The Queer Voices of the North Film Festival Co-ordinating Committee was founded in 2005 by a network of invested partners for the primary interest of developing and delivering educational and informational material to the queer and queer-friendly audiences of Sault Ste. Marie. Initially composed of representatives from Algoma University's Proud Algoma campus club, the Access AIDS Network, Algoma Pride, and Unity & Diversity Sault Ste. Marie, the committee members recognized a gap in the available information and positive space where insightful and thought provoking queer topics are introduced and discussed. Seeking to fill that void, the Committee brings intriguing and refreshing media to Sault Ste. Marie and develops thoughtful local dialogue on questions of sexuality, culture, and society.

History

On March 10th, 2006, the Committee successfully organized and provided to the communities of Sault Ste. Marie and Area North Ontario's premier Queer Film Festival, hosted at Algoma University College. The film festival received a positive acclaim by local media and was heralded as ā€œmust-seeā€ event. The 2006 Queer Voices Film Festival focused on Queer Native and Local Queer culture films. The showing of the films was followed by extensive discussion and interaction between the film directors and actors and the committee panel and the festival audience.

The primary ā€œaction-itemā€ resulting from the discussion was the continuation and expansion of the Queer Voices Film Festival. Since then, Queer Voices of the North has partnered with Shadows of the Mind Film Festival. In 2008, Queer Voices of the North presented the film Breakfast With Scot, at the Galaxy Cinema, and was able to offer a Q&A with the acclaimed director, Laurie Lynd, who now resides in Toronto, Ontario. In 2009 we screened Gus van Sant's "Milk" to a packed house at the Galaxy Cineplex in Sault Ste Marie.

In 2010 we're growing again, including a workshop with the Center for Digital Learning, and a great line-up of films.

Queer Voices of the North is Northern Ontarioā€™s only film festival focussing on the topics, themes, and narratives relevant or related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, genderqueer, ogokweniniwok, ogichidaakwewok, transsexual, and other two-spirit or queer people.

We seek to provoke important discussions on queer topics, to increase our visibility in the North, and to celebrate our history.

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