Queens Queer Film

Cinemarosa filmmakers Thomas Allan Harris (l. to r.), Ela Troyano, Hector Canonge, Su Friedrich and Jennie Livingston. Photo By Maria Fernandez Hubeat

Partnership Brings Gay Films To QMA

By Michael Cusenza

There is no shortage of pioneers associated with the borough of Queens. From John Bowne to Jonas Salk; Ralph Bunche to Russell Simmons, the most culturally diverse county in the country has birthed, raised, cultivated and shaped some of the most important innovators, entertainers, leaders and luminaries in history.

Former Astoria resident Hector Canonge is a pioneering presence in his own right. The film/video new media artist is also the founder and director of Cinemarosa, Queens’ only queer film series that just celebrated its third anniversary in May.

Great Beginnings

“We started out small,” said Canonge, adjunct instructor of multimedia at New York City College of Technology and the City College of New York. He recalled with palpable humility how the seed of Cinemarosa was first sewn with in-house screenings at Woodside’s Queens Pride House in May 2004.

“That’s where the idea took place,” said the Argentina native. “I had to borrow everything – sheets, chairs, the projector.”

Cinemarosa’s meager beginnings as a fledgling Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trandsgender film series provided the foundation for the queer cultural beacon it has become today at the Queens Museum of Art.

“It’s unlike any program you have in New York City,” Canonge said of the still-independent, non-profit series. “I wanted to create a hub for the LGBT community through the screening of films produced by independent local, national, and international artists.”

Canonge forged a fruitful relationship with the Queens Museum of Art at their 2004 Biennial. The museum featured an original interactive installation created by Canonge. With Cinemarosa quickly outgrowing the Pride House space, Canonge saw this as the perfect opportunity to discuss moving the film series to the museum.

“I wanted to take Cinemarosa to the next level,” Canonge explained.

A Helpful Partner

Hector Canonge celebrates Cinemarosa’s third Year.

Looking for partnerships for Queens Pride Month events, and always searching for new, vibrant artistic life in the community, the museum welcomed the unique film program with open arms. Cinemarosa has grown into a monthly event presenting documentary, feature, and short films every third Sunday at the QMA.

“I’m so grateful the museum allowed us to do it there and have supported us throughout the years,” said Canonge.

“For us, our position is to promote visual and performance media that are reflective of the community,” said Prerana Reddy, director of public events at the Queens Museum of Art. “There are not that many places where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender voices can showcase their work, so it’s an honor to be able to present something like Cinemarosa on a regular basis.”

At Cinemarosa’s third anniversary this past May, Canonge opted to showcase a retrospective of highly influential LGBT films, including Jennie Livingston’s “Paris is Burning,” which documents the New York City drag queen ball scene of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s; Su Friedrich’s “Rules of the Road,” a short drama that examines a lesbian relationship through the use of a station wagon; Ela Troyano’s “Carmelita Tropicana,” which follows the experiences of Troyano’s sister, Alina, as the performance artist Carmelita Tropicana; and the work of the late Marlon Riggs, an African American documenter whose films chronicled homophobia and racism.

“[Riggs] really paved the way for independent queer cinema,” said Canonge in a reverent tone.

Canonge said Cinemarosa presents on average two films per month, with special events allowing for up to four films. In an ongoing effort to connect the filmmakers with their audience Canonge creates panel discussions where they can speak on their work, the independent queer cinema industry, and field questions from the gallery.

“The audience was so engaged with the work, they asked lots of interesting questions, and in general just seemed very appreciative about the chance to see gay and lesbian films and videos,” said Friedrich of her first Cinemarosa experience last month. “I also think it’s great because New York is such a massive place and it isn’t sufficient to just have LGBT events in Manhattan. It’s important that all the boroughs have events for the local gay and lesbian community.”

Canonge and the museum have also forged a mutually catalytic relationship over the years. He tries to present films with a common theme through Cinemarosa that interact with other events and exhibitions at the museum. In March he helped QMA honor Women’s History Month with “Cinemarosa’s Sapphic Tales: Women’s Voices and Their Struggle for Acceptance, Love, and Tolerance,” an LGBT film series examining the aspects of being a woman in this day and age. For Black History Month he screened films on the life and works of poet and visionary Audre Lorde and the award-winning feature-length drama “Brother to Brother.”

“Hector’s mainly responsible,” said Reddy. “He does a great job working with the community – business owners, hospitals, nongovernmental organizations. He’s been involved with the museum in many different ways, so we always get new and interesting things.”

Pride Month Series

A still from “Paris Is Burning,” part of the Cinemarosa series.

Cinemarosa and QMA naturally have big plans for June for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. It’s the fifth annual “Queerin’ Queens Pride Celebration” at QMA, and Cinemarosa kicks off the June 17 event with “Global Queerness,” featuring a special selection of short films from around the world. Canonge was able to field submissions from countries such as South Korea, Canada, Spain, Australia, Indonesia, Bolivia, and the Philippines. The event continues into the night with a performance extravaganza featuring poetry, music and dance.

“[The celebration] supports the importance and strength of multicultural connections in our New York gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities,” Canonge related.

For the Queens Museum of Art, Hector Canonge has become more than a colleague and Cinemarosa more than just a film series. He is a creative force and an ally, and Cinemarosa a symbol of their collaborative effort to integrate audiences and present new experiences right in the heart of Queens.

“It’s important that cultural institutions not be segregated,” Reddy concluded. “Space is at a premium in New York City. We want to make that space available for emerging curators and artists as a stepping stone, and we want to diversify the audience to give people a chance to experience what they may not have access to in other spaces.”