2017 Highlights: Our Focus on Documentary Filmmaker Catherine Gund at Fringe! 2017
Catherine Gund in Act Up
Last month’s festival brought with it many successes, celebrations and, as ever, unexpected surprises and pleasures at every turn. One of our programme’s special events, branching from a focus on the documentation of queer lives in our recent past, was a focus on the films of critical documentarian Catherine Gund with her company Aubin Pictures.
Starting with a screening of the not-quite-believable, heart-stopping portrait of controversial choreographer Elizabeth Streb and the STREB SLAM company’s day of performance to accompany the 2012 London Olympics, Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity, we found Cat warmly open and generous in discussing her work with all in attendance. Hosted by Chisenhale Dance Space Creative Director and Fringe! luvvie Justin Hunt, and with fans, film lovers and even a STREB performer in attendance, this was a great start to Gund’s stay.
On festival Friday we occupied a part of the stunning Geffrye Museum to hold a masterclass of the director’s early works around queer activism, her first feature on Ron Athey, as well as more recent journalistic project Dispatches from Cleveland, and on towards feature docs Born to Fly and Chavela.
Warmly welcomed into our festival hub’s pink bosom, Friday night also saw the big space filled with queers eager to see and discuss lesbian activist images of the late 20th century in a screening of Gund’s early social conscience films, Lez Be Honest. The room was packed with film-hungry dykes.
But the real showstopper of Gund’s visit was a full house in the Rio’s 402-seater balcony screen for her magnetic, affecting achievement, CHAVELA. Roars of pure emotion flew from the audience as soon as the first few notes of La Llorona started up.
Early in the week Gund had discussed chronicling time-based performers whose work already cuts to the heart of an audience, but her perspective was palpable throughout. The works themselves stand alone as powerful and vital documents of queer reality: imperfect, honest icons, hard-fought realities, and creative histories.
Chavela, dirs Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi
The gorgeous Gund’s willingness to engage with the Fringe! family at each screening, generosity of advice and connection, and creative spirit really rendered her a more special guest than often experienced. From our hearts to yours Catherine, thank you.
Read more about Cat’s projects with Aubin Pictures, including the vital Dispatches from Cleveland, here.