This Halloween, The Westdale screened the 1975 cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with an extra special drag pre-show with Hamilton drag performers
By Naomi Moshe, Arts & CUlture contributor
The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been drawing in audiences worldwide for over 45 years for a reason. The cult classic film is not only jam packed with fun, but it is also a landmark piece of cinema for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The film exudes the message of radical self acceptance, and being unafraid of the hidden desires that live deep within all of us––a sentiment that the queer community of the mid 1970’s desperately needed to hear. As a result, midnight screenings of Rocky Horror became safe spaces for the queer community to socialize and connect with one another at a time when simply existing as a gay person in broad daylight was a dangerous act.
When I heard that The Westdale was screening Rocky Horror on Halloween night, including a special drag pre-show with local Hamilton drag performers Jessie James and Karma Kameleon, I knew I needed to go. Besides, is there any better way to spend Halloween night than heckling profanities at a giant screen surrounded by hundreds of other people?
The atmosphere at The Westdale was, in a word, electrifying. Of course, crowds of people dressed up as characters from the movie. But more importantly, people were genuinely excited for the show, even though most people in attendance probably have seen this film more times than they could count on both hands. The energy was infectious––the entire theater was buzzing with anticipation.
The drag pre-show, hosted by Jessie James and Karma Kameleon, was a blast. Karma and Jessie performed campy lip syncs of songs from the movie’s soundtrack, including “Dammit Janet” and “Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me.” The highlight of the night for me was Jessie’s incredible live vocal performance of “Sweet Transvestite.” I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessie shortly after the event to get some insight on the importance of nights such as these for Hamilton’s queer community.
“Visibility is so important. I didn’t see myself growing up, and I struggled a lot with that. Being able to put on public events where people can come see us be explicitly queer, it’s the first step in having a conversation about [queerness.] It demystifies the queer experience. It brings a lot of joy into it,” explained Jessie.
When asked about her personal highlight of the night, Jessie said that it was when the whole theater got up and did the Time Warp with her and Karma. “To look out into the audience and see everyone standing up and dancing along…There [are] very few words I could use to describe the energy you feel from that. It’s almost addictive in a weird way,” said Jessie.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show continues to bring together people from all walks of life, even 45 years after its release. And, for Hamilton’s LGBTQ+ community, events like these create space for authentic self expression and unapologetic queerness.
The festival is laying the foundation for continuing community and creativity
Creativity and community often go hand in hand. Creativity can help to bring communities together and a sense of community can also help foster creativity. It’s the connection between these two concepts that help to make initiatives such as the Hamilton Black Film Festival possible.
The Hamilton Black Film Festival was founded by author and filmmaker Paize Usiosefe. Usiosefe produced and directed Family and Friends and Yakubu. In 2019, he attended the Toronto International Film Festival as an industry delegate.
Returning to Hamilton after the festival, Usiosefe started to think about his next project and began to develop the idea for what would become the Hamilton Black Film Festival.
On its own, Black films are incredibly important because they are a reminder of presence. They can help Black individuals feel seen as well as foster a sense of community and belonging.
However, festivals such as the Hamilton Black Film Festival are even more important because they carry all the aforementioned ideas forward and create a space for communities and their creativity to occupy.
“Over the years I have been to many festivals. Sometimes I’m there [and] I’m the only Black person in the room. I was thinking about all this. How can we do something where we have the freedom to go there and be happy with your craft? With what you are doing, your artistic creation? Where can you exhibit and say, “This is my place” and “These are my people” and have the confidence to do it,” explained Usiosefe.
How can we do something where we have the freedom to go there and be happy with your craft? With what you are doing, your artistic creation? Where can you exhibit and say, “This is my place” and “These are my people” and have the confidence to do it,” explained Usiosefe.
Preparations are well under way for the festival which will take place May 28–30, 2021, though whether it will be in person at The Westdale or a virtual event will be determined by public health recommendations closer to the date.
The film festival has been very much a community project, involving a team of dedicated and passionate individuals.
Other community organizations have also come together to support the initiative, including The Westdale and the Lincoln Alexander Centre. Including the larger Hamilton community is particularly important to Usiosefe.
“We want to get everyone involved. This is not just about Black people, it’s not just about people of colour. We are using this to bring everyone together,” said Usiosefe.
“We want to get everyone involved. This is not just about Black people, it’s not just about people of colour. We are using this to bring everyone together,”
Usiosefe also hopes the festival will highlight how much the Black community in Hamilton has accomplished.
“What we want people to take away after the festival is [for them] to see how far we have come [and] how we have come together,” explained Usiosefe.
He also hopes that the festival will raise awareness about the Black community’s creativity and their potential, especially that of the younger generation. Usiosefe strongly believes that students have an important part to play in carrying the festival forward.
“We recommend our students join us because they are going to play a vital role in what we are doing, The society is shifting. This is a new generation and people see things differently,” said Usiosefe.
“We recommend our students join us because they are going to play a vital role in what we are doing, The society is shifting. This is a new generation and people see things differently,”
Usiosefe has plans for the festival to continue as an annual event and hopes it will eventually be recognized with the same regard as other film festivals, such TIFF.
In their preparations for this year’s inaugural festival, Usiosefe and his team have laid a strong foundation, carving out a space for the Black community and their art as well as creating an opportunity for the larger Hamilton community to come together.