Still Waters by Nancy Webb

Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival

STILL WATERS

An evening curated by Nancy Webb

fairytalesfilmfest.com

STILL WATERS is a collection of subtle and poetic films whose placid surfaces belie the surging emotional complexity that runs deep within.

As the saying goes, still waters run deep, and here, queer desire follows a similar pattern, flowing just under the surface, bubbling up subterraneously, and carving new tributaries.

From secret crushes to intimate friendships, to diasporic family love, these seven films span six countries and five languages, each tending to its subjects with softness and humanity.

Hugo 18:30 Directed by Simon Helloco & James Maciver France A routine audition monologue picks up momentum and zizags through Paris, telling a story about sex, illness and the profound capacity for care that friendships hold.

Stylish, humorous and poignant all at once.

Why Do You Love Me Directed by Xia Mu China A drag queen performs her 444th livestream in a blue universe that glints with crystal and glass. When she is surprised by a visit from one of her viewers, myth and reality collide, and she begins to question the nature of relationships.

The Fish With One Sleeve Directed by Tsuyoshi Shoji Japan A meditative exploration of trans identity, expertly refracted through the symbolism of the aquarium. Hikari works for an ornamental fish company in Tokyo, but decides to visit her hometown to visit a former crush, which leads her on a journey of growth and self-affirmation.

The Aquarium Directed by Fatemeh Askarpour and Elyas Askarpour Iran In an expert balancing act of silence and emotional power, this story follows two young trans Iranians who set up a secret rendez-vous in a hotel room, where they are finally able to truly see one another without feeling like they’re in a fishbowl.

The Third Solar Term Directed by Zhanfei Song China Qizhe meets an intriguing red-haired stranger whose sexual liberation forces him to reckon with the splintering of his own identity, which hangs precariously between rebellious teen and respectable son. A remarkable story of clashing generational ideologies wrapped in a visually stunning package.

Frozen Out Directed by Hao Zhu China A short but impactful visual letter from a queer self-exiled narrator, plodding through the flat expanse of the snowcovered prairies, to his younger sister still residing in rural China. An immensely tender rumination on the nature of home and belonging.

U Sifonjeru (Inside) Directed by Tamara Brocic Serbia U Sifonjeru, or “in the closet” is the beautifully-shot, flirty, down-to-earth, queer Serbian coming-of-age story you didn’t know you needed. Stefan spends the summer in the countryside helping his grandmother on her farm, when his sister’s crush Marko awakens a vitalizing discovery in him.

Hello there

I want to welcome you to stay in the Still Waters universe a little bit longer. Here is a short reading list I have put together, which pairs each film with a book. You can find these titles at your local independent bookseller.

Special thanks to Hann from Shelf Life Books.

Sincerely,

Nancy Webb

Hugo 18:30 The Years — Annie Ernaux

Why Do You Love Me Jonny Appleseed — Joshua Whitehead

The Fish With One Sleeve The Sky is Blue with a Single Cloud — Kuniko Tsurita

The Aquarium We Have Always Been Here — Samra Habib

The Third Solar Term Beijing Comrades — Bei Tong

Frozen Out Night Sky with Exit Wounds — Ocean Vuong

U Sifonjeru Call Me By Your Name — André Aciman