LA MILITANCE GAIE À MONTRÉAL (1976-1984)

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Interview with Gilbert Higgins, one of the 146 victims of the police raid on the Truxx, a gay bar on Stanley Street in Montreal, on the night of October 22, 1977. The reaction it triggered became one of the precursor events to the creation of what was first called Le Village de l’Est (in contrast to the gay bar sector west of downtown), then Le Village gai, and now simply Le Village.

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Interview with Gregory Rowe, who came from Western Canada to settle in Montreal in 1983. In addition to his comments on his experience in the English-speaking part of the gay movement, he gives a poignant account of his resilience in the face of the HIV crisis (which he has been carrying for 37 years), and his involvement in organizations that support HIV-positive people.

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Hiko, 11, runs away from a neighborhood party after a disagreement with his mother over his refusal to wear makeup. He stumbles upon a mysterious circus tent, where an unexpected encounter reshapes his perception of himself. This magical adventure compels him to face his choices and explore his own identity.

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A sometimes-eerie romp through the mysterious life of Ponygirl, superhero of the night. Ponygirl has special powers, extra-ordinary props and a unique way of moving through the world. Will poignancy and humor prevail?

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Madonna Swimming is a video work created from footage of Madonna's music videos, Madonna is a cultural figure of excess, and her iconography appropriated from a saturated visual culture. This video collects the leaking Madonna, her images of sexuality and religion, and ultimately presents a more ambiguous product.

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Stéphane’s sister attempts once more to convince him that he suffers from HIV/AIDS. This time, however, she has no intention of forcing him to go to a hospital. She has something different in mind...

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A remix of sounds and images from the Prelinger Archives that feature fashion trends.

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After the 100th 'The Thursday Testo,' (TTT), the tri-linguistic references such as the Roman and Korean (Hangeul) alphabets and the Japanese syllabic (Katana) alphabet of the word TRANS on a comedy sketch by Kě.

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By opening forgotten boxes in the Montreal Gay Archive Center, fragments of history from the LGBTQIA2S+ community are rediscovered. Among them are Michael and René, the first gay couple to get married in Canada, Linda and Catherine, two owners of the lesbian bar Le Kiev, and Kimura, multidisciplinary artists of diverse origins. The portraits of these diverse characters bear witness to the diversity of Montreal's queer communities.

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The director revisits a pivotal period of his life, marked by frequent one-night stands. By exploring the complexities of his sexual orientation and the dynamics of his interpersonal relationships, the film immerses us in the era of hook-ups, where fleeting intimacy and the search for identity intertwine.

FeatureVIRTUAL EXCLUSIVE

“Ladies and well … gender is a spectrum.” Eddie Starwalker aka Star (Dillan Chiblow) is an Oji-Cree call boy whose life takes a fateful turn when he meets handsome Levi (Jeffrey Michael Follis), then watches his drag show at the House of Borealis, awakening the call to his two-spirit identity. Corey Payette’s musical delivers dynamic performances with Indigenous storytelling and drumming songs craftfully weaved among themes of queer joy, resilience, and self-determination. Contrasted by the rainy climate and industrial scenes of East Vancouver, the campy magic of the fictional drag club—run by Mother Borealis (Stewart Adam McKensy)—burns bright with punchy numbers featuring its star, Star, learning how to apply make-up and shop for dresses, proud despite the scornful gaze of shopkeepers. Then, the stage lights give way to some of the darker shadows of drag life—from addiction, to backstage rivalry, to discrimination from the health care system—as tragedy strikes Star’s newfound home and he begins to collapse under the pressure. Faced with his past—namely, the trauma of racism—Star longs to reconnect with his roots, and also to learn, for the first time, what it means to show up for family.

Feature

The dangers of the past come in many forms. Two estranged Mi’kmaw siblings confront old animosities in an ancient forest, both in desperate need of healing. In their quest to rid themselves of the lingering evil that haunts them, they encounter the trail of their ancestors—and of their former selves. Mise’l (Blake Alec Miranda) is working a grueling shift when the jukebox warbles to life and an ominous presence from their childhood reveals itself, still capable of inflicting its wounds. Desperate, they seek out their younger brother, Antle (Forrest Goodluck). A task that requires them to part from their supportive partner and return home after many years away. Begrudgingly, their brother agrees to the journey, worried for his daughter’s safety if he does nothing, and they set out on a time-spanning mission. Elders are consulted. Strange creatures stalk them. Kinship is tested. The two heading deeper and deeper into nature at its most nurturing, and most menacing. From Bretten Hannam, the Two-Spirit L'nu filmmaker behind 2021’s acclaimed Wildhood (Opening Film I+N34, 2021), this is a ghost story of the highest order—equal parts eerie and edifying, and utterly unforgettable.