effective March 27, 2024.
Yan has been an instrumental part of the Out On Screen team since 2015, contributing his leadership and passion for 2SLGBTQIA+ representation and education. As the sole Program Coordinator and later Education Director, Yan grew the Out In Schools program into a powerhouse, reaching over 20,000 youth annually at its peak. Under his leadership, Out In Schools also collaborated with the BC Ministry of Education to implement new policies and procedures supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in every BC school district.
As Executive Director since mid-2020, Yan led the organization through unprecedented challenges with a focus on building staff capacity, financial sustainability, and continued program delivery in hybrid online and in-person formats. He leaves the organization having successfully re-launched in-person programs in 2023 with the best-attended Vancouver Queer Film Festival in the last decade and led the update to Out On Screen’s next strategic plan. Yan’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment is reflected in the transformative growth of Out On Screen’s programs and internal operations. Yan said,
While I am sad to bid farewell to this incredible community, I am also filled with hope and excitement for the future of Out On Screen. The organization is in excellent hands, and I have full confidence that it will continue to grow and make a positive difference in the lives of queer, trans, and Two Spirit peoples.
The Board of Directors expresses its gratitude for Brandon’s dedication and contributions to Out On Screen. Board Chair Chris Hallamore said,
Brandon’s leadership of Out On Screen through the COVID-19 pandemic, shifts in political discourse on 2SLGBTQIA+ expression and education, and our ever-changing community’s needs has been defined by his care for people, his warm leadership style, and his strategic focus. We are grateful for his service to this organization and are excited to see where his career takes him next.
The Board will commence a search for a new Executive Director to build on Out On Screen’s successes and lead the organization into its next chapter. Information will be made available on our careers page.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
media@outonscreen.com
About Out On Screen
Out On Screen is a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates, and transforms 2SLGBTQIA+ lives through film, education, and dialogue. The Vancouver Queer Film Festival celebrates and promotes authentic authorship and representation that uplifts, empowers, and furthers the liberty, culture, and justice of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate queer cinema into school classrooms and communities across BC to combat homophobia, transphobia, and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen is proud to be among the leaders in Canada working to create an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity. www.outonscreen.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/queerfilmfest
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VancouverQFF
Twitter: www.twitter.com/queerfilmfest
In recent weeks, Out On Screen has borne witness to horrific levels of violence and destruction and the killing of thousands of innocent people. We grieve for the lives of Palestinian and Israeli civilians, children, and families and for the loss of their homes and communities.
Out On Screen joins other individuals and organizations in standing in solidarity with Palestine and condemning the state of Israel’s ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories and genocide of the Palestinian people.
As a primarily settler-run and founded organization on unceded territories, we have a responsibility to respect and support Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination in the face of settler colonialism locally and around the world, in the many forms it may take. As we have said before, queer liberation is inextricably connected to liberation from other forms of oppression.
The state of Israel uses pinkwashing (also known as rainbow-washing) in which 2SLGBTQIA+ rights are promoted in order to distract from and legitimize violent and oppressive settler-colonial occupation and genocide.
Out On Screen has been complicit in pinkwashing, including through the inclusion of Israeli content in our Festival as recently as the early 2010s. We recognize that our past actions in this and other matters have not consistently aligned with our stated commitment to anti-oppression. This statement does not serve to repair that harm, and we commit to continuing to align our work, internally and externally, with our values and intersectional queer liberation.
We urge you to support the calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to the occupation of Palestinian territories, and the liberation of the Palestinian people.
Go to for up-to-date resources on direct actions in Canada, including:
- Upcoming protests
- Contact information for elected officials
- Petitions and campaigns
- Queer Palestine Solidarity Resource
- A master list of resources and toolkits
Every year, our community and allies observe Transgender Awareness Week from November 13-19, culminating in Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20 which honours the memory of those who lost their lives due to transphobic violence. As we see a continued rise in transphobic violence and rhetoric in our communities, we need to work together to create safer environments for 2SLGBTQIA+ students. This week is an opportunity to raise visibility on trans lives and experiences and address issues that trans community members face.
For this year’s Transgender Awareness Week, Out In Schools has specially curated film playlists and lesson plans that educators can bring into your classrooms. To access films and lesson plans, educators can register to join our free Film Catalogue.
We recommend watching 1 short film per day and debriefing as a group using our associated Lesson Plans. At the end of the week, ask students to reflect on their favourite film and how they can make their school more welcoming for people of all gender identities and expressions!
Twin Sparks (4 min)
When a forest child’s inner fire spirit breaks loose, they frantically try to catch it before damage is done.
Stealth (21 min)
Sammy is a transgender child. When the threat of a betrayal arises at her new school, Sammy must decide whether to run or live as her whole self.
Pete (7 min)
The heartwarming true story of an eight-year-old kid in the ‘70s who wanted nothing more than to join the boys’ Little League team.
The Name (2 min)
Conflicted and alienated by his given name, a young trans kid tries to hide his identity from his mom and divides himself in two to live a double life.
Kumu Hina (24 min)
In this powerful documentary, eleven-year-old Ho’onani dreams of leading the hula troupe at her inner-city Honolulu school.
The Real Thing (7 min)
A father comes home from serving in the military and re-meets his daughter for the first time since she came out as transgender.
Feel free to mix and match any of the incredible films in Playlists A and B for Grades 5-7!
A Typical Fairytale (12 min)
A young couple have a fairytale love story but are interrupted by their child’s divergence from the classic narrative. This quirky story about love and acceptance is ALL IN RHYME!
Woman Dress (5 min)
Featuring archival images and dramatized re-enactments, this film shares a family oral story of a Two Spirit person named Woman Dress.
Anemone (17 min)
Non-binary teen Anemio finds respite from her conservative Christian family at the marine livestock shop where they work, comforted by the anemone and hermaphroditic marine creatures.
MnM (15 min)
Chosen siblings Mermaid and Milan Garçon find community and belonging in New York’s ballroom scene.
Schuyler Bailar (13 min)
Schuyler Bailar is a decorated swimmer and the first publicly documented NCAA D1 transgender man to compete as a man in any sport. He was recruited to Harvard as a female athlete and transitioned while continuing to compete and advocate for trans inclusion.
Ur Aska (7 min)
Two women live happily together until one starts to transform, disturbing their usual dynamic. The one left unchanged has to decide how far their love goes.
We have partnered with ARC Foundation and the filmmakers behind feature documentary Changing The Game to offer educators a free virtual screening of the film followed by a curated discussion. Changing The Game follows three transgender high school athletes in the U.S. competing in their sports while challenging the boundaries and perceptions of fairness and discrimination.
When you register for the webinar, you will be given access to watch the full film between November 13-20 and then join us for a Lunch-n-Learn post-viewing discussion on Tuesday, November 21 at 12:00 PM PST / 1:00 PM MST for a discussion on supporting trans athletes in your schools.
The film and discussion are open to educators in BC, Yukon, and Alberta. Registrants will receive access to the film by email on November 13th. A recording of the Zoom discussion will also be provided to registrants after the event.
Physical Health Education is one place where there are often questions around how to include transgender students, particularly in competitive sports. In BC, while transgender students have the right to play on the sports team that aligns with their gender identity, there are still many barriers to participation.
Check out our suggested reading for educators and administrators regarding the inclusion of Transgender, Non-Binary and Two Spirit in Physical Health Education, a 2021 publication from SFU by A. Travers and K. J. Reed.
If you made use of these resources, we would love to hear how your lessons went and any other feedback! Get in touch with us at info@outinschools.com.
VANCOUVER, August 21, 2023 – The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) is pleased to announce the 2023 Award recipients. $52,500 CAD in prizes will be distributed to 2SLGBTQIA+ filmmakers, with the highest accolades bestowed upon RBC Narrative Change Award winner director Sharon “Rocky” Roggio’s 1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE (USA), who will receive a cash prize of $5,000 CAD and the Gerry Brunet Memorial Award: Best British Columbia Short winner director Lauren Marsden’s TABANCA, who will take home a cash prize of $2,500 CAD courtesy of the Directors Guild of Canada, BC plus a $15,000 CAD camera package from Keslow Camera.
“I am deeply moved by and immensely grateful for the support of the VQFF audiences. We saw more attendees this year than in pre-pandemic times. Thank you, Vancouver, for coming out and embracing our storytellers; your presence and warm reception had a profound impact on their Festival experience,” said Charlie Hidalgo, Artistic Director, Out On Screen. “We took a stand and committed to only showcasing stories made by our community, and the difference was felt by all who attended. This 2023 edition of VQFF has been the most extraordinary and rewarding experience of my curatorial career.”
“I am truly humbled and profoundly honoured to be the first recipient of the RBC Narrative Change Award. Thank you Vancouver Queer Film Festival, Out On Screen and RBC, for establishing this incredible award that uplifts the power of storytelling and its ability to reshape the very fabric of our society. I extend my heartfelt gratitude for this recognition to the jury who saw the power and potential in 1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE. I am proud to be a part of a community that believes in the ability of storytelling to bridge gaps, foster empathy, and ignite meaningful dialogue,” said Sharon “Rocky” Roggio director of 1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE.
TABANCA director Lauren Marsden commented, “It is a great honour to receive the Gerry Brunet Memorial Award and join the incredible list of past awardees. I am deeply proud of everyone on the TABANCA team who helped bring this story of self-love and queer Caribbean joy to life. Here’s to many more!”
$30,000 CAD in cash and prizes will be distributed amongst the winners for this year’s People’s Choice Awards. The 2023 winners are:
Canadian Feature
THIS PLACE dir. V.T. Nayani
Includes a $5,000 CAD cash prize from the Canada Media Fund (CMF)
Canadian Short
SCARING WOMEN AT NIGHT dir. Karimah Zakia Issa
Includes a $20,000 CAD camera package from Panavision
International Feature
1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE (USA) dir. Sharon “Rocky” Roggio
Includes a $2,500 CAD cash prize from Out On Screen
International Short
FOREIGN UNCLE (China/USA) dir. Sining Xiang
Includes a $2,500 CAD cash prize from Out On Screen
The 2023 jurors for the RBC Narrative Change Award were acclaimed film producer and Director of Transgender Representation at GLAAD, Alex Schmider; award-winning journalist and media personality Shar Jossell; and Firelight Media’s Documentary Lab Director, Lucy Mukerjee.
Jury’s statement:
“The RBC Narrative Change Award goes to 1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE, for its ability to excavate and deliver deep cultural revelations in a way that’s both educational and entertaining. 1946 is a film that the jury believes will help transform the worldviews of others, as it did them, and encourage necessary exploration and inquiry by all who watch it.”
The 2023 jurors for the Gerry Brunet Memorial Award: Best British Columbia Short were filmmakers V.T. Nayani (THIS PLACE), Gabe Gabriel (RUNS IN THE FAMILY), and Twiggy Pucci Garçon (MnM).
Jury’s statement:
“The Gerry Brunet Memorial Award: Best British Columbia Short goes to TABANCA, a film that artfully explores the numbing ache of loneliness. Not the kind one feels when missing a single person but rather the kind that pulls one’s heart towards home — home as in community, culture, and self. Though universal, this is a quintessentially queer experience embodied here by a lead actor who communicates pain and hope in equal but subtle measure, and captured simply and beautifully through thoughtful direction and cinematography.”
Out In Schools is excited to add three films that screened at the VQFF to our Film Catalogue: Pete (USA) dir. Bret Parker, Twin Sparks (USA) dir. Ollie Yao, Heather Yun and MnM (USA) dir. Twiggy Pucci Garçon. These films will be screened online by educators, and in person with Out In Schools facilitators reaching approximately 10,000 youth over the course of the 2023-2024 school year.
This year, VQFF’s lineup exclusively showcased films by 2SLGBTQIA+ storytellers. Throughout the Festival, audiences attended in-person and virtual screenings and were captivated by 92 films from 27 countries, including 24 feature films and 10 World Premieres. In the festival, first, the Opening Presentation: Stronger Together, showcased six short films; the Centrepiece Presentation featured the Canadian Premiere of Sharon “Rocky” Roggio’s astonishing documentary 1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE (USA) and Ian Gabriel’s RUNS IN THE FAMILY (South Africa) closed the Festival.
The 2023 Festival programme was curated by VQFF Artistic Director Charlie Hidalgo; Festival Programmers Sarah-Tai Black and Rico Johnson-Sinclair; 2023 VQFF Programming Disruptor Fellowship recipients Jasmine “Audder” Monton, Romi Kim, and Eva Grant; Guest Programmer Simone Ling.
Festival images and press materials can be downloaded here.
The VQFF would also like to thank its generous partners for their support, including lead partner RBC Royal Bank, premiere partners Canada Media Fund, Rogers, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada and Telefilm Canada, signature partner Twin Sails Brewing, screening partners UBCP/ACTRA, Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association, Herschel Supply Company and the Canadian Media Producers Association, festival funders Canada Council For the Arts, Government of Canada, City of Vancouver, Creative BC, The Province of British Columbia and British Columbia Arts Council, cultural partner SFU Woodward’s, exclusive technical partner 24 Frames Digital Films, transportation partner Modo, exclusive media partner CBC Vancouver, advertising partner Western Media Group and festival supporters bed, Vancouver Civic Theatres, MT+Co, IATSE Local 891, Gayvan.com, James Goodman, Black Screen Office and ACFC West, Local 2020 Unifor.
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Media Contact
Laura Steen
Route 504 PR
laura@route504pr.com
About Out On Screen
Out On Screen is a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates, and advances queer lives through film, education, and dialogue. The Vancouver Queer Film Festival creates a dynamic platform for queer cinema that reflects a diversity of experiences while connecting and strengthening our communities. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate queer cinema into school classrooms to combat homophobia, transphobia, and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen is proud to be among the leaders in Canada working to create an equitable society where sexual and gender diversity are embraced. www.outonscreen.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/queerfilmfest
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VancouverQFF
Twitter: www.twitter.com/queerfilmfest
#VQFF2023
Many queer and trans people have had to live parts of their lives in the shadows, alone and separated from community and elders. It is unfortunately still rare to be born into families or communities that can embrace us fully, let alone connect us to those who have walked the same paths of self-discovery, adversity, and joy.
Leading up to the 35th anniversary Vancouver Queer Film Festival, we sat down with youth filmmakers Ronnie Cheng (they/she) and Leo Litke (he/him) and protagonist Tien Neo Eamas (he/him) of the film Becoming Queer Joy, premiering at VQFF in the Troublemakers 7.0 program, to discuss the importance of sharing our stories and intergenerational connection.
Tell us a little bit about who you are, and how you got involved with this project.
Leo: I’ve been into filmmaking since I was 11 or 12. I did one year of film studies, and I’ve made lots of films that haven’t really gone anywhere yet. I’m currently working on a documentary for a local non-profit.
Ronnie: I started making films around 11 or 12 years old, just fun short films with friends. I’m from Hong Kong, and I came here for school. Moving here, I had to develop a new community of filmmakers, because it’s such a collaborative thing. I’m always looking for different opportunities and people to work with, which is why I signed up for Troublemakers. I’m a media studies student, and I do film, animation, and creative coding. I am queer, and in terms of gender I am whatever. It took me a really long time to come to terms with my sexuality and gender. I was brought up in an environment that wasn’t supportive of queerness, and I’ve dealt with a lot of anxiety around finding the right label for myself.
Tien: I am Singapore born, but I’ve lived in Canada for 35 years. I am a goldsmith, a wizard, and a spiritual and gender guide. And I am trans. I am trans by default. Since I was a kid, my question was always why are there only two kinds of people on this earth. I found it very strange, and I just wanted to be me. Now, 50 years later, having had the experience of being the first asian trans man to come out in Vancouver, and having been part of the Lesbian and Gay community before the expansion of the acronym. I have left the community many times. Whatever makes us tick is individual choice. I have a warm heart for the community because I’ve witnessed its expansion. And because it comprises such an expanse of people, I get annoyed sometimes. As a spiritual teacher my commitment is to always be connected to joy, and to have fun.
What does “fun” mean for you?
T: Oh, I like that question. For me, fun is playfulness, silliness. Someone saying stupid silly things. Fun is what makes me laugh, anything from a bunch of flowers to jumping around in the wind, even sitcoms.
Can you share something you are really proud of, that you do for fun, or that brings you joy?
Leo: Most recently, I watched Across the Spider Verse, and it was so good. I got home and started drafting an essay about it.
Tien: Oh, excellent!
Leo: Which sounds ridiculous, but I do enjoy writing about film, I find it very fun often, and tying ideas together.
What was the essay about?
Leo: I was thinking about the inherent queerness of the multiverse, even in Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Across the Spider-Verse, and The Barbie Movie, and it’s so great because the multiverse is exploring every single option that there is, and I love seeing that included because that’s how it should be. I also got a new kind of tea that is delicious, jasmine thai tea. And I’ve been ice skating!
Ronnie: I’m most proud of seeing myself grow. I tend to be pretty critical of my work, but then when I look at my work from a year ago, I see that I’ve actually improved a lot. It makes me more motivated to keep making stuff, and keep doing the thing I love doing. Because there’s a part of my brain that always says, it’s not good enough, you’re not good enough, and so being able to see the progress I’ve made throughout the years, reminds me that it’s okay if I’m not good enough now, I can actually say to myself, you’re growing quite quickly.
There’s this quote from Ira Glass, and essentially he says it takes a long time for the quality of your work to catchup with your taste, which is so frustrating. You kind of have to suffer through making things not quite as well as you want to for a long time, in any medium. Figuring out what your niche is, is such a constant state of becoming.
Leo: There’s this quote from a short film director that I love where they say, you can’t make great stuff until you’ve made good stuff. You can’t make good stuff until you’ve made okay stuff, and you can’t make okay stuff until you’ve made some really bad stuff. It’s very true and it’s hard to remember when you’re in the making of it.
Tien: I think it’s a necessary part not just of human development or the human condition, but I like to call it our soul experience. Because we have to be able to dream big. Because if we all dream small, we wouldn’t expand at the capacity we have. The human condition is impatience about that big dream, and the whole lesson is to enjoy the journey of getting there, and not give yourself such a hard time about where you’re at.
With that in mind, let’s talk about the film you made. How did you get involved with Reel Youth and the Troublemakers film project?
Leo: Me and Ronnie found out about it on Instagram, and we both applied.
Tien: One of my big dreams is to have a movie made about my life, and for years people have been saying that I need a movie made about my life. So this was a good little step! And it was very organic; it just showed up in my inbox. Someone sent me a link to do this, and I said sure! A bunch of people nominated me as well.
Ronnie & Leo, what surprised you about working with Tien? And Tien, what surprised you about working with Ronnie & Leo?
Leo – I don’t think I could have been surprised, because I didn’t know what to expect in the first place. I’d never met a trans person over the age of twenty-something. It was really interesting. Now there’s more exposure of the internet to older trans people, so it makes it less novel. But being in person, being able to have a conversation with him, and realizing how many views around gender that we shared… I don’t know how to describe it. It was very nice, but that feels like an insufficient word.
Ronnie: I was mostly surprised with how easy and stress-free the whole process was. This was the most stress-free film project I’ve ever worked on, which is surprising because this project is so important to me, so I thought I’d go into it with more pressure on myself to make it really good. But it all worked out really well. From the first day we met and got to talk to Tien, I knew we were good, and it would work out great. So the process was the most surprising for me. And in talking with Tien, especially realizing our similar views on gender and gender fluidity, the concept of gender fluidity is presented as a new thing young people are coming up with, which obviously I know is not true, but to actually meet someone who is older who has had those same views for decades was really nice.
Tien: What was most remarkable was that there is a clarity and a lightness to both of them, which was refreshing. Even with the various challenges with individual lives, there was still a belief of faith, or knowing that it’s okay, it doesn’t need to be that hard. For me that makes me feel hopeful, and it also affirms that how we bring ourselves to any circumstance is really how it turns out. Being responsible for how you are in your life is the most important thing. Life will turn out because of who you are about it. So they have a level of self-accountability that is so respectable and honourable, and it’s not surprising, but it’s extremely delightful to discover that.
What do you think is important about making film as a queer person about queer people?
Leo: I really think that it’s genuine, and sometimes straight people can get away with telling a compelling story, but there’s more of a diversity of perspective within queer narratives told by queer people. It brings out the unique perspectives that show up in subtle ways because if you go through life differently than most other people, art is a reflection of your experiences and your worldview.
Ronnie: On top of that, it provides queer and trans artists with a platform to tell their own stories because the stories queer and trans people choose to tell about themselves are going to be different than from a cis-hetero lens.
Tien: Representation obviously matters, and there is a reliability that is just there when it’s told by people who have had cross-over and similar experiences. It speaks on a heart level. The more there is, it adds to the rich diversity of what’s available.
Leo: I feel like queerness, as with any marginalization, you’re forced to experience the world in different ways, and you’re forced to adapt, and it brings a lot of uniqueness and freshness to art in its entirety. Your very existence is going against normalcy. It forces you to become less afraid to experiment and try new things.
Something we hear as queer and trans people is that we’re unique, in the sense that we don’t learn about our culture and history from our parents or families-of-origin. Instead, we rely on the guidance and wisdom of older queers. Before working on this project, had you met many older queer folks before? If so, what were your relationships with them like?
Ronnie: I always think that knowing about history informs on why things are the way they are. And queer history is not very well documented. Like, Tien is the first Asian trans man to publicly transition in Vancouver. You don’t find that when you google it. Being part of documenting this part of history and making it more widely known is a big honour.
Tien: It’s funny, history, we don’t know it’s history while it’s happening. I’ve known I was the first, but hearing you (Ronnie) say it in this context is really quite moving. I love understanding and studying human anthropology. As human beings, we are tribal mammals, so we naturally exist in tribal cultures. So in any conventional family, there are elders, and as we are developing and creating queer communities, we are creating a tribe as well. I suddenly had this vision of all these queer people in an intergenerational sitcom. Cause when you’re a teen, you don’t have a flaming queen grandpa to tell you to stop being a bitch. So as we’re connecting, our mammal self really isn’t fed right now because that connection isn’t there to tell you to shut up and sit down and eat your rice.
Tien, do you have many queer youth in your life?
Tien: I do. I know lots of youth, and I’m very aware that the new generations are freer beings because we are now busting out of the old paradigms we lived in. I know it’ll happen over the next 50 years. The difference in being able to work closely with Ronnie and Leo was really significant for me. There was an honour and acknowledgement of the challenges and pain that I’ve been through. And the isolation of the first 15 years of my transition, I was torn apart, even by queer and trans people, because of racism. It is very beautiful to be seen and heard and respected.
Leo: I think that being queer can be an isolating experience, and hopefully, with more representation, there’s more opportunity for connection like this, more connection in general! It broadens our understanding of what queerness is and what it can be.
Tien: Film is becoming bigger and bigger as an impactful resource and tool because we process film through many different senses. As we know as human beings, the more senses are hit, you receive the information on a whole different level, and you remember a whole lesson learned. So when we can share really valuable stories, it’s important to be responsible about how we leave our audiences and how we tell that story. We need to bring them to a place where they’re left in light rather than in sadness and despair. It doesn’t forward the conversation and keeps the oppressive cycle alive. In reaction to somebody’s hatred, the most revolutionary thing you can do is to respond in light and with joy. Otherwise, the fighting back continues to keep the haters alive. If we’re able to respond in light and curiosity, that shifts the dynamic completely. It leaves the perpetrators with education.
Ronnie: Going back to the question about queer and trans people making queer and trans films, even though our experiences are different, we understand how it feels to be isolated and rejected. For myself, that’s why I put so much emphasis on being respectful. I want to tell the story of the life-saving power of joy. I think the film is what it is because we understand how that feels and the importance of it.
You can watch all Troublemakers 7.0 films including Becoming Queer Joy by Ronnie and Leo, and featuring Tien online until during the 35th anniversary Vancouver Queer Film Festival.
