Following the film’s Sundance premiere, Jimpa will kick off the two largest LGBTQ film festivals in the country.
New York City’s fifth annual NewFest Pride and Frameline49, the 49th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, have teamed up this Pride season to set the Sophie Hyde-helmed film as their respective opening night screenings.
“It’s an honour to screen Jimpa as the opening night film of both NewFest Pride and Frameline after our premiere at Sundance at the start of the year,” said Hyde in a statement. “Jimpa was made with a community of creative collaborators, an incredible cast and crew of queer people and allies, from The Netherlands, US, UK, Finland and Australia. The stories we tell help us work out who we want to be, and this one is filled with joy, a celebration of queerness told with warmth, humour and love. Now more than ever we must hold onto these feelings and each other, and stand with the LGBTQI+ community and especially the Trans community.”
Co-written and directed by Sophie Hyde, Jimpa is a family drama starring her nonbinary child Aud Mason-Hyde as Frances, a version of themself who wants to live with their spirited gay grandfather, the titular Jimpa (John Lithgow). Also starring Olivia Colman as Frances’ warm mother Hannah, the film represents multiple generations of the LGBTQ community through an authentic and empathetic perspective.
With NewFest Pride running virtually and in-person May 29 to June 2 in New York City, the festival’s executive director David Hatkoff said they’re “thrilled to be part of this historic moment” of unity with Frameline.
“This speaks to the power of collaboration and solidarity within our community, and is a true testament to the strength of queer storytelling and the importance of uniting in the face of challenges,” said Hatkoff. “By sharing this groundbreaking film with our audiences, we are not only celebrating the work of Sophie Hyde and her incredible cast, but also making a bold statement about the power of collective resilience in the face of adversity.”
Ahead of Frameline49, which runs virtually and in-person June 18 to 28 in San Francisco, executive director Allegra Madsen echoed that organization is “thrilled” for the partnership.
“As we navigate turbulent times, it’s important to reflect on those who came before us,” said Madsen. “Depictions of queer families, as well as the LGBTQ+ community’s past and present, allow us to envision our future. And queer solidarity, from coast to coast, is crucial for creating the future we want—on and off screen.”
