GSFF23 will open on 22 March with an homage to Scotland’s untold Black history, a screening of OMOS, with live performances from cabaret performer Rhys Hollis and opera singer Andrea Baker.
Our festival will also host the Scottish premiere of Australian duo Soda Jerk’s hotly anticipated new mainstream cinema mash-up Hello Dankness on 25 March.
Tickets for OMOS and Hello Dankness now on sale.
GSFF23 is gearing up to full pelt with an invigorating programme of international shorts, homegrown talent and live performances!
OMOS as will be our opening film, set to take centre stage on Wednesday the 22nd of March. OMOS, directed by Rhys Hollis, is a new moving image work that pays homage to Scotland’s untold Black history and celebrates Black performance in Scotland. Filmed in Puck’s Glen and Stirling Castle, this artwork is a collaboration between award-winning artists; cabaret performer Rhys Hollis (also known as Rhys’ Pieces), mezzo-soprano Andrea Baker, dancer Divine Tasinda and pole artist, Kheanna Walker.
In the film, the artists perform and travel through Puck’s Glen woods – inspired by the atmospheric location’s connections to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream – before arriving at Stirling Castle which also has links to the play. OMOS remembers a historical performance given to King James VI of Scotland in 1594, during which a lion was replaced by an unnamed Black man, who pulled a chariot through Stirling Castle’s Great Hall. OMOS pays homage to the frequently unidentified Black people who appeared in performances at the Scottish court throughout history. The artists draw on the past, whilst looking to the future of Black performance.
The film is produced by Pollyanna and, staying true to the established queer cabaret company’s live roots, artists from OMOS will also treat our opening night audience to a performance after the screening in Glasgow Film Theatre.
Rhys Hollis, Director of OMOS, said:
OMOS is a celebratory visual journey of breathtaking performances from Black artists in Puck’s Glen and Stirling Castle. We are very excited to bring this journey to the launch of Glasgow Short Film Festival. Not only is this work a homage to Scottish Black history and a celebration of Black performance, but the launch is a moment to share and discuss. We look forward to the conversations at Glasgow Film Theatre, and of course a good dose of one-off live performance.
Buy tickets for OMOS (GFT, 8.30pm on Wednesday 22 March 2023)
We’re also delighted to welcome back Australian collective Soda Jerk! Riding high on the success of political revenge fable TERROR NULLIUS (GSFF 2019) Soda Jerk will land in Glasgow to present their hotly anticipated feature, Hello Dankness, on Saturday 25 March. Like its predecessor, Hello Dankness uses entirely sampled footage drawn from mainstream cinema to construct a rogue commentary on recent American politics.
Our Director, Matt Lloyd said:
Soda Jerk are among our favourite filmmakers working today, and their practice embodies the values that are reflected across the GSFF programme – it is critical and curious, transgressive and experimental, and yet extremely accessible and very very funny. We are over the moon to be welcoming them back to Glasgow for the Scottish Premiere of the sublime Hello Dankness.
We’re thankful to GSFF’s official media partner, The Skinny, for supporting this programme.
Buy tickets for Hello Dankness (GFT, 6.45pm on Saturday 25 March 2023)
Once again, Glasgow will also play host to the most exciting filmmakers on the shorts circuit. International filmmakers will be invited to present their work and compete for the prestigious Bill Douglas Award. Of course, audiences will have their say too – as the GSFF Scottish Audience Award is back, shiny and ready to be handed to the next fan favourite. This award has something of a “golden touch”: previous recipient Sean Lìonadh (Too Rough, GSFF22) recently picked up BIFA and BAFTA Scotland accolades, while Adura Onashile (Expensive Shit, winner GSFF21), just debuted her feature Girl at Sundance 2023 before arriving at Glasgow Film Festival for its UK premiere.
In the wider programme, cinemagoers can expect popular horror, comedy and family animation strands – with titles to be announced later this month. The full GSFF programme will be announced on 22 February, with all tickets going on sale that day.