November 11th

Europa (SBS On Demand)

Melbourne Queer Film Festival

 

It's a light-on week for me (phew - take a breather from square eyes), but the three films reviewed are all totally worthy of your atttention.  

Europa

Dir: Haider Rashid

Length: 72 mins

Streaming on SBS On Demand 

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PFilWmWPUI

© a tense tale of the trauma
refugees can go through

Europa: This gripping, gruelling film from Iraqi-Italian filmmaker Haider Rashid is based upon the true stories of refugees desperate to get to safety, crossing from Turkey along the Balkan Route. Although only 72 minutes long, the film will have you on the edge of your seat as young Iraqi man Kamal (Adam Ali) attempts to enter Europe on foot, but is nearly caught by authorities. He goes on the run, evading ruthless "migrant hunters",  but gets hopelessly lost in a Bulgarian forest, terrified and alone. Employing close-up camera work, homing in on the face of the young man, and taking time with each scene, the director captures all the terror and panic of his situation, as he is wounded yet does everything within his strength to attempt to get to safety. The couple of locals he meets are testament to the prejudice Europeans feel towards the refugees. Stunningly filmed and acted, but fittingly disturbing.

4 - highly recommended 

Melbourne Queer Film Festival

Until 21 November

ACMI, Village Jam Factory, Nova Carlton

For programming and film details: https://mqff.com.au/

We had a mini MQFF earlier this year; now the full on festival is back, with the usual line-up of fabulous features, docos and shorts. This year's spotlight is on Brazil and the emergence of its queer film-making, with a stunning closing night film,Uyra: The Rising Forest to be screened on the rooftop of the spectacular Pride Centre in Fitzroy Street St Kilda.  For John Waters fans, there's also a 50th Anniversary screening of his iconic film Pink Flamingos, featuring the outrageous Divine. I have two films to wholeheaeartedly recommend to you. 

My Emptiness and I: Raphaelle Perez plays Raphi, a young French trans woman living in Barcelona and working through her sense of indentity and how to belong and portray herself in the world. This is the most sensitive and compassionate portrayal of trans issues I have yet seen in a film. As we accompany Raphi on her journey we are constantly aware of how society, fixated upon a two-gendered world, wants to pigeonhole other people. The film pulls no punches in describing the details of gender reassignation surgery, yet ultimately it is focussed upon a vulnerable and lovely person; as Raphi says, she is just a human being: complex and searching for love, acceptance and a level of normality.  For anyone wanting a greater understanding of gender dysphoria, the film is a must-see, enlightening, moving and stunning.

Uyra: The Rising Forest: Uyra is the alter ego of a young, indigenous Brazilian conservationist and ecologist. S/he is gender non-binary, a performance artist, and passionately committed to protecting the Amazon and championing LGBTQI rights. The film is exquisitely shot, the artisticness of its subject matter reflected in the film's gorgeous style and colour. Uyra explains scientifically about the interconnectness of everything in the forest and how critical the trees are to the world's survival, then s/he concentrates upon persecution in Brazil of conservationists, indigenous and transgender people. Everything is augmented with extraordinary creative performances, using nature itself as the inspiration for costumes and makeup.  This is a rare treat of a film to be revelled in on the big screen.