Frameline48: Love Lies Scheming Shorts

This shorts program reveals stories of secrets and lies transitioning to the love and trust that unites us all. With appearances from Lux Pascal, Cole Doman, and Star Amerasu, this program contains queer highlights from Sundance, SXSW, and Tribeca. Click here for the streaming version of this shorts package.

Short films showing in this program:

After Hours

Directed by Star Amerasu

Two transwomen chance encounter in the club bathroom, one at the end of her rope, one at the end of her break working at the bar. Multidisciplinary artist Star Amerasu directs and stars opposite local performing artist Muñeca in this San Francisco tale, executive produced by Elliot Page. (6 mins)

Burrow

Directed by Leaf Lieber

Believing himself to be one of the last survivors left in the wake of human extinction, an ex-war soldier finds unexpected comfort with the arrival of a weary traveler. (14 mins)

Bust

Directed by Angalis Field

A trans girl cop with the NYPD goes undercover to make a drug bust. Starring Lux Pascal and Cole Doman (Haze, Frameline48; Mutt, Frameline47), Bust had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. (10 mins)

Kai Hali’a (Sea of Memory)

Directed by Angelique Kalani Axelrode

Through layers of space, time and memory across the ocean and ʻāina (land) on Maui, a diasporic Kānaka (Hawaiian) remembers how to connect back to themselves, their family and their lover. (9 mins)

Kasbi

Directed by Farah Jabir

A middle-aged Pakistani housewife, in search of herself, hires a young, self-assured sex worker to keep her company for the night. (12 mins)

The Robbers

Directed by Isa Schieche

Three trans women meet in a country house to plan a robbery. The trick of the heist is that, in order to create a false trail, they disguise themselves as men. While they share everyday life as a well-established team and lovers, they practice speaking in a deep voice, walking manly and behaving in a masculine manner. In this process, they reach their emotional and physical limits and repeatedly fail to imitate male-connoted behavior. (15 mins)

Stranger

Directed by Jehnny Beth & Iris Chassaigne

For the past 548 days, A has been absent from her own life, unable to feel anything. One night, J appears and takes her along with her, looking for ways to make her heart beat again. Stranger is a musical tale, the story of an awakening. Starring Jehnny Beth (Anatomy of a Fall) and Agathe Rousselle (Titane). (18 mins)

The White Crows

Directed by Denis Liakhov

Vlad, a young closeted Russian homosexual, returns to his small hometown from Moscow. His brother Liokha has arranged a surprise for him: an evening in the sauna with a female sex worker. (17 mins)

Expected Guests:

Star Amerasu, Director, Actor (After Hours)

Muñeca, Actor (After Hours)

Elliot Page, Executive Producer (After Hours)

Leaf Lieber, Director (Burrow)

Farah Jabir, Director (Kasbi)

Arielle Friedman, Producer (Kasbi)