Poster from the First Vancouver Lesbian Film Festival

In late 1987, I proposed to the Lesbian Network that Vancouver should host a Lesbian Film Festival. I was experiencing a lack of images with which I could identify. “Desert Hearts” had had mainstream release in 1986, and although I celebrated its breaking out into the big screen, I felt there must be more — more complex, more diverse stories — than this.

The Network was a coalition of lesbian groups which strategized activist and community-based organizing in political, social and cultural/arts arenas. My experience was that it was a strong reliable group of women who were politically experienced and ethically generous, working hard toward progressive ideals. It was hard work for them and I understand many suffered burn out, moving on to live lives looking after themselves, finding other ways to express their progressive ideals.

The Network supported my proposal and sent me to the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Film Festival to research films to bring back. Returning with a bevy of information, I then negotiated with the Vancouver East Cinema (then run by film enthusiasts Donna Chisholm and Alan Franey, now Director of VIFF) who generously offered to fund the films coming to Vancouver; The National Film Board Women’s Program which paid for promotional materials; and The Pacific Cinematheque which gave us clearance from BC’s film classification by extending their membership to our festival goers.

It was a very exciting, exhilarating experience. Every night was sold out with a queue around the block. There was always a crowd milling about outside before, between and after shows so there was very strong dyke presence. It was also a very accessible event with film tickets costing $3 to $6 sliding scale, or a festival pass that was $24 to see all 17 films. Especially radical was that it was transferable among your friends. This was the beauty of the Lesbian Network, they prioritized practicing such ideals. Another great thing was that everyone came from all around, men and women, straight and queer. I remember a lone man had come to see The Virgin Machine but the night had changed because the film arrived late. He was happy to buy a ticket for the next day and stand in line with all the dykes. It was especially satisfying to see nothing violent happened, I think the sheer power of numbers averted any homophobic actions. To see the marquee proudly display the words “Vancouver Lesbian Film Festival” for five days and 4 nights at Commercial and 7th Ave was just plain radical and one could pass it every day on the bus. It was also radical that we were clearly visible, supported by a straight business like the Vancouver East Cinema and thus out of the ghetto of our previous basement venues. It was a real high to sit in a theatre every night jammed packed with diverse lesbians, queer imagery, varieties of genres and experiences being shown. I feel it shifted a mass consciousness and was an empowering, celebratory, premiere event.

It was a huge success and I was honoured by great community support, excellent institutional allies, fantastic visibility on the Drive, dedicated volunteers, and a living experience that has influenced me to this day– very fond memories indeed of a dynamic time!

The following is a preview for the VLFF I wrote for Angles in August 1988.

The First Vancouver Lesbian Film Festival 1988

My venture to San Francisco was to find films for the first Vancouver Lesbian Film Festival (VLFF), scheduled for the last week of October, at the Vancouver East Cinema on Commercial Drive and presented by the Lesbian Network. I have been told in San Franscisco that the VLFF is probably the first lesbian-only film-fest internationally, but I’m not sure of this fact.

This exciting non-profit event hopes to bring the following films from this year’s San Francisco festival: Because the Dawn, Kamikaze Hearts, Another Way, Displaced View, Ten Cents a Dance, Tiny and Ruby: Hell Divin’ Women, The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, and the Virgin Machine.

Organizers hope to bring from previous festivals outstanding films such as Sheila McLaughlin’s She Must Be Seeing Things, Joy Chamberlain’s Domestic Bliss, Susana Munoz Velarde’s Susana, Melanie Chait’s Veronica 4 Rose, and Su Friedrich’s Damned If You Don’t. However, this ambitious, exhilarating programme will be costly and your invaluable help will be direly needed.

It’s time that these inspiring films were shown in Vancouver. The VLFF hopes to bring you to the best of its capacity a collection of the latest, most wide-ranging films by, for and about lesbians.

It hopes to seed discussion examining how we as lesbians watch and identify with how we are represented on screen. Much of this examination is invisible in the larger context of mainstream film culture.

We hope to build this festival into an exhilarating annual event in celebration of International Lesbian Week and to establish continuous visibility by, for and about lesbians in Vancouver.

Come and support your local lesbian film festival! Much work needs to be done to get these wonderful films. Your invaluable support will determine the success of this long-awaited festival. You can sponsor a film, become a matron or patron, be a donor or a fundraising volunteer….

Everything counts, because what it boils down to is, any small amount adds up to a bigger amount! So act NOW!

Article in Angles previewing the First Vancouver Lesbian Film Festival