While the drag queen presidential debate challenge on RuPaul's Drag Race might seem a little far-fetched, like so much on the show it is actually a homage to real queer history. Following an earlier bid for mayor of Chicago as detailed in the film Drag in for Votes, in 1992 Joan Jett Blakk announced, "We're... Continue Reading →
BFI Flare 2021 Film Review: AIDS DIVA The Legend of Connie Norman ★★★1/2
With an overview of the ACT UP story having been told in compelling and detailed documentaries such as Jim Hubbard's United in Anger: A History of ACT UP and David France's How to Survive a Plague, it's pleasing to now see significant members being focused on individually, such as trans trailblazer Connie Norman, a broadcaster,... Continue Reading →
LGBTQ+ highlights at SXSW Online 2021
Ahead of tomorrow's SXSW Online 2021 launch, we take a look at some of the LGBTQ+ feature, short, episodic, VR, and panel discussion highlights at this year's virtual festival. SXSW Online 2021 runs Tuesday March 16th to Saturday March 20th. Explore the full festival lineup at Online.SXSW.com. SXSW Online 2021 LGBTQ+ Panels: Expanding Queer Cinema... Continue Reading →
It’s A Sin builds on a long legacy of HIV/AIDS narratives
Russell T Davies' acclaimed five-part series It’s a Sin doesn’t exist in isolation. It stands on the shoulders of over 30 years of HIV/AIDS stories. From the very beginning the community used performance and storytelling to memorialize, and as a means of activism. This was in part because the links between the queer community and the... Continue Reading →
BFI Flare 2021 Film Review: No Ordinary Man ★★★★
Directors Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt take us on a thought-provoking and emotionally potent journey as they track the life and legacy of trans masculine icon American jazz musician Billy Tipton, who enjoyed a successful career in the 1940s and 50s. When he died in 1989 his story was co-opted and sensationalised by the media,... Continue Reading →
BFI Flare 2021 Film Review: Cured ★★★★
Patrick Sammon and Bennett Singer's riveting feature documentary Cured, which had its world premiere at Outfest and screens this month as part of the virtual 35th BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival, examines the fascinating chapter in queer history that saw gay liberation activists successfully overturn the US psychiatric profession's classification of homosexuality as a... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: Lydia West on her It’s A Sin character Jill: “She isn’t motivated by anything but love, she gives so much to her friends & she doesn’t want a round of applause. She’s a true hero.”
Actor Lydia West was already on Digital Spy's 30 Black British stars of tomorrow list and Grazia's 2021 Hotlist before last month's record-breaking UK launch of Russell T. Davies' 1980s London set drama It's A Sin on Channel 4 and its digital platform All4, where it has racked up over 16 million views and counting.... Continue Reading →
Sundance 2021 Film Review: Ailey ★★★★★
UPDATE: Ailey opens in New York on July 23rd, Los Angeles on July 30th and expands to theaters nationwide on August 6th via NEON. Emmy-winning director Jamila Wignot's feature documentary Ailey, which just had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, is a captivating and deeply moving portrait of the celebrated dancer and... Continue Reading →
The Queer Review 2020 – LGBTQ+ highlights of the year
With so many queer spaces, bars, clubs, live venues, theatres, and cinemas closed for much of the year, and festivals cancelled or reimagined as virtual editions, we asked some of friends, including prominent culture makers and performers, to tell us their favourite LGBTQ+ art or events of 2020. Get in touch via social media using... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: real life husbands Ben Lewis & Blake Lee on starring in Lifetime’s LGBTQ holiday movie The Christmas Setup “the weight of it being part of television history didn’t immediately dawn on us”
Was there a convention where TV and film executives decided that this was the year to make the Yuletide gay? There have been a raft of queer-centred movies this season, including the heartwarming The Christmas Setup, Lifetime's first LGBTQ holiday romance, starring the adorable real life couple Ben Lewis and Blake Lee. The film, which... Continue Reading →
