Film Festival adds Queer Speakers' Cabana

As part of its ever expanding offerings, the people at Vancouver's Queer Film Fest invite you to share your stories of life, love, hope and change at the Queer Speakers' Cabaña.

Queer histories are often spoken-told amongst friends as fond memories or anecdotal wisdoms-but our history deserves a place of permanence. Designed to save our stories and uphold our unique experiences, this video oral history project welcomes you to record memories and messages in our mobile video tent (the Queer Speakers' Cabaña!) at this year's Festival.

Gwen Haworth, the Festival's 2009 Artist-in-Residence and the award-winning director of the documentary She's A Boy I Knew, will work with audience members to develop and record personal testimonies. Everyone with a short queer-themed story to tell is welcome to participate. These mini-autobiographies will be collected for future public screenings and posted on our interactive website QueerHistoryProject.com. Watch for the roving Queer Speakers' Cabaña at various Festival locations and events.

Everyone is invited to visit the Cabana and speak for a suggested time of five minutes or less responding to one of the following three questions, or come with a story of your own choosing.

1. Talk about a memorable queer kiss.
2. What is one of your favorite queer spaces? Why?
3. What was a pivotal moment for you or for your community?

Vancouver Queer Film Festival
13 - 23 August 2009

Queer youth, queer history, the queer Asian experience and queer champions of hope will be the major themes explored in 71 films to be screened over 11 days during the 21st annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival.