Persisting Lights: Shorts Program

Persisting Lights: Shorts Program

These documentary short-subject films focus on beacons of hope & courage during even the darkest times.

House of Tulip -dir. Cydney Tucker/USA/24:02/2023 House of Tulip follows two Black trans activists as they run for office and work to build Louisiana’s first housing refuge that provides residency for trans and gender non-conforming residents. We’ll follow the founders as they fight to use their organization to protect and build community in a state with one of the highest gun-related murder rates in the country. Their journeys will highlight the dangerous yet beautiful reality of what it means to be Black trans women in the deep South.

Two Souls- dir. Myat Noe/Myanmar/21:03/2023 Two gay lovers, now living as political refugees from Myanmar (Burma) in a Thai border town reunite. But the scars and traumas of their experiences under military coup in their native country, as well as changing sentiments, challenge their relationship.

The Pride Liar- dir. Andres Lübbert/Belgium/19:00/2023 Emzo is a queer activist from Georgia who had to flee his country 5 years ago. In Belgium he continues his struggle.

Maghreb’s Hope – dir. Bassem ben Brahmim/Tunisia/24:00/2023 Through a fusion of drawing, animation techniques, and real-life footage,these artistic portrayals highlight the experiences of queer individuals from the “BIG Maghreb” region, including Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. These individuals have courageously shattered societal taboos surrounding their gender and sexuality, defying legal, social, and familial pressures, even among those who have chosen to distance themselves from their families. 

Paradise- dir. Minki Hong/29:57/South Korea/2023 “Paradise” revisits South Korea’s era of authoritarian development (1970s-1980s) through the lens of queer livelihood. Despite the harsh realities of successive dictatorships, compulsory military service, and expectations of marriage and childbirth, six elderly gay men reveal how they converted second-run theaters and nearby bars into popular sites of erotic liberation, same-sex friendships, and romantic encounters. Using rare footage of Seoul’s only extant second-run movie house, visual archives, and historical animation, “Paradise” documents South Korea’s vibrant gay underground before the solidification of democracy and the introduction of the internet in the 1990s. Along the way, it follows the pain and joy of queer citizens, whose stories appear for the first time in this empowering film of self-discovery and community building. 

Community Sponsor: OPIRG Kingston