If Blaise Singh had not been compelled to give up his job as an Secondary School Teacher, then we would never have gained a talented filmmaker with a fresh new voice about being Asian/Black and gay in the UK today. His passion and commitment to LGBTQ/human rights is infectious and as we see in this debut documentary that he wrote/directed/produced it is important for all of us to listen and support younger generations in our community.
As PRIDE & PROTEST is about to have a VIRTUAL SCREENING as part of BFI PRIDE House Party on Sunday June 28th, QUEERGURU tracked Singh down in London to talk about film
When queer filmmaker Tristan Aitchison first left his home in the remote Scottish Highlands to visit his sister in Kenya almost 7000 miles away he had no intention of working, BUT he took his camera along just in case. Very soon after arriving he met Sidney a very shy intersex youth who’s family nit content enough with beating him up, actually threatened to kill him.
Through Sidney he met a small group that included trans and intersex youth facing daily struggles to stay alive . With no budget and no crew Aitchison set about filming interviews and fast forward three years and a lot of heartache., the documentary SIDNEY & FRIENDS was complete,
It’s a powerful heart-wrenching film that touches your very core when you realise exactly how impossible life for these LGBTQ youth, and how they can still find joy in the most unexpected ways.
Aitchison’s film has been remarkably successful picking up 11 awards already and on the eve of the film now being available to stream on AMAZON PRIME , he talks with QUEERGURU about his journey making Sidney & Friends
Twilight’s Kiss (aka 叔 • 叔 Suk Suk the Movie) is the third feature film from Ray Yeung one of the most successful queer filmmakers in #HongKong. It had its European Premiere at Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival in January where it picked up a Nomination for a prestigious TEDDY AWARD. Since then the journey of this touching love story between two mature men has been stalled due to the global Lockdown.
However as it is about to be screened as part of Frameline Virtual Film Festival later this month, QUEERGURU tracked Yeung down in HK to film this interview with him via Facetime
Academy Award Winner PAUL NEWMAN was an American actor, film director, producer, race car driver, entrepreneur, and philanthropist and also a style icon. In the days long before celebrity stylists invaded Hollywood, Newman had his own fine sense of style.
On Throwback Thursday QUEERGURU looks back at some of his great looks
Queer Brit actor, writer, director, singer-songwriter , filmmaker and advocate Leon Lopez is passionate about his work. Even in the COVID 19 Lockdown he cannot keep still and has created two short films about how it is all affecting people and relationships in DISTANCING and HEY GOOGLE …. we’ll confess the latter had us in tears.
So Queerguru tracked him down in the UK to talk about these wonderful wee films of his …… and also to spend sometime reminiscing about his remarkable career to date which is full of surprises
N.B. Both of the films can be watched in You Tube HERE