Local Heroes

At the heart of Inside Out has always been the annual Local Heroes (formerly Hogtown Homos) screening. So many familiar names, chosen family members, and even a few former staff members are featured in this celebration of our top drawer talent in our own backyard.

 

SEEKING SINGLE WHITE MALE, directed by Vivek Shraya (Canada 2011)

Become absorbed in this study of a brown body in (queer) white spaces.

 

5 DYSFUNCTIONAL PEOPLE IN A CAR, directed by Pat Mills (Canad 2009)

A 43-year-old woman, her 21-year-old boyfriend, her unhappily married sister, an aging mother and a burgeoning lesbian niece take a ride into discontent one winter’s afternoon.

 

BLACK MEN AND ME, directed by Michèle Pearson Clarke (Canada 2007)

Black Men and Me is an experimental documentary short in which a woman explores her position as a Trinidadian dyke and her complex relationship with black men. Shot in a barbershop, a traditional gathering place for black men, she has her head shaved while she reflects on her black masculinity.

*2007 Best Canadian Female Short Award

 

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JACKIE SHANE, directed by Sonya Reynolds and Lauren Hortie

(Canada 2014)

Toronto, 1963. Jackie Shane – a black, queer, soul-singing, flamboyant Nashville-born, Toronto-based musician – had a hit song on the charts. The song was a sensation, and with the lyrics “Tell her that I’m happy, tell her that’s I’m gay; tell her I wouldn’t have it any other way”, it was also an underground gay anthem. But before being able to fully enjoy the fruits of this success, Jackie suddenly disappeared.

 

AKIN, directed by Chase Joynt (Canada 2012)

With haunting suburban visuals backed by the rich sounds of Toronto based-band Ohbijou, Akin powerfully engages in a relationship between an Orthodox Jewish mother and her transgender son as they navigate silent secrets of a shared past.

 

GIRL CLEANS SINK, directed by Sook-Yin Lee (Canada 2005)

A lonely couple meet in a Laundromat, where their clumsy attempt at a sexual liaison leads to revelations, embarrassments, and a little bit of compassion.

 

CUP CAKE, directed by Allyson Mitchell (Canada 1998)

Cupcake is Girl as chubby eye candy. She takes us on a quest for the perfect dessert. She is proof that eating is sexy. Cupcake talks without shame, about desserts that she loves.

 

THE NIGHT CLEANER, directed by Blair Fukumura (Canada 2017)

As the night cleaner in Canada’s busiest gay bathhouse, Travis has his work cut out for him. With good humour he takes us on an amusing and sometimes harrowing tour through his nightly duties.

 

MONSTER MASH, directed by Mark Pariselli (Canada 2015)

A Halloween hookup turns into something more for a pair of morbid misfits costumed as Horror Cinema’s most iconic female characters. 

 

SOUL SUCKA, directed by Chrisitina Zeidler (Canada 1996)

Chrome, fur, shades, shoes – it’s an all-femme action-packed ride. Sexy, trashy and aggressive.

 

TOUCH, directed by Jeremy Podeswa (Canada 2001)

Touch is an uncompromising work about emotional scarring, the cycle of abuse, and the perverse nature of desire. In a poetic and highly stylized treatment, the film details the tragic journey of a physically and psychologically abused teenaged boy from early childhood trauma through to adolescent dysfunction.

 

SUSPECT, directed by Patricia Rozema (Canada 2005)

In a gender-swapping adaptation of philosopher Mark Kingwell’s essay “Who is the Suspect?”, Rozema questions our comforting tradition of creating tidy fictional chains of cause and effect that provide the libidinal release of a puzzle solved. 

 

TOGETHER AND APART, directed by Laurie Lynd (Canada 1991)

A delightful musical drama about sexual and professional choices, Together and Apart is a tale of reunited lovers and facing our choices.

 

100 CRUSHES CHAPTER 6 – THEY , directed by Elisha Lam (Canada 2014)

The director’s feelings of envy and resentment of a roommate’s pronoun-of-choice eventually evolve into delight in one simple word. 

 

WILL MUNRO’S DIRTY LOAD , directed by Matt Thomas (Canada 2007)

A documentary short film about queer underwear artist, promoter, DJ Will Munro.

Please note that you can access films for 48 hours after your ticket purchase. After 48 hours, the films will no longer be available.

May 25 to June 30, 2020

Online

Beginning Monday, May 25th and going to June 30th, a curated selection of short films will be available to screen exclusively on Inside Out’s website.

The 30th anniversary committee, led by Director of Programming Andrew Murphy, includes Jenna Dufton (Programming Manager), Chris Chin, Michele Pearson Clarke, Scott Ferguson, Nik Redman, and Sonya Reynolds.