Homo Humour explores the history of comedy as a queer identity defence, a means of expression and storytelling and the subversive and surprising ways that humour can be used on screen.

Homo Humour responds to the growing interest in LGBTQ+ folk using film and moving image to tell their stories by focusing purely on humour. Whilst the concept of humour helping LGBTQ+ people is an interesting (and vital) world to explore, this event seeks to also engage wider groups of artists, academics and students interested in film and/or the study of humour. We also invite health/inclusion/wellbeing practitioners who are interested in how comedic storytelling may encourage people’s understanding of LGBTQ+ communities.

Homo Humour is targeted towards gay men (though open to the LGBTQ+ community at large) interested in artist moving image/experimental film practice as well as storytelling and humour/comedy. It is designed to generate public pedagogy amongst gay men/the LGBTQ+ community into how humour can be used to help sort through issues attached to their respective community. Homo Humour aims to reach a diverse range of audiences within and beyond the LGBTQ+ community. Whilst LGBTQ+ film festivals such as BFI Flare contain programmes of LGBTQ+ humour as part of wider thematic programmes, the session responds to the growing interest in Queer film festivals for queer folk to use film and moving image to let their stories be heard by focusing purely on humour. Whilst the concept of how humour is used to help people sort through issues attached to the gay male community is an interesting (and vital) thesis and world to explore, the session seeks to engage not just for those within that community but within the LGBTQ+ community at large but also artists, academics and students engaged in the study and making of moving image and film/the study of humour; as well as health and well-being practitioners interested in how LGBT storytelling combined with humour may encourage people’s understanding of LGBT communities in terms of wellbeing and social injustice and inclusion.

Curated by Dr Lee Campbell, Senior Lecturer at Wimbledon College of Arts, University of the Arts London, Homo Humour was first presented at Edgezones gallery in Miami in January 2020 and then at Sardinia Pride/Queeresima in June 2020 bringing together emerging and established gay male artists/independent filmmakers for the first time from all over the world including Marcel Barelli, Jordan McKenzie, Lee Campbell, Hamid Waheed, Steve Reinke, Ernesto Sarezale, Harold Offeh, John Walter and Wrik Mead.

Whilst many of the films shown are couched within artist moving image, the showreel begins with examples of short narrative-driven films to help frame the audience’s understanding in terms of accessibility and engage audiences in more experimental work. NAME OF CHAIR with several of the filmmakers present (some virtually if possible via Zoom/Skype to accommodate filmmakers in different geographic locations worldwide and mindful of time-zone differences) will then help the audience unpick themes pertaining to humour within those films so audiences reflect upon their own lives in a confident and honest way.

In 2022, the showreel screened at Metal, Southend-on-Sea, FRISE Kunstlerhaus, Hamburg, Germany, Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, UK and Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK. In 2023, the showreel will screen at Centre for Comedy Studies Research (CCSR), Brunel University and Brewery Tap Project Space, Folkestone, both events to mark LGBT History Month in February 2023. Lee presented talks about Homo Humour at the conference Queer Pedagogies organised by the Queer-Feminist Interdisciplinary Working Group at The European University Institute in Florence and Untold Tales: Sharing Peripheral LGBTQ+ Stories in Research, University of Surrey, both events in Summer 2022.

The showreel has a runtime of approximately 60 minutes with Q&A with an invited speaker (suggested 30 minutes). For further information, please see this page on my website which includes more information about the project including press documentation:
https://leecampbellartist.blogspot.com/p/homo-humour-films.html

There is also an accompanying workshop Bona Polari! (approx. 1 hour) which explores the gay slang language, Polari, the subject of one of my films included in the showreel. This workshop has been successfully delivered twice at the University of the Arts London and also at The Margate School, Margate U.K and will be delivered at the Transforming Sexuality & Gender Research Centre, University of Brighton in January 2023. You can read more about the workshop + Homo Humour here:
https://www.hakara.in/lee-campbell/

SUBMISSIONS ARE ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS FOR MULTIPLE SCREENINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

MORE INFO: https://leecampbellartist.blogspot.com/p/homo-humour-films.html

In this context queer male means Gay male.

You may send more than one film but a separate application must be made for each film.

Maximum length 10 minutes.

There no limits on when your film was created.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Hamish Downie

    This was a wonderful festival with great communication and excellent promotion.

    March 2023
  • Nathan King

    Thrilled to be a part of this festival. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend in person but Lee Campbell still made it enjoyable experience and a pleasure to be a part of.

    March 2023