There is no shortage of struggles for LGBTQ people. From the lingering trauma of AIDS to bigotry and the overwhelming transformations of coming out, queer people are often forced to be resilient in order to survive. Both celebratory and contemplative, this collection of shorts explores these daily struggles and offers hope for a better future. In MANO SANTA a man harbors his runaway grandson after fleeing the constraints of home. In OUT OF THE DARK: AKEEM, viral slam poet AKeem Rollins meditates on his piece “Suicide Note” about finding new strength to keep going. A teenager is sent to live with her grandparents, forcing her to confront her past and imagine a much different future in COCOON LOVE. SCARS is a poetic documentary that uses animation and live action to tell the story of the marks of self-harm on the body. In COMPLICATED, a depressed young man returns to live with his eccentric mother following a mental breakdown. In IT WAS THE DOG THAT SAVED MY LIFE, a widower uses the print-making process to relive the legacy of Toby, the dog of his lover who died from AIDS in the 90s. And in REASONS TO STAY, Jian needs a little encouragement to keep going.
Available to stream in the U.S. only.
Community Co-Presenter:
Chicago’s not-for-profit center for the Spanish language and cultural exchange celebrating 25 years (1996-2021) creating change through the arts and education in Illinois, and worldwide for 30 years.
Don Isidoro, better known as “Mano santa” in his hometown, shelters his grandson for a few days after…
How do you fight an enemy you cannot see? This is the story of AKeem Rollins, known for…
A teenager is sent back to stay with her grandparents in her hometown village. As she begins a…
Alex Anna’s body is a canvas: her scars come to life to tell a new story of self-harming….
Itamar, a chubby and depressed young man, returns to his childhood home in the suburbs following a mental…
Toby the dog was the last living legacy of Kevin, a long-lost lover who died of AIDS in…
Wanting to escape a mundane and monotonous reality, Jian needs a little help remembering a reason to stay.