Envision a Queer Future – Nordic premiere of the documentary “Old Lesbians”

Qaareva Association, in collaboration with Old Lesbians Film and the Riviera Cinema, is organising the Nordic premiere of the documentary Old Lesbians (directed by Meghan McDonough) on 19th of June.

The documentary pays homage to the legacy of Arden Eversmeyer, founder of the American Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project (OLOHP), bringing to the screen the powerful and joyful voices she preserved—from first crushes to first loves, coming out of the closet, and from loss to connection.

The documentary has won awards at both the London BFI Flare LGBTQIA+ and Aesthetica Film Festivals and received a mention from The Guardian.

Tickets: Tickets for the show will go on sale on Riviera’s website on 10.6.2024 at 12pm. The capacity of the venue is 56 people and tickets cost 5€.

The film will have English subtitles.

The event is K-18.

The event will follow Qaareva Ry’s Safer Space and Secure Community policies.

More information on the documentary:

The documentary is part of the Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project (OLOHP), which has collected archives of over 800 lesbian life stories from the US and internationally, preserving for future generations an authentic queer story that no one may have ever heard.

Arden Eversmeyer founded OLOHP more than 25 years ago. After her life partner of more than three decades died of cancer, she travelled to the West Coast of the United States and researched lesbian communities, later returning to find her own. Arden realised that many of her peers would die before sharing important lesbian history and experiences, so she set out to tour the country with a voice recorder and a camper van.

Arden eventually recorded around 500 full interviews, interviewing people over the age of 70 who identified as lesbians. OLOHP interviews include musician Gaye Adegbalola (whose music appears in the film), author Jewelle Gomez, pulp fiction writer Ann Bannon and historian Lillian Faderman. Only about half of all those interviewed for the OLOHP project are alive today.

Arden herself died in 2022 at the age of 91. The documentary Old Lesbians honours her legacy by bringing to the screen the powerful, joyful voices she preserved, from first infatuation to first love, from closet to outcast and from loss to connection.

More information here.

Information about accessibility

Address of the venue:Telakkakatu 7

Is there sign language interpretation at the event?

No.

Will your event be streamed, or is there an opportunity to participate remotely?

No.

Are there accessible parking spaces near the entrance?
No. There are no separate accessible parking spaces near the entrance, but there are paid parking spaces on Telakkakatu. Riviera Punavuori has no dedicated customer parking and the parking spaces near the theatre are on-street.

Is there escorted transport (taxi/shuttle) to stop in front of the entrance?
Yes.

Is the route to the entrance accessible? An accessible route means that the pathway is smooth, hard-surfaced, and gently sloping.
Yes. The route to the entrance is a flat and hard asphalt road.

Is the entrance accessible?
Yes.

Can all parts of the event be accessed in an accessible manner?
No. All areas of the event are accessible except for the seating in the theatre areas. An accessible row of wheelchair spaces is available. The lobby, entrance, bar and toilets are accessible.

Does the event space have a functioning induction loop and necessary signage?
No. The film has closed captions in English.

Is there an accessible restroom in the event space that meets accessibility requirements?
Yes.

Additional accessibility notes:

Wheelchair seats for film screenings available separately at the ticket office. There are 2 wheelchair spaces available. Assistance and guide dogs are welcome in the theatre. If you need a ticket for an assistant, please contact info@rivieracinemas.fi. Your assistant will be admitted free of charge with you to the cinema if the assistant seat is available at the screening.

The Riviera Punavuori Cinema can be reached from Helsinki city centre by tram 6 (get off at Telakkapuistikko) and 1 (get off at Telakkakatu), and from Kamppi by buses 30 and 20 (get off at Merimiehenkatu) or by walking (approx. 1.7 km). The cinema is dimly lit. Pre-film talks will be held in Finnish and English.

Accessibility contact person:

Nova & Elina / events.qaareva@gmail.com / contact also via Instagram @qaareva