Using film and visual art to explore sexuality, gender and race has long been a popular way to get people talking about such topics.
An ongoing national tour that returns to Victoria this month is continuing to combine those elements as a way to expand the conversation even further.
Qaleidoscope: Queer Film On Tour happens Jan. 18 and 19 at Open Space and features 22 creative efforts of QTBIPOC – queer, trans, black, Indigenous, people of colour – filmmakers from across the country. The showing is part of a five-city tour orchestrated by Regina-based Queer City Cinema and spotlights film and video “with a decidedly tongue-in-cheek disposition and sensibility” that is presented with the use of intelligent, incisive humour.
The tour also stops in Yellowknife, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Thunder Bay. It last came to Victoria in 2011.
Qaleidoscope was conceived to promote the artistic vision of QTBIPOC media artists who might otherwise encounter barriers to having their work shown in urban centres in Canada. While the films are screened under the banner of ‘queer,’ they have real relevance to the broader artistic community, given their subject matter and the fact many of the artists’ works represent multiple media, visual and performance arts disciplines.
Tickets for the Open Space showings are by cash donation at the door of between $5 to $10. Both the Friday and Saturday screenings start at 8 p.m. Open Space is at 510 Fort St. For more information, visit queercitycinema.ca or follow Open Space on Facebook.
