About Us
Wicked Queer: Boston’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival (formerly the Boston LGBT Film Festival) was founded in 1984 by film programmer George Mansour. Wicked Queer is the 4th longest running LGBTQ+ Film Festival in North America and is an all volunteer organization. Our mission is to build community and to celebrate Queer storytelling and filmmaking through the uplifting of voices and stories not yet heard and to present and preserve the vibrancy of our histories.
Wicked Queer is a sponsored project of the Queer Film Institute.
General Inquiries
Social Media
Sponsorships
Elliott Feedore -Sponsorship Coordinator
elliott@wickedqueer.org
Meet the team
Shawn Cotter (they/him)
Executive Director
Since coming on board to the film festival in 2011, Shawn has had many roles in the operations of Wicked Queer. He started as a location manager and then served as Operations Manager and Director of Programming before taking his most recent position as Executive Director. He is an experimental handmade filmmaker whose Super 8mm films have shown internationally. Shawn currently lives in Malden, MA, with his four cats and counts among his favorite filmmakers Joe Gage, Maya Deren, Stan Brakhage, RW Fassbinder, Douglas Sirk, Kenneth Anger, Wong Kar-wai, Jess Franco and Dario Argento. His favorite LGBTQ+ movie is FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES.
EMAIL: shawnpcotter@wickedqueer.org
Katie Shannon (she/her/hers)
Director of Programming
A graduate of Emerson College, Katie is a Boston based filmmaker and founder of Thompson Films. She’s a writer/director whose work has been screened all over the world and has been recipient of awards such as Best Comedic Short at ITVFest, The Oak Foundation Grant, and a finalist for Story Central Labs at Bravo TV. Katie’s early work was selected and screened at the Wicked Queer Film Festival and she loves the chance to be able to do the same thing for another filmmaker. She is also enjoys teaching film and screenwriting at Stonehill College.
EMAIL: katie@wickedqueer.org
Giuseppe Di Caprio (he/him/his)
Community Outreach Coordinator
Giuseppe Di Caprio has been involved with Wicked Queer Film Festival since 2012. Introduced to Neorealism and Nouvelle Vague by his father, he developed a fascination for Pedro Almodovar in his young years. As a festival programmer, he primarily focuses on international productions to guarantee a rich and diverse film selection. When he's not watching queer movies, he works as a scientist in a research lab. He currently holds the role of Community Outreach Coordinator.
EMAIL: giuseppe@wickedqueer.org
Charles Baldwin (he/him/his)
Access Consultant/ Volunteeer Coordinator
Charles G. Baldwin is a professional theatre artist working in the greater Boston area since 2001. He leads the Universal Participation Initiative at the Mass Cultural Council and serves on the Executive Committee of CANE (Cultural Access New England). Charles is as an advisor to the ReelAbilites Film Festival and works as the Access Consultant for Wicked Queer. Outside the office, Charles likes to doodle and play with puppets.
EMAIL: charles@wickedqueer.org
Jeffrey Filiault (they/them)
Communications Coordinator
Jeffrey Filiault joined the team in 2021. They studied Writing for Film and TV and photography at Emerson College where they earned a BA. Jeffrey is horny for great storytelling in any discipline at all hours of the day and night. At New England Foundation for the Arts, Jeffrey works as the Communications Manager, connecting artists and presenting organizations to grant and professional development opportunities in the region and beyond.
EMAIL: Jeffrey@wickedqueer.org
James A. Nadeau (he/him/his)
Executive Director (Emeritus)
James A. Nadeau has been involved with the Boston LGBT Film Festival (now known as Wicked Queer) since 2000. He served as the Executive Director from 2008 to 2018. Since passing the leadership torch to Shawn Cotter, he oversees membership and fundraising for Wicked Queer. James is a lecturer on film in the Literature Department at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Professor of Art History at Lesley University College of Art & Design.
EMAIL: nadeau@wickedqueer.org
2023 Festival team
Diane Griffin (she/her)
Beyza BK (she/her)
Kem Monteiro (they/them)
Joe McGovern (he/him)
Sheen Hui (they/them)
Sofia Wickerhauser (she/her)
Cole Wilder (he/him)
Justina Matthews (they/she)