40 Years of Queer Film Series at the Roxie Theater

This month at The Roxie Theater, Frameline’s longest-running venue partner located in San Francisco’s Mission District, a new series exploring the legacy of queer cinema has begun. Co-curated by San Francisco filmmaker and queer film historian Jenni Olson (whose film series Masc II: Mascs plus Muchachas at BAMPFA ends on February 23) and Executive Director of the Roxie Lex Sloan, the 40 Years of Queer film series launched on February 16 with a screening of Arthur J. Bressan Jr.’s newly restored Daddy Dearest (1984). We sat down with Lex Sloan to discuss this series, which continues on February 22 at the Roxie with Bressan’s Buddies (1985), courtesy of Frameline Distribution.

What’s significant about 40 years? How did you settle on that window of time?

Lex: Forty years felt like a meaningful milestone because it represents a full generation of queer cinema and community-building. The Roxie has long been a home for LGBTQ+ storytelling, with Frameline — then the Gay Film Festival — starting to host screenings at our cinema in the late 1970s. This timeframe allows us to celebrate the evolution of queer narratives on screen. It’s also a chance to reflect on how film has both shaped and mirrored queer life, activism, and culture over time — especially in a city like San Francisco, where these stories have had a profound impact.

This series came together in a very organic way. It all started when Jenni Olson, former Frameline festival co-director, reached out about screening the new restoration of Daddy Dearest by Arthur Bressan. That led us to Buddies, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year. From there, we started thinking about other films with anniversaries, like Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria (2005) and The Joy of Life (2005). At the same time, we had been discussing the idea of a mini Jenni Olson retrospective at the Roxie, and coincidentally, it’s also the 10th anniversary of her film The Royal Road (2015). When we stepped back and looked at all these titles together, 40 Years of Queer naturally took shape. It felt like the perfect opportunity to celebrate the films, the filmmakers, and the lasting impact of queer cinema.

Is there an increased demand for and interest in digital restorations? At least in the major film cities across the world, new authorized 4K restorations of cinema classics and overlooked gems seem to be on the rise. Any thoughts?

Lex: Absolutely. There’s a growing appreciation for digital restorations, both from cinephiles and filmmakers who recognize the importance of preserving queer film history. Many of the films in 40 Years of Queer were made on shoestring budgets and distributed independently, meaning they were at risk of being lost. Restorations allow these films to be seen with the clarity and care they deserve, often reaching new audiences who may not have had access before. And while we at the Roxie will always champion celluloid, we also recognize that restorations help cement these films’ legacies, ensuring they’re easily available for future generations to experience.

Imagine doing 40 Years of Queer again in 2045. What films from the past two decades can you see being a part of that future series?

Lex: Before thinking about what films might be included in a 40 Years of Queer series in 2045, it’s important to acknowledge just how many incredible titles could have been added to this year’s lineup alone. Queer cinema is vast, ever-expanding, and deeply layered. We could easily program this series every year and still have countless vital films to showcase. At the Roxie, we prioritize showing queer stories, and I look forward to continuing to bring films like Tongues Untied (1989), Paris Is Burning (1990), Nowhere (1997), Pariah (2011), Lingua Franca (2019), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), and Superdyke (1975) (or anything by Barbara Hammer) back to our screens alongside new voices that push the form forward. The depth and breadth of queer cinema never ceases to amaze me. A huge shoutout to Frameline Distribution, Strand Releasing, and Altered Innocence for championing many of these films and ensuring they reach audiences in movie theaters and beyond.

Predicting what films will stand the test of time is always tricky, but some titles already feel like future classics. Moonlight (2016), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), Go Fish (1994), and Rafiki (2018) will undoubtedly be part of that conversation. More recent films like All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022), The People’s Joker (2022), and Neptune Frost (2021) are expanding the scope of queer cinema, blending identity with politics, history, and genre in ways that feel urgent and lasting.

That said, I’m extremely excited about the films that are being made right now — or will be in the next few years. Historically, some of the most powerful queer films have emerged in times of resistance, and given the current political climate, I do not doubt that the next wave of queer filmmakers will continue to create bold, uncompromising work. DIY and experimental queer cinema will always be essential, and I look forward to seeing which hidden gems rise to the surface over the next two decades.

Had the series stretched back further, before the release of Buddies in the ‘80s, what other films could have fit in with this series?

Lex: If we reached further back, we could include groundbreaking pre-Stonewall films like Victim (1961), one of the first films to openly address homosexuality, or The Boys in the Band (1970), which captured a snapshot of queer life before liberation movements changed everything and Funeral Parade of Roses (1969) – a radical, experimental film blending documentary and fiction in a queer retelling of Oedipus Rex. We could also look at underground and avant-garde works by filmmakers like Kenneth Anger, Barbara Hammer (I just love her!), or Jack Smith, who pushed boundaries in the ‘60s and ‘70s. And of course, there’s Pink Narcissus (1971), a film that feels like a fever dream of queer longing. These films paved the way for what current queer cinema could become.

When you curate or program a series like this, does being an emblematic, standalone film hold more/less/the same weight as being a good fit with the other selections in the series?

Lex: To me it’s a balance. Some films are undeniable touchstones of queer cinema — they don’t just deserve a place in the series; they define it. But we also think about how films speak to each other across time, themes, and aesthetics. Programming a series is like building a conversation, not just a greatest-hits list. Some films were chosen because of their historical significance, while others were selected for their deep ties to the Bay Area and our local queer community. There are so many more titles we could have included, and this is just the beginning. Stay tuned for our screening of The Times of Harvey Milk (1984) by our notable local filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman in celebration of Harvey Milk Day on May 22.

But 40 Years of Queer is about more than just showing films — it’s about honoring and engaging with our larger queer history and community. That’s why we’ve paired screenings with special guests and community partners who deepen the conversation beyond the screen. We’re thrilled to host a special discussion with filmmakers Susan Stryker and Victor Silverman, moderated by Katie Conry, Executive Director of the Tenderloin Museum, to explore the cultural and political impact of Screaming Queens. Community partnerships also play a crucial role in contextualizing these stories — whether it’s collaborating with the Shanti Project for Buddies, which was the first narrative film about AIDS, or working with the Bay Area Lesbian Archives for The Watermelon Woman (1996), ensuring that these films are tied to the broader history of queer resistance, resilience, and storytelling.

This series is about celebrating the films, yes — but more importantly, it’s about making space for connection, remembrance, and dialogue.

As you revisit these films, sometimes decades later, how do they feel different than (or the same as) when you first saw, programmed, or made them?

Lex: Queer cinema is always in conversation with the present moment, so revisiting these films years later can be eye-opening. Some films hit differently because of how queer identities and politics have evolved — what once felt radical might now feel like history, and what once felt niche might now be celebrated in the mainstream. But some films remain just as powerful as ever, or even gain new resonance. Watching Buddies now, in a time when the history of AIDS activism is still being uncovered and retold, feels just as urgent as it did in the ‘80s. And then there are films that age in ways we don’t expect — maybe they gain new layers, maybe they feel quaint, but they always remind us how film is both a reflection of its time and a living, breathing art form that continues to shape the present.

For tickets and more information about 40 Years of Queer, click here. Jenni Olson will also be presenting a screening of Arthur J. Bressan’s Juice (1984), also newly restored, at the 4-Star Theater on February 24. Writer and critic Dennis Harvey will join Olson for a post-screening discussion.