UQCF: Rebel Dykes (2021)

Lees in het Nederlands

It’s October, which means the Utrecht Queer Culture Festival is returning to stages across the city! As part of the festival, de Sien and Leather Social Utrecht are presenting a movie night centered around queer history, identity, and community.

We will be screening the documentary Rebel Dykes (Harri Shanahan, Siân A. Williams, 2021), preceded by the short archival documentary Lasting Marks (Charlie Shackleton, 2018).

Afterwards, we will hold a panel discussion to take a closer look at the themes in the films. Following this, you are invited to join us for drinks in our café, hosted by Leather Social Utrecht.

Rebel Dykes

Harri Shanahan & Siân A. Williams

A brilliant and refreshing story of UK post-punk dyke culture, told by those who lived it, in all their ass-kicking, leather-wearing glory. The film follows a tight-knit group of friends who met at Greenham Common peace camp and went on to become artists, performers, musicians and activists in London. A heady mash-up of animation, archive footage and interviews tells the story of a radical scene: squatters, BDSM nightclubs, anti-Thatcher rallies, protests demanding action around AIDS and the fierce ties of chosen family. This is an extraordinarily privileged glimpse into a bygone world by those who not only lived out their politics with heartfelt conviction but lived to tell the tale.

Lasting Marks

Charlie Shackleton

A look at Operation Spanner, during Margaret Thatcher’s final days in power, a case where the police arrested 16 men convicted of the crime of filming consensual behavior linked to sadomasochism. Their story has been told by everyone but themselves.

About Leather Social Utrecht

Leather Social Utrecht has been organizing social leather events in Utrecht since May 2022 for everyone in the LGBTIQ+ community with an interest in leather gear and community. The events focus on meeting people, increasing visibility, and strengthening the community in an open, welcoming, and inclusive atmosphere.