The Bite Magazine - Autmn/Winter 2020 - Issue 28

bitefilmreview I n continuation of the dialogue explored in last year’s in- depth discussion on Operation Spanner, it looks at consent, bodily autonomy, sexuality, and lifestyle choices. During the early 1990s, San Francisco was the epicentre of body modifica- tion and gender nonconformity with transgender pioneers like Patrick Califia and Tala Brandeis fighting for visibility, alongside a bold SM community speaking out for equal rights. Michelle Handelman’s Blood Sisters captured these homosexual outlaws in DIY fashion, just like the activism of the era. From pushy bottoms to macho femmes, Blood Sister s is an A-Z docu- mentary guide that takes an in-depth look at the San Francisco leather subculture scene. It shatters assumptions about gender and lesbian sexuality while broadening the discussion about personal expressions of eroticism and their political implica- tions. Eight self-described leather BDSM tell their stories about participating in a subculture cast off by its close ally, the broader lesbian community. The documentary, winner of the Bravo Award at the Manchester Film Festival, premiered at the 1995 Frameline Film Festival. It went on to screen at over 50 festivals and venues in London, Berlin, Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, and Melbourne as well as on England’s television channels Bravo TV and Channel 4, and also German, Italian, and Australian television. However, it was in a censorship controversy when the NEA (National En- dowment for the Arts) was up for ratification in the late 1990s and was attacked in congress by the American Family Associa- tion for depicting radical lesbian sexuality. Blood Sisters was the first film to represent this queer commu- nity on the fringes. It featured the players who started the cur- rent conversation on gender fluidity and radical sexuality and reminds us that now, more than ever, we need to keep vigilant on lesbian and trans rights. A first-time director in the animated feature, Rupert Wil- liams is interested in telling stories about marginalised communities and how they fit into everyday spaces. His own experiences prompted him as a gay man growing up on a farm in Northern England and not seeing his story told. Rupert had a brief stint writing and performing stand-ups, but decided the film world was more for him. He produced Landline, a Grierson winning short documentary about a gay farmers’ helpline which has been screened internationally at film festivals. Rupert has over ten years’ experience in several helping roles, including working as a social worker with young people and families. Ellie Land is an international multi-award winning Anima- tion Director and researcher with over ten years’ experience in producing animated content within a solid frame, with a focus on questions around health and society, often communicating complex research concepts to a global audience. Her body of work has been showcased at International Animation Festivals in Ottawa, Hiroshima, and Fantoche (Baden) and have been curated in exhibitions for the Victoria & Albert Museum and ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art). She is represented by the British Council and collaborated with filmmaker Iain Cunning- ham on his part-animated feature documentary Irene’s Ghost. Nominated for a BIFA (British Independent Film Award) and selected as one of the best films of 2019 byThe Guardian, Irene’s Ghost was also on theatrical release. Bathroom Privileges is a short animated documentary looking at some of the difficulties people face accessing public bath- rooms. It contains three stories of denied access and exclusion, bringing to light society’s views on disability, gender, and race in the most intimate spaces. The animation focuses on stories of unexpected interactions and awkward moments through a series of recorded interviews with contributors Emma, Ben and Kemi. In a world that praises ‘fitting in’, not being accepted by broader society, told you are not welcome or do not belong can take its toll. It restricts which public areas the contributors can access, forcing them to deal with harassment in the most intimate of spaces. www.bfi.org.uk/flare BLOOD SISTERS: LEATHER, DYKES, AND SADOMASOCHISM BATHROOM PRIVILEGES