KALEIDOSCOPE LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL
THURSDAY 8/10-SUNDAY 8/13. The Studio Theatre. $30-$65.
One of the best parts about going to a film festival is getting to be among the first to see something. In addition to basking in the feeling of being ahead of the curve, how rare is it that you consume a movie in an utterly unfiltered fashion, before Rotten Tomatoes and the like have compromised your ability to know exactly what you really think about it?
Also, a festival with a niche focus — like Kaleidoscope’s emphasis on the LGBTQ+ community — takes the dream of having trailblazing critical authority to new heights by letting you in on movies that may never reach mainstream eyes. Among dozens of shorts, including several by Arkansas filmmakers, I’m most excited for Kaleidoscope’s showing of “The Lost Boys” (2023), a French-language feature by Belgian director Zeno Graton depicting a queer love story between two teenagers in the harsh, intimacy-prohibitive setting of a youth correctional facility.
To purchase tickets and peruse a full list of the screenings, workshops and social gatherings for the 9th annual Kaleidoscope, head here.