2014 Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Festival Returns For Its Fourth Year

<p>The 2014 Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Festival returns to East London for its fourth edition from the 3 - 9 November, showcasing leading-edge exhibitions.</p> <p></p><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.thegayuk.com/communities/8/004/009/928/388/images/4615723933.jpg" width="190" height="380" alt="" title=""/></p> <p></p><p>Fringe! is a film and arts festival rooted in London's queer creative scene and welcoming everyone. They’re a not-for-profit and run by a team of passionate volunteers. From feature films to experimental art, workshops to interactive walks and wild parties, Fringe! Fest 2014 will be hosting a multitude of diverse events to tickle every one of the senses. With their signature blend of eye opening movies, DIY and experimental work, the thoughtful, the provocative and the strange, they'll be packing out cinemas, art galleries, pop-up venues and basement clubs. Fringe! Fest was launched in 2011, by a group of queer creatives as a community response to arts cuts carnage. Their mission is to offer a dynamic, representative and unmistakably fresh alternative to other film and arts festivals. </p><p></p><p>This year, thanks to the support of Arts Council England and Film Hub London the festival will extend from a long weekend to a week-long festival. A joint private view of Pauline Boudry / Renate Laurenz: No Future/ No Past and RCA Queer Society: Skin/Cells opens the art strands on the 4th of November. </p><p></p><p>The week of the festival will also see private openings for Stuart Sandford: Teen Dreams (5 November) and Sara Davidmann: Ken. To Be Destroyed (6 November). Both Teen Dreams and Ken. To Be Destroyed will run up to mid-November (respectively 14 and 16 November). The NYC-based art duo Superm, Slava Mogutin and Brian Kenny, celebrates with Fringe! its 10 years of successful collaboration. They will be hosting a screening of their short films at Forge&Co (8 November) and an art party, inviting the audience of Fringe! to participate to a body painting installation and a live photo shoot - SUPERM PARTY at Dalston Superstore (5 November). Participatory workshops are organised throughout the weekend of the festival, 'Sara Davidmann and Aaron Madiot: Family Stories And Secrets' reflects on Sara Davidmann's exhibition and opens the discussion to the audience. 'The East London Lecture - Theatre Workshop' sees East London performance artist Jonny Woo and theatre director Douglas Rintoul introduce participants to the theatre and writing processes they are exploring in the development of Jonny's new show. </p><p></p><p>Konstantinos Menelaou, the Festival Curator, said: “We are thrilled to announce that we are supported using public funding by Arts Council England, a development which has reinforced our efforts and enthusiasm. The art section takes a leading role in the programme for the upcoming edition of Fringe! and sees a series of exhibitions, screenings, performances, workshops created and curated by established, as well as new artists from England and around the world. </p><p></p><p>Bringing artists of national and international stature to the festival such as Stuart Sandford, Jeffrey Hinton, Superm art-duo Slava Mogutin and Brian Kenny, Sara Davidmann, Pauline Boudry and Renate Laurenz Fringe! offers a unique space of expression for current queer culture. The exhibitions and events will be showcased in several venues across East London, including Rose Lipman Building, Lime Wharf and Hackney Attic, with many events free or affordable. The visual arts programme is supported using Public Funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Film programme supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London. Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery. The full programme is available at <a href="http://www.fringefilmfest.com/">www.fringefilmfest.com</a>. </p><p></p><p>Highlights of Fringe! 2014: </p><p>• NYC-based art duo Superm (Slava Mogutin and Brian Kenny) are celebrating their 10 years of fruitful collaboration. Both artists will be attending the festival and present a programme of their shorts as well as host an event at Dalston Superstore, the Superm Party, 5 November. </p><p></p><p>• London favourite DJ, film-maker, producer and archivist Jeffrey Hinton will present his new project Willy Nilly at Hackney Attic, 7 November. The evening will explore the concept of freedom, showcasing unseen short films, invited performances, discussion and music. </p><p></p><p>• Stuart Sandford's Teen Dreams is a retrospective of the artist’s work with exclusive new pieces of work. Using video, photography, print and sculpture, the artist explores the ideas of sexuality, masculinity and identity; he analyses and challenges the representation of the male in contemporary culture. </p><p></p><p>• Ken. To Be Destroyed by Sara Davidmann brings the story of her uncle Ken (K), trans* in the 1950-1960s to Fringe! under the shape of an exhibition. Using family letters, vintage photographs and photographic process, Davidmann tells this family secret by bringing to light the story that is missing from the family album. The exhibition was introduced at Homotopia Festival in 2013 and for the Fringe! edition, the artist has produced new pieces of work to compliment the development of the story. </p><p></p><p>For more information, take a look at their social media: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fringefilmfest">@fringefilmfest</a> and <a href="http://facebook.com/fringefest">facebook.com/fringefest</a></p><p> </p>