Beautiful Forms: Queer Art Unbound

Artistic Freedom Initiative’s multidisciplinary arts festival BEAUTIFUL FORMS: QUEER ART UNBOUND is a celebration of the extraordinary queer artists and fierce allies who are fundamental to the fight for artistic freedom worldwide. Through this short film night, internationally acclaimed filmmakers Faraz Ansari (India) and Mehrdad Hasani (Iran) reveal how queer film narratives disrupt dangerous norms and uplift those that venerate free expression. Three groundbreaking shorts by Ansari and Hasani explore the intersection of LGBTQIAP+ identities and cultural paradigms. With filmmaker Q&A’s moderated by activist and artist Beyza BK (Upwardly Global, Wicked Queer), this film night is the inspiring conclusion to BEAUTIFUL FORMS: QUEER ART UNBOUND.

Run time: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes

ABOUT THE FILMS
SISAK
Faraz Arif Ansari
(India, 2017)
Sisak is India’s “first silent queer love story.” Exquisite and heart-wrenching, this critically acclaimed film has won 59 international awards and screened at film festivals around the world.

SHEER QORMA
Faraz Arif Ansari
(India, 2021)
Sheer Qorma is an LGBTQIAP+ romantic drama that explores belonging, identity, and family. Visually stunning and substantively rich, the film has won 89 international awards and qualified for the BAFTA Awards.

THE ADJUSTMENT
Mehrdad Hasani
(Iran, 2022)
The Adjustment follows a young boy who lives in a small rural village in Iran and makes a courageous decision to embrace his identity. The film received 40 film festival selections and 7 international awards.

ABOUT AFI
Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI) is unwavering in its commitment to promote freedom of artistic expression. To that end, AFI provides pro bono immigration representation and resettlement assistance for international artists who have experienced persecution, censorship, or forced displacement.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Guest Experience at 212-875-5456 or guestexperience@lincolncenter.org.