Area film festival celebrating LGBTQIA+ voices through film Sept. 18–21

The 11th Annual Fargo Moorhead LGBT Film Festival that showcases film featuring LGBTQIA+ topics will be held on Sept. 18 – 21 at the Fargo Theatre.

The four-day film festival features a mix of regional, national and international works.

In addition to the films, directors Gerri Melnick of “ruok”, Martin Mulcahey of “My Mattachine” and Cody Stickels of “A Night at Switch n’ Play” will be in attendance on the days of their films’ screening.

Daily Featured Full-Length Films

Wednesday – ‘The Archivettes’

The festival’s 2019 Best Feature award winner, “The Archivettes”, rounds out the opening night.

The hour-long documentary by Megan Rossman tells the story of the Lesbian Herstory Archives’ formation. According to Rossman’s website, the archive’s co-founders, Deborah Edel and Joan Nestle, felt the need to create a “group (that) came together to combat lesbian invisibility and create ‘a place that says yes.'”

Over 40 years later, Edel and Nestle are facing new challenges. Between new technology, a politically volatile society and preparing to pass the mantle to the next generation of lesbian activists, the Lesbian Herstory Archives has a lot to consider.

The show starts at 7 p.m. on Sept. 18 with short films “The Handyman”, “ruok” and “Engaged” showing beforehand.

Thursday – ‘Last Ferry’

An unlikely crime thriller follows a young, gay lawyer on a trip to a place called “Fire Island.”

While his plans were only to explore his sexuality, he is instead thrown into a twisted nightmare. The young lawyer witnesses a grisly murder after unknowingly being drugged and is suddenly on the run from the killer.

What happens after he discovers his supposed savior is friends with the murderer? You’ll have to go to find out.

“Last Ferry” starts at 7 p.m. following the showings of short films “A Vast and Curious Universe”, “Lukewarm” and “My Mattachine.”

Friday – ‘I Stand Corrected’

Jazz fans will no doubt recognize the name John Leitham, now known as Jessica Leitham, the famous bass player.

Another 2019 Best Feature award winner “I Stand Corrected” tells the story of Leitham’s transition at the height of her career.

The documentary shows instances of acceptance as well as those of ignorance during Jessica’s transition into what she refers to as her “true self”.

The festival starts at 7 p.m. with shorts “Homo sapiens”, “Reshaping Beauty” and “Gamers” showing prior to “I Stand Corrected”.

Saturday – ‘Song Lang’

The first full-length film of the closing night takes the audience to the Saigon of the 1980s.

This unexpectedly tender film noir follows the budding relationship between despondent Dung and gentle Linh Phung.

Dung works as a debt collector for a shrewd loan shark, while in contrast Linh Phung is an opera singer in a traditional Vietnamese opera (cai luong) company.

Two shorts “A Time of Us” and “The Common Fag” are showing at 3 p.m. before “Song Lang”.

Saturday – ‘A Night at Switch n’ Play’

The winner of the 2019 Best Ensemble Performance, “A Night at Switch n’ Play” will close out this year’s FM LGBT Film Festival.

This documentary gives the audience a look behind the curtain of Brooklyn’s performance group Switch n’ Play.

The members are pioneers in the field, patenting their own unique brand of “drag and burlesque to create a subversive, reflective, and strikingly queer show,” according to the synopsis on the FM LGBT Film Festival’s website.

Three shorts “Infinite While It Lasts”, “Sammy the Salmon” and “Listen” are being shown before “A Night at Switch n’ Play” at 7 p.m.

For the full schedule, including synopses of all the films, visit fmlgbtff.com or the FM LGBT Film Festival Facebook page.