NewFest and BAM have set the theme and lineup for the sixth edition of their annual retrospective screening series, “Queering the Canon,” TheWrap can exclusively reveal.
This year’s installment, titled “Queering the Canon: We’re Out Here,” will run March 26-29 in New York and spotlight stories of LGBTQ life in small towns, suburbs and rural communities around the world. The program includes anniversaries, restorations, 35mm presentations and in-person Q&As with filmmakers and special guests, among them a 25th anniversary screening of “Southern Comfort” and talkback with director Kate Davis and a 30th anniversary 35mm screening of Christopher Guest’s “Waiting for Guffman,” starring the late Catherine O’Hara.
“This year’s triumphant theme, ‘We’re Out Here,’ spotlights an expanse of cinematic odes to queer folks who discover identity and find community within small towns, suburbs and rural areas across the U.S. and around the globe,” said Nick McCarthy, NewFest director of programming. “We look forward to hosting iconic filmmakers and special guests to reflect upon our decades-spanning stories and engage in conversation with our loyal intergenerational audiences. They are the cornerstone of the magical energy we all experience at ‘Queering the Canon’ screenings and Q&As every year!”
Other highlights include Donna Deitch’s “Desert Hearts,” with Deitch scheduled to appear for a Q&A following the March 26 screening; a rare screening of West African film “Dakan (Destiny)” from director Mohamed Camara; and other international titles, including “Show Me Love” and “The Place Without Limits.”
The “Queering the Canon” series was co-curated by McCarthy and Anton Astudillo, NewFest’s year-round programmer. Previous editions of “Queering the Canon” have included themes like “So Obsessed,” “Besties,” “BIPOC New York,” “Queer Rom-Coms” and “Totally Radical.”
Check out the full “Queering the Canon: We’re Out Here” lineup below:
- “Desert Hearts” (1985) Directed by Donna Deitch. With Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau, Audra Lindley, Andra Akers.
- In person on March 26, 7:30 p.m. followed by Q&A with director Donna Deitch.
- “Dakan (Destiny)” (1997). Directed by Mohamed Camara. With Mohamed Camara, Cécile Bois, Mamady Mory Camara, Koumba Diakite, Aboucar Touré, Kade Seck.
- In person on Friday, March 27, 7:30 p.m., featuring a special guest introduction by Amir Adem, and streaming virtually nationwide March 26–30.
- “Waiting for Guffman” (1996). Directed by Christopher Guest. With Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Fred Willard, Parker Posey, Matt Keeslar, Lewis Arquette, Bob Balaban, Michael Hitchcock.
- In person on Saturday, March 28, 4:00 p.m.
- “Show Me Love” (1998). Directed by Lukas Moodysson. With Alexandra Dahlström, Rebecka Liljeberg, Erica Carlson, Mathias Rust, Stefan Hörberg, Josefine Nyberg.
- In person on Saturday, March 28, 7:00 p.m. and streaming virtually nationwide March 26–30.
- “Southern Comfort” (2001). Directed by Kate Davis.
- In person on Sunday, March 29, 5:00 p.m., followed by Q&A with director Kate Davis, and streaming virtually nationwide March 26–30.
- “The Place Without Limits” (1978). Directed by Arturo Ripstein. With Roberto Cobo Calambres, Ana Martin, Gonzalo Vega, Lucha Villa, Fernando Soler, Julián Pastor, Blanca Torres, Carmen Salinas, Hortensia Santoveña y Emma Roldán.
- In person on Monday, March 30, 7:00 p.m., followed by Q&A with Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer (film critic, editor, and film programmer, Le Cinema Club and Screen Slate) and streaming virtually nationwide March 26–30.
- “Greetings From Out Here” (1993). Directed by Ellen Spiro.
- Exclusively streaming virtually nationwide March 26–30.
Additional information and tickets for NewFest’s “Queering the Canon” series can be found here. NewFest Pride will launch later this year on May 28–June 1, and NewFest38 will run Oct. 15–27.
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