Ya Wang: At its heart, Queer East aims to showcase rarely-seen queer cinema from East and Southeast Asia, to challenge normative definitions of gender and sexual expression, and to introduce UK audiences to LGBTQ+ cinema that they might not otherwise get a chance to see. 

This year we turn our focus to Thailand, a country known for its rich tradition of depicting gender ambiguity, and for its vibrant and energetic queer filmmaking scene, but which is often overlooked in western discussions. 

The programme also features an extensive line-up of films from Southeast Asian countries, from Singapore to the Philippines, where their queer filmmaking might not often be discussed in the mainstream film culture here. Therefore, the festival seeks to take audiences on a journey to explore these films and facilitate a better cultural understanding of the region. 

YW: Queer East started from a simple realisation driven by my personal experience as a filmgoer: here in the UK, there is a noticeable lack of East and Southeast Asian queer films available in cinemas for the public. 

Significant progress and landmark rulings have been made across Asia in recent years. However, challenges and obstacles that many are still facing remain. In the UK, Asians are one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups, but it seems that we still lack an understanding of these communities. Hence, I feel that it is hugely important that we bring more queer Asian representation to the big screen. 

I hope that Queer East can play a role in combating stereotypical and generalised portrayals of queer Asians, and demonstrate the power of bold, complex, three-dimensional expressions of cinematic queerness. 

YW: Representation of intersex experiences in screen culture is still rare around the world. This debut feature by J.E. Tiglao’s is widely recognised as the first Filipino movie to shine a light on intersex storytelling. It tells the fearless coming-of-age story of fifteen-year-old Adam as he navigates the physical and spiritual limits of gender identity. Not only does the film highlight the life experience of intersex people within the wide spectrum of the queer community, but it also unlocks great potential for exciting possibilities of queerness.

YW: Recent conversations about positive queer storytelling are encouraging, especially among queer Asian communities often trapped by stereotypical narratives. I am excited about this programme as it showcases the power of queer dreams to bring about change - a celebration of fantasy and its role in shaping LGBTQ+ identities. The characters in the films share the same force of vivid imagination, whether to become a mermaid, to be the Snow Queen Elsa, or to confront societal and cultural norms. This collection of films made by six emerging filmmakers from East and Southeast Asia amplifies the important contemporary queer voices.

YW: It’s all Because of a Katoey is a silent short film restored from 1954 and the oldest known film in Thailand to feature a trans character. The feature film Beautiful Boxer is a real-life story about a transgender boxer who makes her way to the national champions league. 

Both films feature a robust trans presence, and I hope to put them together to draw attention to our trans family and friends who still face widespread discrimination and violence in our society today. These films offer a positive and energetic representation of trans characters – the short is remarkably tolerant for a 1950s production, while Beautiful Boxer is forceful and super empowering.