Spotlight: Charles Lum & Todd Verow
Over the years, Charles Lum and Todd Verow, each a prolific artist and activist in his own right, have collaborated on an extensive body of work, much of which has screened at CineKink during past festivals.
Charles Lum & Todd Verow (photo by Stacie Joy)
On November 30, 2021, one day before World AIDS Day, Charles (aka Charly), died from complications of the HIV he’d contracted many years before.
This showcase, a tribute to their decades-long friendship and artistic partnership, contains two works that were completed by Todd in the months following Charles’ death, along with a compilation of their award-winning short documentary and narrative films about gay sex and cruising.
It’s with great sadness that we realize we’ll never again experience the life-embracing exuberance of Charly bounding up the stairs at the Anthology Film Archives for a screening. And we celebrate that in these works, and in Todd’s continued dedication, his voice and presence will live on in the world.
Death Race
On February 17, 2020, Charles Lum woke up seeing double. A week later his doctor called with news that a “mass” in his brain was HIV-related lymphoma. Death Race is a video diary documenting Charles Lum’s catastrophic health struggle during the coronavirus crisis.
Directed by Charles Lum and Todd Verow, 2022, USA, 6 minutes.
My Almost First Time
Based on Charles Lum’s own experience of going to a gay beach as a young man and almost having sex for the first time. Directed by Todd Verow and Charles Lum, 2022, USA, 4 minutes. Voiceover by James Kleinmann.
Show Hard
A collection of award-winning short documentary and narrative films about gay sex and cruising, including: Tom’s Gift, Been Too Long at the Fair, Secret Santa Sex Party, Blow Job 2017, Davy & Goliath, I have Mike Pence’s dick in a pickle jar. Want to see it? and A Night at the Hoist.
Directed by Todd Verow and Charles Lum, USA, compilation running time 69 minutes.
Charles Lum, aka clublum, received his MFA in Photography from the School of The Art Institute of Chicago after 25 years scouting & managing film locations. His short videos have screened internationally in museum, art and film venues.
Todd Verow attended the Rhode Island School of Design and the AFI Conservatory. He made his feature film debut with Frisk in 1996.At Bangor Films, Todd has directed over 25 features and numerous shorts, establishing himself as the most prolific auteur emeritus of the New Queer Cinema.
Charles & Todd also co-directed the feature documentaries Age of Consent and Sex & The Silver Gays.
date/time:
Sunday, 5/8 – streaming on-demand all day
+ encore streaming Monday, 5/9-Sunday, 5/15
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streaming location:
CineKink on PinkLabel.TV
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admission:
Included in the CineKink 2022 festival and film pass; no individual tickets are available.
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