Our inaugural Queer Qlassics series, long ago in 2019, focused on primary-source documents of the history of the LGBTQ community. For this, our second installment, we have focused on transformational narratives — the process of coming to know oneself, the resolve to live on one’s own terms in a hostile environment, taking the pressures of the world and emerging a diamond, and the ways that something once rejected can become something treasured (and vice versa). 

BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER speaks openly to the unique struggles facing queer youth with a pastel palette and the most open of hearts. BOUND is an exquisite neonoir about sexual liberation that also marked the first film from the preeminent trans filmmakers currently working in the world. Once protested by the community, BASIC INSTINCT has become a beloved classic thanks to its caustic view of the world and an iconic lead performance. And the magical dreamscapes of TROPICAL MALADY served as the International breakthrough for one of the most acclaimed queer directors of this era.

There are many facets to the queer experience, and these four films provide a rich tapestry for discussion. With guest speakers, interactive discussions and enrichment activities, it is our hope that the Queer Qlassics series becomes an ongoing means by which to engage with, embrace, and experience major works of queer art as a community, on the big screen — where dreams live and fantasy holds sway.