House of Velvet (2023)

House of Velvet is a short film (17min) that follows a day in the life of the Kiki House of Velvet members. Scattered moments from their everyday experiences in the outside world dissolve when everyone meets again in the safety within their chosen family. Scripted scenes merged with authentic and lived experiences of the characters show how the ballroom culture intertwines with their lives & vice versa.

The ballroom culture, which originated in the US in the late 1960s out of oppression and discrimination of African American and Latinx trans women, has always served as a space for freedom of self-expression and liberation for marginalised and queer people. The culture is still very much vibrant and alive today, in New York, Paris or all around the world. For us here in Central and Eastern Europe, the ballroom culture emerged in quite a different context. But it tries to stay true to its original purpose. All of the dance, fashion, body & performance categories stem out of issues which queer, trans & BIPOC minorities had to face in the past and sadly a lot of them are still persistent in our societies even today - especially in the context of this region.

Director Igor Smitka Co-director Ivana Hucíková Producer Superfilm production Co-producers Mondance agency x Nocap collective Cast kiki house of velvet Executive producers Monika Lošťáková, Simona Hrušovská Line Producer Monika Kraft Production Manager Klára Mamojková Cinematography Dušan Husár Set Designer Nina Feriancová Prop Master František Řezník Prop Assistant Emil Taschka Editor Barbora Búbelová Colorist Lucia Kovalová Sound Design & Mix Jan Licek Original Music Mikuláš Příhoda & Jan Licek Graphic Design Damián Pastirčák 1st AD Jose Castorena & Janek Palovský Gaffer Miro Žíla Steadicam Filip Rybář BTS Photographer Tobiáš Páral Styling Kiki House of Velvet & Eva Che Stylist assistant Juliana Summerling Make up Martina Loy & Martin Obercian Hair Stylist Lukáš Mačala