The big screen is playing a huge role in Pride this year, with cinema events happening in Carbondale, Chicago, Des Moines, Iowa City, Sioux City, and the Quad Cities.
Above: Pride Singles Night in Chicago, viewings of Sioux City International Film Festival shorts at SUX Pride coming June 7, Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers at FilmScene in Iowa City June 3; and Paris is Burning, showing in Des Moines May 29.
The viewings start Thursday night in Des Moines and the Quad Cities, and continue all through June at indie filmhouses, libraries, and a college. Even if you can’t make it to a screening near you, this look ahead at Pride film events offers ideas for movies to seek out on your own.
Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
To Wong Foo in the Quad Cities, Paris is Burning in Des Moines
• To Wong Foo is showing 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Davenport’s The Last Picture House and will help raise money for gender-affirming care programs at The Project of the Quad Cities and Clock Inc. LGBTQ Center. Read about this 1995 drag classic here, featuring the late Patrick Swayze along with Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo, and find a link to get your ticket.
• Paris is Burning shows at 7 p.m. Thursday at Des Moines’ Varsity Cinema, in a screening sponsored by several central Iowa LGBTQ+ nonprofits. Read here about this 1991 documentary about New York City’s ballroom scene.
• May 30 – June 4: The Last Picture House in Davenport continues its Pride focus, with a series of LGBTQ+- themed films May 30 through June 4. They include Rent showing May 30 and June 1; The Birdcage showing May 31 and June 1; But I’m a Cheerleader showing May 31 and June 3; and Paris is Burning showing June 1 and 4.
Chicago Public Library showings, Trans Narratives in Iowa City, and SUX Pride features short film reviews
• The Chicago Public Library network kicks off a month of film screenings, among other Pride events, at 18 different branches starting June 1 with 2023’s Every Body at the Richard M. Daley branch. It’s among 19 LGBTQ-themed films showing multiple times throughout the month.
In addition to Every Body, the series also features All of Us Strangers; Bohemian Rhapsody; Bottoms; Boy Erased; Bros; Can You Ever Forgive Me; Can’t Stop the Music; Carol; Dog Day Afternoon; Judy; Kinky Boots; Love, Simon; My Own Private Idaho; Pariah;Â Pee Wee’s’ Big Adventure; Pride; Rocketman; and Stonewall. See the complete schedule here.
• Trans Narratives in Iowa City kicks off Wed., June 3, at FilmScene, with the first of four films showing every Wednesday through June — all chosen to convey the transgender experience. Scarecrow in the Garden of Cucumbers June 3 features Andy Warhol trans’ star Holly Woodlawn. Next up is the German documentary I Am My Own Woman June 10. Castration Movie features trans’ horror specialist Louise Weard and shows June 17. And North By Current (above), about a filmmaker’s search for what happened to his young cousin, shows June 24.
• It’s another LGBTQ film for the Quad Cities Fri., June 5 — this time at Figge Art Museum in Davenport. Handsome Devil tells the story of two boarding schools teens and their relationship.
• In Western Iowa, the Sioux City International Film Festival offers showings of shorts from years past all day long at SUX Pride Sat., June 7, with the chance for viewers to choose their favorites.
Des Moines’ Varsity Cinema, Chicago’s Pride Singles Night and Music Box Theatre, and SIU in Carbondale week of June 8
• The Varsity Cinema continues its celebration of Pride month with a showing of The Birdcage Tues, June 10. Also showing at The Varsity: Drop Dead Gorgeous Thursday evening.
• In southern Illinois, Carbondale’s Southern Illinois University offers Art & Pep (above) on Thurs., June 12. It’s a documentary about the owners of Sidetrack, one of Chicago’s most successful LGBTQ+ nightclubs.
• Chicago, meanwhile, offers two film-themed Pride events Thursday. Pride Singles Night at the Rooftop on melds Matchbox Dating with a showing of Bottoms. And the Music Box Theatre shows Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Australia’s bold look at travelling drag queens.
• Putnam Museum in Davenport gets in the Pride film swing with the 2007 camp classic Hairspray the evening of Thurs., June 19.
• But I’m a Cheerleader hits The Varsity in Des Moines Thursday evening, too. You can also catch the country love story Brokeback Mountain Sun., June 22, at The Varsity.
Find more Pride events at main-stream.org/lgbtq-pride-events.
