Thirty-five years ago in the heady early days of 1990s New Queer Cinema, the spot to gather in community to view the cutting edge of queer shorts and pop culture was a weekly showcase called the “99¢ Queer Video Fest.” Held in a run-down bar in San Francisco’s Mission district with 99¢ entry, penny popcorn, and $1.50 well drinks, the event featured underground local shorts from an emerging scene mixed with VHS clips from the extant canon of queer classics and scraps of images pulled from TV shows of the time. 

The magic ended when the owner sold the bar to straight people, but for 10 months, the Queer Video Fest played to a thirsty crowd of mixed disenfranchised queer folks, eager for on-screen representation and a punk-tinged, safe-sex positive good time. 

Many of the filmmakers featured in the programs have gone on to be leading names of the queer cinema and arts movements: Cheryl Dunye, Jenni Olson, Angela Robinson, Mx. Justin Vivian Bond, David Weissman, Todd Verow, Barbara Hammer, and more… but most have taken quieter paths, and many are no longer with us.

As part of Frameline’s 50th Anniversary, original curator (and bartender!) Jeffrey Winter of The Film Collaborative assembles a representative sample of the films we were watching back then, some remembered and cherished, some not-so but should have been. And yes, in keeping with tradition, there will be drinks flowing while we watch and celebrate!

Additional titles still to come!

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Winter Producer: David Averbach