VIVO Media Arts Centre and Spindle Films Foundation are thrilled to invite you to a special evening celebrating queer and gender-diverse filmmakers and artists in Vancouver.

This event will feature a curated selection of short films by local queer and trans filmmakers, followed by a chance to mingle and network with the community.

The selected works come from an open call announced earlier this spring, showcasing powerful, creative voices and diverse storytelling from across the city.

Featured films:

Where to Piss, Karter Masuhara, 2023, 8' 21"
Where to Piss follows Ben, a trans man, who attempts to use the men’s bathroom for the first time but is impeded by his own fears and insecurities. Sophie, his friend, tries to help him overcome his fears, but as she doesn’t understand what his fears are, she ends up making it worse. The question becomes, will Ben overcome his fears or will he have to leave this gender experience to the wayside?
Ketchup, Donia Kash, 2024, 6' 37"
A seemingly sweet date unravels when surface level attraction gives way to deeper insecurities, one grapples with self doubt, the other with internalized homophobia. It’s not just 'you' or 'me', maybe it’s both. Also... want to grab a bite?
I Do, Kimberly Ho and Cynthia Zhou, 2025, 13' 33"
The unexpected arrival of his mother at his wedding forces a queer Taiwanese man to confront his past, and the decisions he made to belong.
PASSIFLORA, Gabriel Souza Nounes, 2023, 13' 44"
In a modern retelling of Brazilian folklore, nervous and insecure Theo discovers love for the first time at a fantastical, avant-garde party.
*Produced in 8 days in 2023 as part of the Crazy8s Film Society competition.
Jess McLeod, TBA

Banner Credits:

[Still Shot] PASSIFLORA by Gabriel Souza Nounes

In partnership with:

Co-presented by:

Spindle Films Foundation

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Venue Accessibility

VIVO is located in the homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples in a warehouse space at 2625 Kaslo Street south of East Broadway at the end of E 10th. Transit line 9 stops at Kaslo Street on Broadway. From the bus stop, the path is paved, curbless, and on a slight decline. The closest skytrain station is Renfrew Station, which is three blocks south-east of VIVO and has an elevator. From there, the path is paved, curbless, and on a slight incline. There is parking available at VIVO, including wheelchair access parking. There is a bike rack at the entrance. The front entrance leads indoors to a set of 7 stairs to the lobby.

Wheelchair/Walker Access

A wheelchair ramp is located at the west side of the main entrance. The ramp has two runs: the first run is 20 feet long, and the second run is 26 feet. The ramp is 60 inches wide. The slope is 1:12. The ramp itself is concrete and has handrails on both sides. There is an outward swinging door (34 inch width) at the top of the ramp leading to a vestibule. A second outward swinging door (33 inch width) opens into the exhibition space. Buzzers and intercoms are located at both doors to notify staff during regular office hours or events to unlock the doors. Once unlocked, visitors can use automatic operators to open the doors.

Washrooms

There are two all-gender washrooms. One has a stall and is not wheelchair accessible. The other is a single room with a urinal and is wheelchair accessible: the door is 33 inches wide and inward swinging, without automation. The toilet has 11 inch clearance on the left side and a handrail.

To reach the bathrooms from the studio, exit through the double doors and proceed straight through the lobby and down the hall . Turn left, and the two bathrooms will be on your right side. The closest one has a stall and is not wheelchair accessible. The far bathroom is accessible.

About the

Instructor

Mentor

Artist

(s):

Karter Masuhara

Karter Masuhara is a trans/non-binary filmmaker, writer, and producer. They have written and directed an award-winning short film, Where to Piss and self-produced their own play, Before They Cut Down Our Tree, which was presented at the 2023 Vancouver Fringe Festival. They have a Masters in Screenwriting from Leeds Beckett University. Currently, they are the Managing Producer of the frank theatre company and are part of Spindle Film Foundation’s Producing Mentorship Program.

Website

Donia Kash

Donia (they/them) is an award-winning actor, creator, and producer currently developing original TV and film projects that center bold, inclusive storytelling.

Website

Kimberly Ho

Kimberly Ho 何文蔚 (any pronouns) is a filmmaker, interdisciplinary artist, and performer based so-called "Vancouver". Growing up in a working class immigrant family, Kimberly’s work is nourished by collaborative processes and organically aims to be non-hiecharcial. In their artistic practice, they seek to explore their Hakka diaspora through the physical body and food culture, framing new media as a dimension of queer futurisms, and immersive art as a site of liberation.

Photo by: Brian Van Wyk

Website

Cynthia Zhou

Cynthia Zhou 周思瑶 (she/her) is a Chinese-Canadian actor and filmmaker currently pursuing her MFA at LAMDA. Known for doing it all—from acting to writing to directing to producing—her work has made its way to screens at film festivals worldwide.

Website

Gabriel Souza Nounes

Gabriel is an award-winning gender-queer Brazilian filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC. Their work is frequently inspired by Latin American folklore, Magical Realism and gender expressions, exploring themes like nostalgia and diasporic relationships.

Website

Jess McLeod

Jess McLeod (they/them) is a filmmaker/writer/actor. Their first short, DTF?, premiered at Out on Film, and is wrapping up a worldwide, award-winning festival run. As an actor, their upcoming credits include Bob Odenkirk’s next action film Normal, and AMC’s new series The Audacity, starring Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen.

Website

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About the

Curator(s):

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