With the 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) fast approaching, we uncover the LGBTQ+ highlights, section by section, in this year's eclectic lineup of features, series and special events. Kicking off on Thursday, September 10th and running until Sunday, September 20th, the program features the Canadian premieres of All of Us Strangers... Continue Reading →
Following 4K restorations of Gregg Araki’s 90s Teen Apocalypse Trilogy—Totally F***ed Up, The Doom Generation, and Nowhere—a stunning new 4K version of the filmmaker's acclaimed 2004 adaption of Scott Heim's novel, Mysterious Skin, opens theatrically in New York today. The intensely powerful chronicle of childhood innocence lost features starmaking turns from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Brady... Continue Reading →
The journey from Manhattan to Fire Island, New York's queer haven for almost a century, is part of the magic of any summer getaway there. From the frantic bustle of Midtown to a Long Island Railroad commuter train packed with excited gays lugging bags full of clothes they likely won't wear. All you really need... Continue Reading →
The queer film event of the year has finally arrived. Following a rapturous reception at Cannes in May, and a US festival and press tour that lit up our social feeds, writer-director Jane Schoenbrun's third feature, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, opens in select theaters this Friday, August 7th before expanding nationwide on... Continue Reading →
Seven-time Tony Award-winning producer, fashion trailblazer and innovative performance artist Jordan Roth makes his television acting debut this week in FX's The Shards, an alluring 1980s-set thriller based on Bret Easton Ellis’ 2023 bestselling novel, adapted by Ellis and Ryan Murphy. Portraying Steven Reinhardt on the series, the strikingly stylish right-hand man to Hollywood mogul... Continue Reading →
Gentle, filled with emotion and highly engaging, Sanctuary explores a young man's life at the heart of the AIDS epidemic through his reminiscences with a supportive stranger. Richard Cant and Matthew Tennyson. Photo credit: Andrew Perry. Jacob Sparrow's debut play is truly beautifully written, filled as it is with nostalgia, warmth and melancholy. Set in... Continue Reading →
Emotionally charged, funny and often moving, Spin Cycle takes a queer meet-cute and develops it into something far more impactful. Rhiannon Bell and Zofia Zerphy. Photo credit: Sofia Salazar. When two ex-lovers meet again for the first time at a laundrette, their history is momentarily washed away and they can start with a clean slate.... Continue Reading →
Celebrating the late and great who left us far too young, 27 Club makes no apologies for taking a piece of your heart and bringing back some all time classics. 27 Club. Photo credit: Sheldon Ang Media. Starting with the story of Robert Johnson, fabled to be the first member of the exclusive group, this... Continue Reading →
Bold, brash and unapologetic, Acid's Reign is a punchy queer musical about climate change, activism, and whether it is more important to stay true to your beliefs or to seek the biggest platform. Acid's Reign cast. Photo credit: Relish Theatre. Initially set in 2019, accidental activist Alex Acid meets radical protester Ria Listic when they... Continue Reading →
A skilful, powerful and moving story told through exceptional Chinese pole, aerial and dance work, Tell Me puts two stories of HIV diagnosis side by side in this thoroughly compelling piece. Created and directed by Sadiq Ali, Tell Me is the long-awaited sequel to his award-winning The Chosen Haram. Fusing circus with an expressive, emotive... Continue Reading →
Part play, part drag king poetry-slam, Tessa Parr’s I Am Johnny is an intimate, uncomfortable and often hilarious exploration of toxic masculinity. Parr bounds onto the stage, a vision of slicked-back hair and painted abs - who may or may not have come straight from the gym. Absolutely committed to her portrayal of Johnny, Parr... Continue Reading →
Witty, bold and straight to the point, Lois-Amber Toole's solo show SLAY follows a lass from the North East as she tries to escape her traumatic past. Lois-Amber Toole. Photo credit: Steve Ullathorne. Armed with self-defence spray, a PTSD diagnosis and an accent that sometimes elicits condescension, Kit moves to London to try and build... Continue Reading →
A dark and disturbing thriller about siblings accused of a crime, Philip Stokes' This Is Not America is a challenging psychological drama with an exceptional central performance. Jack Stokes. Photo credit: Craig Lomas. Perhaps named for the David Bowie song of the same name, which offers a critical commentary on the American dream and political... Continue Reading →
Loosely based on Italo Calvino’s novel If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler, Gregory Nussen's surreal piece uses non-linear storytelling to examine politics, international relations, gender and queerness. Gregory Nussen. Photo credit Sonya Katarina. Trans multidisciplinary artist Nussen has clearly invested a huge amount of time and care in their reflection on Calvino's work. Named... Continue Reading →
A absurdist piece about the tension between following your creative dreams and finding ways to survive in the arts, TOAST is a impactful and at times surreal examination of navigating soulless systems, and what happens when the script runs out. Jude Green. Photo credit: Matt Norris Simply but skilfully staged, TOAST puts Jude Green's character... Continue Reading →
