Contrast Film Festival returns for its second year celebrating women and queer artists working in film, performance, music, and comedy. This year’s festival opens with a rare theatrical screening of the seminal, 1963 queer art film, Flaming Creatures, presented with an original, live score by avant-garde musicians Thor & Friends, featuring Thor Harris of Swans & Xiu Xiu. The program also includes Texas premieres of Sundance standout, Adam, from producer turned first-time feature director Rhys Ernst, the Teddy Award-nominated So Pretty by Jessicka Dunn Rovinelli, and shorts by visionary filmmakers Bertrand Mandico and Yann Gonzalez.

Contrast episodic program and panel discussion featuring web series creators VivvyAnne ForeverMore & Jillian Gnarling of San Francisco-based Ew Yuk!, Bunny Michael of What Would Higherself Do?, and Andie Flores of Muy Excited. The Fathers Project, Femme Queen Chronicles and Damaged Goods will also be screened. 

The Contrast Late Night Adult Multiplex features live performances by Saturn Rising (LA), a multi-room, microcinema installation featuring experimental erotic short films, and screenings of Wakefield Poole’s Bijou, Heather María Ács’ Flu$h, and more. And the last night features Yes You Can!, a night of motivational speaking, comedy, and music with performances by Bunny Michael (New York), BossBabes ATX founder Jane Claire Hervey, local celebrity aerobics instructor Erica Nix, and more. The program rounds out with a matinee series devoted to films and filmmakers highlighting queer & trans experience in Brazil.