It's not often that queer Asian stories get brought to the forefront, let alone to the big screen. But last year, in a historic moment for Asia, Taiwan made headlines by legalizing same-sex marriage, setting the stage for the furtherment of LGBTQ+ rights across the continent. This 2-part LGBTQ+ Asian shorts program is an ode to queer Asian love--from India to Taiwan and more, we bring you tales of passion, loss, fear and hope, keeping the spotlight shining bright on queer Asian stories.

Larger-than-life actress, cabaret performer, activist, and proud sex professional since the age of eleven, Luana Muniz - arguably one of Brazil’s most recognizable transgender personalities, shapes a new reality for a new generation of transgender sex workers in her hostel by providing a safe working environment in the dangerous neighborhood of Lapa in Rio de Janeiro. Queen of Lapa explores the day-to-day lives, quests for love, housemate rivalries in a turbulent political climate under matriarch Muniz’s watchful and guiding eye.

After 15 years together, Yoav, a successful architect, has everything he’s ever wanted and he and his younger lover Dan, a lawyer who idolizes him, seem to have a charmed relationship. Their sex life is still off the charts, their emotional bond is strong and they enjoy an intimate circle of friends. When Yoav’s best friend Alma, an esteemed artist who’s like a mother and sister to him, announces she’s pregnant, it ignites Dan’s desire to become a father himself. But Dan’s parental urges have the opposite effect on Yoav who is haunted by long buried demons, leading him to self-destructive behavior that threatens to destroy his life with Dan, unravel his friendship with Alma, and cost him everything. Yuval Hadadi has written and directed a searing, insightful drama that offers a telling portrait of the emotional darkness lurking beneath the deceptively placid surface. Desc. courtesy of Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ Film Festival.