FORWARD-THINKers. The documentary “Political Animals” is a vibrant tribute to four lesbian political activists and it screens at the Eau Queer Film Festival on opening night, Oct. 11 at 7pm in the Woodland Theater.

The 7th annual Eau Queer Film Festival will be screened at UW-Eau Claire’s Woodland Theater October 11-15. This year’s theme “Power, Privilege, Protest: It’s Personal. It’s Political.” underlines the individual and national choice for us in this current presidential election year. Expounding on the theme, films were chosen to reflect on how lives are being affected by and infused into the current national LGBTQIA+ conversation.

The Women’s & LGBTQ Resource Center, directed by Christopher Jorgenson, became the campus home for the festival after being previously housed in the Women’s Studies Program.  The support of the Center and financial assistance from the Blugold Commitment Differential Tuition (BCDT) grant program has enabled the program to continue. 

“We are very pleased that the university’s (BCDT) grant program has helped us for the past seven years. This fund is supported by student tuition, and thus, students serve as part of the committee to decide each year’s beneficiaries,” explained Pam Forman, professor and chair of UW-Eau Claire’s Department of Sociology. After this next three-year grant cycle for BCDT ends, the Eau Queer Film Festival will be exclusively funded by The Fire Ball, an extravagant drag ball fundraiser occurring annually in the winter months.

“We wanted to be sure that our selected films not only fit our theme for the year, but that they would challenge and inspire our UW-Eau Claire community and the greater Chippewa Valley.” – Kallie Friede, student director of the Eau Queer Film Festival

Under the guidance of Executive Directors Pam Forman, Ellen Mahaffy, and Christopher Jorgenson, an enlightening, colorful and touching roster of films has been curated for this year’s fest. The content shown is largely chosen by the students. Each year a disparate group of students from a variety of academic disciplines travels to the Frameline Film Festival, San Francisco’s International LGBTQ Film Festival (the largest and longest running of its kind in the world). It is there that the students are exposed to cutting-edge films, the filmmakers involved in them and are able to cut their teeth on networking with the artists, assisting in procuring films for Eau Queer as well as making contacts  – those directors and talent they would like to have speak at our regional fest.

Mahaffy, associate professor of Communication and Journalism, details the exposure a film festival can give each attending student: “In going to San Francisco and attending the Frameline Film Festival, you are among hundreds of people who value the big silver screen experience; you get to ask questions of the director, producer, and actors to gain a deeper understanding of the work screened. And you get to meet the person sitting next to you who also has an interest in film.” The students were instrumental in securing one of this year’s special guests.

Accompanying the film “Political Animals,” a documentary about California’s first four openly lesbian legislators, will be a presentation with guest speaker Carole Migden, one of the subjects of the film, former Senator of California and current political consultant for Hillary Clinton.

In the past, students of professors Forman and Mahaffy have filmed on site in San Francisco at Frameline, crafting short films about current sociological issues within the LGBTQ community such as homelessness, charities, and disabilities. These films were completed as part of a university course, then submitted and accepted into the Frameline festival.

Highlights of this year’s festival include films that touch on experiences within the Midwest. Professor Forman explains: “When we attend Frameline each year, we are particularly looking for great films with a Midwest hook. We very much seek films that will be relatable and informative for our audience of students, faculty, and community members.”

This year, look for the narrative drama entitled “Akron” – named for the hometown of Brian O’Donnell, the film’s co-director, which expounds on an interracial relationship between two gay college students, showing Oct.12 at 5pm. With its Midwestern setting, the film may underline the “personal” aspect of this year’s theme.

“A queer film festival brings films –whether they’re shorts, documentaries, or feature films – that create space for traditionally underrepresented groups to see themselves reflected on screen,” said Kallie Friede, EQFF’s student director. “We wanted to be sure that our selected films not only fit our theme for the year, but that they would challenge and inspire our UW-Eau Claire community and the greater Chippewa Valley.”

Show your support for Eau Queer by attending the festival, enjoying a screening and engaging in discussion. Mahaffy encourages all to have the theater experience, rather than just downloading the content. “To have uninterrupted time in a large dark theater, allows you as the viewer to really immerse yourself in the experience both visually and aurally. As a creative person, I love to see how others use the camera, lighting, and sound—these elements are not as impactful on a small screen,” she said.

We as a community are fortunate the Eau Queer Film Festival continues its positive work in bringing culture, art, and education to the area. The Chippewa Valley needs these enriching experiences and conversations to foster inclusivity.

The Eau Queer Film Festival screens Oct 11 through 15 at the Woodland Theater in Davies Center on the UW-Eau Claire campus. To learn more, and see the full slate of films to be screened, go to www.eauqueerfilmfestival.com.