A fittingly eclectic and colourful ode to Halifax treasure, multi-media artist James MacSwain, Celestial Queer documents MacSwain’s journey growing up gay in the ‘50s and ‘60s in small-town Nova Scotia and finding his community and artistic practice. Co-directors and long-time-Jim-disciples Eryn Foster and Sue Johnson compiled footage for this epic documentary for close to a decade to tell the story of this quietly outspoken feminist, naturalist and gay-rights activist.

MacSwain’s collage-based animation is featured in the film, interspersed with interviews detailing his impact on filmmaking and artist-run culture and candid conversations with MacSwain himself, who permeates the film with his humour and ‘otherworldly’ charm. —Martha Cooley

A Q&A with directors Sue Johnson and Eryn Foster and the film subject James MacSwain will follow the screening.