qweens speech

Fabulously produced by Acne Studio, Bec had the pleasure of commissioning and distributing this short film by director duo Zhang and Knight. The pair imagined a queer version of the Queen’s speech with Britain’s LGBTQ+ icons highlighting urgent and alternative messages of queer liberation, the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, and solidarity with people of all sexualities and identities. A series of majestic tableaux with figures – our Qweens – from across contemporary queer culture play out, a cast in royal costume: illustrator Kate Moross addresses us; performer and author Crystal Rasmussen and musician Sam Smith champion queer bodies, the gender revolution, and the moves to redefine identities. Designer Gareth Pugh highlights the move towards marriage equality for the first time this year. Pop star Rina Sawayama warns us of ongoing fights surrounding LGBTQ+ education in Birmingham schools. Poet Kai-Isaiah Jamal states with conviction: “Truth is, I haven’t the energy for another panel to tell me I am not man enough for this world.” On the set of the Qweens’ Speech, queerness is what brings the cast into the same frame and creates this rallying piece.