Affording the OU community the opportunity to experience a genre oftentimes overlooked in favor of more mainstream cinema, “Queer Films in April” will see the start of its month-long run at 8 tonight with a screening of the Swedish film “Show Me Love.”
Presented by R.E. Davis, women’s and gender studies graduate teaching assistant, “Queer Films in April” will include the screening of a queer film at 8 p.m. each Wednesday this month in the Women’s and Gender Studies Library, Robertson Hall, room 101.
The event’s four featured films, Davis said, were chosen by reading reviews of queer films and looking for a good mix of international and national queer films.
“(We searched for) a good mix of films that represent both the male and female homosexual experience, as well as looking for films that were both produced by queers and that had been well-received within the queer community,” Davis said.
Tonight’s feature, “Show Me Love,” directed by Lukas Moodysson and released in 1998, relates the story of Elin and Agnes, two seemingly different teenage girls in Sweden who find themselves drawn to one another through their budding sexualities.
“Queer Films in April” may be seen as a positive reflection of the department’s recent transformation.
“I think it’s a really great idea to do a queer film series,” said Sandra Criswell, women’s and gender studies senior and co-president of the department’s student association. “The department recently switched over from Women’s Studies to Women’s and Gender Studies this year, and part of that is that we need to encompass a wider variety of issues, especially those concerning queer individuals.”
The event, which is free for all attendees, will continue April 14, 21 and 28 with screenings of the films “Bear Cub,” “Itty Bitty Titty Committee” and “Brother to Brother,” respectively.
Light discussion, although optional, will follow each of the four film screenings.
Davis said he wants the event to serve as a way to break down many of the stereotypes that surround queer culture.
“I hope that the audience would come away from this event with the feeling that, while the queer experience is unique to being queer, it touches on their own experiences in many ways: when it comes to identity, when it comes to love, when it comes to ways of being the world,” Davis said.
Davis said he hopes people will understand the importance of queer films.
“The stories that queers have to tell are very important and very powerful,” he said.
What: “Show Me Love”
- 8 tonight
“Bear Cub”
- 8 p.m. April 14
“Itty Bitty Titty Committee”
-8 p.m. April 21
“Brother to Brother”
- 8 p.m. April 28
Where: Robertson Hall, room 101
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Jwer 2 years, 1 month ago
:( I haven't heard anything about this.. Which is sad considering I'm pretty active in GLBTF. I wonder if anyone in the department thought to contact us =/
Oh well.
mustafa 2 years, 1 month ago
Speaking of queer films I was surprised yesterday when no one at the Daily had ever heard of the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes.” Based on the book by lesbian Fanny Flagg it is an icon of modern liberal pop-culture. It is on television regularly and a showing on campus is usually sponsored by the GBLF.
The story of a modern day woman named Evelyn, a recent empty-nester coming to grips with the fact that she is middle aged, unfulfilled, and thus discontented. Her husband, the sole bread winner does not have this same discontent. He otherwise is a very nice man. Un-like in the movie “The Burning Bed,” this husband is totally supportive when his wife floats the idea of going back to school to complete her education. He brings her flowers when he suspects he is being neglectful. When told to “Just forget about it,”, after Evelyn’s violent behavior becomes a police matter, he does as told. Even by feminist standards this guy should be OK.
While visiting a nursing home Evelyn becomes acquainted with an elderly lady and quickly becomes absorbed in her reminisces of life in the South during the 1920’s. The lady instills in Evelyn the spirit of Towanda, the goddess of payback-with-interest. Through Towanda, Evelyn learns that fulfillment can be attained by the expression of anger, hatred and violence. There is a bad guy in the reminisce, a wife beating, child custody-napping, Black assaulting, Klu Kluxer. He is eventually bludgeoned to death.
However Towanda also instills in Evelyn a persistent desire to sneak up behind her husband, while he watches television, and murder him with a baseball bat. There is no mistake, when we last see the husband, as he finally attempts to stand up to her, she is deadly serious as she threatens him with “Towanda.”
This is where I have a problem with this movie. Why does this nice guy rate a baseball bat to the head? No lover of this movie has ever been able to answer that. When I ask if the 1920s bad guy deserved to be killed, invariably liberals respond, “Of Course.” (He committed no capital crime.) But when I then ask if Timothy McVey deserved to be killed they say no.
The point of FGT is that it doesn’t matter if the man is bad or good. He deserves to die if he comes between a woman and what she wants. FGT also proves that it is just as easy for so-called compassionate liberals to work up a bloodlust against people that they don’t like.
cineman69 2 years, 1 month ago
Mustafa, you are the most misinformed and hostile user on this website. There are several people who have seen and heard of Fried Green Tomatoes on The Daily's staff, many of which you neglected to ask. In all of your comments you always sound so sure of yourself when half the time your ignorance is as blatant as your crudeness. Before you send a comment, think it through, don't just get people all fired up with your unwarranted political mumbo-jumbo, trust me, nobody cares what YOU think. Notice how many people found your irrelevant film synopsis/liberal attack comment useful. I rest my case. Get a life!
mustafa 2 years, 1 month ago
So the fact that I didn't canvas the entire staff is my big failing?
FGT for your information, is the grandmother of queer films and it’s message is despicable. This movie has inspired a many murder specifically the coming-up-from-behind type.
This movie was made before terms like "road rage" and "anger management problem" had made in the public lexicon. But those things are precisely what FGT advocates as well flat murder.
Towanda is the goddess of payback-with-interest, i.e. if some is rude to you in the parking lot, respond by vandalizing their car.
Obama statement "if they pull out a knife we pull out a gun," is Towanda.
The OKC Bombing, Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Fort hood massacres were all Towanda.
An even worse film than FGT was "The Last Supper," where a group of "enlightened" liberals decide to invited to supper representatives of certain conservative points of view. Once there the guests are cruelly murdered as the killers enjoy watching the death agony. A woman who objects to abortion on moral grounds is one of the condemned.
This next week when the Tea Party rallies, and the time between now and the November election is when the Left's hatred, anger and love of violence (Towanda) will clearly reveal itself.
At any rate, let’s hope the new wave of queer films are of a different caliber than their predecessors.
mustafa 2 years, 1 month ago
So, there are a lot of people down at the Daily who know FGT? Yet, no one can say why Ed Couch deserves a baseball to the head? It's OK, no liberal has ever been able to, because it is totally indefensible.
But why so much dislike for my attitude?. Don't you recognize it? It is pure Towanda.
As usual liberals love vile hateful rhetoric as long as they are dishing it out, but they suddenly rediscover scruples when it comes back at them.
There is much talk nowadays about the deterioration of civility, and what a surly and mean spirited country we have become. Well, that is the way liberals have always wanted it to be. In 1001 ways(FGT being just one) they have repeatedly lowered the standard of civil discourse over many decades, hitting a new low with Bush Derangement Syndrome. People on the right have fought against this gradual decline at every point along the way and received ridicule and hatred for their efforts.
So don't give me any of your phony outrage.
mustafa 2 years, 1 month ago
As far this series I did say-let’s hope the new wave of queer films are of a different caliber than their predecessors. There, I'm Mr Positive.
FGT is a good film? A film that advocates anger, hate and violence? If any film could literally be said to promote violence this one can,yet still can't bring yourself to address any of the specifics I raised or even condemn it in the slightest. I do you repeatedly feel the need to say you are not intimated by me? I don' think you are intimated by me, just my questions.
Does the 1920s guy deserve to be killed?
Why is Evelyn driven by a desire to kill her submisive husband? What is that that even doing in the movie? And don't say she just joking because there is plenty of evidence that she is not.
What do you suppose happens to Ed Couch at the end of the film? Does he move out? or more likely does he relent, as usual, and allow his wife to move this man-hater in to his home? If so, will Evelyn be finally be happly and quit wanting to kill him, or will things only get worse?
If Towanda is good why do you say I am so evil?
cineman69 2 years, 1 month ago
"phony outrage"? Haha. Mustafa you spend a considerable amount of time taking on the role of sensationalist. Like your gal pal Sarah Palin. Politics had nothing to do with this article, yet you chose to write a six paragraph essay over a film that most individuals have seen and dont need a synopsis for when they can resort to renting the film on their own time. Your comments are always negative, stimulate violence and hatred, and really serve no purpose other than to provide "phony outrage" and to vent about issues not relevant to the article. The "Queer Films" series was an earnest attempt to provide gay students with films that express their concerns and reflect their lives. The people who organized the series wanted to screen films made domestically and internationally, which is a good idea considering the diversity of cultures on campus. FGT is a good film, but not the ideal film for their one month series. They could only choose four films. COME ON DUDE!! Give them a break, just because they didn't choose a film that you were satisfied with doesn't mean the series was any less significant or effective. Also, it reveals once again that people really dont CARE what YOU think. As for your comment "As usual liberals love vile hateful rhetoric as long as they are dishing it out, but they suddenly rediscover scruples when it comes back at them," I am NOT intimated by YOU. My previous post was in direct opposition of your "lenghty" and "pointless" comment. You are on this site regularly, shoving your agenda down the throats of people who keep vomiting it back up on your face. Someone who writes negative comments as frequently as you must be lonely and bitter. Once again, GET A LIFE!! Share your opinions with people who care. I do not get on this site to impose my unwarranted views on writers and users. I get on this site when an idiot like you posts something that warrants a rebuttal. Keep on posting mustafa, god knows you got nothing better to do. I anticipate more "phony outrage" from you soon. HYPOCRITE!!
cineman69 2 years, 1 month ago
Mustafa, its a movie. You dont like it, don't watch it. There are aspects to that movie that are very effective and I'm speaking as a student with a film and video studies major. Youre evil because your comments are loathsome, racist, crude, and ignorant. Maybe you should organize the "Queer Films" series next year if youre so concerned. Of course, they wouldnt let you, seeing as how you have a reputation of ranting and putting down various groups of people. Do you go to this school? Do some homework, study for an exam, I dont care. Just quit posting comments that serve no purpose other than to stir up peoples emotions. You must be deranged, mental, and bored to keep disgracing writers and users with your agendas. Once again, we dont care. So why keep talking? Oh yeah, you dont have a life. Well, everybody has to find meaning in something. You need a new hobby.