Intersectional Feminism Short Film Fest — 24.08.21
by Ijeoma Opara & Rita Mapfumo
From the bartender’s (Rita’s) viewpoint:
As I stood nervously waiting behind the bar, ready for my first shift and experience as a part of the Say When family, DJ Phanny kicked off the night with our intersectionality playlist. Not too long after that, delightful individuals began walking through the doors, purchasing their tickets, and making a stop by the bar to grab their refreshments. I could feel the warm embrace of energies filling up the courtyard from the bar. In front of me, I could see curious and excited faces walking around, enjoying the colourful, recycled decorum dangling from tree to tree.
The courtyard filled up with more delightful individuals. This was a good sign, alerting me to the beginning of the film screening. The group gathered around the bar for one last round of beer, Saa’s delicious glühwein, some wine and of course, That Booch ( That Eclectic’s own brand of locally fermented Kombucha, made in Cederberg by a member of That Eclectic and Say When Magazine). From here on, we all made our way towards the dining room, which had been transformed into a cozy, communal space.
Voices lowered as the screening commenced — Boni & Wes, based on a true love story, opened up the intersectional feminism film screening. The film heartwarmingly depicted the challenges and lived experiences of two individuals within the queer community. Boni & Wes was my favourite. It was probably the most memorable film from the first sitting. But don’t get me wrong, The Foxy Five and Allumuah were also remarkable. The screening was composed of carefully selected films that were well-aligned with the theme. They depicted the intimate realities of individual lived experiences, as well as the universal struggles experienced by those at the intersection of race, gender, sexuality, class & geography.
The brilliantly creative minds who make up Say When did not disappoint from venue decorations, film selections, bar stock and let us not forget, the immaculate vibes.
Overall, I would say the evening was a success. I cannot wait for more to come. Justin Mitchell, who helped create the ambience that evening said that he “really enjoyed the experience” — what he loved most was that “it was a safe space for people to share their opinions and learn from each other”. The intersectional feminism film fest opened up a whole new world for Justin, who says the evening, the people, and the films introduced him “to norms he didn’t fully conceptualise”, bringing him to a “new understanding of the world we live in”.
From the conversationalist’s (Ijeoma’s) perspective:
Once again, That Eclectic brought together a space where a curated selection of short films opened up deeper reflections on intersectional feminism. The films touched on a broad range of topics, and most of them were located within the African context. Finding African accounts of the topic was uncommon, but so welcome. Such topics included: transphobia, misogyny, queer love, intergenerational trauma, reimagining/awakening. Interwoven in their own ways with intersectionality, this made the evening richer in how it challenged people’s viewpoints and evoked further questions about equality and safety. Overall, this was an amazing evening that showcased That Eclectic’s ability to explore Say When Magazine’s content in an interactive way within the larger Stellenbosch community.
List of Films:
- Boni & Wes, Based on a True Love Story— Helen & Kim
- The Foxy Five (Episode 4) — Jabu Nadia Newman
- Allumuah — Curtis Essel
- Stone Cars — Green Brothers
- Me Time — Iyabo Boyd
- Samirah Raheem’s Slutwalk Interview
All profits of the film night were donated to our friend Cher Petersen’s backabuddy campaign that aims to crowdfund her gender-confirmation surgery. This was an opportunity to help out a community member, and raise awareness for the issue of trans-exclusionary radical feminism. If you would like to help her out in any way, you can do so here. Cher also recently wrote an article for us which we encourage you to read here.
