The Turin’s independent queer film festival DQFF returns to telling queer people’s stories.
The Divine Queer Film Festival, at seventh edition, for years has chosen the northern suburbs of the city of Turin as location in the spaces of the community hub in Via Baltea 3. DQFF explores the fluctuating themes of gender identities, disability and migration and aims to break down, through the language of film, the discrimination associated with them. Cinema becomes an opportunity for information, communication and education on issues that still become objects of prejudice and marginalization.
DEDICATED TO AUDRE LORDE WITH THE OPENING FILM THE BERLIN YEARS
DQFF is dedicated to Audre Lorde. Black woman, lesbian, mother and poet, she dedicated her existence and creative talent to confronting the injustices of racism, sexism, classism and homo-lesbo-bi-transphobia.
FRIDAY 14 APRIL 2023
19:00 Divine aperitif
20:30 OPENING CERIMONY
21:30 AUDRE LORDE – THE BERLIN YEARS 1984 to 1992 by Dagmar Schultz (Germany, 2012 –79’)out of competition – with the participation of Margherita Giacobino
The movie focuses on Audre Lorde’s relation to the German Black Diaspora, her literary as well as political influence, and is a unique visual document about the times the author spent in Germany. The film is also for coming generations a valuable historical document of German history, which tells about the development of an Afro-German movement and the origins of the anti-racist movement before and after the German reunification. The film relates the beginnings of these political debates and therefore facilitates a historical analysis and an understanding of present debates on identity and racism in Germany.
23:00 Divine drinks and chats
23:30 AMORƏ
al Bunker – via Paganini, Torino
Amorə is freedom of musical expression, the new electronic scene, underground hyperpop, kinky sounds and voguebeat about ’90. It’s musical homage to a subculture that shaped clubbing and international dance music. In a few words, it’s sexy music.
Those who attend the opening night of the Divine Queer Film Festival will receive a ticket to show at the Bunker valid as 5€ admission. Just ask our volunteers.
SATURDAY 15 APRIL 2023
15:00 IN HER WORDS: 20TH CENTURY LESBIAN FICTION by Lisa Marie Evans, Marianne K. Martin (USA, 2022 –100’)in competition
In Her Words: 20th Century Lesbian Fiction documents the history and impact of lesbian fiction from the1920s through the1990s. Narrator Lillian Faderman recounts the impact key world events had on LGBTQ history throughout the decades. With interviews from numerous trailblazing lesbian authors, including Ann Bannon, Rita Mae Brown, Jewel Gomez and Sarah Waters, we learn how these world events helped shape their stories and to what extent the stories were reflections of the authors’ own lives as they looked for affirmation and their place in the world.
16:40 PÉRIPHÉRIE by Thibault Bru (France, 2022 – 16’) in competition
Éva and Soraya are expecting a happy event. While she has just passed her term, Éva refuses to be triggered. Driving her car, the couple wanders on the Parisian ring road until Éva opens up about the situation she is going through.
16:55 M(OTHER)HOOD by Bea Goddard (UK, 2022 – 16’) in competition
Spring 2021 is a season of transformation for ex-dancer Jack López – a nonbinary, transmasculine parent of four children. Starting testosterone at 43 and readying himself for top surgery, it is a period of huge physical change, but Diego, Frida, Issac and Emilia see Jack as “mummy” whether he has a moustache or not. M(OTHER)HOOD shows an unfiltered but fragmentary perspective of the parent, using the children’s art, cinematography, and words to gain privileged access to their domestic sphere.
17:10 NOISE by Riley Church (UK, 2022 – 5’) in competition
A deaf girl navigates her daily life, looking to find a balance between silence and sound.
17:15 THE MINUTE I WAS BORN by Sina Moazzenizadeh (Canada, 2022 – 5’) in competition
An evocative and imaginative exploration of a non-binary person in a contemporary setting that reflects immigration and gender equality issues in the world today. This film tackles the symbolic gender equality and black oppression in the middle east and its infamous perspective. The violence and disrespect towards trans people in the world generally were caused by a lack of education. Broken people have saved broken people.
17:20 POOFTA by Andrew Blogg (Australia, 2022 – 20’) in competition
POOFTA: An offensive term used to vilify gay men. When a harmless encounter leads to a tense confrontation, a trailblazer for the LGBTIAQ+ community tries to intervene. Homophobia, internalized homophobia, anxiety & fear play out in post marriage equality Australia.
17:40 LA CASQUETTE by Hadi Moussally (France, 2022 – 3’) in competition
Hadi stares at the camera and begins to get dressed. As he prepares himself, he expresses his thoughts on the current situation, how much discrimination and amalgams weigh on him, he who wears the double stigmatizing hat of gay & Arab. What to do with this weight?
17:45 COMING OUT AUTISTIC by Steven Fraser (UK, 2022 – 4’) in competition
Coming out Autistic is a short animated documentary that explores the experience of telling the world that you are autistic when you also identify as LGBTQ+. Queer coming out stories are well documented, but the occurrence of telling friends, family, co-workers and strangers that you are autistic is less explored. Parallels with queer experiences are investigated and a wide range of individuals are interviewed to express the array of feelings and reactions that are encountered.
18:00 – in the aquarium of Via Baltea
VISIBILIO – by Alessandro Rivoir and Via Baltea
Opening of Alessandro Rivoir’s VISIBILIO exhibition featuring portraits of people who contributed to Baltea Lido’s fundraising campaign.
18:15 Dibattito su afro- trans-femminismi – with the participation of Non Una di Meno (Torino) e Black History Month (Torino)
19:00 Divine aperitif
21:30 OPENING
21:00 LE FAVOLOSE by Roberta Torre (Italy, 2022 –74’)out of competition – with the participation of Veet Sandeh
Nicole (De Leo), a trans woman aged no longer green, after a long time calls her friend Porpora (Marcasciano) to ask her to meet urgently: in fact she has found a letter that Antonia (Iaia), a former mutual friend, had written to her. also a transsexual, who disappeared years earlier. The meeting place is a villa that is now uninhabited, but in which Nicole and Porpora have lived together, together with other friends: Sofia (Mehiel), Veet (Sandeh) and Mizia (Ciulini), younger road companions whom Porpora summons, without tell them immediately that he intends to summon Antonia through a séance. Reopening the wardrobe of their eccentric, colorful clothes from their most extreme years, in which they supported themselves even by prostituting themselves, the five tell their stories, sometimes joyful, sometimes unsustainable memories. And in their own way they do justice to Antonia, who had written that she wanted to be dressed for burial by them, kindred souls, and not by her natural family. The evocation of his spirit will weld the Favolose into an even stronger bond, in a celebration of life between fairytale and Dionysian.
SUNDAY 16 APRIL 2023
16:20 IN THE MIND’S GARDEN by Matteo Balsamo (Italy, 2022 – 90’) in competition
On the shores of Lake Como, an association for mental health meets once a week to write a periodical. Everyone bring their story, their ups and downs, their tragedies and solidarity. Patients, psychiatrists, and photoreporters from all over the world offer a unique view on mental health, its social implications, hospitals, treatments, support for families, and the regulations governing the sector.
17:50 SOAK by Desdemona Dallas (USA, 2022 – 11’) in competition
In a series of interviews ‘Soak’ uses moving and still images to explore masculinity through a queer lens.
18:00 MEMORI DIA by Asarela Orchidia Dewi (Indonesia, 2022 – 19’) in competition
Triggered by an old family photograph, a young adult named Azka starts to trace back their childhood – a stage of life when they began learning about the world around them and themselves. While revisiting these long-forgotten memories, Azka discovers unresolved pains they never knew existed. This experience marks the beginning of a journey that unfolds profound self-acceptance.
18:20 QUING by James Gaspar De Almeida (France, 2022 – 7’) in competition
Mimine, a 9-year-old child, discovers a famous drag queen TV show with their sibling. Mimine loves drag queens. Mimine loves drag kings. But what if they want to create a new word now? Mimine is just a kid after all.
18:30 SEAN DORSEY DANCE: DREAMING TRANS AND QUEER FUTURES by Masha Pershay (USA, 2022 – 10’) in competition
This visually-exquisite short is a fusion of dance film and documentary — and a powerful profile of trailblazing transgender choreographer and activist Sean Dorsey. Dorsey uplifts the beauty, power, wisdom and grace of trans and queer bodies and voices, and works tirelessly to support other trans/LGBTQI+ artists.
18:40 GHOSTSINGER: GENESIS by Storm Di Scozia (UK, 2022 – 19’) in competition
After circumnavigating the galaxy for ions, Our hero, Indigo Luna, the last of the Indigo warriors has crash landed on earth. Under orders of Evil count Oscuro, Malvagia – Queen of the sirens-dispatches her ruthless son Prince Lucrezio, to destroy Indigo’s life pod and recover the mysterious jewel “ the key of destiny” known for its supernatural power…will he survive and find the elusive Mordechai Macbeth? Restoring harmony to the galaxy? Or will the evil Count Oscuro recover the jewel and continue to reek chaos over the world of music.
19:00 VULVA-MANIFEST by Ingrid Gans (Germany, 2022 – 5’) in competition
A tongue-in-cheek – feminist – loving – spiritual – sensual – nostalgic – minimalist – animated manifesto.
19:05 INVISIBLE WORLD by Kym McDaniel (USA, 2022 – 5’) in competition
To apply for an accessible or Crip parking placard, a doctor within the state must approve the application. As part of the application, there are six medical conditions which qualify a person for a placard. These conditions include: (1) cannot walk two hundred feet without stopping to rest; (2) cannot walk without the use of an assistance device; (3) is restricted by lung disease; (4) uses portable oxygen; (5) has a cardiac condition; (6) is severely limited in their ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic conditions.
19:10 STAY by King Louie Palomo (Canada, 2022 – 22’) inconcorso
Starring Canada’s Drag Race legend Kendall Gender, Stay is a tender exploration of relationships. On their last night in town, Kaleb– known more commonly by the stage name Ivy Diamonds– meets Ryan (Riley Davis), an artist from Vancouver. The few hours they spend together before Kaleb heads back to his tumultuous relationship bring him an unexpected sense of clarity.
19:30 TERRORISTE: ZEHRA E LE ALTRE by Marica Casalinuovo, Francesca Nava, Vichie Chinaglia, Marella Bombini (Italy, 2019 –59’)out of competition
Women unjustly imprisoned and accused of terrorism in Erdogan’s Turkey: an artist, a writer and a doctor. These are Zehra Doğan, Asli Erdoğan and Şebnem Korur Fincanci.
Their fault? Having supported the Kurdish cause.
Born from an idea of the journalist Francesca Nava, who secretly interviewed the protagonists, the docufilm is a journalistic investigation that is enriched with original animated illustrations, alternating shocking shots shot by Turkish and Kurdish filmmakers who did not want to be mentioned in the credits for fear of repercussions.