The beloved annual NewFest “Queering the Canon” series is back — and this time, it’s all about all-consuming romance. IndieWire can exclusively announce the 2025 lineup for “Queering the Canon: So Obsessed,” presented by NewFest and BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music).
The 4K restoration of Lisa Cholodenko’s “High Art” is a program highlight, as the feature returns to NewFest after opening the festival in 1998. “The Kids Are All Right” filmmaker Cholodenko will be part of a Q&A for the “Queering the Canon: So Obsessed” New York premiere of the restoration.
“High Art” centers on aspiring magazine editor Syd (Radha Mitchell) who discovers her upstairs neighbor is Lucy, a renowned yet reclusive photographer (Ally Sheedy). As complex emotions and creative forces ignite, Syd lures Lucy out of early retirement when they begin an artistic collaboration. Syd and Lucy fervently fall deeper into each other’s aesthetic aims while manifesting their growing human desires, much to the chagrin of Lucy’s oft-drug-addled German actress girlfriend Greta (Patricia Clarkson).
A 35mm screening of “Single White Female” and a free, rare screening of Cheryl Dunye’s “Stranger Inside,” plus a Q&A with Dunye, are more “Queering the Canon: So Obsessed” moments to look forward to.
The series will take place April 3 – 7. This year’s theme is dedicated to when “curiosities become full blown obsessions,” as the series curates “mesmerizing tales of the all-consuming power of romance, art, family, and self-indulgence,” per the description. Prior editions of “Queering the Canon” have included “Besties,” “BIPOC New York,” “Queer Rom-Coms,” and “Totally Radical.”
“We invite you to burrow deep into legacy queer films that will captivate your mind, body and soul at this year’s swoon-worthy ‘Queering the Canon: So Obsessed,’” Nick McCarthy, NewFest Director of Programming, said in an official statement. “Cinema is inherently a voyeuristic tool to process fixations, and this compelling collection of uncompromising dramas, imaginative art films, and campy delights, featuring restorations and 35mm, will surely grab your attention. We look forward to gathering intergenerational audiences at BAM as we amplify retrospective titles and celebrate iconic filmmakers such as Lisa Cholodenko and Cheryl Dune. And who knows, maybe you’ll discover your newest obsession at ‘Queering the Canon’!”
Check out the full lineup, with language provided by NewFest, below.
“High Art” (1998, 4K Restoration)
Dir. Lisa Cholodenko. With Radha Mitchell, Ally Sheedy, Patricia Clarkson, Gabriel Mann, Bill Sage, Charis Michelsen, David Thornton, Anh Duong, Helen Mendes.
In person on Thursday, April 3, 7:00pm, followed by Q&A with writer director Lisa Cholodenko.
New York Premiere of 4K Restoration.
NewFest’s Opening Night Film in 1998 and winner of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Prize at Sundance, this enduring debut feature from Academy Award nominee Lisa Cholodenko (THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT) is an evocative portrait of ambition, addiction, and passion in 90s New York. Idle fascination blooms into intense connection when aspiring magazine editor Syd (Radha Mitchell) discovers her upstairs neighbor is Lucy Berliner (Ally Sheedy), a renowned yet reclusive photographer. As complex emotions and creative forces ignite, Syd lures Lucy out of early retirement when they begin an artistic collaboration. Syd and Lucy fervently fall deeper into each other’s aesthetic aims while manifesting their growing human desires, much to the chagrin of Lucy’s oft-drug-addled German actress girlfriend Greta (Patricia Clarkson). This is a must see opportunity to experience HIGH ART’s entrancing qualities and celebrate the legacy of a cultural touchstone of queer cinema in a gorgeous new restoration.
“Stranger Inside” (2001)
Dir. Cheryl Dune. With Yolonda Ross, Davenia McFadden, Rain Phoenix, Ella Joyce, Conchata Ferrell, Medusa.
In person on Friday, April 4, 7:00pm and streaming virtually April 3 – 7; Q&A with co-writer/director Cheryl Dune to follow in-person screening. Free Public Screening.
Tough young butch Treasure is determined to connect with her incarcerated, long-lost mother she’s barely met in this gripping drama from director Cheryl Dune (THE WATERMELON WOMAN). While serving a stint at a youth department of corrections, Treasure (Yolonda Ross) gets herself transferred to a maximum security prison in hopes of forming an overdue bond with lifer Brownie (Davenia McFadden) there. The reunion is anything but smooth as Treasure navigates a series of tests and complex dynamics to prove herself to Brownie – who holds much power within the facility – along with potential lovers. Recipient of multiple festival awards and Independent Spirit Award nominations yet rarely screened, the riveting STRANGER INSIDE exudes unapologetic grit, desperation, and vulnerability as it powerfully charts the unwavering pursuit or acceptance, survival, and family.
“Single White Female” (1992)
Dir. Barbet Schroeder. With Bridget Fonda, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Steven Weber, Peter Friedman.
In person on Saturday, April 5, 7:00pm Screening in 35mm.
Upon dumping her philandering fiance, emerging entrepreneur Allie
(Bridget Fonda) advertises for a roommate to cohabitate in her spacious, rent-stabilized Upper
West Side apartment. Thus enters the seemingly shy and considerate Hedra (Jennifer Jason Leigh) – an initially ideal fit who provides a balm for Allie’s heartbreak and loneliness. They quickly become two peas in a pod – sharing fashion advice, late nights with old movies, and strolls with ice cream. But when
Allie decides to give her ex-fiance a second chance and jilts her new flatmate, Hedra’s demure
demeanor begins to shift and increasingly sour. An outrageous erotic thriller and psychological roller coaster, SINGLE WHITE FEMALE is an iconic example of 90s Hollywood sensationalism, resulting in a deliriously queer combination of transgressive tropes and captivating camp best seen with an audience.
“Vive L’Amour” (1994; Restoration)
Dir. Tsai Ming-Liang. With Lee Kang-sheng, Yang Kuei- mei, Chen Chao-jung.
In person on Sunday, April 6, 5:00pm and streaming virtually April 3 Restoration.
Winner of the prestigious Golden Lion at the 1994 Venice International Film Festival, this entrancing tale from acclaimed auteur Tsai Ming-liang follows three characters unknowingly sharing an ostensibly empty Taipei apartment. Realtor May Lin (Yang Kuei-mei) oversees the on-the-market high-rise unit, which she uses for temporary trysts. Young funeral salesman Hsiao-kang (Lee Kang-sheng) – having discovered keys in the door one day – occasionally occupies the space to secretly act out displays of
repressed identity. When they both separately find themselves drawn to attractive vagabond Ah-
jung (Chen Chao-jung), a thirsty triangle of wandering souls is formed as the three casually
cross paths In a series or tragicomic erotic encounters. Featuring an intoxicating mix of unquenchable longing and surprising deadpan humor, VIVE L’AMOUR opens doors to the ways in which lust, alienation, and sexuality overlap in the unending search for personal satisfaction.
“Pink Narcissus” (1971; 4K Restoration)
Dir. James Bidgood. With Bobby Kendall, Charles Ludlam.
In person on Monday, April 7, 7:00pm 4K Restoration.
A handsome, self-involved, and brooding young sex worker (Bobby Kendall) escapes the realities of his street life through a series of fantasies of incredible beauty. Obsessed with his own perceived perfection, he lives in a dreamworld of captivating colors, magnificent music, elaborate costumes and strikingly attractive males. In a series of eye-popping sequences, he imagines himself in a variety of intense roles, from matador to Roman leader. But reality constantly intrudes through the depraved lives of the other street people, the harsh and ugly sounds, and visits from his paying admirers. Ultimately, his narcissistic enchantment with his own beauty and lifestyle is marred by one great fear – aging and loss of his youth. At once phantasmagoric and kaleidoscopic, the stunning new restoration of this 70s underground
sensation burns just as bright – if not brighter.
“Chuck & Buck” (2000).
Dir. Miguel Arteta. With Mike White, Chris Weitz, Lupe Ontiveros, Beth Colt, Paul Weitz.
Exclusively streaming virtually from April 3 – 7. Virtual Exclusive.
Stuck in a state of arrested development, willfully naive Buck (Mike White) moves to LA with the sole aim of rekindling a boyish friendship with his childhood pal in this daring dark comedy. Chuck (Chris Weitz), who now goes by Charlie, has grown into a professional music executive with a steady girlfriend. Charlie is clearly uncomfortable with Buck’s incessant insistence to revive the past, and rebuffs Buck’s numerous advances – from nonstop phone calls to unexpected office visits. Unable to fully process the pangs of rejection, Buck decides to write a play based on their early kinship and enlists the help of Beverly (Lupe Ontiveros) to stage the production at a local community theater in order to win Chuck’s affection. At once cringeworthy and exceeding earnest, CHUCK AND BUCK was shot on digital with a
shoe-string budget and received a much ballyhooed premiere 25 years ago at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Miguel Arteta from a razor-sharp screenplay by Mike White (THE WHITE LOTUS), remains a fascinatingly thorny character study and offbeat relic of early 2000s independent filmmaking.
“Love Is the Devil: Study For a Portrait of Francis Bacon” (1998)
Dir. John Maybury. With Derek Jacobi, Daniel Craig, Anne Lambton, Karl Johnson, Tilda Swinton.
Exclusively streaming virtually from April 3 – 7. Virtual Exclusive.
An unflinching, stylized portrait of painter Francis Bacon (Derek Jacobi) and his tumultuous love affair with small-time crook George Dyer (Daniel Craig) from visionary filmmaker John Maybury. Bacon is at the height of his fame in the 1960s when a would-be thief breaks into his studio – sparking curiosity and desire in the artist’s eye. Thus begins an addictive of melding personal infatuation with messy dynamics, as spirits of domination and naivete co-mingle. Writer/director Maybury tells this turbulent story with the acerbic wit and fragmented formalism befitting of the titular artist and his work. This undersung festival hit, which premiered in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998, features fully-committed standout performances from Jacobi and Craig with a deliciously dedicated eye to the power of passion.