Indie Singer Grey is riding high on a hit first album, but she’s having writer’s block. In search of inspiration for her sophomore effort, Grey agrees to craft her next album at renowned producer Vaughn Daniels’ secluded cabin. Her girlfriend, however, is hesitant about the partnership, fearful that Vaughn is too controlling and - given his controversial past as a suspected murderer - too dangerous.

Set from 1944 to 1956, the Swedish-language film shows how painter Tove Jansson finds worldwide success from an unexpected side project, in the midst of artistic struggles and an unconventional personal life. Alma Pöysti stars as Jansson, alongside Krista Kosonen and Shanti Roney. Pöysti has previously played Jansson on stage at Helsinki’s Svenska Teatern, and like the artist has dual Swedo-Finnish nationality.

"There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another; nothing more. [Those] who [have] felt the deepest grief [are] best able to experience supreme happiness.‚" -- Alexandre Dumas 2021 marks the centennial year of the Tulsa race massacre. I have felt a plethora of emotions processing this; no doubt, mirroring the sentiments of the rest of the BIPOC community. The most powerful of those emotions has been an existential and spiritual connection to my ancestors. We have experienced so many atrocities up until this very day.Yet, we continue to alchemize all of that pain into a fierce ball of eternal fire. An inferno that we metamorphose into love, laughter and life in countless mediums. Then, we pass the strength of that magical fire along to our community, our descendants and finally, the world. While I celebrate us all year long, once a year, I am honored to use the medium of cinema to shine a light on our stories. I give visibility and a platform to the artists celebrating our lives, our sorrows, our magic‚ in front of the lens and behind it. This year, through Afro-futurism, contemporary dance, animation, documentary, and many more, I present to you: Wicked Queer 2021's BIPOC short film program. Thank you to all of my BIPOCs, past, present and future.