Documentary Features IN COMPETITION

AKOE/AMFI – The Story of a Revolution
(Original Title: ΑΚΟΕ/ΑΜΦΙ – Η Ιστορία Μιας Επανάστασης)
Director: Iossif Vardakis
77 min | 2023 | Greece | Modern Greek

In 1977 a group of friends created A.K.O.E. – the Greek Homosexual Liberation Movement. The movement’s magazine – “Amfi” – and its offices at the legendary basement on Zalongou street, will become a place of refuge for the Greek LGBT community until 1990. AKOE and Amfi, will be the first reference points for a community that is just beginning to gain conscience and organize. It will be a revolution for the right to exist, the right to happiness, the right to love. Its story is told for the first time.

Beyond the Blues is a journey undertaken with Neel whose metamorphosis from an Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB) person to a feminist non-masculinist transman is not just a story of gender affirmative transition. It is a story of breaking hetero-normative gender roles, challenging transnormative stereotypes and revisiting queer feminist aspirations. The film explores notions of identity and selfhood tied to questions of normativity, masculinity and citizenship. It touches upon two generations of socialized gender-sexual identities marked by patriarchal norms that at best, deny and deprive, and at worst, subjugate and persecute. The film winds its way into chronicles of resilience and vivaciousness to ignite us with sparks of change and hope.

This charming, earnest meta-documentary examines the transformational impact of a 90s romcom on a 12-year-old queer kid growing up in Kansas. For young Sav Rodgers, the Kevin Smith cult classic “Chasing Amy” became lifesaving representation of queer identity. A deeper dive into the film as a cornerstone of LGBTQ+ cinema finds the director at many unexpected and emotional crossroads. Featuring interviews with Kevin Smith, Joey Lauren Adams, Guinevere Turner, Bob Hawk, Andrew Ahn, Princess Weekes and many others.

London-born San Francisco-based drag queen Lady Camden is catapulted into the spotlight when she becomes a contestant on season 14 of RuPual’s Drag Race. As she struggles to manage the demands of her newfound fame, she must come to terms with a traumatic childhood in Camden that drove her to seek joy, fantasy, and escape through the performing arts.

Neirud died shrouded in mystery, leaving behind no trace of her past. Confronting family secrets, the filmmaker pieces together the life of her enigmatic aunt, who toured Brazil as a wrestler in an underground all-female circus troupe throughout the 60s and 80s. As she investigates Neirud’s controversial ring persona, Gorilla Woman, the filmmaker uncovers a fascinating story about race, identity and queer life.