School of Media Studies

Queer history is often erased or misrepresented. The colonial myth of queerness being “new” is quickly shattered by the histories of gender and queerness in indigeneity and antiquity. By bringing these films together, we invite you to contemplate the infinite nature of queerness. Travel through space and time with these filmmakers as they lay out the histories, activism, identity formations, and love that embody queer legacies.

Films:

Happy Birthday, Marsha! (14 min) is a film about iconic transgender artist and activist, Marsha “Pay it No Mind” Johnson and her life in the hours before she ignited the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City.

And Then (15 min) is a short film about two women who meet and grow closer to each other through their insomnia, exploring a new city, and their shared love of art. The story follows Mana, a Japanese-American woman who arrives in Tokyo seeking to find a break from her life as an artist, and Haru, a Japanese woman from the countryside who dreams of becoming an artist herself one day. It is a story about missed connections, finding purpose, and the possibility of reconnecting with those we’ve lost touch with.

Ni Aquí/Ni Allá (15 min) is a personal documentary that centers a conversation with filmmaker Ley Comas’ mother about their gender identity. Comas is the middle child of christian pastors who never imagined that transitioning was possible. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, all the trans people Ley knew were portrayed as evil characters, punchlines in movies and TV shows or freaks. At home, anything that God disliked was an abomination. This documentary follows Ley Comas physical and psychological quest to become themselves while struggling to find a middle ground between them and their family.

Speakers:

Michelle Materre (Founder of Creatively Speaking, Moderater) Michelle Materre’s professional background spans 25 years in television, film and video with a concentration on independent film. Her career has been spent working in a myriad of capacities in the nonprofit and commercial entertainment industry as a producer, writer, outreach consultant, distribution/marketing specialist and educator. Michelle’s goal in her work includes increasing and expanding the distribution and programming possibilities for women and media makers of color across the globe. She is the founder of the critically acclaimed film series Creatively Speaking.

Lindsey Hodgson (Distributor, Happy Birthday, Marsha!) Lindsey Hodgson has spent more than a decade buying, selling and releasing independent film in North America. Highlights include the acquisition and release of over 150 feature films including LGBTQ+ films God’s Own Country, The Gospel According to Andre, Being 17, The Dancer, and Papi Chulo.

Eve Lindley (Actress, Sylvia Rivera in Happy Birthday, Marsha!) Eve Lindley is an American actress best known for her roles in the television series Dispatches from Elsewhere and the film All We Had. In 2016, she was named in Out magazine’s OUT100. As a model, she has worked with Barneys New York.

Ley Comas (Director, Producer, Editor, Sound Designer Ni Aquí/Ni Allá) Ley Ley Comas (they/them) is Afro-Latinx, born in Costa Rica and raised in the Dominican Republic. They migrated to the U.S. in 2013, and went on to receive their B.A. in Cinema and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; and their M.F.A. in Documentary Filmmaking. Ley is a production sound mixer by trade. They have worked for brands such as Adidas, Uber, Pantene, Vans, and recurring projects with Refinery29 since 2018. Ley has also worked as production sound for feature documentaries and episodic content including featuring in major film festivals and streaming platforms. As a non-binary filmmaker, Ley’s work is grounded in collaborating on and creating films that highlight and empower the narratives of underrepresented and erased identities. Ley currently lives in the Bronx; they enjoy podcasts, bike riding, cooking, and spending time with their partner and their cats.