The 2nd Macau International Queer Film Festival (MIQFF) is set to kick off on Friday, with 14 feature films, including two from Macau, and five short films to be screened at Emperor Cinemas at Lisboeta Macau in Cotai until April 6.
Debuting last year, the second edition is themed “Love is the Answer”, featuring films from different countries and regions with subjects, themes and stories related to the multifaceted nature of the queer community, some having won different awards at other film festivals.
“Every movie has a story and every story is different, but are all wrapped under a big topic, and that’s love”, festival director Jay Sun told the Post in an interview at the library of Cinematheque • Passion earlier this week.
Though challenges such as a lack of resources, budget and audiences are faced in hosting it, Sun highlighted the festival’s need to exist and the “urgency to address this topic” as, when compared to places like Hong Kong and the mainland, not many activities like this happen in Macau, a place “even more subtle” about it and a place without its own queer culture.
“We can create our own atmosphere or environment by ourselves, by our own hands to make this place more diverse, to be more ‘out’ with certain taboo topics”, Sun said.
Sun added: “I would love to let people know that this is the time that we should talk about this. And this is the time that there is room for discussion and I want to create this vibrant environment for discussion”.
Sun is not 100 percent sure if the festival can be held regularly as “resources are key”. However, he remains determined, noting:
“This film festival is important not only to me, but I think to many people, especially this community”, having a positive impact on it as it can allow them to get together, talk and even discuss their thoughts after watching the films. It may also change the minds of those not in the community after watching the movies, he added.
“I think this film festival has its own impact and I’m hoping to keep doing this”, slowly and gradually developing it to enable the city to get more “queer vibes” through movies, he concluded.
Certain films are experimental and age restricted.
This undated handout photo provided by the 2nd Macao International Queer Film Festival Director Jay Sun earlier this week shows him posing.
