PROGRAMME
bradford queer film festival 2024 will take place from november 21-24 AT VENUES ACROSS bRADFORD CITY CENTRE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SATURDAY NIGHT SOCIAL WHICH TAKES PLACE AT GO BOWLING, SHIPLEY.
All events take place at common space, bd1 unless otherwise specified.
ALL BQFF VENUES HAVE STEP FREE ACCESS, WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TOILETS, QUIET SPACES AND REFRESHMENTS.
THURSDAY November 21
19:00- PICTUREVILLE BAR OPEN
19:30- LAYLA @ Pictureville
Amrou Al-Kadhi, UK, 90:00, English & Arabic
When Layla, a British-Palestinian drag performer performs an iconic and outrageous act at a painful corporate Pride event, they catch the eye of Max, a straight laced advertising executive. As their romance develops, trouble in paradise soon arrives and Layla is torn between worlds, what will they do for love? For themselves? For happiness? A love letter to friendship, community and being true to yourself, Layla is a poignant exploration of how love alters our lives and an essential story for our time.
Amrou Al-Kadhi will join us in person for a very special Q&A after the screening.
FRIDAY November 22
12:30-13:15 - LUNCHTIME SHORTS
Nicole
Julia Aner, France, 21:41, French
Nicole, a dancer with an ageing body, meets Maria, the company's new choreographer who will help her with her last performance.
Differ3nt Today
stefa marin alarcon, USA, 4:18, English
A dreamy music video of collaged home video clips showcasing joy, community and intimacy. Described by the filmmaker as a T4T love tapestry.
Spiral
Juliet Belisario, Canada, 2:24, no dialogue
Jae and Leo spend a night out together, and a morning apart in this experimental short.
Pineapple
Sophie Saville, Australia, 14:00, English
After discovering her new next-door neighbour is an old flame; an older, more confident Sarah decides to pursue her again, but is the one who got away worth the wait?
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13:30-14:30
Velipadu
Jijo Jessy Kuriakose, India, 25:00, Malayalam
Against the sensory landscape of central Kerala Johnny, a soon-to-be priest must navigate his way out of his dissonant life towards self-discovery.
Angle Of Our Wrists
Rémi Dayre, France, 30:00, French
When Theo arrives at Notre-Dame-des-Roses, Jean's world is turned upside down. Confident in the institution that claims to cure him of his homosexuality, he is fascinated by this new resident who seems determined to follow no rules.———————————————————————————————————————
14:45-15:30 BORN WITH AN EXTRA RIB
USA, 40:00, English & Spanish
A unique audio and visual journey described by the filmmakers as an 'operatic biomythography for the diasporic and dysphoric, longing to find a body & a place to call home.'
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16:15-17:30 SHORTS @ CUBBY BROCCOLI
Pigeons Are Dying While The City Is On Fire
Stavros Markoulakis, Greece, 21:00, Modern Greek
On the warmest day of the year, two boys meet. A few hours later a pigeon gets trapped with them. During this heatwave, all creatures dream of escaping from the city that's burning.
Ticino Summer
Andreas C. Meier, Switzerland, 17:10 ,Swiss German
Chris has just been fired, dumped and has had enough of his cramped city life. He travels to a remote valley in Ticino, Switzerland, to think. There, he meets Nico, a lively young farmer who repeatedly disturbs and challenges him.
Saigon Kiss
Hong Ahn Nguyen, Vietnam, 22:00, Vietnamese
Mo roams through the rush hour traffic to avoid an unwanted phone call. When she meets Vicky by the side of the street with her broken motorbike, a visceral chance encounter unfolds between the two young queer women on the loud streets of Saigon.
The Sketch
Tomas Cali, France, 8:00, French & Portuguese
A re-staging and recounting of the director's meeting with fellow transgender immigrant Linda Demorrir and their concurrent artistic explorations at a life drawing class.
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18:00-19:45 - Striking With Pride: United At The Coalface @ CUBBY BROCCOLI
Ashley Francis-Roy, UK, 91:00, English
Between 1984 and 1985 an unlikely alliance was forged between the gay men and lesbians of London and the striking miners of South Wales. This powerful new documentary narrated by the one and only Tayce is a love letter to compassion, community and taking it to the streets.
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20:00-22:00- Teaches of Peaches
Philipp Fussenegger & Judy Landkammer, Germany, 102:00, German & English
Through a collage of archival footage and new material filmed during The Teaches of Peaches Anniversary Tour in 2022, this brand new documentary captures the energy, impact and legacy of a true culture maker. Audiences are invited to take an intimate look at the person behind the music and to celebrate the unwavering genius of feminist and bisexual icon Peaches.
PEACH TEA
We have commissioned the wonderful Sonia Sandhu to create a peaches inspired meal for all attendees to enjoy.
Sonia is a Bradford born & based chef, artist and producer. Her plant forward menus are global-inspired, thoughtfully prepared, seasonal, and vibrant.
She has catered for retreats, gatherings, gigs, weddings, theatre and installation art shows, and teaches regular mindfulness through bread-making classes with sanctuary seekers. She co-runs Edible Archives, an emerging arts company, creating multi-sensorial art installations which incorporate telling heritage stories through playful menus, sound and set.
As a long time Peaches enthusiast (of both performer AND fruit) this is a perfect collaboration with BQFF. Sonia says 'I will be creating a peach themed dream of delicious and surprising morsels, alongside this documentary which weaves through live footage and interviews with the fierce and iconic Peaches. Come and indulge!'
22:30-2:00 Peaches Party
Stick around as we continue to celebrate the legendary Peaches the best way we know how- on the dancefloor! With performances and DJ’s inspired by the musical star.
Entry to the Peaches Party event is included in tickets to the Teaches of Peaches screening & meal. Tickets can also be purchased for the Peaches Party as a stand alone event.
SATURDAY November 23
11:45-12:30 - ANI-GAY-TION
The return of our uber popular animation programme, come and cast your vote for the Audience Choice Animation Award!
I Know Him So Well
Chance Calloway, USA, 4:29, English
The jewel-toned animation of queer teenage love is chronicled by guitar-playing mermen and the stunning vocals.
Every Romance Ends Like This
Marco Aurélio Gal, Brazil, 14:34, Portuguese
Bandaged is about to launch a book he wrote about his breakup at the biggest literary event ever, BasicCon. There, the police are causing riots over censorship on LGBTIA+ books, but no commotion is bigger than his ex showing up unannounced.
Rainbow Junktion
Nam Crame, UK, 9:45, English
A celebration of Leeds based food-bank Rainbow Junktion with original interviews and reflections providing an intimate insight into the running and operations of the food-bank celebrating the people who make it happen.
DragFox
Lisa Ott, UK, 8:00, English
Sam's search for identity gets interrupted by a mysterious neighbourhood fox- voiced by Sir Ian McKellen. Together they embark on a magical journey to the attic to discover the things they might have in common, and how to celebrate the ways in which they differ.
The Sketch
Tomas Cali, France, 8:00, French & Portuguese
A re-staging and recounting of the director's meeting with fellow transgender immigrant Linda Demorrir and their concurrent artistic explorations at a life drawing class.
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13:00-15:00 - TOO DESI TOO QUEER @ CUBBY BROCCOLI
There Are Things To Do
Mike Syers, USA 18:00, English
A stirring documentary exploring the life and work of LGBTQIA+ icon, Urvashi Waid, a lesbian woman of colour who helped shape the modern gay rights movement
Night Queens
Naireeta Dasgupta, India, 30:00, Hindi
Caught between societal norms and an identity crisis, Lakshmikant’s life takes an unexpected turn as he confronts his family about his true desires
TAPS
Arvind Caulagi, India, 16:00, Hindi
A simple misunderstanding puts Akshay and Rohan’s domestic bliss on to a rocky path. Set over the course of an evening, the couple tries to find a way to reconnect
Love +
Tushar Tyagi, India, 18:00, Hindi & English
A charming and sweet love story about a couple trying to come to terms with a changing dynamic in their relationship.
Malwa Kusha
Preeti Kanungo & Sourav Yadav, India, 20:00 Hindi
Coming of age story of two sisters Malwa and Khushan exploring and experiencing sexuality and attraction in their adolescent year.
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15:15-16:45 - GO FISH @ CUBBY BROCCOLI
Rose Troche, USA, 83:00, English
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17:10-18:00
VENERALIA
Kate Canning & Abi Welsh, UK, 5:17, English
Queer pleasure meets body horror in this celebration of historically villainised women.
PIECHT
Luka Lara Steffen, Germany, 30:00, German
For 17-year-old Johanna, a vacation in idyllic Piecht is anything but relaxing. While her mother dreams of an ecological alternative life, a real nightmare unfolds for Johanna as she is confronted with a far-right community and their backwards ideas. She bravely tries to get to the bottom of what is happening, but encounters brutal resistance.
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18:15-19:30
SISTER WIVES
Louisa Connolly-Burnham, UK, 28:00, English
Set in a polygamous society in 2003 Utah, Kaidence and Galilee find themselves bound to one another, under the same roof, in the same marriage, as they develop scary, new, exciting feelings for each other.
MALCOLM
Caleb J. Roberts, Ireland, 11:31,English
In the aftermath of an emotionally abusive relationship, a man seeks couples counselling with a sock puppet in place of his ex-boyfriend, Malcolm.
CARPOBRUTAS
Simon Frenay, France, 22:00, French
A stunning and sensual film following 3 friends looking for freedom and connection against a stunning Mediterranean backdrop exploring fantasy desire and romance.
ANGELO
Helias Doulis, Greece, 13:10, no dialogue
In 1990s Athens, Angelo, an Albanian young man working at a record store, is eager to begin anew. A fleeting encounter with a client draws him into a world that feels strangely familiar. But will that cost him much?
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20:00 SATURDAY SOCIAL @ GO BOWLING, SHIPLEY!
DEATH & BOWLING
Lyle Kash, USA, 64:00, English
Struggling actor X's lesbian bowling league, Lavender League Bowling Club, is the only thing keeping his head in the right lane as he faces his daily struggles. However, when the team's matriarch passes away, X finds himself on a new journey.
SUNDAY November 24
10:30-12:00 SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP W/ KAMAL KAHN
11:00-12:30 - D.E.B.S (20TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING) @ CUBBY BROCCOLI
Angela Robinson, USA, 91:00, English
Recruited via a secret test hidden in the SAT’s, the D.E.B.S are an elite espionage outfit. When they’re tasked with bringing down infamous supervillain Lucy Diamond, romance quickly gets in the way. A complete and utter camp classic and an unmissable romp for fans of all things action.
Part of Film Hub North’s Art of Action Series.
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13:00-14:00
Pineapple (international premiere)
Sophie Saville, Australia, 15:00, English
After discovering her new next-door neighbour is an old flame; an older, more confident Sarah decides to pursue her again, but is the one who got away worth the wait?
Where Are All The Gay Superheroes
Tom Paul Martin, UK, 14:52, English
Professional superheroes Sterling & Meridian have finished another tough day of fighting crime and find themselves sharing a rare moment alone.
Lay-By
Stuart Armstrong, UK, 5:00, English
Married man Barry gets more than he bargains for when he secretly attempts his first gay hook-up...
Sanaa,Seductress of Strangers
Jan Eilhardt, Germany, 3:00, German
For years, Sanaa has been working as a tour guide in the Berlin district of Wedding. But work is not enough to satisfy her.....
Fortune Favours The Fantabulous
Emmanuel Li, UK, 24:30, English
Eccentric, non-binary fortune teller, conjurer and runaway Fei Liu lives and performs out of a tent in the middle of the marshes. Over the course of three days, figures and phantoms of present and past penetrate Fei's tent and plague their subconscious, threatening to unravel their way of life and throwing their own future - and grip on reality - into turmoil.
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14:15-15:00
THE NAPE
Yura KIM, Republic of Korea, 25:40, Korean
Da-ye quits her job as a teacher and returns to her hometown. She begins to help her mother, who has been forced to close the English academy she runs because of the COVID-19 outbreak, when she comes across a student who is two months behind in his payments.
FEMME DISTURBANCE
Conor Baird, UK, 24:57, English
An investigation into a closeted adolescence, its surrounding family dynamic and the empowering figure of the Action Heroine.
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15:30-17:00 TOPS W/ DIRECTOR Q&A @ CUBBY BROCCOLI
Ames Pennington, UK, 71:00, English
Self-proclaimed future award winning documentary filmmaker Ames Pennington presents their landmark documentary series, TOPS. Asking the question that defines the trans masc experience in the UK today: “What TOP did you wanna wear after TOP surgery?”
Ames will join us in person for a post screening Q&A hosted by Kit Heyem. Kit (they/he) is a writer and historian and a co-organiser of Leeds Queer Film Festival. They are the author of Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender and a nominee for the Lambda Literary Award in Transgender Nonfiction.
17:30-19:30 CLOSING FILM @ CUBBY BROCCOLI
QUEENS OF DRAMA
Alexis Langlois, France, 110:00 French
Pop diva Mimi Madamour's career peaks in 2005 before spiralling downwards due to her tumultuous love affair with punk icon Billie Kohler, their passionate and fuelled relationship playing out on stage for half a century.
