This year the group members of our blog had the opportunity to view a different film at Reelout film queer film and video festival in Kingston Ontario. The festival took place from January 30th to February 8th at the Screening Room in downtown Kingston. Genres of films being screened range from comedy to horror, all incorporating they’re own artistic touch to the Reelout experience. What started off as a small event in a local gay bar in 1999 has grown into the successful Reelout festival it is today. Reelout holds importance with both the Kingston community as well as LGBTQ+ communities all around North America. The festival each year has the ability to unite the Kingston residence, the queer community, and local university students alike.
While Reelout mainly focuses on North American queer films, they also branch out and select a variety of international pictures that in 2020 represented 9 countries. The festival varies from your typical movie experience of buying a movie ticket, watching the film and leaving to offering conversational participation as individuals were asked to rate the film with beads and buttons after the viewing from poor to excellent. This gives the audience the opportunity to offer their opinion first hand and immerse themselves in the community of Reelout. The feedback will reveal the winner of “Audiences choice” which also benefits the filmmakers for the recognition they deserve. Each one of the blog members chose to view a different film than the other group members while focusing on the general theme of queer relationships as a whole. Hailey viewed The Garden Left Behind by Flavio Alves that follows the story of a 30-year-old transgender woman Tina Carrera and her grandmother living in New York trying to make a life for themselves as Tina struggles to uncover who she truly is. Annie viewed Orpheus’ Song which follows two friends who live in Berlin and win a trip to Greece where their relationship is forever changed. Roya watched Queer Intimacies, a series of short films that explores various relationships between queer people. Justin watched Unsettled: seeking refuge in America, a documentary profiling the experiences of LGBTQ+ immigrants and their hardships while integrating into American society.
Unsettled Seeking Refuge In America: The Universally Homeless
By: Justin Campbell On the evening of February the 4th I had the pleasure of seeing a film which did something that not many films have ever had the power to do, it brought tears to my eyes. The reason I began to cry is not because of cheap studio tricks like a dying dog…
The Garden Left Behind Film Review
By: Hailey Gayda I had the opportunity to visit the Reelout queer film and video festival in Kingston February 5, 2020 and view the film The Garden Left Behind directed by Flavio Alves. Charlie Guevrara stars as Tina Carrera, a recent undocumented immigrant who is transitioning from male to female. She struggles to create income for herself…
Queer Intimacies
By: Roya A On Thursday, February 6th I attended the screening of Queer Intimacies, a collection of eight short films centered around queer relationships. The short films, all of which were from North America, ranged between three minutes to fifteen minutes. Each film depicts different interactions between queer relationships, both romantic and platonic. A common…
Orpheus’ Song
Anne McKenzie 20153461 Dr. Habibe Burcu Baba Muna Dahir GNDS 125 February 13, 2020 At the 2020 Reelout Queer Film Festival, I had the opportunity to view the film Orpheus’ Song. Orpheus’ Song is a German foreign language film that follows the friendship of Phil and Ennis, two young males living in Berlin, Germany.…
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