Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began performing together in high school, well before entering the mainstream as the acclaimed folk-rock duo, Indigo Girls. Against all odds they broke through in the 1980s, maintaining musical careers on their own terms with an unwavering commitment to progressive politics and queer rights. This commitment stands to this day with their continued fight for environmental justice through their work with Indigenous activist Winona LaDuke. Blending over three decades of home movies, archival footage, and intimate present-day verité, It’s Only Life After All is a timely look into the life lessons of two famous queer friends who never expected to make it big.

It’s 1988 in England and Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government is about to pass Section 28, a law that prohibits the promotion of homosexuality. For Jean, a gym teacher, a law stigmatizing gays and lesbians adds an additional layer to her ongoing struggle to live her life openly. As she attempts to lead a double life, pressure mounts between her and her out and proud partner. As the issues intensify on all sides, the arrival of a new student catalyzes a crisis that will challenge Jean to her core.

*Please note that this film will not be screened with open captions but closed captions will be available. CaptiView devices are available to patrons requesting them through the TIFF Bell Lightbox Box Office.

Ren reluctantly accompanies her very Italian family on a beach resort holiday. As her younger sister makes friends and parties, Ren navigates a resort that does not cater to her and struggles to cope with her parents’ loving yet overbearing nature, trying to balance the yearning for independence with the comfort of being taken care of. Looming in the back of Ren’s mind is the secret of her recent dismissal from work, and that once the holiday is over, she will need to rely even more on her family’s support.

Founded in 1980 as the Gay Community Appeal, Community One Foundation has from the start raised funds for an array of community projects and organizations, with the organization and its name evolving along with the community itself. What started as a predominantly white, middle-class collective redefined itself during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and ’90s and continues to adapt today to better meet the needs of our Toronto communities. Supporting Our Selves is a moving exploration of more than four decades of activism, told through the lens of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization.

Gena, a queer artist from a small town in Russia, dresses in otherworldly costumes and protests the government on the streets of Moscow. Born and raised on the harsh streets of Magadan, a frigid outpost of the Soviet gulag, Gena stages radical performances that become a new form of art and activism. By doing that, she wants to change people’s perception of beauty and queerness and bring attention to the harassment of the LGBTQ+ community. The performances—often dark, strange, evocative — are a manifestation of Gena’s subconscious. But they come at a price.

Sam Cowell, an au pair and aspiring stand-up comedian, is struggling with PTSD and must decide whether to join the search for Brooke, a missing teenage girl she used to nanny. The story exists between the present, where Sam tries to recover from her trauma and get back on stage, and the past, where memories of Brooke make it difficult to ignore the petulant teen’s sudden disappearance. Toronto’s own Ally Pankiw delivers a debut feature that is both funny and heartbreaking in its honest look at sexual violence, trauma, and recovery, and how they affect the relationships and communities that shape us.

A Queer’s Guide to Spiritual Living celebrates the many surprising intersections of faith and queerness in the lives of four queer folks from various religious contexts. Journal entries, poetry, and conversations with friends provide a glimpse into how Summeiya, the genderfluid founder of Queer Muslim Network Toronto, Juliana, a bisexual teacher and former Baptist Christian, Vaibhav, a gay Hindu dancer, and Ari, a trans Christian Orthodox drag artist, have navigated their queer and spiritual journeys.

Billy Tipton, the influential jazz musician, became more of a sensation when, upon his death, it was revealed that he was a trans man and the late-20th century world was unable to accept his identity.

For decades, Tipton’s private life was never a concern. His eclectic talent for jazz music spoke for itself and he mapped out a fulfilling career with his wife and adopted children. When his death provoked a media frenzy surrounding his gender identity, Billy Tipton became both the target for tabloid headlines and an unlikely role model for the transmasculine community. Tipton’s story is the portrait of an unlikely hero, stitched together in this documentary with accounts from Tipton’s son and trans artists in awe of his quiet accomplishments.

No Ordinary Man captures Billy Tipton’s complicated legacy, a burden for some and an inspiration for others, with in-depth critiques and affirmations for the trans icon and his portrayal in the media.

When all else fails, Troy and his son, Joe, head out into the Montana wilderness toward the Canadian border, and their freedom.

Troy has struggled in his life but has always been a great father to Joe. When Joe’s mother, Sally, refuses to accept him, Troy sees no other option than to take Joe away. When Sally discovers he is missing, she enlists the help of local police detective, Faith, but as Faith unearths more clues about the case, she realizes there is more to this than Sally has admitted. As the manhunt intensifies, Faith must find the father and son before less understanding members of the search team do, and Sally must embrace Joe for who he is.

With standout performances by Steve Zahn, Ann Dowd, Jillian Bell, and young trans actor Sasha Knight, Cowboys is the captivating story of a young man who knows exactly who he is, and a father who will do anything to protect that.

Cowboys

Available Canada-wide with closed captions.

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