Dr. Stephanie McKenzie is bringing
Newfoundland and Labrador’s first Pride film Festival to the Rotary Arts Centre
from Jan. 26 to Feb. 8, 2020. Eight films--some block-buster, some unknown
gems--will be shown throughout the two-week period.
The first festival of its kind in the province, Dr. McKenzie
is hoping the film festival will bring some lesser-known works to a greater
audience and provide an opportunity to re-watch some movies significant to
people in the Pride community and beyond. If successful and if there is
significant interest, this will be the first of an annual Pride film festival
in Corner Brook, and will work toward becoming a true independent Pride
film festival.
Dr. McKenzie teaches in Grenfell’s English program and chose
to teach “Small Town Queer” - a locally written and produced play, by Josh
Connors- as part of Introductory English. Her students in Pride Literature in
Canada (the first queer literature course at Memorial University), a course she
designed and is offering for the first time, expressed interest when they
learned it was being taught in other classes. They too, now, will be studying
this play this term. “Small Town Queer” is being remounted at the Rotary Arts
Centre on Feb. 15 and 16, 2020.
“Queer literature has been a serious field of study at other
universities for well over a decade now,” said Dr. McKenzie. “Hopefully this
course will not only provide a sense of inclusion for queer students and allies
but will also offer awareness of options students might have to study queer
literatures at a higher level.”
On Sunday, Feb. 9 at 1:30 p.m., after the end of the
festival, a student-organized conversation with the public will be held to
discuss issues raised by the film festival, as well as other issues.
Admission to the film festival is free and
transportation from campus to the theatre is complimentary. The schedule
is below, and tickets are available through the Rotary
Arts Centre.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: Jan. 26
Boys Don’t Cry: Jan. 28
Love, Simon: Jan. 29
The Danish Girl: Jan. 31
Sidney and Friends: Feb. 4
Velvet Goldmine: Feb. 5
Bound: Feb. 7
Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Feb. 8