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.

After the patriarch's selfless death, his joint family shatters as his greedy sons refuse to provide a dowry for their sister's wedding, forcing an honest neighbor to secretly arrange the marriage, only for the event to end in a tragic accident that shocks the relatives back to unity.
Highlighting the many ways in which AFF 2023 illustrated that the queer experience is not a monolithic one.
In the shadow of towering film production companies lived dozens of grindhouses, genres, and low-budget films deemed too “unclean” for the modern film audience.
A family comedy that combines fantasy and normal school life.
Overall, 18 Presents feels more like a soap opera than a drama, and I feel bad for saying that since the concept is based off a tragic story (even though it’s loosely). I’m sure other people will find this film emotional for them, but as for me, it’s bland and forgettable.
This film manages to be simultaneously topical and timeless. Without being preachy, it highlights society’s flawed relationship with tech; insights into the complex ideas of family struggle are expertly dispersed among a perfectly paced and balanced story.