Highlights from FASE 2023

FASE 2023 is the flagship event of BA (Hons) Film and Screen Studies students at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London where students as part of their studies, host screening events throughout their degree, culminating in a series of interlinked screen events in their final year.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic and motivated by the importance of accessibility, they have developed a website to host online screenings and talks alongside articles, podcasts, news and other related editorial content. When screenings are not programmed or taking place, the website acts as an archive of past events and related content.

We interviewed Maria Kraevska to know more about the program and her role in it.

Can you tell us more about FASE 2023 and what events you organize as part of it?

This year’s FASE consisted of three events. They were Haphazard Inn: Chaos Narratives; Bridge of the World, Heart of the Universe; and Live, Laugh, Lesbian. The events were different from each other in terms of themes, the genre of films, and additional activities (e.g. zine making, Q&A, etc.). This allowed for a varied program that catered to a plethora of tastes. In the end, two of the events sold out which was completely unexpected.

I worked on Live, Laugh, Lesbian – an event that invited the audience on a tongue-in-cheek voyage through lesbian representation. We curated a playful mix of archive and contemporary films with contrasting perspectives. The event was hosted by the renowned drag king Loose Willis and it concluded with a party at The Darkroom bar in LCC.

What was your role in this year’s event and how was the experience working?

I had a wonderful experience working on Live, Laugh, Lesbian. That was because I was lucky with who I got to work with. When you are in a group with like-minded people who share the same passion for curation as you, the word “work” becomes synonymous with inspiration, motivation and fun. Immy, Georgia, Melissa and Miles, if you’re reading this – shout out to you, guys!

I had several duties to fulfill while setting up the event. Some of them were to subtitle the films, carry out marketing research, help out with the flyer’s design, and video record the event.

What was the best part of the whole experience?

For the past 4 months, I’ve been waking up and going to sleep with the thought of this event. Seeing it finally happen was a surreal experience, I almost couldn’t believe it. Seeing the satisfaction and amusement of our audience was the most rewarding part of the whole journey. They seemed to genuinely enjoy every single bit of it. On a more personal level, the best part was learning the importance of taking risks and making bold decisions. With the right team behind your back, even the most ambitious ideas can come to fruition.

How does it feel to have in-person events post-pandemic?

While live-streaming is good for those who want to attend but can’t do it in person, or in the case of Covid, to minimize the risk of infection, you can’t deny that it is a whole different experience being in the actual venue where the event takes place. I believe that a screening is not only about the films. Yes – the movies are the core of it, but the added activities and the ability to meet people are what make such events so special.

How important are these activities as a community-building exercise?

For our event, it was of great importance. Due to the nature of the films, our target audience was the lesbian and queer community. We wanted them to feel appreciated and seen at the screening and we also aimed for the event to be a safe space where our guests could bond and socialize. That is the reason why we decided to include an afterparty.

FASE 23 holds a collection of useful resources on A Beginners’ Guide To Finding Queer Film In London including The Otherness Archive an archive dedicated to documenting and screening queer films (both archive and contemporary) with an emphasis on trans identities and Another Gaze a feminist film journal who recently launched their time-limited streaming platform Another Screen a platform where you can watch and read about films made by a wide variety of women from different backgrounds for free, which is fantastic along with film festivals including BFI Flare, British Film Institute’s (BFI) LGBT+ film festival which happens annually in March and Fringe! a film and arts festival that runs for two weeks every year in East London.

You can also tune into the FASE 23 Podcast HERE

Other events as part of FASE 2023 included Bridge of the World, Heart of the Universe, a mixed media, moving-image, migration showcase inspired by activist-led and community-based art forms,  celebrating individual cultures whilst also being a space for connection (rather than assimilation)

Haphazard Inn: Chaos Narratives included a screening event of non-conforming, psychedelic, and surrealist animations, music videos, and archival footage from the past 50 years. In its search for meaning within the chaotic, the screening program invited the audeince to embark on a thought-provoking trip filled with bizarre, idiosyncratic, and comedic narratives.