In New York City, LGBTQ youth-of-colour practice a performance-based artform, Ballroom. The artform was made famous by Madonna’s music video Vogue and the documentary Paris Is Burning. Twenty-five years after these cultural touchstones, a new and very different generation of LGBTQ youth have formed an artistic activist subculture, named the Kiki Scene.
KIKI follows seven characters from the Kiki community over the course of four years. The documentary explores their preparations and spectacular performances at events known as Kiki balls. It shows their gains towards political influence and the conquering of affirming gender-expressions, whilst delving into their battles with homelessness, illness and prejudice. Each of these remarkable young people represents a unique and powerful personal story, illuminating the Kiki scene, as well as queer life in the U.S. for LGBTQ youth-of-colour as a whole.
The screening of the film will be followed by a poetry reading by Travis Alabanza.
Open to all.
Biographies
Sara Jordenö is a NYC and Gothenburg-based Swedish visual artist and documentary filmmaker whose stories often concern communities facing different types of marginalization. Her cinematic projects and commissions have been shown internationally at venues such as the Rotterdam International Film Festival, The Viennale, 5th Berlin Biennial and MoMA PS1. KIKI is her feature documentary debut.
Travis Alabanza is a performer, writer and thinker living in London. Previously one of the 2016/17 artists in residence as part of the Tate Schools Programme, they have been noted by Artsy, Dazed, Gay Times and OUT.com as a prominent emerging queer voice. Their debut poetry book Before I step Outside (you love me) (2017) has been listed as one of the best trans literary pieces of 2017. Their work and performances has appeared in numerous venues including Tate, V&A, ICA, Roundouse, Lyric Hammersmith and Royal Exchange.
