The Force is definitely with the borough these days.
Queens World Film Festival 2024 will run from Tuesday, April 16, to Sunday, April 28.
With the theme “Expect the Unexpected!,” the 13th annual expo will screen 152 films from 19 countries at three local venues — Kaufman Astoria Studios: Zukor Screening Room, Museum of the Moving Image, and The Local NY — over 11 days.
The films — which run from two-minute shorts to features, animations, and documentaries — are arranged in thematic blocs with such titles as “Moving Day,” “Horrifying,” “Good in the ‘Hood,” and “Bare Essentials.”
Prices vary depending on consumption, but general admission for each live screening is $22.59.
Opening Night is scheduled for MoM on April 17 with the Take This: 7 films that don’t back down bloc. It begins with a short that highlights the ungodly decisions parents of young children must make when war is outside their door and ends with a short that contemplates how humans present themselves, arguing that all it takes is a good haircut sometimes.
Click here for the entire schedule. A sampler of the blocs follows.
LGBTQ+: 7 films for, from and about the community, Zukor, April 18 at 9 pm and April 25 at 5 pm.
Love Letters by NYC’s Greta L. Schiller is the story of a blazing lesbian love affair, begun in the revolutionary feminist ferment of the 1970s and still going strong. It highlights the couple’s highly charged custody case with courtroom line-drawing animation and verbatim testimony about social ostracism and personal triumph.
Ambrosia by Amy Northup from United States.
Unlucky in Love by Catriona Rubenis-Stevens from United States.
Check Please by Victor Mignatti and Scott T. Hinson from United States.
Lesbophilia by Michelle West from United States.
build me through the image by Paula Hung from United States.
Mahjong Butterfly by Yinlin Chen from China.
Into the Light: 6 films about trying to be understood, MoMI, April 19 at 2 pm.
Exit Interview by Victorious De Costa from East Flatbush.
Flechas (Arrows) by Imanol Ruiz de Lara from Spain.
Holding 0n Forever by Chelsea Christer from Colorado.
Venus by Esmeralda Seay-Reynolds from NYC.
Power by Emma Grosklos from Ohio.
A Perfect Day for a Walk by Diane Catsburrow Linnet from Rochester.
Art Heals: 2 films that will put you back together, Zukor, April 20 at 11:30 am.
Piñatas of Earthly Delights by Emmy-nominated Tom Maroney from California. Roberto Benavidez, a self-described “queer, half-breed South Texan artist,” insists on calling his artistic creations “piñatas.” His delicate, fanciful paper mache forms are Mexican and European, a blending of cultures, like Roberto himself.
The Sound of Hope by Emanuele Michetti.
Nearly Forgotten: 2 films that shed light on treasures in rural America, Zukor, April 21 at 2 pm.
I Want to Live on Mars by Mariya Somova, a Ukrainian political refugee who left home at age 16 to pursue a career in filmmaking. Shot in rural Pennsylvania, this film is an homage to what it’s like being a teenage girl and living in the middle of nowhere with no real way of expressing yourself.
Aqui Seguimos (Still Here) by Álvaro Hernández Blanco from Spain.
Remembrances: 2 films about taking stock in our journey, Zukor, April 21 at 4:30 pm.
A Ramble Towards Rain by Astoria resident Lisa Angell. As cancer spreads through his body, a cable TV star drafts a fantasy novel as a desperate attempt to leave behind a legacy of significance. The story he creates leads him to come to terms with his insecurities and regrets.
(re) collection by James O’Connor.
Family Business: 7 films about blood and traditions, Zukor, April 23 at 7 pm
Scammers by Carl Klesch from New Jersey. A single dad trolls parking lots for the next target of his dent repair scam. But with his fed-up teenage daughter in tow, the day quickly goes off the rails.
Blood is Thicker by Long Island City’s Melissa Skirboll.
Jamila by Julia Freij from Los Angeles.
Niloo by Mehdi Koushki from Iran.
Party Favor by Yasmine Gomez from Los Angeles.
A Family Business by Richie Harrington from Los Angeles.
Bogotá Story by Esteban Pedraza from Colombia.
Freedom Hair by Oscar-nominated, Manhattan-based writer/director Dianne Houston, MoMI, April 26 at 6:45 pm. Based on the true story of Melony Armstrong, a mother who works at a shelter for battered women starts a natural hair braiding business. To do so she must overcome unexpected obstacles imposed by a powerful cartel and the state of Mississippi.
Niki Pilic: The Legend by Zeljko Mirkovic from Serbia, Zukor, April 27 at 12:30 pm. As a tennis player, Niki won five Davis Cup championships with three countries (Croatia, Germany, Serbia). Then, he trained Novak Djokovic, Boris Becker, Michael Stich, Ivan Ljubicic, and Goran Ivanisevic. The sponsor, Armondo’s Italian Restaurant in Jackson Heights, will offer a prix fixe after the screening at 4 pm. The $40 dinner includes appetizer, entre, desert, and a glass of wine or beer.
Unicorns by Alex Lora from Spain, MoMI, April 28 at 4:15 pm. Isa is a feminist and polyamorous posh girl living in a world of appearances. She becomes the victim of social media’s “likes,” “follows,” and moral judgments.
“As our complicated world grapples with challenging issues, Queens World cherishes fearless artists who take on themes like survival, empowerment, conflict, immigration, empowerment, the environment,” stated Artistic Director Donald Preston Cato. “This year’s schedule represents the diversity, the vibrancy, the innovative spirit of Queens and in turn: The World.”
Two Prequels
Before the festival begins, The Local NY will host Trailer Party Screenings on April 6. Then, the Welcoming Night Live Broadcast is set for Sac’s Place on April 16. Queens World employees and board members will particpate in a live, interactive zoom with attending filmmakers and colleagues from Italy, Nepal, Spain, and Ukraine. Those at Sac’s Pace, 35-11 35th Ave., will get 15 percent discounts.
Images: Queens World Film Festival