Our Favorite Queer Content at This Year’s Tribeca Film Festival

Every Body

This powerful documentary follows the lives of three intersex people, Sean Saifa Wall, Alicia Roth Weigel, and River Gallo, navigating a world obsessed with gender. While they recount their childhoods, the stigma they’ve experienced, and the nonconsensual surgeries performed on them, the trio also fights for the rethinking of antiquated medical practices and policies that operate outside of the gender binary. Directed by Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Julie Cohen, this documentary blends archival footage, personal testimony to highlight the narratives and experiences of intersex people. 

Chasing Chasing Amy

Since a child, filmmaker Sav Rodgers was obsessed with the Kevin Smith-directed rom-com Chasing Amy. The film stuck with Rodgers as he developed into his queerness, ultimately inspiring him to fund and direct the documentary Chasing Chasing Amy as a means to explore the impact it had on LGBTQ+ film culture. With progress made and even having Smith’s blessing and support, Rodgers begins a journey that makes him questions his relationship to Chasing Amy.

Shortcomings

Ben Tanaka (Justin H. Min), a Japanese-American comic book artist, and Miko Hayashi (Ally Maki), a Chinese-American writer, are a California couple struggling to navigate their relationship and their identities. But when Miko takes on a job in New York City, Ben must confront his fears, worries, and insecurities as he and Miko create a life together. The talented duo is joined by Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola, and Debbie Ryan in this Randall Park-directed film that explores relationships, identity, and culture. 

Bad Things

In Bad Things, a weekend vacation for four friends (Gayle Rankin, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Rad Pereira, and Hari Nef) at a snowy resort turns from a sweet dream into a nightmare. While there, ghosts of former resort guests and relationships past begin to appear, causing the crew of friends to turn on each other as they struggle to stay alive. This psychological thriller directed and written by Stewart Thorndike promises a new variation of psychological horror that questions how we perceive relationships, reality, and trauma. 

Our Son

Nicky (Luke Evans) and Gabriel (Billy Porter) have been partners for 13 years and eight of those have been filled with taking care of their son. But when the relationship comes to a crossroads due, the two men deem their relationship irreconcilable, leading them to divorce. But as they navigate the unraveling of their relationship, they enter a brutal custody battle, causing them to reevaluate their relationship to their son, to each other, and to themselves. Directed by Bill Oliver, co-written by Oliver and Peter Nickowitz, and starring Robin Weigert, Andrew Rannells, Isaac Powell, Phylicia Rashad, Our Son brings a new queer narrative to Tribeca. 

Break the Game

To Narcissa Wright, video games and the community she’s cultivated from playing them means everything to her. Narcissa’s skills within video games have allowed her to beat competitors in gaming competitions around the world, but when she comes out as transgender, her next challenge is navigating her gaming passions and the community she’s a part of. Directed by Jane M. Wagner, Break the Game highlights Narcissa creating a healthy life for herself and exploring the ups and downs of gaming culture, while following Narcissa as she sets her sights on breaking the speedrunning world record in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

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Goodbye Volcano High

Teenager Fang has finally figured out what they want out of life, but that epiphany comes at the same time the world is about to explode. In this narrative-driven, choice-based game, players will navigate through a story about personal development, acceptance, and community. Featuring the voices of Lachlan Watson as Fang, Abe Bueno-Jallad as Naser, Allegra Clark as Naomi, Ozioma Akagha as Trish, Mark Whitten as Reed, and Jensen Trani as Sage, Goodbye Volcano High is the next step in cinematic adventure game storytelling.

Thaw

One snowy winter afternoon, Smith (Caitlin Cobb-Vialet), a girl with fiery red hair, and Huck (Jack Peterson), a sweet kid, arrive at a remote farmhouse. The two come to this location for the winter to work and prepare the land. What follows is an intimate story of identity, transformation, and self-discovery. 

Mars

Mars follows a day in the life of teenage Charlie (Yasmin Finney). For Charlie, having a normal teenage life has been all that she has ever wanted, but one extraordinary night makes her rethink all that she has ever known. Produced by British singer YUNGBLUD and starring Yasmin Finney, Leah Choudhry, and Pete MacHale, Mars is a queer coming-of-age tale in short film form. 

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Letter to Rosie

In this short film, Bronx native Matt Sanchez explores the beginning of the healing process after the passing of his mother. Adopted by a lesbian couple, the film follows the trials and tribulations of his life and serves as a love letter to his mother, Rosie.