A Queer Review of the Austin Film Festival (2023)
Highlighting the many ways in which AFF 2023 illustrated that the queer experience is not a monolithic one.

Pasang, a new girl at a nunnery, has her first period after hearing a late-night ghost story. She keeps it secret until she bleeds at a prayer session. She believes that she has been cursed and needs to sacrifice a black goat to avoid further misfortune.
Highlighting the many ways in which AFF 2023 illustrated that the queer experience is not a monolithic one.
The genres of science fiction and fantasy are not exclusively masculine territory. Over the last few decades, female directors have brought to the screen some of the most visually stunning, intellectually daring, and deeply moving works of speculative fiction. From big Hollywood productions like Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel to independent low-budget films, women filmmakers are making a name for themselves around the world.
The Mandolorian has a more nuanced and commentative take on masculinity that refrains from praising the toxic traits associated with the social category, while also showing a more positive and transformative representation of masculine characters.
'The Invisible Man' triumphs in tension even as it drops the ball on genuine surprise for the audience.
What makes a person different, and who is considered normal? Based on a true story, The Unbreakable Boy follows the life of Austin LeRette, a young boy with autism and osteogenesis imperfecta, as he navigates daily life with optimism and resilience.
The film may be a thriller, but I wasn’t thrilled by it. If anything, I was bored and annoyed.