The History of Queer French Cinema with David A. Gerstner
This June, Paris gets a queer‑film takeover: David A. Gerstner is guest‑curating the Lost in Frenchlation screening series across art‑house theaters for Pride Month — all films shown with English subtitles. Want the perfect primer before you dive in? This episode is it.
More Info on Tickets and Program HERE.
David A. Gerstner is our brilliant guide: a published historian of cinema, professor at CUNY, and the author of multiple books and scholarly articles on film and queer culture. His sharp knowledge, warm humor, and infectious enthusiasm turn film history into a lively, unmissable ride.
Hosts Alex Brook Lynn (ARBL Murray) and Manon Kerjean sit down with David to trace the stories of queer filmmakers and films in France across the 20th century. Read David's short essay on this series here.
David A. Gerstner is a Professor of Cinema Studies at the City University of New York, Chevalier d’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and a prolific author of essays and writings on cinema, and queer culture. He is the author of 'Queer Imaginings: On Writing and Cinematic Friendship (2023)' and 'Christophe Honore: A Critical Introduction.'David's sharp knowledge, warm humor, and infectious enthusiasm make film history feel like the best kind of story, told by a friend in a cozy cafe somewhere..
From the Episode:
Notable filmmakers: Germaine Dulac, Christophe Honoré, Jean Epstein, Jacqueline Audry
David's short essay on the series: Queer French Cinema: A Historical Sketch
A few of David's books on Thrift Books
For further reading on Queer culture during the Vichy occupation of France David recommends:
Denis Quinqueton. ÉTUDE Loi du 6 août 1942.
Richard Plant. The Pink Triangle: The Nazi War Against Homosexuals.
