October 2 – 12th, 2025
Queer Arts Festival and SUM gallery is proud to be a community partner with VIFF once again for a selection of films; Edhi Alice: Take and Assembly.
Edhi Alice: Take | Oct 4th, 5th
Kim Ilrhan’s documentary takes an unconventional form, as befits a work about two brave souls defying convention. The first section focuses on Alice, a trans woman who works as a lighting director on films (including, in a self-reflexive twist, this one). Alice is a dedicated craftswoman, and she pushes her tenacity further in pursuit of her real dream: to become a dancer. Eventually, the focus switches to Edhi, a counsellor who is preparing for gender-affirming surgery. Facing down skepticism from others as well as internal trepidation, Edhi undergoes the procedure, and Kim documents her post-operation life in which she feels, as she puts it, “lighter”.
Besides its gentleness and obvious affection for its two subjects, what gives Edhi Alice: Take its distinction is Kim’s attention to detail, both physical and psychological. From the specifics of post-op dilation to the pain of repression, she explores trans identity with curiosity and deep respect. Her subjects repay that respect, disclosing their thoughts and feelings with commendable honesty.
Assembly | Oct 11th, Oct 12th
In 2022, interdisciplinary artist Rashaad Newsome created his most groundbreaking and visionary exhibition yet with Assembly, a multimedia extravaganza of sculpture, dance, collage, spoken word, artificial intelligence, and participatory workshops exploring Black and Queer cultures. Co-directed by Newsome and Johnny Symons, this vibrant documentary explores the inner workings of Newsome’s imagination as he took Assembly from a simple idea to a profound collaboration with dozens of other artists, creating an immersive space of empowerment.
Drawing on his lived experience as a queer Black man, Newsome’s work transcends assumptions of race, sexuality, technology, and abstract art as he guides audiences to think about the future: But one innovative avenue of exploration is building Being: The Digital Griot, a non-binary AI trained on bell hooks and revolutionary thinkers. Through its transformation of New York’s Park Avenue Armory, Assembly showcases a one-of-a-kind event built around decolonization, storytelling, and resistance.