QFest St. Louis Kicks Off Wednesday Night With BECKS

The 2018 QFest St. Louis begins on Wednesday, April 4, and runs through Sunday, April 8. All screenings will be held at .ZACK,. 3224 Locust St. in Grand Center. Advance sales will be available through MetroTix. The schedule of screenings, events, trailers, and full descriptions of the films will appear on the festival website at cinemastlouis.org/qfest. The official QFest St. Louis page on Facebook is facebook.com/QFestSTL.

QFest St. Louis, a presentation of Cinema St. Louis, is sponsored by Jeffrey T. Fort, AARP in St. Louis, Whitaker Foundation, Regional Arts Commission, Missouri Arts Council, Arts & Education Council, Coffee Cartel, Dekkoo, Just John Nightclub, Dennis Gorg Trust, Mark Utterback, and Michael Reisers:

Here’s the line-up for the 11th Annual QFest St. Louis:

BECKS Wednesday, Apr. 4th at 7:00pm.

Singer/songwriter Becks (Tony-winning and Grammy-nominated Lena Hall) gives up her Brooklyn apartment and heads across the country to join her long-distance girlfriend (Hayley Kiyoko) in LA. But a surprise early arrival has disastrous consequences, and Becks abruptly heads back across the country to St. Louis, where she moves in with her disapproving mother (Christine Lahti). As Becks navigates her hometown, playing for tip money in an old friend’s bar, an unexpected relationship with Elyse (Mena Suvari), the wife an old nemesis, begins to take shape. Co-directors Elizabeth Rohrbaugh and Daniel Powell — both former St. Louisans — make their narrative-feature debut with “Becks,” which won the New Filmmakers Forum competition at last year’s SLIFF and the U.S. Fiction Award at the LA Film Festival. A quasi-musical, “Becks” features original songs by singer/songwriter Alyssa Robbins and instrumental-score composer Steve Salett. Ticket information can be found HERE

–

QUEER SHORTS 1: Eve – Wednesday, Apr. 4 at 9:00pm

Enfin Seule (Josalyn Smith, U.S., 2018, 11 min.): Arriving in the afterlife, Mel wants to get down to the business of eternal solitude, but her case worker at “Le Bureau” has a slightly different plan in mind.

EVOKE (Asia LeMasters, U.S., 2017, 16 min.): Retracing their times together, Hailey and Emma explore their relationship through shared memories.

Hot & Bothered (Leah Byrd, U.S., 2018, 55 min.): This satirical comedy follows the lives of two sarcastic stoner 20-year-olds who get in over their heads when they create a Grindr for lesbians.

The Lady That Dances (Joppe Rogg, U.K., 2018, 4 min.): A portrait that combines Ash Palmisciano’s poetry and transgender ballet dancer Sophie Rebecca’s elegant moves.

Swipe Right (Des Matelske, U.S., 2017, 25 min.): Liv’s mother, who won’t accept her daughter’s sexual identity, strives to find her the perfect man, and Liv’s male best friend is similarly set on finding her the perfect woman. But an unexpected blind date provides the real solution to Liv’s romantic problems. This is a FREE event.

–

BEAUTIFUL THING Thursday, Apr. 5 at 7:00pm Sponsored by James Agnew & Brad Morris

QFest offers a queer classic in “Beautiful Thing,” a widely praised adaptation of screenwriter Jonathan Harvey’s 1993 play. Shy Jamie (Glen Berry) and athletic Ste (Scott Neal) are teen boys who live near each other in the London projects. Both boys think they could be gay, and they finally explore their feelings when Ste is allowed to stay over at Jamie’s place after an incident with his abusive father. There, the boys grow close and open themselves up to the idea of homosexuality, while Jamie’s caring mother (Linda Henry) and quirky teen neighbor (Tameka Empson) offer much needed emotional support. Noting that “Beautiful Thing” was released “while the world was still grappling with the AIDS crisis,” The Atlantic writes: “The film was genuinely subversive for its time and place: Depicting gay kids who don’t succumb to the ‘plague’ or ultimately bow to pressure from their bigoted peers was no small thing at a moment stricken by an especially virulent, anti-LGBT mood. Yet beyond the film’s historical significance, Harvey’s story feels especially relevant today because of the diversity, even intersectionality, of its characters — a quality often still missing from newer portrayals of LGBT life.” Ticket information can be found HERE

–

QUEER SHORTS 2: Adam – Wednesday, Apr. 4 at 9:00pm

Bob (John Gross, U.S., 2017, 25 min.): A gay couple moves into their first apartment together and experience paranormal activity.

davy & GOLIATH (Charles Lum & Todd Verow, U.S., 2018, 7 min.): An afternoon visit to a small-city sex shop yields excitement, surprise, and comic relief. With QFest St. Louis alum writer/director Charles Lum.

Expiration Date (Shwenn Shunya Chang, U.S., 2017, 5 min.): A poetic animated story about searching for an unexpired romance.

The Quit (Todd Lillethun, U.S., 2018, 28 min.): Determined to help Roger quit smoking, Sam embraces a dangerous new idea that may save his partner’s life but cost them their relationship.

Saltwater Baptism (Jared Callahan & Russell Sheaffer, U.S., 2017, 17 min.): Santiago Gonzalez IV — who is one week away from graduation — has hidden his sexuality while at his religiously conservative university, but he’s now struggling to reconcile his traditional upbringing with his new life as an openly gay man.

Teddy (Christopher Sweeney, U.K., 2018, 11 min.): When Paul’s best friends are suddenly killed in a car crash, he must decide if he can raise their child, with or without his boyfriend, before the child wakes up.

Welcome to the World (Albert Chan, U.S., 2017, 7 min.): A troubled man journeys from isolation back to humanity by recording a video message for his pregnant sister. This is a FREE event.

–

ALASKA IS A DRAG – Friday, Apr. 6 at 7:00pm

Both a literal and figurative fish-out-of-water story, “Alaska Is a Drag” — which debuted at Frameline — focuses on aspiring drag superstar Leo (Martin L. Washington Jr.), tough but diva fabulous, who is stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska. Along with his twin sister (Maya Washington), Leo is trapped in a monotonous life of fish guts and fist fights. Out of necessity, Leo has learned to fight back, and his pugilistic skills eventually catch the attention of the local boxing coach. But when a new boy moves to town and wants to be his sparring partner, Leo must face the real reason he’s still in Alaska. The supporting cast includes Margaret Cho, Jason Scott Lee, and Nia Peeples. Ticket information can be found HERE

–

QUEERCORE: HOW TO PUNK A REVOLUTION – Friday, Apr. 6 at 9:00pm

This lively music documentary explores the various manifestations of Queercore, a cultural and social movement that began as an offshoot of punk and that consistently challenged society’s disapproval of the gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender communities. The extensive participant list includes Bruce LaBruce, G.B. Jones, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, John Waters, Justin Vivian Bond, Lynn Breedlove, Silas Howard, Pansy Division, Penny Arcade, Kathleen Hanna, Kim Gordon, Deke Elash, Tom Jennings, and Team Dresch. Those interviewees discuss such topics as homophobia, gender, feminism, AIDS, assimilation, sex, and, of course, art. Ticket information can be found HERE

–

BETWEEN THE SHADES – by Jill Salvino, U.S., 2017, 82 min. – Saturday, Apr. 7 at 3:30pm

No film can ever capture the immense diversity of the LGBTQI community, but “Between the Shades” puts faces to the letters, discussing how those letters have evolved and expanded since the Stonewall riots and examining the immense power of labels and the transcendence of love. The filmmakers invited 50 people, each with a connection to the LGBTQI community, to begin a conversation by sharing their stories. The participants represent a large range of age groups, ethnicities, and professions, and the film looks at love from a 360-degree perspective by including the views of parents and children. Among the film’s many interviewees are Beth Malone (of Broadway’s “Fun Home”), actress Kathy Najimy, and Democratic National Committee Treasurer Andrew Tobias. Ticket information can be found HERE

–

SATURDAY CHURCH – directed by Damon Cardasis, U.S., 2017, 82 min. – Saturday, Apr. 7 at 5:30pm

Shy and effeminate 14-year-old Ulysses (Luka Kain) finds himself coping with new responsibilities as the man of the house after the death of his father. Living alongside his mother (Margot Bingham), younger brother (Jaylin Fletcher), and conservative religious aunt (Regina Taylor), Ulysses is also struggling with questions about his gender identity and sexuality in an unaccepting environment. Ulysses finds an escape by creating a world of fantasy filled with dance and music, and his journey takes a turn for the better when he finds a vibrant transgender community linked by a supportive inner-city church group. Ulysses manages to keep his two worlds apart — both appeasing his aunt and discovering his passion for the NYC ball scene and voguing — until his double life is revealed. Ulysses must find the courage to be who he truly is at the risk of losing those he cares about most. Ticket information can be found HERE

–

SNAPSHOTS – directed by Melanie Mayron, U.S., 2017, 91 min. – Saturday, Apr. 7 at 7:15pm – With director Melanie Mayron, screenwriter/producer Jan Miller Corran, and co-producer LeeAnne Matusek in attendance. Sponsored by Cindy Walker.

When a grandmother’s hidden past collides with her granddaughter’s secret future and her daughter’s angry present, can the love of three generations be enough to surmount decades of deceit? The story “Snapshots” tells is set in motion when a single roll of undeveloped film is found in an old camera. Using extended flashbacks to the early 1960s, the film explores the interconnected lives of matriarch Rose (three-time Oscar nominee Piper Laurie in the present, Shannon Collis in the past), daughter Patty (Brooke Adams), and granddaughter Allison (Emily Baldoni). Based on co-screenwriter Jan Miller Corran’s own family’s story, “Snapshots” is directed by Melanie Mayron. First known as an actor — in projects ranging from the pioneering indie film “Girlfriends” to TV’s iconic “thirtysomething” — Mayron has since established a parallel career as a talented and prolific director of film and television (recent work includes “Jane the Virgin,” “GLOW,” and “Pretty Little Liars”). Ticket information can be found HERE

–

THE LAVENDER SCARE – directed by Josh Howard, U.S., 2017, 76 min. – Sunday, Apr. 8 at 1:30pm

With the United States gripped in the panic of the Cold War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower deemed homosexuals to be “security risks” and ordered the immediate firing of any government employee discovered to be gay or lesbian. That decision triggered a vicious witch hunt that ruined tens of thousands of lives and thrust an unlikely hero into the forefront of what would become the modern LGBTQ rights movement. Featuring the voices of Glenn Close, David Hyde Pierce, Zachary Quinto, T.R. Knight, and Cynthia Nixon, the documentary “The Lavender Scare” shines a light on a forgotten episode in American history but also carries a message that seems more relevant with each passing day. This is a FREE event.

–

THE REVIVAL: WOMEN AND THE WORD – directed by Sekiya Dorsett, U.S., 2016, 82 min. – Sunday, Apr. 8 at 3:30pm – Sponsored by Pam Merritt

This inspiring documentary chronicles the U.S. tour of a group of black lesbian poets and musicians, who become present-day stewards of a historical movement to build community among queer women of color. Their journey to strengthen their community is enriched by insightful interviews with leading black feminist thinkers and historians, including Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Nikki Finney, and Alexis Deveaux. As the group tours the country, the film reveals their aspirations and triumphs, and explores the unique identity challenges they face at the intersection of gender, race, and sexuality. The film provides a rare look into a special sisterhood — one where marginalized voices are both heard and respected. Ticket information can be found HERE

–

AFTER LOUIE – directed by Vincent Gagliostro, U.S., 2017, 100 min. – Sunday, Apr. 8 at 5:30pm – Sponsored by Pauly Jail Building Co., Robert Pohrer & Donnie Engle

An artist and activist from ACT UP who lived through the early years of HIV/AIDS, Sam (Alan Cumming of “The Good Wife”) is a man scarred by and still struggling with survivor’s guilt. Cemented into an oppressive past, he is bewildered by a younger generation of carefree gay men, with their uninhibited use of social media, their sexting, and their seeming political indifference. But when he meets the seductive young Braeden (Zachary Booth) at a bar late one night, their pants quickly come down and, eventually, so does Sam’s ossified guard. As the pair becomes increasingly intimate, an intergenerational relationship blossoms between them — one capable of reawakening Sam’s artistic soul and reviving his wilted heart.Ticket information can be found HERE