Throughout history, queer people have conceptualized and practiced various forms of resistance – politically and artistically; individually and collectively. The films in this block examine the world as it is while raising the possibility of what it can be. Whether based on a true story or an imagined story, these films showcase the transformative power of defying the status quo and inspire viewers to explore, embrace and ultimately, enact alternate futures.
About The Films
Notes On A Siren
Directed By Justice Jamal Jones | 2023 | 12 min
Notes On A Siren, offers a thought-provoking narrative on transformation intertwined with black and African spirituality, reframing the story of the Siren and the Sailor.
Screenplay by Justice Jamal Jones | Executive Produced by Matthew D'amato, Vincent Lin, Palm Heights Open Palm residency | Produced by Justice Jamal Jones, Justine Sweetman, Matthew D'Amato | Starring Justice Jamal Jones, Imani Fuentes, Corey Hess, Alvaro Herrasti, Bella Rosmery, SIREN
Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr
Directed By Kimberly Reed | 2024 | 15 min
After Zooey Zephyr was expelled from the Montana House of Representatives for defending transgender medical care, she made a nearby bench her “office.” A moment of discord ruptures into a path toward queer liberation and joy.
Realness With A Twist
Directed By Cass Virdee | 2023 | 12 min
A talented footballer is forced to battle between his secret passion for voguing and the fear of his teammate's disapproval.
Screenplay by Cass Virdee, David J Giles | Executive Produced by Luke Mortimer, William Shutt, Jonathan Carr, Royston Gooden | Produced by Maria Salcher, David J. Giles | Starring Kenzo Miyake-Mugler, Karteer Miyake-Mugler, Stacy Abalogun, Atlas Azure
The Robbers
Directed By Isa Schieche | 2023 | 16 min
Three trans women meet in a country house to plan a robbery. The trick of the heist is that, in order to create a false trail, they disguise themselves as men.
Screenplay by Isa Schieche | Produced by Isa Schieche | Starring Kristin Lerch,Thea Ehre, Isa Schieche, Florian Wild, Daniel Wintersteiger
OCTAVIA'S VISIONS
Directed By Zara Zandieh | 2016 | 18 min
OCTAVIA’S VISIONS speaks to contemporary themes of environmental degradation, far right extremism, and social liberation. The poetic piece expresses a queer utopian imaginary, a longing to create out of the old something new.
Screenplay by Zara Zandieh | Executive Produced by Humboldt Forum | Produced by Zara Zandieh | Starring Martini Cherry Furter, Sandra Bello, Mandhla Ndubiwa, Nancy Andler
MOTHER
Directed By Meg Shutzer and Brandon Yadegari Moreno | 2023 | 23 min
Spaces for queer women have been shuttering over the last 30 years. MOTHER follows Malia and her bar in its first year, exploring why this space matters, whether it can survive, and what it means for her community if it doesn’t.
Executive Produced by Caitlin Burke, Kori Rae, Jana Rich, Jill Nash | Produced by Meg Shutzer, Brandon Yadegari Moreno | Starring Malia Spanyol
About the Directors
Justice Jamal Jones (she/he/they) is a filmmaker, actor, and writer based in New York City. As a Black Queer Alchemist, they integrate Black Feminist Queer theory alongside Black diasporic Spirituality into their work. Their debut film How To Raise a Black Boy, was a reimagining of Jones’ childhood linking their boyhood to their identity as a trans/non-binary artist. The film was internationally recognized at over 30 film festivals, earning 10 awards. Justice was also a 2021 Sundance Ignite Fellow, and in 2022 was a commissioned director for MTV and Calvin Klein. Jones was also a guest on Good Morning America’s Hulu special “A Conversation Between Black Men,” where Jones advocated for Black Trans and Non-binary individuals. In early 2023 Jones traveled to the Cayman Islands to explore Black Magick and the Black Trans identity in their mixed media film “Notes on a Siren” curated by Palm Heights Hotel and Valiant Productions. The film has already been widely well-received, being spotlighted on NOWNESS, gaining traction on its film festival run, and premiering at the South Street Seaport Museum in February 2024.
Cass Virdee is a British South Asian Filmmaker who is committed to creating unique, heartfelt stories that celebrate the unheard. Having studied Directing Fiction at the NFTS, Cass has had short films screen at over 60 film festivals worldwide. Her most recent short film ‘Realness with a Twist’ received the Iris Prize Youth Jury award and had it’s premiere on Film4. Her work always has scope, scale and striking visuals- owing to her background Art Directing on films such as The Batman and Steve Mcqueen’s Blitz.
Isa Schieche lives and works as a visual artist, performer, screenwriter and filmmaker in Raab and Vienna. She creates participatory objects and installations. In her work she addresses folklore and craft, games and dance, intimacy and queerness.
Zara Zandieh is a director, filmmaker, and author born in Berlin. Queer and post-migrant characters often take center stage in Zara’s stories. They are multifaceted, self-ironic, resilient, complex, and are narrated and staged with a great deal of love and tenderness within their contradictions. Zara is inspired by the narrative styles and film languages of arthouse cinema, as well as queer pop culture.Zara’s short films and video installations have been exhibited at various international film festivals, garnering acclaim and receiving awards. Currently, Zara is dedicated to developing fictional projects, revising the screenplay for their queer debut film IN DEINEN HÄNDEN/ IN YOUR HANDS (working title). Together with Tia Morgen, Zara is creating the miniseries CLOUD9 (working title).
Meg Shutzer is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and investigative reporter whose work seeks to interrogate power structures and elevate stories from communities that have been historically underrepresented. Meg’s documentaries have screened on five continents and won numerous awards at film festivals. Their most recent investigation into a juvenile detention center in Louisiana was published on the front page of The New York Times and was a Finalist for the Livingston and Dart Awards. A companion film, 8 Days at Ware, was released on PBS in April 2023. Meg has a BA from Harvard and a Master’s in Journalism from UC Berkeley. They are a co-founder of Family Pictures, a production company comprised of journalists and filmmakers who combine original reporting and cinematic vision to craft non-fiction stories. When they aren’t chasing down a story, you can find Meg teaching journalism classes at San Quentin State Prison or cycling classes at 17 Reasons Athletic Club in the Mission District.
Brandon Yadegari Moreno is an award-winning documentary cinematographer and director based in San Francisco, CA. Brandon’s work has appeared on FRONTLINE PBS, in The Atlantic, The Guardian, High Country News, KQED, and in film festivals across the country while being recognized by the duPont, Peabody, and Scripps Howard awards. His most recent films include MOTHER (2023), which he co-directed as part of the IF/Then x Hulu Documentary Lab and with the support of the Berkeley Film Foundation. His debut feature, BLACK MATTERS (2024), was developed during his time as an inaugural National Science Health Environment Reporting Fellow in 2021-22, and is now a co-production with the Science Communication Lab. Brandon holds a master’s degree from UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and is a founding partner at Family Pictures.