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REEL PRIDE CELEBRATES THE BEST OF QUEER CINEMA
Featuring nine feature films, an evening of shorts and an art exhibit this September!

From September 26 to 30, Winnipeg’s Gay and Lesbian Film Society presents REEL PRIDE, its annual film festival. The Festival will show nine films and an evening of short films on queer themes, all not previously seen in Manitoban theatres. The five-day Festival will take place at Osborne Village’s Gas Station Theatre. The Festival thanks all of its sponsors and partners for their support, including this year’s presenting sponsors, The Royal Bank and The Winnipeg Arts Council.
“We have a great Festival planned for this year, including an art show and sale featuring the work of local Queer artists, a short film competition with entries coming from emerging new film makers right across Canada and of course, nine feature films,” says Ray Desautels. “This year’s selection includes a wide variety of films from Canada, USA, Belgium, France and Germany.”
Saturday evening’s presentation will feature the Indigenous based film, Rosie, which is told in English, French and Cree, along with The Empress of Vancouver, where the director, David Rodden-Shortt, and lead actor, Oliv Howe, will be present for a Q&A following the film. An RBC reception will take place between the two films.
Here’s the full Festival line-up:

Tuesday, September 26 – Retro Night

7 PM BLUE JEAN (UK) – In 1988, a new law stigmatizing gays and lesbians forces Jean, a closeted gym teacher, to live a double life. As pressure mounts from all sides, the arrival of a new student catalyzes a crisis that will push Jean to the edge. Blue Jean premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2022, winning the People’s Choice Award.

9 PM – BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND (Canada) — In 1987, other students wonder if new kid Robin is a boy or a girl, as Robin forges a complicated bond with the school bully and makes increasingly dangerous choices to fit in. “‘Before I Change My Mind’ seems determined to confront the challenges and triumphs of self-becoming with the unwavering honesty of someone who remembers them both.” – IndieWire

Wednesday, September 27 – Short Films

7 PM – An evening of short films. The short film competition will be followed by a panel discussion of the challenge sand issues faced by emerging filmmakers, hosted by Film Training Manitoba.

Thursday September 28th – Soirée Cinéma

This evening features two films from France with English subtitles and is hosted by Le Collectif du Manitoba.

7:00 PM – LES MULTIPLES VIES D’EDOURD LOUIS/ THE MANY LIVES OF EDOUARD LOUIS (France) – The metamorphosis of a young boy from a sub-proletarian background in Picardy into a star of French cultural life. Edouard Louis, who in a few years becomes a spokesperson writer of a generation, encourages each of us to make a permanent transformation into a new way of life. Official selection of Cinema du Reel (France), 2022.

9 PM – ARRETES AVEC TES MENSONGES/LIE WITH ME (France) — In Olivier Peyon’s powerfully emotional drama Lie With Me, the successful novelist Stéphane Belcourt returns to his hometown for the first time in decades as an ambassador for a famous cognac distillery. Once there, he is stunned to discover that one of the company’s executives is Lucas, the son of his first love Thomas.

Friday September 29th – Date Night
Bring a date and get your second ticket at 50% off.

7:00 PM SILVER HAZE (British/Dutch) — 23-year-old Franky is a nurse who, obsessed with a thirst for revenge and a need to assign guilt for a traumatic event that happened 15 years before, is unable to build any meaningful relationship until she falls in love with one of her patients, Florence. Premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 19, 2023 and won the Teddy Award Jury Prize.

9:00 PM EISMAYER (Germany) – Vice Lieutenant Eismayer is the most feared trainer in the Austrian military and lives as a gay man in secret. When he falls in love with a young, openly gay soldier, his world gets turned upside down. Based on real events.

11:00 PM QUEENDOM (Russia) — A young queer artist from a small town in Russia, Gena dresses in otherworldly costumes and protests the government on the streets of Moscow. She stages radical performances in public that become a new form of art and activism. But they come at a price.

Saturday September 30th (Truth and Reconciliation Day)

A very special evening featuring two Canadian films, including Rosie by Métis filmmaker Gail Maurice and The Empress of Vancouver by David Rodden-Shortt. The Empress director and lead actor will both be present for the Q&A immediately following the film’s showing. The evening also features the Festival’s Reception sponsored and hosted by RBC.

7:00 PM ROSIE (Canada) — An orphaned Indigenous girl is forced to live with her reluctant, street-smart, French-speaking aunty and her two gender-bending best friends in 1980s. It premiered in the Discovery program at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022. It won the award for Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2022 Festival international du cinema francophone en Acadie.

9:00 PM – THE EMPRESS OF VANCOUVER (Canada) — The story in the film centres around Oliv Howe shaking up the drag status quo when she strutted her punk-rock, all-inclusive performance art all the way to the title of 10th Empress of the Vancouver Dogwood Monarchist Society. This celebration of non-conformity and fabulousness was made by Vancouver filmmaker David Rodden-Shortt and highlight the 40th anniversary of Howe’s coronation as Empress.

The Festival will also host an art exhibit by local LGBTTQ+ artists at the Gas Station Theatre every day of the Festival. All the pieces you see are made by local artists, and sales proceeds go to the creators.

The Reel Pride International Film Festival provides a venue for the community and its allies to gather, celebrate our identity and view films that are as diverse and unique as our community. REEL PRIDE is the oldest LGBTTQ+ film festival in Canada, and almost all of its activities are carried out by volunteers.
Reel Pride celebrates queer media and arts, and contributes to societal vitality through programming focused on diversity and transcends race, culture, religion, class, gender, ability, health and age. We promote dialogue in a public, accessible and safe environment where artists and their stories bring awareness and understanding on issues from around the world and help to provide a global of experience of human rights and liberties.
Passes offering access to all of the films are now available for $50. Individual tickets are priced at $10. And 3-show passes are priced at $20. All passes and tickets are available here.

Festival trailers:
Tuesday September 26th

7:00 PM Blue Jean

9:00 PM Before I Change My Mind

Wednesday September 27th

7:00 PM – Short Films

10:00 PM – Panel Discussion Film Training Manitoba

Thursday September 28th – Soirée Cinéma

7:00 PM Les multiples vies d’Edouard Louis/\The Many Lives Of Edouard Louis

9:00 PM Arrêtes avec tes mensonges/ Lie With Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWJmCPfi9bs

Friday September 29th – Date Night

7:00 PM Silver Haze

9:00 PM Eismayer

11:00 PM Queendom

Saturday September 30th (Truth and Reconciliation Day)

7:00 PM Rosie

9:00 PM The Empress of Vancouver

Presenting Sponsors
The Royal Bank
Winnipeg Arts Council

Gold Sponsors
Heritage Canada
Sport, Culture, Heritage Manitoba

Silver Sponsors
Film Training Manitoba

Volunteers Sponsor
Manitoba Liquor Marts

Hospitality Partner
Inn at The Forks

Partners of Reel Pride
Le Collectif
McNally Robinson
Club 200
The Gas Station Arts Centre

For more info, images, trailers or interviews, contact Greg Klassen at: gdklassen727@hotmail.com or 204.290.6293

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