HOUSTON INTL LGBTQ FILM FEST 07.26-30.18 2018
$50 QPASS Visit q-fest.com to purchase a 2018 pass!
A QPass does not guarantee admission. Seating is first come, first served. TABLE OF CONTENTS
02: PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
03: VENUES & ADMISSION
06: SPONSORS & VENUES
07: SPECIAL THANKS
10: WELCOME FROM DIRECTOR
12: OPENING NIGHT
13-14: FRIDAY SCREENINGS
15-19: SATURDAY SCREENINGS
20-23: SUNDAY SCREENINGS
24: CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTED BY SPECTRUM SOUTH PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
THURSDAY, JULY 26 5:30PM | They Directed by Anahita Ghazvinizadeh OPENING NIGHT MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON ($10) 7:30PM The Miseducation of Cameron Post 6:30PM | Directed by Desiree Akhavan The Story of the Stone Directed by Starr Wu MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON ($10) RICE CINEMA ($10)
/// AFTER PARTY /// 7PM | Sidney & Friends 9:30PM–MIDNIGHT | BRASIL CAFE Directed by Tristan Aitchison HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE (Free) FRIDAY, JULY 27 7PM | Reinventing Marvin 9PM | He Loves Me Directed by Anne Fontaine Directed by Konstantinos Menelaou RICE CINEMA ($10) RICE CINEMA ($10)
7PM | The Heiresses SUNDAY, JULY 29 Directed by Marcelo Marinessi MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON ($10) 12PM | Dear Fredy Directed by Rubi Gat RICE CINEMA (Free) 7:30PM | CALL ME sis Directed by Lee Sang-Woo ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER ($10) 1:30PM | Grey Violet—Odd One Out Directed by Reeta Aalto 9:30PM | Kill the Monsters RICE CINEMA ($10) Directed by Ryan Lonergan RICE CINEMA ($10) 2PM | Cracking Nuts Directed by Tolgay Hiçyilmaz RICE CINEMA ($10) SATURDAY, JULY 28 12PM | The Sign for Love 4PM | Air DirecteAd by Iris Ben Moshe Directed by Anatol Schuster RICE CINEMA (Free) RICE CINEMA ($10)
12:30PM | Se ñ orita Maria, la Falda 6PM | Misty Eyes de la Montana Directed by Cristián Pellegrini Directed by Rubén Mendoza RICE CINEMA ($10) RICE CINEMA ($10)
8PM | 1:30PM | This Spring The School of the Holy Beast Directed by Nicolas Gerifaud Directed by Noribumi Suzuki RICE CINEMA (Free) RICE CINEMA ($10)
3PM | The Year I Lost My Mind MONDAY, JULY 30 Directed by Tor Iben CLOSING NIGHT RICE CINEMA RICE CINEMA ($10) Presented by Spectrum South
7PM | Festival Awards Ceremony 5PM | Tempting Devils (3D) Directed by Jean-Claude Brisseau 7:30PM | 1985 | Directed by Yen Tan STUDIO MOVIE GRILL PEARLAND ($12) 9PM | Festival Reception
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ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON 1370 Southmore Blvd. Brown Auditorium/Caroline Weiss Houston, TX 77004 Law Building/1001 Bissonnet 713.496.9901 Houston, TX 77005 713.639.7300
AURORA PICTURE SHOW RICE CINEMA 2442 Bartlett Rice Media Center/University Houston, TX 77098 Blvd. at Stockton Dr. Entrance 8 713.868.2101 Houston, TX 77005 713.348.4853
BRASIL CAFE STUDIO MOVIE GRILL PEARLAND 2604 Dunlavy 8440 S Sam Houston Pkwy E, Houston, TX 77006 Houston, TX 77075 713.528.1993 713.821.2400
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE 4807 Caroline Houston, TX 77004 713.526.1015
Limited quantities. Available for purchase online through July 18. Remaining QPasses will be made available for purchase July 25 during the QFest Launch Party. QPasses $50 may be picked up during the QFest Launch Party, during Opening Night starting at 6PM at the QFest Information Table, and at Rice Media Center beginning Friday, July 27 QPASS at 6PM. A QPass does not guarantee admission. Seating is first come, first served.
QPass holders should arrivae no later than 15 minutes prior to showtime to better ensure seating availability. QPasses will not be accepted for admission to Opening Night. Individual tickets may be purchased in advance online or same day at the door. Tickets for sreenings taking place at Aurora Picture Show, MFAH, ASTC, will need to be purchased directly from venue, either online or at the door. *All tickets purchased online will be available for pick up at the venue day of the performance.
VENUES + ADMISSION The Houston Film Commission Proudly Salutes The 22nd Annual QFest & The 2018 Selected Films
Houston Film Commission www.houstonfilmcommission.com The Houston Film Commission Proudly Salutes The 22nd Annual QFest & The 2018 Selected Films
THE ORCHARD
Houston Film Commission www.houstonfilmcommission.com SPONSORS + VENUES
SPONSORS
MORENA ROAS DA ARTIST
VENUES
6 q-fest.com spectrumsouth.com 7 Jennifer Marie Alfaro Sarah Baker—MFAH Ahshia Berry—Magpies & Peacocks Boheme Rachel Boyle—Rice Cinema Russell Brown Alfred Cervantes—Houston Film Commisson Rachel Cook—DiverseWorks Blase DiStefano—OutSmart Magazine Charles Dove—Rice Cinema Elodie Dupont—The Festival Agency Xandra Eden—DiverseWorks Mark Eggleston—Resurrection MCC Dan Fergus—Brasil Cafe ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | Rick Ferguson—Houston Film Commission KRISTIAN SALINAS Fresh Arts Jennifer Gardner—DiverseWorks GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR | Nancy Gerstman—Zeitgeist Films MARY LAMPE Ray Gomez—MFAH VOLUNTEER/SPECIAL EVENT Camillo Gonzalez—Aurora Picture Show COORDINATOR | MariAlice Grime—MFAH STEPHANIE SAINT SANCHEZ Joey Guerra—The Houston Chronicle John Guess—HMAAC SOCIAL MEDIA | Gulf Coast Filme & Video Festival STEPHANIE BROWN Houston Asian American Film Showcase Houston Asian American Pacific Islander DESIGN | JR DANIEL Film Festival (HAAP) Brian Huberman—Rice Cinema 35MM PROJECTION | Anna Julia—SWAMP KIRSTON OTIS Ralph Kaethner—MFAH Kevin Mark Kline—EDGE Media Network GENERAL MANAGER, SOUTHWEST Loco Films ALTERNATE MEDIA PROJECT | Jeanie Low CYBIL PALLUGNA-SAENZ Peter Lucas—Aurora Picture Show Marian Luntz—MFAH Mary Magsamen—Aurora Picture Show Jay Mays—Montrose Center Hannah McCabe Taylor Meraz A.J. Mistretta—Visit Houston Jila Mojtabai Michelle Mower–SWAMP Jenni Olson Cybil Pallugna-Saenz—SWAMP Eddie Rosenstein
SPECIAL THANKS
WELCOME TO QFEST
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THURSDAY, JULY 26 OPENING NIGHT 7PM | MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON
+ SHORTS | 7PM Mad as Hell DIRECTED BY EMILY PELSTRIN | 2017 | CANADA | 4:10 MIN In this expressive music video, 1940’s and 50’s animated war propaganda is used against itself as this feminist subversive piece that gives the finger to thewar-propa- gating government.
Fundamental DIRECTED BY SHIH-CHIEN CHUI | 2017 | TAIWAN | 7 MIN Having grown up in a conservative household, a young teenager begins to learn that the world isn’t so black and white as he leaves his fundamentalist religion behind.
+ FEATURE | 7:30PM The Miseducation of Cameron Post Cameron, a closeted senior in high school, is caught by her boyfriend making out with her best friend during prom. The embarrassing revelation results in Cameron being sent away by her conservative family to an isolated religiously based conversion ther- apy camp in the woods. Attempting to get through this ordeal by remaining hidden in the shadows, she finds herself both confronted by the more aggressive campers, who accuse her of thinking she’s better than everyone, and befriended by the two of the most resistant campers, Native American Adam, who was sent to camp by his politician father, and Jane Fonda, a mysterious young woman who, along with Adam, grows marijuana in the neighboring woods and hides her stash inside her prosthetic leg. Based on the book of the same name by Emily M. Danforth.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post DIRECTED BY DESIREE AKHAVAN 2018 | 90 MIN | USA | COLOR | FILMRISE
12 q-fest.com FRIDAY, JULY 27 | 7PM | RICE CINEMA
Reinventing Marvin (Marvin ou la belle education) Following a tumultuous childhood growing up with vicious bullying at school and physical threats at home from his older brother, Martin is awarded a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Paris for university, a chance arranged by his sympathetic principle. In Paris, Marvin reinvents himself as a playwright with the encouragement of an established playwright as his mentor, a wealthy Parisian as his financier/lover, andIsa- belle Huppert as his muse. Encouraged to reveal the details of his childhood in his newest work, Martin unexpectedly strikes gold. However, along with the success comes resentment, as Martin’s family very publicly denounces their portrayals as fabrications. Against the DIRECTED BY ANNE FONTAINE advice of others, Martin returns home 2017 | 115 MIN | FRANCE | COLOR to set the record straight. FRENCH AND ENGLISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES TF1 Studio
FRIDAY, JULY 27 | 7PM | MFAH (OUT OF COMPETITION)
The Heiresses (Las herederas) Chela and Chiquita have both grown accustomed to wealth from inheritance, but their financial situation recently soured, with increasing amounts of debts that cause them to sell their possessions and leads to Chiquita'simprisonment on charges of fraud. Chela, left with no support, begins using one of their only assets left, their car, to make extra money driving women around as a taxi service, driving wealthy older women. When Chela meets a younger woman who stills lives lavishly and freely, she begins to fantasize about new passions and escapes.
DIRECTED BY MARCELO MARINESSI 2018 | 97 MIN | PARAGUAY | COLOR SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
spectrumsouth.com 13 FRIDAY, JULY 27 | 7:30PM ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER
CALL ME sis Mi-ae, the middle aged mother of three and wife of a relatively prosper- ous bank executive grows increas- ingly frustrated by her two sons’ demeaning behavior towards her, her boorish husband’s unforgivable cheapness, and her own sadness at never having felt for herself the joys of true love, something she becomes acutely aware ofobserv- ing her estranged daughter’s loving relationship with another woman. After abruptly leaving a disastrous anniversary evening arranged by her thoughtless husband, Mi-ae meets the shy and kind Soo-nim, her youngest son’s schoolmate. Choosing instead to spend a long evening with Soo-nim rather than return home to DIRECTED BY LEE SANG-WOO the male members of her family, 2018 | 107 MIN | SOUTH KOREA | COLOR Mi-ae becomes irresistibly drawn to KOREAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES this gentle young woman, insisting that Soon-nim refer to her as sis. Print Courtesy of the Artist
FRIDAY, JULY 27 | 9:30PM RICE CINEMA Kill the Monsters Wealthy gay couple Patrick and Sutton agree to take in young, struggling Frankie, who is both intellectually vulnerable and easily susceptible to becoming physically ill from the stresses of daily life. Though things begin promisingly, it soon becomes clear that Frankie’s increas- ing malady requires the services of a specialist, one both Patrick and Sutton believe they’ll find inCalifor- nia. Dragging the ailing Frankie along on a cross country trip, Patrick and Sutton begin to experience their own stresses, resulting in a series of break-ups, make-ups, and ever-shift- ing allegiances. However, it becomes evident that the glue holding their unconventional relationship together is the gratification they all receive from partaking in overindulgences DIRECTED BY RYAN LONERGAN of any kind, particularly of the carnal 2017 | 78 MIN | USA | B&W variety. Print Courtesy of the Artist
14 q-fest.com SATURDAY, JULY 28 | 12PM RICE CINEMA The Sign for Love Elad and Iris are best friends who were both born deaf to hearing families. Despite being single, Iris becomes determined to be a mother, and asks Elad to be the father. Agreeing to Iris’ proposal, the two friends pursue their quixotic journey towards parenthood full of an optimism that must now endure their respective families’ resistance and their own grave miscalculations of what it takes to be parents. Print Courtesy of the Artist
DIRECTED BY IRIS BEN MOSHE & ELAN COHEN 2017 | 75 MIN | ISRAEL | COLOR HEBREW WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
SATURDAY, JULY 28 | 12:30PM RICE CINEMA Senorita Maria, la Falda de la Montana (Senorita Maria Skirting the Mountain) High in the mountains of rural Colombia lives María Luisa, a 45 year- old who was born male but identifies as a woman, living her life as one in her staunchly conservative, Catholic village. Shunned from birth and the subject of rumors that have swirled around her most of her life, María has found in her love for animals and her faith, a way of dealing with a world that has done nothing but despise her. Standing tall and proud, there is nothing powerful enough to wipe her smile away. Habanero Film Sales
DIRECTED BY RUBÉN MENDOZA 2017 | 90 MIN | COLUMBIA | COLOR SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
spectrumsouth.com 15 SATURDAY, JULY 28 | 1:30PM RICE CINEMA
The Spring (Au printemps tu verras) Deciding the time is finally right to come out to his friends and family, Nicolas brings his camera to record the responses of those near and dear after they each read letters he has written to share his life with them. When it comes to his immediate family, Nicolas expresses hesitation to his sister about moving forward with his plans, unsure of what to expect from his father, mother, and grandmother. Print Courtesy of the Artist
DIRECTED BY ANAHITA GHAZVINIZADEH 2017 | 63 MIN | FRANCE | COLOR FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
SATURDAY, JULY 28 | 3PM RICE CINEMA
The Year I Lost My Mind (Jahr des Tigers) Tom is a troubled young man who lives within a dark world of his own creation. Unable and unwilling to communicate with those around him, Tom seeks companionship through anonymous encounters in a public park. Unemployed, Tom scrapes by committing home burglaries with his only friend. During a break in, they discover the home owner sleeping undisturbed, an attractive intellectual who will soon become the unwitting target of the Tom’s growing obses- sion. However, the predator becomes the prey when a mysterious and frightening helmet-clad stranger appears, determined to drag Tom further into darkness. DIRECTED BY TOR IBEN Print Courtesy of the Artist 2017 | 85 MIN | GERMANY | COLOR GERMAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
16 q-fest.com SATURDAY, JULY 28 | 5PM STUDIO MOVIE GRILL PEARLAND Tempting Devils (Que le diable nous emporte) Camille, an erotic arts photographer, stumbles across a misplaced cell phone at the train station, on which she finds a series of very explicit videos, presumably shot by the phone’s missing owner. Back in Paris, Camille meets Suzy, the phone’s very photogenic owner. Intrigued by Camille’s photography, Suzy agrees to an impromptu photo session, which very quickly turns sensuous. Camille’s friend and lover, Clara, spies on both women, soon joining them in their lovemaking, all of whom are abruptly interrupted by Suzy’s distraught boyfriend. WTFilms
DIRECTED BY JEAN-CLAUDE BRISSEAU 2018 | 98 MIN | FRANCE | COLOR | 3D FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
SATURDAY, JULY 28 | 5:30PM | MFAH (OUT OF COMPETITION) They Fourteen year old J, going by the pronoun "they," is on hormone blockers, giving time to decide whether to transition. While their parents are away, the doctor tells J that they need to come to a decision soon. J's sister Lauren and her Iranian partner Araz come into town to help take care of J, not knowing of the impending decision, with issues from the past arising as each of the three have to make crucial decisions.
DIRECTED BY ANAHITA GHAZVINIZADEH 2017 | 80 MIN | USA & QATAR | COLOR ENGLISH & PERSIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
spectrumsouth.com 17 SATURDAY, JULY 28 | 6:30PM RICE CINEMA The Story of Stone Josh, a horny new arrival to Taipei’s gay party scene, quickly falls in with the muscle boy crowd surround- ing “Miss” Fong, proprietor of local hotspot Stone Bar, where Fong quickly enlists Josh as one of his Golden Boys, a posse of hotties hired to “entice” patrons to spend money at the bar. Lin, a shy florist who has set up shop under Stone bar following the death of his longtime boyfriend to AIDS, attracts Josh’s attention. Still devastated by his loss, Lin is quick to rebuff Josh, though Josh remains persistent. Sean, a well-heeled beef- cake who has just opened a high end men’s boutique nearby and a friend of Miss Fong, quickly sets his sights on Josh, seducing him with kindness rather than sex. Unaware of Sean’s DIRECTED BY STARR WU motives, Josh gradually falls prey to 2018 | 106 MIN | TAIWAN | COLOR his charms, resulting in a devastating CHINESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES outcome for Lin. Print Courtesy of the Producer
SATURDAY, JULY 28 | 7PM | HMAAC
Sidney & Friends Sidney, who was born intersex to a family in Western Kenya, was forced to flee to Nairobi after his family, convinced he was possessed by demons who wanted to make him a man, attempted to murder him. Forced from slum to slum and sub- jected to beatings and humiliation at the hands of strangers, Sidney’s life changes for the better once he met a group of transgender friends. Filmed over the course of three years, Sidney and his friends share their life stories with poignancy and humor. Print Courtesy of the Artist
18DIRECTEDq-fest.com BY TRISTAN AITCHISON 2018 | 75 MIN | UK | COLOR & B&W SWAHILI & ENGLISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES 18 q-fest.com SATURDAY, JULY 28 COMPETITION SHORTS 7:30PM | AURORA PICTURE SHOW
COMPETITION SHORTS: DO QUEERS DREAM OF NEON SHEEP? QFest and Aurora co-present this curated program of short films told through queer imaginations and reconciliations, and spanning a wide array of genres and tones. Queer themes and identities are explored through narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated shorts from around the world.
Sky Room Contact MARIANNA MILHORAT | USA | 5:55 LÉA BANCELIN | FRANCE | 5:34 Someone is missing. Plants grow, but at what After an unintentional phone call, Marie cost? Technology threatens and seduces as looks back on her relationship with Anne. humans attempt to solve a mystery through telepathy and mirrors Initiation DIRECTED BY MARIO OROZCO | MEXICO | 3:08 Bad Bed The process of creation of a writer on an VAL HILDALGO | ARGENTINA | 8:22 oniric situation. Two woman try to make their relationship work, but know there’s only one taking The Two Halves control, while the other is falling out of love. GWENN JOYAUX | ARGENTINA, PORTUGAL | 3:40 Finding love after being loved could be tricky—usually we replace someone with A girl was cut in two when she was born, somebody, trying to fill it all again. but only one half made it through. The half Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. with the head survived, as earthworms do.
White Bedrooms Lac de plumes GABRIEL MORAN | SPAIN | 3:16 EMILY PELSTRING | CANADA | 4:10 The most important moment of the In this music video for IDALG, a woman thoughts and emotions of a man who smokes and waits for a phone call. In anoth- strives for the warm arrival of his partner. er forestial world, accessed through a magic jewelry box, a snake maneuvers through minerals and plant life. The two worlds Duo Impact gradually merge as the body of the woman MOLLY HARDING, MIRANDA EVERINGHAM and snake become intertwined. & ALEXANDRA NAGY | CUBA | 7:49 This documentary shines a light on the work done by a lesbian couple who Dead. Tissue. Love. NATASHA AUSTIN-GREEN | UK | 9:48 perform female to male drag, examining two women's efforts to challenge gender This intimate experimental documentary expectations in rural Havana. explores the individual character of a female necrophile, as she journeys and recounts her life experiences, sexual awakening and how Enzo she expresses her sexuality, whilst hiding it SERENA PORCHER-CARLI | FRANCE | 7:23 from a society that puts a demonised face on A cozy and intimate documentary a human figure. focusing on a trans-man living in France.
Tristan Onward Lossless Follows MICHAEL ROBINSON | USA | 16:45 SONAM LARCIN & GASPARD GRANIER BELGIUM | 11:03 A password-protected love affair, a little Tristan and his husband had a little girl vapor on Venus, and a horse with no name together, but when he arrives to the ride out in search of a better world. Against nursery, Tristan realizes that not everyone the mounting darkness, a willing abduction sees his paternity the way he does. offers a stab at tomorrow.
Dances RAMON WATKINS | AUSTRALIA | 5:22 A collection of true experiences on dating apps from the queer community, explored through dance and animation. spectrumsouth.com 19 SATURDAY, JULY 28 | 9PM RICE CINEMA
He Loves Me Convinced a holiday away from the city will help mend their rocky relationship, two young men hitchhike to a remote seaside enclave, filling their days and nights with passionate lovemaking in the crystal clear water, and excursions into the rocky outcrops for sensuous alone time under the sun. But things gradually take a turn when the doubts they left behind catch up to them, leading to an emotionally charged confrontation that will either result in the crumbling of their already fragile relationship, or an opportunity to once again discover the spark that united them in the first place. Print Courtesy of the Artist
DIRECTED BY KONSTANTINOS MENELAOU 2017 | 72 MIN | UK | COLOR
SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 12PM RICE CINEMA Dear Fredy Fredy Hirsch was born in Germany, a proud Jew and an openly gay man whose athleticism gained him a spot on Germany’s gymnastics team in the 1936 Olympics, but who’s Jewish ancestry would result in his disqualification under Hitler. Though he would eventually end up in Auschwitz, interviews with survivors who knew Hirsch reveal all he did to protect children imprisoned inside the concentration camps. Earning the respect of his fellow prisoners, he would eventually plot a revolt with members of the Auschwitz underground, a plan that never came to pass as a result of his mysterious death. Erez Laufer Films
DIRECTED BY RUBI GAT 2017 | 74 MIN | ISRAEL | COLOR & B&W CZECH & HEBREW WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
20 q-fest.com SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 1:30PM RICE CINEMA Grey Violet—Odd One Out Following Putin’s total clampdown on free expression, and a renewed threat towards the safety of LGBTQ individuals by his supporters, Grey Violet, a queer political activist decides he must leave Russia and seek political asylum in Europe. As he proceeds through the arduous and sometimes fraught process, interviews back in Russia with his concerned mother provide a personal glimpse into the devastating impact caused by the lack of human rights. NapaFilms
DIRECTED BY REETA AALTO 2017 | 54 MIN | FINLAND | COLOR RUSSIAN & FINNISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 2PM | RICE CINEMA
Cracking Nuts Vahide, a 29-year-old woman is at a troubling crossroads. After putting an end to a painful relationship back in Istanbul, Vahide returns to the rural Black Sea region of Turkey, her father’s homeland. Living with her religiously conservative aunt, tensions begin immediately for Vahide, provoked by her green hair and her complete lack of concern or respect for the traditions that structure the lives of both her extended family and their fellow villagers. However, after unintention- ally stumbling upon a secret kept by her younger cousin Saliha, Vahide finds herself increasingly consumed by her cousin’s secret life, while her own secrets are in danger of being exposed by her resentful aunt. Print Courtesy of the Artist DIRECTED BY TOLGAY HIÇYILMAZ 2018 | 93 MIN | TURKEY | COLOR TURKISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
spectrumsouth.com 21 SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 4PM | RICE CINEMA Air (Luft) Ne’er do well Louk finds herself in yet another predicament when she antagonizes a pair of hunters by chasing away their intended targets. While fleeing an inevitably nasty confrontation, Louk collides with studious, kind-hearted Manja, knocking them both to the ground. Thankful for Manja’s silence as the hunters approach, Louk exchanges a soft kiss on Manja’s lips. Overcome by Louk’s gesture, Manja finds herself consumed by the volatile Louk, com- mitting acts that she would normally not do in order to remain close and to take care of this achingly lost soul. But Louk, haunted by her own tragic past, may not be capable of reciprocating Manja’s depth of emotions. Print Courtesy of the Producer DIRECTED BY ANATOL SCHUSTER 2017 | 91 MIN | GERMANY | COLOR GERMAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 6PM RICE CINEMA
Misty Eyes (Los Ojos Llorosos) Alice, a young journalist recently diagnosed with AIDS, becomes consumed by uncertainty as he begins his treatment. Making matters worse is his addiction to cocaine and his inability to open up to his own family. Seeking refuge in a former lover, Alice finds their reunion both comforting and afflicted by old habits that previously undermined their relationship. Alice realizes that any chance of survival will depend solely on his own willingness to open up to others for help, which in turn means he must also be open to the painful revelations of his loved ones. Print Courtesy of the Artist
DIRECTED BY CRISTIÁN PELLEGRINI 2018 | 100 MIN | ARGENTINA | COLOR SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
22 q-fest.com SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 8PM | RICE CINEMA 35 MM | (REVIVAL) The School of the Holy Beast Many years following the mysterious death of her mother, a young woman enters the nunhood at the Sacred Heart Convent in an attempt to learn the truth behind her mother’s demise, only to uncover far more than she intended, for behind these convent walls exists a depraved and corrupt world replete with sadistic nuns relishing in perversely abusive rituals, lecherous God-hating archbishops consumed by their lust for the flesh, and a brutal lesbian mother superior filled with hate and hypocrisy. Despite its intentionally sleazy and salacious overtones, director Noribumi Suzuki, a celebrated artisan of the “pinky” genre which is much loved in Japan, delivers undeniable moments ofgenuine DIRECTED BY NORIBUMI SUZUKI artistry and pure cinema. Long con- 1974 | 91 MIN | JAPAN | COLOR/ TOEISCOPE sidered one of the most exquisitely JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES realized films of the genre. Print Courtesty of Cult Epics
SUNDAY, JULY 29 | 9PM | RICE CINEMA
Housewife Alien vs. Gay Zombie Vahide, a 29-year-old woman is at a troubling crossroads. After putting an end to a painful relationship back in Istanbul, Vahide returns to the rural Black Sea region of Turkey, her father’s homeland. Living with her religiously conservative aunt, tensions begin immediately for Vahide, provoked by her green hair and her complete lack of concern or respect for the traditions that structure the lives of both her extended family and their fellow villagers. However, after unintention- ally stumbling upon a secret kept by her younger cousin Saliha, Vahide finds herself increasingly consumed by her cousin’s secret life, while her own secrets are in danger of being exposed by her resentful aunt. Print Courtesy of the Artist DIRECTED BY ANDREAS SAMUELSON 2017 | 95 MIN | SWEDEN | COLOR
spectrumsouth.com 23 MONDAY, JULY 30 | 7PM | RICE CINEMA CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTED BY SPECTRUM SOUTH
1985 DIRECTED BY YEN TAN 2018 | 85 MIN | USA | B&W | THE FILM COLLABOARATIVE
7PM | QFEST AWARDS CEREMONY Join us as we celebrate the Closing Night of QFest Houston 2018, presented by Spectrum South! The evening will include the festival’s official awards presentation including, Freedom of Vision Award, Best Picture, Best Direction, Best Performance, Best Screenplay, and Best Short Film.
7:30 PM | 1985 Set during one of the most traumatic periods of the AIDS crises, Adrian, a young man recently diagnosed with AIDS, leaves New York to visit his family for the Christmas holidays. Returning back to rural, conservative Texas also means returning to the closet. Nevertheless, knowing this will very likely be his last trip home, Adrian attempts to make amends not only with his doting mother and distant father, but also with his sensitive young brother, Andrew, who eventually confides to Adrian of feeling like an outcast, and with Carly, his best friend from high school who continues to resent Adrian for having left her behind without a word.
9PM | CLOSING NIGHT RECEPTION After the final screening of the 2018 QFest lineup, join us for drinks, dancing, and mixing and mingling with fellow queer film enthusiasts in the Rice Media Center lobby.
24 q-fest.com HUMP HUMP Full-service Entertaining at it’s Finest. CORPORATE | SOCIAL | WEDDINGS
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bradleydavidentertainment.com / 204 Marshal St #5 HTX 77006 / 713.487.6076