This is a past event

Go back to current events

Jun 27, 2025
South Battery - South Battery - Building 309

Bil­lion Oys­ter Project will host a screen­ing of Hold­ing Back the Tide, a poet­ic and genre-defy­ing doc­u­men­tary that reimag­ines the oys­ter as a queer, fem­i­nist, envi­ron­men­tal icon. The screen­ing of the fea­ture pre­sen­ta­tion will be pre­ced­ed by a selec­tion of short films curat­ed by Hold­ing Back the Tide direc­tor Emi­ly Pack­er as well as a Q&A with the film­mak­ers in person.

"The queer gaze reverberates between these films and their subjects like a protective shell against the tides of destructive, capitalist-driven deteriorations. If an oyster can emote about community in the face of rising tides, inspired by its transnes, we have much more to learn and many other voices from whom we should hear. This Pride Month, what else can us humans, especially us New Yorkers, learn from the turtle? The moth? The scorpion? Four queer filmmakers (including myself) will convene from across the country to share in this special screening on Governors Island and discuss what we've made, what we've seen, and how those influence each other."

Emily Packer, Director, "Holding Back the Tide"

Short Films:

  • Tes­tu­do Her­man­ni by G. Antho­ny Svatek
  • Soft in the Shell by Ingrid Raphaël
  • Susurrus by Allur Duffy
  • Ear­ly 12 New York Song by G. Antho­ny Svatek + Aman­da Katz
  • Spec­ta­cle by G. Antho­ny Svatek

A por­tion of T‑shirt sales will ben­e­fit Blue­stock­ings, an activist cen­ter, com­mu­ni­ty space and queer book­store here in NYC.

Jun 27, 2025
South Battery - South Battery - Building 309