Empty Closets

On Queer Liberation

To be queer is to live in defiance of closets imposed by fear and prejudice. This forum gathers narratives of love, survival, and resistance, reminding us that queer stories are not margins, but essential threads of our collective fight for human rights.

Schedule

Short Films

Heels To Heal

By Justice Khor

Documentary | 2024 | 20 mins | Malaysia

LOGLINE

A musical documentary celebrating Malaysian queer resilience as three local drag queens heal deep wounds through what they do best—heels, makeup, music, and dance.

If I Were A Voice

By Denbert Tiamson

Fiction | 2024 | 20 mins | Philippines

LOGLINE

After discovering the dismissal of abuse and violation occurring inside school premises, a queer student leader who finds himself barred from a speech choir performance, sought to an ensemble to uncover the truth behind the academe, liberating survivors of abuse and addressing corruption in the institution.

Attached

By Byakta BaBam

Docu, Fiction| 2024 | 27 mins | Indonesia

LOGLINE

Attached is a story that flows gently in the pulse of Babam, a figure forging his path through the vibrant world of Kabaret Raminten in Yogyakarta. Behind the quiet door of his room, Babam brushes a wig, prepares a costume, and summons Luna—an alter ego that only appears under the stage light. In a gentle conversation with Luna, they reminisce about the shadows of the past, the threats from those who misunderstand them, the stigma clinging to their bodies, and the tireless struggle to bring art to life on a vibrant stage.

A Catholic Schoolgirl

By Myra Angeline Soriaso

Fiction | 2023 | 17 mins | Philippines

LOGLINE

A 15-year-old A-student defies the views of her all-girls Catholic school as she confronts her feelings for a school nun.

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Other films we are screening

11,103

by Jeannette Ifurung and Mike Alcazaren

A documentary featuring survivor stories of state-sponsored violence during the Martial Law years of dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Tipping the Scales

Southeast Asian Short Films Exhibition and Discussion

You are invited to Tipping the Scales and discover Southeast Asia through its cinema and find in its stories echoes of our own.

The Fires We Inherit | On Labor

Workers have long borne the weight of exploitation, precarity, and inequality. From factory floors to picket lines, their struggles blaze a path toward dignity and rights. This forum reflects on labor’s unfinished battles and the collective fires we must carry forward.

Ain’t I A Woman? | On Women’s Empowerment

Women’s bodies and voices have long been sites of struggle, contested, and controlled, yet continually resisting. This forum listens to stories that challenge patriarchy and affirm women’s place at the center of shaping just and equal futures.