Singapore’s annual LGBT festival IndigNation kicked off last Friday (Aug 4) to a quiet start, where participants and organizers schmoozed over drinks, nibbles and conversations at the simple opening party at DYMK. That followed with a weekend of public discussions on a myriad of topics concerning the community. In similar fashion, the third edition of the popular IndigNation Queer Films Festival will happen on Aug 18-20 at, where else, The Projector.
There might not be a huge gala night or an amazing disco after-party with lots of drag, out-there costumes, retro dance moves, or an abundance of campy fun and tunes like last year, but let the selection of films speak for itself.
Curated by Singaporean poet and LGBT activist Muslim Sahib Torun and local poetry slammer Stephanie Chan (a.k.a. Steph Dogfoot), the festival opens with Front Cover, a moving dramedy centered around an ambitious, openly gay fashion stylist who’s tasked to work with a movie star from China. Their work relationship is strained because of their egos and different opinions on a variety of things, but the stylist soon finds out that the difficult star is actually closeted. A mutual attraction develops, but a tabloid magazine quickly exposes the superstar, threatening his career.
The following day sees a double feature showcasing two films about LGBT women from around the world. The first documentary, SHe, follows the first Taiwanese couple—a transwoman and a lesbian—who got legally married back in Dec 2012, highlighting various precious moments in their marriage and how gender fluidity can’t be boxed into a heterosexual framework.
The day follows with feature film The Revival: Women and the Word, where a group of Black lesbian musicians and poets go on tour to celebrate being black, women and carriers of the word through performance (and making history while they’re at it).
The festival also sees the return of Short Circuit, a local showcase of LGBT short films presented by acclaimed director Boo Junfeng. Back for its sixth edition after a five-year hiatus, the showcase includes works by Royston Tan, Hirzi Zulkiflie, Mainmunah Bagharib, Kirsten Tan and more.
You’ve probably already heard about Fathers, which stars prettyboys Utt Panichkul and Nat Sakdatorn. The festival’s closing film is a heart-warming drama about the on-screen couple who takes their 13-year relationship a step further with the adoption of a son named Butr. But once he hits primary school, the couple starts to face numerous social and legal problems, and tension arises as their inquisitive child begins questioning them about his birth mother.
Tickets are $15 a pop, and $60 for an all access pass. Follow IndigNation Queer Films Festival on Facebook for more info.
