It’s all go in Glasgow this week as the Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF) opens its doors for the ninth time. Based in the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) and Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT), it incorporates a wide range of films and events, a craft fair, a musical performance and more.
Glasgow’s LGBTQ+ scene was very different when the festival began, with relatively little happening in the events sector outside music and burlesque, despite the presence of plenty of home-grown talent. It was unclear how much of an audience there would be for it, but it has grown steadily over the years and is now a truly international event, attracting attendees from across Scotland and sometimes further afield while showcasing work from around the world.
International perspectives
This year sees the return of the Queer Asia strand which proved to be a big hit two years ago. Featuring short films from China, India, Myanmar and more, it provides an insight into the lives of LGBTQ+ people in different societies. There’s also a chance for viewers to enjoy 1970s Japanese classic Bye Bye Love, which follows two people on a cross-country road trip at the end of the hippy era, with its promise of sexual liberation. Although same-sex relationships have never been illegal in Japan and were considered a normal part of life for many men prior to contact with the West, LGBTQ+ people there today are still struggling for basic rights and protections.
Scottish talent is celebrated at the festival in the form of two dedicated short film strands, and the Best Scottish Short award will also be returning. Documentaries, comedies, and horror films focused on LGBTQ+ experiences are competing with films on wider issues such as the ongoing assault on Gaza and the growing influence of Big Tech.
Enjoying feeling unremarkable
The festival includes the first Scottish screening of Greek director Tzeli Hadjidimitriou’s highly acclaimed Lesvia, a full-length documentary exploring the history of the island of Lesbos, birthplace of the poet Sappho. As well as looking into the island’s ancient past, it celebrates the community that grew up there as modern lesbians chose to visit for holidays and, increasingly, to settle in a place where they could enjoy feeling unremarkable.
Throughout the festival, there is a focus on people of colour, whose stories have taken longer to come to the screen due to the complexities of intersectional prejudice. Festival director Indigo Korres, who is Brazilian, said that she personally finds SQIFF a very friendly and safe place to be, something which is particularly meaningful to those with experience in less accepting countries.
Accessible screenings
Since its inception, the festival has led the way in making its screenings and events as accessible as possible. Both venues are fully wheelchair accessible, and subtitles are included in all films. There is live BSL signing at some events. The programme includes trigger warnings so that people who struggle with certain types of content will know exactly when to leave if they feel the need to and will be welcome to return. Staff will be present on the ground throughout and ready to help anybody who experiences difficulty.
Earlier this month there were concerns that the festival might be much reduced in size, or might not happen at all, due to the widely publicised financial crisis affecting the CCA. Thankfully that will not be an issue in this case. The venue now plans to close temporarily between December and March to focus on restructuring.
Like many businesses on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street, the CCA was badly affected by lengthy, unplanned periods of closure caused by the two major fires which broke out at the nearby School of Art in recent years. The old ABC cinema, which suffered similar problems, had its historic façade torn down this week in what is widely regarded as a tragedy for the city’s cultural heritage. In this difficult climate, the ongoing success of SQIFF provides an important dose of hope.
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