Hub Review: Pride Film Evening
Pride Film Evening Banner
This week the Pride Film Evening came to the Victa Cinema in Victor Harbor. The Pride Film Evening was organised by The Equality Project and featured a selection of short films from the Geelong Pride Film Festival which is taking place from the 1st May until 11th May. The Pride Film Evening was a celebration and amplification of voices of the LGBTQIA+ community. It was fantastic to see representation of the LGBTQIA+ community on and behind the screen through an array of local and international stories.
The program for the evening covered a wide range of genres from documentaries and experimental, to dramas and comedies. The collection of films included How to Dress Like Me (2023), Joy (2023), A F****boi Story (2023), A Letter to Her (2022), The Whole World (2016), Seahorse Parents (2022), and Good Times and That’s OK (2022). The night was truly something magical and fabulous, with stories from across the LGBTIQ+ spectrum shared.
The two films that stood out to me the most were Joy and Seahorse Parents. Joy, an Argentinian film by Julieta Tetelbaum, is a journey through the mind of a 65-year-old autistic lesbian and is the sequel to Wake Up! It’s Yesterday. I am a sucker for experimental films as they are based on making the audience feel certain emotions, which Joy did successfully. Playing with textures, sound, and visuals Joy made us sit in discomfort, sadness and complete bliss. The audience were able to sit back and let the wave of emotions enthral them.
Joy by Julieta Tetelbaum
Seahorse Parents, by Miriam Guttman, is the second film that stood out to me. Seahorse Parents is a documentary about four transgender men who share their stories about carrying their future children. The film had me in tears, mostly of joy. Although briefly discussed, the film did not focus heavily on the discrimination these men face, rather it focuses on the joy of having the opportunity to have kids of their own. The film made it clear that the men have so much love to offer their children, just like any other parent. Love is what it all came down to. The simple interview set up, of one man on a stool in front of a grey backdrop allowed the message and discussions they were having, to be the focus.
Seahorse Parents by Miriam Guttmann - poster
One thing I would have liked to have seen was more young people in the audience. The Pride Film Evening was semi-attached and advertised as a part of the Festival for the Future, a festival about ageing proudly. As a young person, I really enjoyed the film night and I think some marketing towards young people would have welcomed a wider audience.
All in all, the Pride Film Evening was a celebration of community. The locals who attended the evening were excited to see a film event take place in Victor Harbour, something that does not happen often. It was great to see such diverse representation on the big screen, something that needs to happen more often.