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Film Rarities and the Films of Edward Owens + Live piano and electronic accompaniment by Guildhall School (15*)

Queer 60s

,Cinema 1
Two men standing together, one with his arm around the other's shoulder, smiling at him.

A selection of queer shorts from South Africa, the UK and the USA, culminating in three short films by gay African American filmmaker Edward Owens, with a new live score.

In a decade where same-sex sexual activity was illegal in most countries around the world, including the UK and the USA, LGBTQ+ lives were seldom shown on film. Queer artists would instead shoot underground films, designed to be shown to private audiences, while amateur filmmakers shot home movies, never intended to be shown on the big screen.

In this collection of queer rarities, with a new live score by students from the Electronic and Produced Music Department at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, we explore a rich variety of films showcasing LGBTQ+ people in front of and behind the camera, including a drag home movie from South Africa, a powerful British short about a gay couple experiencing societal oppression, and a wonderful trio of works by gay African American filmmaker Edward Owens, all made before he turned 21.

Tagged with: Cinema Silent Film & Live Music Queer 60s

Film Programme

Faux Pas de Deux
South Africa, 1955 dir Ernst Thorp 3 min, with kind permission from GALA Queer Archive

Swan Lake, as you’ve never seen it before.

Adventures with Tony
USA, c1960, 3 min

A remarkable series of fragments of home movie footage featuring a butch teen on vacation with her father in New Jersey.

Disneyland Discovery (Extract)
USA 1969 dir Pat Rocco 10 min

Can two gay guys find their fairytale ending?

Dream A40
UK 1965 dir Lloyd Reckord 16 min

A young gay couple's relationship is put to the test as a road trip takes a sinister turn.

Tomorrow’s Promise (Extract)
USA 1967 dir Edward Owens 8 min

Edward Owens attempts to tell a story of doomed romance solely through the interaction between images, abandoning conventional narration.

Private Imaginings and Narrative Facts
USA 1966 dir Edward Owens 6 min

A silent portrait of a series of individuals framed in interior seemingly domestic spaces. The artist’s mother appears throughout the film.

Remembrance: A Portrait Study
USA 1967 dir Edward Owens 6 min

A montage of images of Owens’ mother and her circle of friends and acquaintances.

Queer 60s

Cinema 1

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.