NewFest’s “Queering The Canon” Is Back And We’re More Obsessed Than Ever

All-consuming passion. Insatiable longing. Erotic fixation. “Queering the Canon” is back! This year’s theme? “So Obsessed“. Presented by NewFest, New York’s leading LGBTQ film organization, the series shines light on legacy masterpieces, bringing acclaimed queer filmmakers to a new generation of audiences. Films screen in-person at BAM Rose Cinemas and stream nationwide April 3—7.  

Now in its fifth year, the annual five-day retrospective is rapidly becoming a cultural institution. “Queering the Canon” officially launched virtually in April 2021 when most theaters were still dark due to COVID-19. “It came at a time when we as a community needed to gather – even virtually – to affirm authentic and enduring LGBTQ+ representations of ourselves,” curator Nick McCarthy tells GO.

Related: Lisa Cholodenko’s ‘High Art’ Gets A Stunning 4K Restoration And New York Premiere

This year’s lineup will enchant longtime fans as well as first-time viewers. It’s also a way to recognize our auteurs, who poured heart, soul, and often life savings into their productions.

“The one word that filmmakers have shared often is ‘humbled, ‘” McCarthy says. “Everyone from Alice Wu to Gregg Araki to Silas Howard to Rose Troche – they all shared their immense appreciation from greeting new audiences that were either revisiting – or hadn’t yet seen – their work before.”  

Many of these typically indie treasures hail from the 1990s, a breakthrough period when queer films were beginning to trickle into brick and mortar theaters. Each new film felt like a first. Gems like Rose Troche’s Go Fish (1994) was a must-see for lesbians back in the day, and in 2024, when writers Guinevere Turner and Troche turned up for a “Queering the Canon” Q&A at BAM. That year’s “Besties” theme celebrated characters spinning mischief and getting by with a little help from their friends.

The genre-spanning programs have seen a range of subjects. “Queering the Canon”’s 2021 inaugural series spotlighted “BIPOC New York,” highlighting Black, indigenous, and NYC filmmakers of color. “Rom-coms” were the focus of season 2022 (because who doesn’t love a happy ending). In 2023, the mood turned “Totally Radical” with content programmed amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation with films highlighting activism, rebellion and change.  

Related: These Totally ’90s Lesbian Movies All Came Out Of Sundance. How Many Have You Seen?

Now, more than ever, we have everything to gain by remaining visible, McCarthy says. “As we witness more directed and aggressive attacks against our community, it’s vital that we continue to resist and move with forward motion to amplify our stories and that we exist, and we’ve always existed.”

Desire is everything at this year’s “Queering the Canon”. Restorations caringly made to preserve our stories, 35mm prints and exclusive Q&A’s will leave you longing for more.  Check out two of our top picks below, and GO’s recent coverage of a don’t-miss screening of High Art on April 3 at BAM:

Single White Female (1992)  

Delivered in 35mm, Suspense thriller Single White Female (1992) will have you thinking twice about taking on a roommate – and buying stilettos with 4-inch spike heels. Alli (Bridget Fonda), a stylish career woman, advertises for a roommate after breaking up with her boyfriend, Sam. Enter demure Heddy (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who seems perfect at first, which bodes well for ice cream hangouts, and what’s not to love about your new roommate casually disrobing while discussing family trauma? But when Alli begins rethinking her break-up with Sam, Heddy turns jealous and obsessively doting, throwing boundaries to the furnace and inserting herself in Alli’s personal and professional spaces. Heddy literally wants to be Alli, right down to the dyed red hair. Once Heddy’s obsession goes full throttle, nothing is off limits – including Alli’s gay neighbor, sleazoid client, and boyfriend who can’t decipher who’s giving him a blow job in the middle of the night. Heralded as an erotic thriller in its day, with yummy homo overtones, this whirlwind of a flick is fueled by Heddy’s unfortunate psychological breakdown, a touch of camp and plentiful sharp objects.

Sat April 5th, 7:00 PM – BAM Rose Cinema

Stranger Inside (2001) 

Family bonds and survival are at the heart of Cheryl Dunne’s riveting drama, which first premiered at Sundance and snagged an Audience Award at Outfest 2001.

Treasure Lee (Yolanda Ross), a young Black butch serving time at a juvenile corrections facility, intentionally gets herself transferred to a maximum security prison in hopes of reconnecting with the mom she never knew, Brownie (Davenia McFadden), a lifer in the pen.

Treasure must navigate prison culture – crime, survival, allies, rivals, chosen families, and the logistics of sex in the chapel. Director Cheryl Dunye brought her signature deep research savvy to the production, as with her earlier claim to fame, The Watermelon Woman (1996), the first feature-length film written and directed by a Black lesbian. Dunye has described Stranger Inside‘s story as a mother and daughter relationship set in modern-day slavery—prison. Four years of research shows in the details, and the resurrection of the 1930s/40s traditional tune, “Last Month of the Year” resonates chain gang style, when Treasure and cohorts sing. The scene is impossible to forget.

Originally made for HBO, Dunye’s style straddles documentary and narrative filmmaking. The Liberian-American director workshopped and shot the film at a correctional facility, and credits the women within for sharing nuances of prison life. Efforts were made to ensure that the many facets of women were represented and to bring dignity to the characterization of incarcerated women. Yolanda Ross, in a superb first film performance, exquisitely conveys Treasure’s vulnerability, toughness and determination to forge a bond with her mother.  

Stranger Inside hits notes of longing for family and deep connection, found and forged in the most difficult places and circumstances.

Cheryl Dunne will be present for a FREE rare screening with a Q&A to follow: Thu, April 4, 7:00 PM – BAM Rose Cinemas.

Head here for ticket information, and check out the full lineup below: