East London’s spunky alternative gay film festival is back
With a programme ranging from voguing lessons in a gym to a film salon in a log cabin and a swathe of great gay films, Fringe! mixes enhanced screenings with creative events and parties. For 2012 Fringe will be showing some of the hits of New Queer Cinema to mark the 20th anniversary of the movement that brought us tales of oddball outsiders challenging heterosexual norms such as 90s Brit classic ‘Young Soul Rebels’. Alex Karotsch, Film Festival Producer, says: “We are thrilled to bring back Fringe! for its second year and have been working hard to make this year’s event bigger, better and more fabulous. The festival’s events will range from camp classics, new queer films, interactive events, art exhibitions to talks, parties and more. Come and join us!”Fringe will also show classic cinema and new films, and will commission new work too: a series of Super 8 videos from London artists and a Youtube Project that will collect accounts of the universal experience of First Love.
With over 20 films, a dozen events, four parties and an all-nighter programme on Saturday 14th, the four day festival will be a blast of high-energy queer fun and will take place across multiple venues in East London. The festival is pulled together by volunteers, hosted by four major cinemas and many events will be cheap or free. Everyone is welcome. “Cinemas in London were packed for grassroots and DIY initiatives like Fringe! and helped galvanise a new, young audience”Stuart Comer -Tate Modern
Films! Gays! Parties! Thursday 12th – Sunday 15th April 2012
[15th February 2012] East London’s spunky alternative gay film festival is back in April after a storming first year which brought in over 2000 people.
Highlights of Fringe 2012:
‘In Bed with Madonna’ – an anarchic hosted screening of this pop culture classic (Dalston Rio)
‘Community Action Center’ – the vibrant sociosexual video exploring the queer underground art scene gets its second UK screening presented by Stuart Comer of the Tate Modern (Aubin Gallery)
A series of lesbian short films presented by the film-makers and a discussion on intergenerational lesbian culture will be hosted by Amsterdam-based lesbian art magazine Girls Like Us (venue tba)
‘Private Romeo’ – a Shakespeare performance in a military academy spills over into real life for the young cadets (Hackney Picturehouse)
Little Joe’s Clubhouse – an intimate film and discussion salon styled on a log-cabin and hosted by the queer film magazine will be screening an eclectic programme of underground film and serving as a social hub throughout the festival weekend (venue tba)
Darkroom – a speakeasy themed party, inspired by European lesbian haunts of the last century. Featuring cocktails, films and a lesbian darkroom
“Fringe’s Showgirls screening was the most electrifying atmosphere we’ve ever had for a cinema screening. I’ve never seen anything like it” – Manager Dalston Rio
Dates: Thursday 12th April, Friday 13th, Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th 2012
Cinemas: Dalston Rio Cinema, Hackney Picturehouse, the Rich Mix Cinema – Bethnal Green, the Aubin Cinema & Gallery – Shoreditch House
Other venues: Bethnal Green’s Town Hall Hotel, CAMP basement, Market Sports Gym, Long White Cloud Café, various pop-up venues