READING Biscuit Factory is celebrating LGBTQ+ cinema from east and southeast Asia.
The venue will be screening three features over three consecutive nights, celebrating the voices of contemporary, queer, Asian voices.
On Monday, December 3rd, RBF is screening Metamorphosis, which follows a 15-year-old Adam, who has both male and female genitalia, as he grapples with his identity, his devout parents, and medical treatments.
It stars Gold Azeron and is the debut feature from Filipino filmmaker J.E. Tiglao, who also gives a pre-recorded introduction to the film.
On Tuesday, December 4, the venue will screen a series of short films called Days of Reverie.
The short films explore the role of fantasy in the shaping of queer identities, looking at the vivid imaginations of unconventional characters.
The collection includes Dear to Me, an Indonesian-German film from 2020 which looks at the effects of superstition on a remote island.
It also features Elsa, the story of six-year-old Stanley who enjoys dressing up as Disney’s Elsa.
Frozen Out sees a political refugee navigate dislocation, directed by Hao Zhou, and In His Island explores a young boy’s dreams of becoming a mermaid, directed by Christian Candelaria.
God’s Daughter Dances follows a transgender dancer who is called for a military service examination, directed by Sungbin Byun, and Encore Martha features a singer reconnecting with her first love, directed by Natasha K. Sung.
Finally, Wednesday, December 5, will see a screening of Beautiful Boxer, which tells the story of Thailand’s famed transgender kickboxer Parinya Charoenphol.
It will be introduced with a short film from 1954, It’s All Because of a Katoey, a silent comedy that features a woman’s exploits at a gentleman’s club.
Queer East Film Festival is screening from Monday-Wednesday, December 5-7, at Reading Biscuit Factory, with all three features showing from 7.30pm.
Tickets cost £7.50 per adult, with concessional prices for over-60s and children, available via: www.readingbiscuitfactory.co.uk
For more information about Queer East Film Festival, visit: queereast.org.uk
