1998 Vancouver Queer Film Festival

Welcome to the 10th Annual Vancouver Queer Film and Video Festival, presented this year by Out On Screen and Video In Studios. As we enter our 2nd decade we are proud to present a festival that is not only bigger than ever before but more diverse in its form and content. Last year we increased our audience size by 40% and this year we anticipate doing the same. In addition to our usual shorts programs we have added more features. Increasing the number of feature films ensures that the politicaly astute, the cultural critic, the sex fiend and the body pierced will all be satisfied at this year’s festival. Tenth anniversaries are a time to celebrate. However they are also an opportunity to look back and honour the queer film and video makers who have made festivals such as Out On Screen’s possible. Out On Screen is, therefore pleased to present a survey of local lesbian shorts as well as a survey of Canadian gay male shorts. These two programs will provide a context in which to view some of the excellent queer cine-ma being produced here in Vancouver and across Canada. In this vein, check out the retrospectives of Maureen Bradley and Nelson Henricks work. Out On Screen is also proud to present Retro X, a program that looks at early queer erotica before the advent of commercial pornography. In keeping with the 10th anniversary theme of celebrating pioneer queer film and video artists this year’s festival is pleased to present Dakan and BomGay. Dakan is arguably the first gay African feature film made in Africa by Africans, while BomGay is, similarly a first for India. The increased selection of international work in this year’s festival debunks any notion of a universal queer culture. However, these films and videos also remind us of why it is still important to have a queer film and video festival, after all. Enjoy, savour and learn. E. Centime Zeleke Out On Screen, Programming and Technical Coordinator