Outsiders, now in its 4th edition, has from its inception sought to look closely at contemporary America, exhibiting films that, having been made outside the mainstream, can more accurately reflect the preoccupations of a multifaceted society, in which common tendencies can nonetheless be observed.

One of the most notorious tendencies, which has lasted for at least a decade, and is not exclusive to the USA, is connected to the polarization of positions and the proliferation of divisive topics, among which is the idea of the “other”.

Without wishing to turn a small unpretentious collection of films into an academic thesis, or to disregard its role as recreation, it seemed to us that the question of the “other” or, if you will, of alterity, would be one of the keys to understanding the tensions which have spread to all sectors of American society.
Fear of the “other” has existed from time immemorial, as History and Anthropology tell us. A neighboring tribe, the people behind the mountain, a different creed, have always elicited fear. And today, who is the “other”? Who is the unknown alter at the root of our contemporary fears?

The others, beyond the borders, continue to cause estrangement and rejection. It´s what films such as Landfall, which explores the exacerbation of the relationship between the inhabitants of Puerto Rico and mainland Americans, Most Beautiful Island, in which the vulnerability of undocumented immigrants is revealed, Fremont, which addresses the difficulties of integration by Afghan refugees, and Mountains, about the illusions of several generations in a family of Haitian origin living in Miami, seem to be showing us.

The typical “other” can also be right next to you: in the form of a different skin color — Earth Mama, or a minority sexual orientation — A House Is Not a Disco. There are; however, some recent iterations nearly invisible alterity: that of ageism (Thelma, regarding the elderly; Gasoline Rainbow, focused on adolescence) and, within the family, that which can hide alienation (Something, Anything; Ghostlight).

Other traditional sources of fear are connected to mental health (dementia; psychiatric hospitals), and to supernatural phenomena (ghosts; spiritualism). We also find them at the base of our contemporary distrust and aversion. The “other” can be hidden within the madness of social networks — Ingrid Goes West, or present in signals from the beyond — Light from Light.

The twelve films included in this year´s program raise more questions than provide answers, but one thing we are certain of, is that they enable an enrichment of the gaze on the various “others” which concern the America of today.

Carlos Nogueira, Curation