BALLROOM TAKEOVER / XL

Queer Mercury (17 min) is a visual exploration into the possible utopian impulse embedded in queer collectivity.

Queer futurity, as explained by José Esteban Muñoz, is essentially about the rejection of the ‘here and now’ and an insistence on potentiality for another world. More important than defining an end goal is striving for, and moving towards, more inclusive worlds.

De documentary follows three members of the Dutch ballroom scene during the preparations for the Utopia Ball, held in Kunsthal in September 2021. The three protagonists reflect on how ballroom culture pursues this utopia by creating an inclusive space in which all gender identities and expressions are welcome.

The performances can be experienced as a continuous striving towards inclusive futures that are not yet here, with gestures and movements that transmit knowledge of queer histories and possibilities.