Wicked Queer Docs. Standing On Business.

Wicked Queer in Boston celebrated its 40th anniversary this spring as the fourth longest-running LGBTQI+ film festival in North America; the documentary extension, taking place in the fall, is now in its third year. I practically lived in The Brattle Theatre for a week earlier in 2024 to write about the fiction films at Wicked Queer, making this November weekend a return to a friendly environment in a cosy historic theatre.

Art is one outlet for change, and while simmering in disappointment about the US election, I dove into works of art about groundbreaking figures who lead small revolutions with their own art. I anticipated Wicked Queer Docs to be a community-forward event and I hoped it would be celebratory. And when the weekend came, festival director Shawn Cotter regularly implored audiences to turn to each other for support in their introductions to the films.