US Independent Queer Comedy “Zerophilia” Makes a Comeback as the Closing Film at London International Fantastic Film Festival

Sex changes you.

Join us as LIFFF closes out its first edition with a euphoric opus of innate queerness and sharp humour.

The story’s conceptual imagination and flourishes boggle the mind—so much so the film should come with a surgeon general’s warning: may cause gender confusion – Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine

In the end Zerophilia isn’t just about discovering who you are, it’s about embracing whoever you might become – Martin Curland

When writer-director Martin Curland released his gender-swapping debut feature Zerophilia in 2005, it was marketed as an independent sex comedy, no mention was made of the film’s intrinsic queerness. Misunderstood and ahead of its time, the film was resultantly a box-office flop and left critics baffled.

Small-town student and hockey player Luke (Taylor Handley) falls for quick-witted Michelle (Rebecca Mozo). Sparks fly, but there’s growing pains. Unusual hormonal shifts, to be precise. Luke soon discovers that he’s a ‘Zerophiliac’, a genetic variant of human that will change biological sex when aroused. As crazy questions and looming decisions arise, only one question matters: “Who do you love?”

Shot through with unexpectedly resonant dialogue and euphoric montage, Zerophilia is the greatest genderqueer comedy you’ve never seen.

What now reads as prescient transgender cinema was written with a different, deeply personal meaning in mind, a context undiscussed and repressed on initial release. Through our dialogues, Curland’s understanding of his own film has shifted, and the LIFFF team’s understanding of it has shifted in turn. Cinema, much like gender, can be fluid.

The screening will be held at Genesis Cinema on 1st December 2024, at 6 PM. Join us for a post-film Zoom Q&A with director Martin Curland and cast members, followed by the LIFFF awards announcement.