The 33rd annual Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival has revealed its full film lineup.
Showcasing 107 films from 30 countries, including 33 feature films, and 7 world premieres. The festival will take place both in-person and virtually from May 25th to June 4th in Toronto, Canada. The announcement was made today by Inside Out’s Co-Head & Executive Director, Elie Chivi, and Co-Head & Artistic Director, Andrew Murphy.
The festival’s opening night film this year will be the Canadian Premiere of acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs’ French romantic drama Passages, which premiered earlier this year at Sundance to rave reviews. The drama about three people caught in a love triangle marked by passion, jealousy, and narcissism stars Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, and Adele Exarchopoulos. Closing the festival will be the World Premiere of a fantastical summer romance with a big musical heart, Glitter & Doom by Tom Gustafson, which is a love story told through the song lyrics by the Indigo Girls and features Alex Diaz, Missy Pyle, Tig Notaro, Alan Cammish and Lea DeLaria, along with the Indigo Girls themselves.
This year’s RE:Focus Gala selection is the Sundance Next Audience Award and Berlin Panorama Audience Award winner, Kokomo City by Grammy-nominated artist, D. Smith. Through laughter and conversation, D. Smith captures an unapologetic and unfiltered look into the lives of four Black transgender sex workers. The documentary also features a unique and exhilarating soundtrack that matches the film’s striking black and white visuals.
Inside Out’s Centerpiece Gala will host the World Premiere of Canadian documentary, Supporting Our Selves, directed by Lulu Wei. The documentary is a moving exploration of more than four decades of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation, which continues to support the needs of the 2SLGTBQ+ communities.
Highlights from the Special Presentations lineup include the Canadian premieres of Ally Pankiw’s I Used To Be Funny starring Rachel Sennott (SHIVA BABY), Olga Petsa, Jason Jones, Dani Kind, and Ennis Esmer. In addition the film Blue Jean, which is also a part of Special Presentations is a story about a gym teacher living a double life in Thatcher’s England.
Other notable festival titles include the World Premieres of Loveleen Kaur’s music documentary Leilani’s Fortune, which follows queer, immigrant Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry; while festival highlights include the Canadian premieres of 20,000 Species Of Bees by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren. Inside Out will also host a special 20th Anniversary screening of Richard Linklater’s School of Rock, starring Jack Black, with cast member Rivkah Reyes in attendance (who also has a film they wrote, GIANNA, playing at the festival).
“We are thrilled to welcome audiences to the 33rd annual Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival. We are incredibly grateful to our members, donors, sponsors and stakeholders as well as our queer filmmaking family, for their continued loyalty and support, and without whom, this festival would not be possible,” said Elie Chivi, Co-Head and Executive Director.
“2023 is the year of Inside Out! Further solidifying our place in the spring pre-pride calendar, the Inside Out family has been hard at work to unveil today the best and most crucial cinematic voices from the 2SLGBTQ+ community.” said Andrew Murphy, Co-Head and Artistic Director. “Built around the heart of our cinematic experiences, we continue to strive to build experiences of connection, industry and professional development, and at the end of the night, a dance floor, because joy comes in many forms,” commented Andrew Murphy, Co-Head & Artistic Director.
“This year’s program offers an eclectic and captivating lineup of films, showcasing the rich and multifaceted experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ communities globally and right here in our own backyard. From the bold and innovative works of local talent Luis De Filippis, VT Nayani, and Ally Pankiw to the world premieres and festival favorites from 30 countries, we are excited for our audience to join us and explore the complex and joyful nuances of queer life,” added Jenna Dufton, Director of Festival Programming.
The programming team is led by Director of Festival Programming Jenna Dufton, and is comprised of Lucia Linares (Programming Coordinator), and programmers Ferdosa Abdi, Rasheed Bailey, Ashley Bodika, Katherine Connell, Jacob Crepeault, Ferrin Evans, Ahlam Hassan, Claire Jarvis, Allia McLeod, Emma Pitters-Fisher, Nik Redman, and Scott Smart.
All in-person screenings at the festival will take place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto, and all industry events, including the opening and closing night parties, as well as the activities for the LGBTQ International Financing Forum, will take place at Artscape Sandbox. Many films will also be available virtually and available in Ontario.
Individual tickets for screenings (in person and digital), ticket packages, and all-access passes are on sale as of today at insideout.ca.
The full 2023 festival selections include:
OPENING GALA
PASSAGES, directed by Ira Sachs (France/Narrative)
The latest work by acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs starring Ben Whishaw, Franz Rogowski and Adele Excharpouplo, is a tale about two men who wonder if their crumbling marriage can survive when one of them has an affair with a woman.
CLOSING GALA
GLITTER & DOOM, director by Tom Gustafson (USA/Narrative)
When carefree Glitter and aspiring musician Doom meet it is love at first sight but they have only 29 days to discover if their love will last. Told through song lyrics by the Indigo Girls, the romance features some of their greatest hits, including the iconic anthem “Closer to Fine.” The film stars Alex Diaz, Alan Cammish, Lea DeLaria, Missi Pyle, Tig Notaro, and the Indigo Girls themselves.
RE:FOCUS GALA
KOKOMO CITY, directed by D. Smith (USA/Documentary)
Through conversation and laughter, Grammy nominated artist D. Smith presents a vibrant portrait of four black transgender sex workers in New York and Georgia who reflect on belonging and identity within the Black community and beyond.
CENTREPIECE GALA
SUPPORTING OUR SELVES, directed by Lulu Wei (Canada/Documentary)
A moving exploration of more than four decades of activism, told through the lens of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation. What started as a predominantly white, middle-class collective redefined itself during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and ’90s and continues to adapt today to better meet the needs of our Toronto communities.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
I USED TO BE FUNNY, directed by Ally Pankiw (Canada/Narrative)
An au pair and aspiring stand-up comedian, struggling with PTSD, must decide to join the search for a missing teenage girl she used to nanny as she tries to recover from her trauma and get back on stage.
BLUE JEAN, directed by Georgia Oakley (UK/Narrative)
Jean, a gym teacher, struggling to live her life openly under Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government faces a crisis with the arrival of a new student that challenges Jean to her core.
PREMIERES
20,000 SPECIES OF BEES (20.000 ESPECIES DE ABEJAS), directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (Spain / Narrative)
An eight-year-old child struggles with identity, her birth name feels very wrong, and her nickname Cocó doesn’t feel quite right either. During a summer among the beehives, she explores her name and identity alongside her mother and the women of her family.
OPPONENT (MOTSTANDAREN), directed by Milad Alami (Sweden/Narrative)
Iman and his family were forced to flee Iran and end up in northern Sweden. To protect his family he joins a local wrestling club. However, one sparring partner in particular ignites old feelings and Iman must choose between his own desires and the safety of his family.
RUNS IN THE FAMILY, directed by Ian Gabriel (South Africa/Narrative)
Former scam artist Varun and his trans drag performer son, River, embark on a road trip across South Africa. As River worries about missing Her Majesty’s Drag Competition and the opportunity to win the prize money to pay for his top surgery, secrets bubble to the surface and the duo’s relationship will be tested like never before.
SISI & I (SIS & ICH), directed by Frauke Finsterwalder (Germany, Switzerland, Austria/ Narrative)
Countess Irma finds Empress Sisi in Greece, away from the etiquette of the court. They live in freedom, but no matter how much Irma and Sisi resist, in the end they are left with only one fatal path that will bind them together forever.
ICONS
COMMITMENT TO LIFE, directed by Jeffrey Schwarz (USA / Documentary)
Hollywood played a critical role in the battle against HIV/AIDS as doctors, movie stars, studio moguls and activists came together to change the path of the epidemic and how the world saw it.
HUMMINGBIRDS, directed by Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefania ‘Beba” Contreras (USA/ Documentary)
Filmmakers and activists Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefanía “Beba” Contreras are coming of age in Laredo, Texas. Stuck in an immigration process with the threat of deportation for their families, they boldly refuse to be scared into submission and spend their days planning protest actions while expressing themselves with music, poetry, and art, creating magic in everyday moments.
IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?, directed by Ella Glendining (UK/Documentary)
Filmmaker Ella Glendining was born with a very rare disability. Using intimate video diary entries, conversations with similarly bodied people and doctors treating her condition, Ella explored what it takes to love oneself fiercely despite the pervasiveness of ableism.
IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL, directed by Alexandria Bambach (USA/Documentary)
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began performing together in high school as queer friends who never expected to make it big. Against all odds, they broke through in the 1980s, maintaining musical careers on their own terms with an unwavering commitment to progressive politics and queer rights.
LEILANI’S FORTUNE, directed by Loveleen Kaur (Canada/Documentary)
An intimate journey with queer, immigrant, Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet, as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry. After a decade of making music she is now receiving critical acclaim and nominations, finally getting the validation and support she needs to embark on the creation of the album of her prophecies.
SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA
A QUEER’S GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL LIVING, directed by Ari Conrad Birch and Michal Heuston (Canada/Documentary)
The lives of four queer folks from various religions meet at the intersection of faith and queerness – Summeiya, the genderfluid founder of Queer Muslim Network Toronto, Juliana, a bisexual teacher and former Baptist Christian, Vaibhav, a gay Hindu dancer, and Ari, a trans Coptic Orthodox drag artist.
BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND, directed by Trevor Anderson (Canada/Narrative)
Robin’s arrival at a small-town Alberta middle-school causes a stir because the students aren’t sure of Robin’s gender. When Robin becomes friends with Trevor, the school bully, their friendship is put to the test when they are both attracted to Izzy.
BLOOM ROOM, directed by Tristen Sutherland, Yasmijn Nicolle, Christian Anderson, Sochima Nwakaeze, Ajahnis Charley (Canada/Series)
This six-episode series follows a group of Black millennials in an online community who love plants. As the group becomes entangled in each other’s lives, they find purpose in caretaking for their plants and their budding relationships.
GOLDEN DELICIOUS, directed by Jason Karman (Canada/Narrative)
Everyone wants something from high school senior Jake. But it’s not until Aleks, an openly gay teen with a love for basketball, moves in across the street that Jake begins to struggle with his own desires. To get closer to Aleks, Jake devotes himself to making the basketball team – only to realize it’s not basketball he really wants.
SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT, directed by Luis de Filippis (Canada, Switzerland/Narrative)
Ren reluctantly accompanies her very Italian family on a beach resort holiday. As Ren navigates a resort not suited to her trans identity and coped with her parents’ loving yet overbearing nature, she tries to balance the yearning for independence and the need to rely even more on her family’s support.
THIS PLACE, directed by V.T. Nayani (Canada/Narrative)
Kawenniióhstha leaves her community of Kahnawà:ke for Toronto and to find her Iranian father, who she has never met. Malai is a Tamil woman dealing with her father’s terminal illness and trying to decide what her future should look like. The women meet by chance but form an intense attraction and bond as they navigate complex issues of identity and family.
INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE
A PLACE OF OUR OWN (EK JAGAH APNI), directed by Ektara Collective (India/Narrative)
Trans women Laila and Roshni are looking for housing after they are evicted from their rental. As their search continues, it transcends physical spaces and biological bonds, and as new friendships blossom, help arrives from unexpected places.
ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE, directed by Babatunde Apalowo (Nigeria/Narrative)
Bambino is a delivery driver in Lagos, living a quiet life but when he meets Bawa, a friendly and easygoing photographer, something clicks. But in a country where homosexuality is illegal and taboo, Bambino doesn’t know what to do with their connection; judging by the life choices of his friend Ifeyinwa, the options seem limited.
ALMAMULA, directed by Juan Sebastian Torales (France, Argentina, Italy/Narrative)
After being gay bashed by local boys, Nino’s family moves to their country home. Nino is forced to attend confirmation class and is warned not to enter a nearby forest or risk being captured by the Almamula, a mythic creature that takes away those who commit carnal sins. But he is pulled to explore the forest and find out if the Almamula is real.
BIG BOYS, directed by Corey Sherman (USA/Narrative)
Jamie’s dream camping trip is ruined before it even begins when he finds out that his beloved cousin is bringing her new boyfriend. Jamie’s initial jealousy of the competent and confident Dan quickly turns into a friendship as the weekend progresses, and Jamie comes to terms with who he is.
MUTT, directed by Vuk Lungulov-Klotz (USA/Narrative
Over the course of a single hectic day in New York City, three people from Feña’s past are thrust back into his life after he lost since transitioning – his relationships with his father, his younger half-sister, and his ex-boyfriend – all while tackling the day-to-day challenges of living life in-between.
NARROW PATH TO HAPPINESS, directed by Kata Olah (Hungary, USA/Narrative)
A young Romani couple living in a remote village in Hungary have a very big dream: to make a musical based on their lives so they go to Budapest where they can live more openly. But, they must return to their village for one final reckoning, hoping to finally find the inspiration to write their own happy ending.
NORWEGIAN DREAMS, directed by Levi Igor Devold (Norway, Poland, Germany/Narrative)
Robert travels from Poland to begin work in a salmon processing plant off the Trøndelag coast in Norway. He begins spending time with colleague, and aspiring drag queen, Ivar. When a strike breaks out, his loyalty to his fellow workers is tested.
QUEENDOM, directed by Agniia Galdanova (USA/Documentary)
Gena, an artist from a small town in Russia, dresses in otherworldly costumes and protests on the streets of Moscow. She stages radical performances in public, which becomes a new form of art and activism and puts her life in danger.
SPECIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY SCREENING: SCHOOL OF ROCK, directed by Richard Linklater (USA/Narrative)
Fired from his band, down and out rockstar Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is desperate for work and takes a job as a substitute music teacher at an uptight private school where his attitude and hijinks have a powerful effect on his students.
Special guest, Rivkah Reyes (Katie), will be in attendance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mike White and Richard Linklater’s classic comedy.
THE VENUS EFFECT (VENUSEFFEKTEN), directed by Anna Emma Haudal (Denmark/Narrative)
Responsible and level-headed Liv believes she has her whole life figured out but cracks begin to show in her stable and simple life the arrival of eccentric artist Andrea. As the two women grow closer Liv’s life is thrown off course and she must contend with a breakup, a divorce, and an identity crisis that jeopardizes her shot at a happy life with the woman she loves.
WOLF AND DOG (LOBO E CAO), directed by Claudia Varejao (Portugal, France/Narrative)
Friends Ana and Luis were born on the island of São Miguel. Both have been expected to fit into the lives that have been laid out for them. But watching Luis push back against his father’s expectations, Ana begins to question the world around her.
SHORTS PROGRAM
The full shorts lineup can be found here.
