As pastel autumn sets in, Brussels will once again be decked out in fuchsia pink and bold yellow (Pink Screens' proud colours) over the course of 10 days. Your queer film festival will be opening its doors on 31st October for its 23rd edition. Over 100 films of all genres from all over the world will light up the city's screens with stories in which margins become the focal point. More than just a festival, Pink Screens is an ode to queer creativity, a space where films not only entertain but also question, provoke and, above all, refuse to ask permission.
This year, the focus is on the ways in which we age as queer people. What happens to our desires and loves, and our relationship with others (Old Narcissus), the community (Lesvia), family (All Shall Be well), our own bodies (Kobieta Z), and our History (Desire Lines) as time passes? Beyond the question of time and the mark it leaves on us and our surroundings, how do we collectively form part of this mosaic, polymorphous and shifting queer culture and the way it is transmitted? This examination of ageing as a queer person also looks at the legacies we create for ourselves and analyses the different elements that record and weave together the stories of this shared legacy.
More than 70 short films will also be shown in 11 screenings, reflecting an infinite range of queer aesthetics. With their compact format, many of this year's short films capture contemporary relationships in their sometimes fleeting, fast-paced, and often virtual nature. But far from denouncing this as a sign of a disenchanted age, these films explore the beauty that can also emerge from new dynamics; the many ways in which the rules of hooking up can be subverted to become something new, creating a range of possibilities for love and friendship, as we see in the likes of Sweet dogs.
Like last year, several awards will be given to short films and two awards will be specifically dedicated to Belgian films, celebrating some of the country’s many cinematic gems. And a special first in Belgium: old films screened in previous festival editions are available on Auvio, RTBF's free streaming platform, in a new “Pink Screens” section, and several of this year's short films will also be available after the festival screenings. You'll be able to rediscover some old favourites, or maybe even catch up on THE film you had to see and missed!
The festival also features a large-format exhibition in the Cinéma Galeries basement, a place for artists to proudly express their vision. There will be readings, workshops, performances, meetings and lively discussions on stage or over a drink in the Nova bar. And of course, it's a chance to chat with the artists and filmmakers, vibe with a crazy team of volunteers, get your body moving at our Thursday night parties, and finish on a high with a Pink Night that'll get hearts racing right across Brussels. So, whether you're a seasoned film buff, a fan of new encounters, or just looking for a good place to get out of the rain, join us on this collective adventure where queer cinema lets loose, shows what it’s made of and has some fun.
Pink Screens festival is back this year with a new exhibition that focuses on how LGBTQIA+ experiences are archived and passed on. Through various media, audiences are invited to open up to these multifaceted stories. Art offers an opportunity to document the everyday life of the queer community, to talk about toxic relationships, to create new alphabets, to take stock of fetish objects, to question the binary through science fiction, to give a voice to the anger of those who have been marginalised, to re-appropriate folklore, etc. All these issues are reflected in the various works on display.