Queer Edward II

In 1991, filmmaker Derek Jarman shot a radical film adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s play Edward II, connecting its 14^th century origins to the contemporary struggles of the queer community. Steven Waddington, Andrew Tiernan and Tilda Swinton starred in the postmodern love triangle. Irish cinematographer Seamus McGarvey was given full access to the set and shot behind-the-scenes material throughout the production, which recent film school graduate Theo Rollason now assembled into a documentary.

Queer Edward II is as much a glimpse into the world of BBC-funded indie filmmaking and the creative practice of Derek Jarman, as it is an unearthed time capsule, reflecting both pop culture and political climate of the 1990s. 35 years later, the backlash against a number of social justice movements becomes more intelligible upon seeing vivid proof that progress was never a linear process. The documentary features an interview with Jarman, where he notes that his existence as a gay man in the UK was criminalised for the first half of his life, only to face the possibility of those laws being reinstated as he approached 50.

Coming hot off the festival’s opening film, it is disturbingly fascinating to see the historical damage inflicted by tabloids The Sun and The Mirror unfold alongside Ink providing their dire origin story. Rollason isn’t afraid to include controversial footage of a group of Edward II’s extras going rogue during the shoot’s lunch break. Cliff Richard, who recorded on the same studio lot as the filming took place, was asked by the protest group OutRage! to come out of the closet. What initially caused a minor scandal and led to frantic denial takes a more loaded turn viewed from the vantage of the present, knowing what is now known about the Christian singer’s personal life.

No matter one’s familiarity with Jarman’s work, Queer Edward II is a must-see for anyone interested in British and/or queer history. The film’s tenderness and admiration for pioneers like him form a beautiful continuation of Derek Jarman’s legacy, a conversation between his spirit and future generations of queer filmmakers.

Selina Sondermann

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