Pink Memories: from Stonewall (1969) to the emergence of AIDS (1982): queer cinema between self-affirmation, activism and sexual liberation

Hidden, ashamed, and ostracized for decades! In the 1970s, films began to openly address the lives and demands of gay men, lesbians, and transgender people. One of the catalysts for these changes was the Stonewall Riots, during which gay men, lesbians, transgender people, sex workers, and homeless youth who frequented the bar took to the streets to respond to daily harassment by the police. Other factors, such as the sexual revolution and the rise of feminist movements, contributed to the emergence of films in which gay and lesbian characters are (almost) like any other fictional characters, and activist films advocating for equal rights. On the occasion of its 25th edition, the Pink Screens festival invites you to explore this brief period when screens flourished with films free of taboos and increasingly provocative—films featuring liberated queer people, far removed from the victimization that had been their lot in previous decades. This diverse—though by no means exhaustive—retrospective is scheduled primarily at Cinematek throughout November. A lecture by Didier Roth-Bettoni, author of the book “QUEER CINEMA 1895–2025,” will be held on Tuesday, November 3, at 7:00 p.m. at LaVallée (39 Rue Adolphe Lavallée - Molenbeek). The theme will be: FROM STONEWALL (1969) TO THE EMERGENCE OF AIDS (1982): QUEER CINEMA BETWEEN ACTIVISM AND SEXUAL LIBERATION. Program: 29/10 - 21:30 - Cinéma Aventure : Stand Up For Your Rights (session of political shorts) 30/10 - 19:15 - Cinéma Aventure : Johan 31/10 - 14:00 - Cinéma NOVA : Born in flames 31/10 - 21:30 - Cinéma Palace : The Rocky Horror Picture Show 02/11 - 21:30 - Cinematek : Sunday Bloody Sunday 03/11 - 19:30 - LaVallée : Conférence de Didier Roth-Bettoni 04/11 - 19:00 - Cinematek : Sebastiane 05/11 - 19:00 - Cinematek : Hélène, trésore transnationale 06/11 - 19:00 - Cinematek : Cruising 07/11 - 21:00 - Cinematek : Mineshaft:The Cruising Murders 08/11 - 20:30 - Cinematek : Cambio de Sexo 09/11 - 18:00 - Cinematek : Miss O'Gynie et les Hommes fleurs 10/11 - 20:00 - Cinematek : Céline et Julie vont en bateau 15/11 - 18:00 - Cinematek : Cambio de Sexo 15/11 - 19:00 - Cinematek : Laberinto de Pasiones (le labyrinthe des passions) 16/11 - 20:00 - Cinematek : Miss O'Gynie et les Hommes fleurs 17/11 - 21:00 - Cinematek : Heat 18/11 - 18:00 - Cinematek : Un autre regard 19/11 - 21:15 - Cinematek : Pink Flamingos 20/11 - 18:00 - Cinematek : Les tueurs fous 20/11 - 21:00 - Cinematek : Les lèvres rouges 21/11 - 19:00 - Cinematek : Glissements progressifs du plaisir 21/11 - 20:00 - Cinematek : Céline et Julie vont en bateau 22/11 - 19:00 - Cinematek : Le Décameron 23/11 - 20:00 - Cinematek : Un autre regard 23/11 - 21:15 - Cinematek : Faustrecht der Freiheit (Le droit du plus fort) 25/11 - 18:00 - Cinematek : Ce n'est pas l'homosexuel qui est pervers, mais la société dans laquelle il vit 26/11 - 20:15 - Cinematek : Les tueurs fous 28/11 - 17:00 - Cinematek : A Bigger Splash 30/11 - 20:00 - Cinematek : Ce n'est pas l'homosexuel qui est pervers, mais la société dans laquelle il vit 30/11 - 21:00 - Cinematek : Je t'aime, moi non plus