Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival has revealed the full program lineup for its 34th edition today. The festival, which proudly champions innovative 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers from across the globe, will showcase 106 films from 25 countries, including 30 feature films and 5 world premieres.
With such a tremendous lineup, I took a peek to select a few films to recommend to you to check out in person or online.
May 26, 2024 2:30 pm
Nanekawâsis
Dir. Conor McNally
Nanekawâsis follows the acclaimed nêhiyaw artist George Littlechild as he invites audiences into his storied career spanning over four decades. Using archival footage and newly filmed 16mm interviews, the film provides previously unheard insights about his life and work. As a two-spirit person and ‘60s scoop survivor, Littlechild’s artwork draws from a unique perspective of pain, joy, and exemplary merit. This documentary gives viewers the opportunity to get to know a major player in the Indigenous art world, while highlighting the impacts of colonialism in Canada on both art and artist.
Shorts: BOLD
May 29, 2024 9:00 pm
This selection of 7 short films highlights the love and connection that can be found anywhere: a lover, a stranger, a friend, the world around you. Experience the worlds of these stories created by Black filmmakers as they challenge you to reevaluate your own approach to love, intimacy, and even the mythical.
May 30, 2024 9:30 pm
Toll (Pedágio)
Dir. Carolina Markowicz
Suellen (Maeve Jinkings), a Brazilian toll booth attendant and mother, is willing to do almost anything to keep her family afloat. Suellen’s idea of a better life, however, does not align with that of her very assured teenage son, Antonio (Kauan Alvarenga). Convinced she is doing what is right for her family, she invests in an expensive gay conversion workshop led by a renowned priest; an investment that threatens both her relationship with her son, as well as her freedom.
I saw Toll at TIFF 2023 and found the story compelling. Jinkings and newcomer Alvarenga as mother and son are so great that they pull you into their lives. I also appreciated the nuances in story that filmmaker Carolina Markowicz brings here. Hear more about the film from Markowicz.
May 30, 2024 7:00 pm
Chuck Chuck Baby
Dir. Janis Pugh
This musical drama follows one woman as she finds the courage to stand up for herself and finally go after the life she deserves. This is a film about love, loss, music, and friendships, set in and around the falling feathers of a chicken processing plant in industrial north Wales.
Another favourite from TIFF 2023, Chuck Chuck Baby has a great story, excellent cast and a great soundtrack. I spoke with Janis Pugh and & lead actor Louise Brealey to chat about the making of the film and the need for these types of stories in film.
June 1, 2024 1:30 pm
A Mother Apart
Dir. Laurie Townsend
How do you raise a child when your own mother abandoned you? In a remarkable story of healing and forgiveness, Jamaican-American poet and LGBTQ+ activist Staceyann Chin, renowned for performances in Def Poetry Jam and hit solo shows like MotherStruck!, radically re-imagines the essential art of mothering. In seeking her elusive mother—a trail that leads to Brooklyn, Montreal, Cologne and, finally, Jamaica—Staceyann and her daughter forge a new sense of home.
Inside Out continues until June 1st in Toronto at TIFF Lightbox, as well as online Ontario-wide. For full festival listings, screening times and tickets, visit insideout.ca.
