QueerBee is a brand new platform for LGBTQI shorts, established to help queer filmmakers bring authentic queer stories directly to new audiences.
At QueerBee we believe short film is a genre, short film makers are not only on a journey to another place. As a minority group – collectively LGBTIQ+ – the representation of ourselves in mainstream viewing is less than representative. In addition to this sorry state of affairs, our characters and storylines – where they exist at all – often perpetuate the mainstream stereotypes at the expense of more authentic voices. Queer shorts provide an excellent means of connecting with one another, validating our lived experiences, helping to change attitudes, improve confidence in individuals and our communities, and break down barriers.
QueerBee launches with a programme exploring ‘identity’. When we know ourselves to be something entirely different from the available models of gender, sexuality and love, our identities often take us into unmapped territories and place us at odds with the world.