Passion + Ishtar (short film) 18

A film about longing, healing and belonging. Adopting rituals and play from queer BDSM practice and their own Christian heritage, artist and filmmaker Maja Borg (Future My Love, 2012) seeks to reclaim intimacy in the wake of a destructive relationship. In Borg’s quest to re-establish boundaries in sex and love, Passion pushes the boundaries of documentary form, creating a textured, theatrical and intensely personal exploration of ritualistic practices, shot in both 16mm and digital, as a means of “reclaiming of myself.” Through stories of LGBTQI+ kink communities from across Berlin, Stockholm and Barcelona, Passion portrays the humanity at the heart of the practice.

With an introduction from Birds Eye View’s Leeds & Sheffield Impact Producer, freelance filmmaker, researcher, organiser, and programmer Toni Lee.

+ short film ISHTAR by Mia Georgis (UK 2021, 4’) 

Ishtar, the gender fluid Mesopotamian deity of love, sexuality, and justice, hosts a sumptuous and ritualistic dinner at which five gender non-conforming siblings of colour feast together in an English country garden. Exploring the coloniality of gender, Ishtar’s guests hold the history of their ancestors and their present day selves.  

Screening as part of Birds Eye View’s Queerious programme, exploring a multitude of desires on screen in ways we all too rarely see in cinema. Birds Eye View is a UK-wide charity with a mission to bring a broader perspective of the world through cinema. Through their #ReclaimTheFrame programme, they support films by women & non-binary people, with the aim of building a community for those who make, show, release and watch them.