DARC is excited to be partnering with Qu’ART for the launch of a new community screening space at Digital Arts Resource Centre, the DARC Microcinema.
The DARC Microcinema is a small-scale community cinema that offers independent filmmakers and media artists a space to publicly screen their work for free.
Join us on Thursday, April 6th at 6pm for a screening queer short films that explore themes of community, longing, heartbreak, generosity, and love.
Program Schedule
Doors: 6:00pm
Screening: 6:10pm
Q&A: 7:00pm
Location
Located in the DARC Project Space on the main floor of Arts Court
67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, ON K1N 7B9
Event Pricing
Free Admission
Registration for this event is not required but is encouraged to guarantee your seat and for contact tracing.
About the Films
Reviving the Roost (2019)
Reviving The Roost is an elegy to a legendary Edmonton gay bar and a story about community complexity and longing.
Vivek Shraya is an artist whose body of work crosses the boundaries of music, literature, visual art, theatre, and film. Her album Part-Time Woman was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, her music on HBO Max’s Sort Of is nominated for a Canadian Screen Award, and her best-selling book I’m Afraid of Men was heralded by Vanity Fair as “cultural rocket fuel.” She is also the founder of the award-winning publishing imprint VS. Books, which supports emerging BIPOC writers. A seven-time Lambda Literary Award finalist, Vivek has been a brand ambassador for MAC Cosmetics and Pantene. She is a director on the board of the Tegan and Sara Foundation, and is currently adapting her debut play, How to Fail as a Popstar, as a digital series with CBC.
Ottawa Is a Drag (2022)
Thanks to shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, drag performers everywhere are seeing increased recognition and demand for their talents– and Ottawa is no exception. Ottawa is a Drag profiles several local performers: Saltina Shaker, Axel Lightning, Aimee Yonce Shennel, and Ruby Foxglove – highlighting their experiences in and out of drag. The film acts as a love letter to the local drag community and gives an insight into what makes the performers of Ottawa special – their camaraderie and support of one another. The film also features performances by Sunshine Glitterchild, Wysteria and Cornelia Styles. You can follow the film at @ottawaisadrag on Instagram.
Karolina Krym is a student of the Film & Media Production program at Algonquin College. As a queer woman, she is passionate about producing content that highlights the stories and experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community and all other under-represented voices. With a background in environmental science, she hopes to use her analytical skills in the future to continue to work in film production. Ultimately, her goal is to produce content that encourages people to have more empathy for what surrounds them – both humans and nature alike – and to make film sets more safe and inclusive spaces. You can follow her at @karolinakrym on Instagram.
China Doll – A Many Splendored Queen (2021)
A profile of a Chinese Canadian restaurateur with a big heart, running a successful restaurant, hosting wild karaoke parties & making people happy as the Drag Queen China Doll. A day in the life of Ed Kwan provides a background “mural” to a series of interviews documenting his background and loving and generous spirit.
Dale Windle is an accomplished professional with 30+ years’ experience in business. In 2010 after 3 friends tragically died in a head on car crash, Dale made a decision to pursue his lifelong desire to make movies. After attending film school classes at the Millennium Film Workshop in New York City, Dale wrote, produced and directed his first film, a hilarious 22 minute comedy, called American Idle, about lazy non-productive “workers” taking part in a contest to be selected as the idlest person in America. Dale then wrote, produced and directed his first feature film, a sci-fi thriller called Rulers of Darkness. Since then, Dale has produced and executive produced multiple film projects large and small. One of his proudest accomplishments has been to get to know and love Ottawa’s infamous China Doll and telling her story with the film: China Doll – A Many Splendored Queen.
Don’t Text Your Ex (2022)
Decades after the COVID-19 pandemic. During the shooting of a documentary called Humxns of New Love, a film director and her offscreen camera operator approach an elderly couple in a park. They are older Black lesbians living their best lives and they agree to be part of that documentary as they learn that it is about people who are in a long-term relationship with their exes. The older couple remembers the time they broke up with each other and warns the youth about the gravity of a particular type of heartbreak: a queer heartbreak. The film is seen through the lens of the heartbroken camera operator and turns out to be a PSA from the government.
Jo Güstin is an intersectionality writer and creator who celebrates Black and queer joy and creativity using fiction and comedy. After Cameroon, France, Germany and Japan, the multilingual novelist behind 9 Histoires lumineuses (2017) and Ah Sissi, il faut souffrir pour être française ! (2019) now lives in Toronto (Canada) where she launched the creative production company DEARNGE SOCIETY. The award-winning audio drama series Contes et légendes du Queeristan (2020) and short film Don’t Text Your Ex (2021) are her first creations under the trademark. In 2022, she launched (Make It Like) Poetry, a bilingual poetry podcast. She is also performing her political comedy special Je n’suis pas venue ici pour souffrir, OK ? for the Francophone audiences, and field-testing her upcoming play Life Is Too Short To Be Straight with the support of the Ontario and Toronto Arts Councils.
COVID-19 Protocol
DARC is asking all attendees to show proof of vaccination and wear a mask while using the DARC Microcinema.
Accessibility
All doors at DARC have accessibility buttons to press for automatic entry. DARC is located on the main floor (one story above ground) of the Arts Court building. DARC’s main entrance is located at 67 Nicholas Street which is fully wheelchair accessible. Alternate wheelchair-accessible entry is available through 2 Daly Ave at the Arts Court main entrance or the Ottawa Art Gallery. Elevator access is available from 9AM – 11PM. DARC staff are available and happy to assist with all inquiries and requests regarding physical access. We also welcome inquiry, feedback, and resources regarding accessibility and accessibility improvement by phone (613.238.7648 x. 6) or by email at access@digitalartsresourcecentre.ca.
